Opening the Book on the Storytime Collection
My mother was an elementary school librarian, so my childhood was filled with all sorts of children's literature modern and classic. The Storytime Collection draws it’s inspiration from some of my favorite pieces of classic children's literature and might include some of your favorites too!
The collection, which includes a sweater, gloves, two embroidery designs and a sewing pattern, is available as kits, pattern bundles and stand-alone patterns and has projects suitable for beginners to more advanced makers.
Goldenbook Cardigan
The Saggy Baggy Elephant, Tawny Scrawny Lion, Poky Little Puppy – since the first Little Golden Book was released in 1942, these titles and many more have become classics read by multiple generations.
Inspired by the iconic spine of Little Golden Books, a long band of colorwork forms a statement collar on an open-front cardigan. Knit from the top-down, the pattern uses the contiguous method to form a well-fitting one-piece yoke and is finished with clean folded hems and deep pockets. The pattern is available in bust sizes up to 56.5"/143.5 cm and includes helpful fit tips throughout the pattern to get the best fit for your body.
Can be purchased as bundle with the Turning Leaf Gloves.
Turning Leaf Gloves
In the early days of publishing, a sheet of paper with printing on both pages/sides was commonly referred to as a leaf - a less popular usage now, but one that lives on in phrases like “to turn a new leaf, ”loose-leaf” paper, and the French word feuille. The Turning Leaf gloves were inspired by the gilded leaves of hefty leather-covered tomes (be they the Bible or The Wonderful Land of Oz), this inspiration reflected in graceful pleats that shape the hands of these vintage-style gloves.
Gloves are worked from the cuff to the fingers. The cuff is worked flat, with the hand and fingers worked in the round.
Can be purchased as bundle with the Goldenbook Cardigan.
Little Readers Embroidery & Ms. Marian Pillow
Is there anything better than cozying up with a good book?
The Little Readers are vintage-inspired designs that use a single color to create a strong outline, a technique known as redwork (or bluework, depending on the color). The paired-down design is a great introductory project for beginning embroiderers and would make a wonderful gift for the book-lover in your life.
Named for The Music Man’s Marian The Librarian, the Ms. Marian Pillow turns your hoop art into cozy and beautiful home decor. Mitered corners and a checkerboard band increase the elegance of the design, which is suitable for intermediate sewists.
Instructions are included for a standard envelope pillowcase and a tote-able reading pillow with book pocket. The sewing pattern includes template/pattern for both Boy and Girl Little Reader embroideries and is a perfect companion to any of my 6” hoop designs or kits. Not into embroidery? Use the center panel to display an 7” square quilt block or panel of a favorite fabric.
The Ms. Marian Pillow Kit provides you with all the materials (minus pillowform) to make one beautifully embroidered, library-themed pillowcase. You can choose to sew it up as a standard envelope-back pillow, or (my favorite) as a tote-able reading pillow with book pocket.
A companion to the Little Reader Boy, these vintage-inspired designs use a single color to create a strong outline, a technique known as redwork (or bluework, depending on the color). The paired-down design is a great introductory project for beginning embroiderers and would make a wonderful gift for the book-lover in your life.
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With the design pre-printed on a beautiful linen-blend fabric, stitching a heirloom quality piece of embroidery is almost as simple as coloring!
Embroidery kits make great gifts (including for yourself!) and are a wonderfully meditative activity that comes with a beautiful product at the end.
Hang your finished piece right in the hoop (I’ll show you how!), frame it, or sew it into a cushion, bag or quilt.
New to embroidery? Each kit comes with a 2-page color guide to basic stitches or check out the tutorial library for tips and step-by-step instructions.
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COMPLETE EMBROIDERY KIT
Contains everything you need to stitch a beautiful wall-hanging.
High-quality Linen/Cotton Fabric pre-printed with design
6” wooden hoop
DMC Embroidery Floss to in three colors (black/red/blue) to complete design as shown
Embroidery needle
Guide to basic embroidery stitches (additional tutorials available at MsCleaver.com)
Complete kit packaged in a sturdy reusable kraft envelope suitable for gifting.
Have more floss than you know what to do with, or want to pick your own colors? Purchase the pre-printed panel only in the drop-down menu above. Also available as a PDF Pattern.
This kit is also available at a reduced price as part of the Ms. Marian Pillow kit to make a library-inspired reading pillow.
*Materials shown are a sample only and may vary by design.