Find A Shop | HDC Merchant Mall | Cross-Stitch Shops Online
Little House Needleworks |
|
| |
| Designer's Name: Diane Williams | |
| Location: Tucson, AZ | |
|
Is there someone in particular that introduced you to cross-stitch and helped you along as a beginner?
|
|
|
If someone were ready to stitch their first "real" counted cross-stitch design, which Little House Needleworks design would you recommend and why?
Take your pick! Little House is known in the industry for designs that don't have backstitching or stitches other than the "X". However if size is an issue, the "Piece of Cake!" size is just right. The line is smaller in size, simple, and great for a beginner or someone who just needs a gift in a hurry. That is why it's named, "Piece of Cake!".
|
|
|
Little House Needleworks' design gallery includes many different types of samplers. You have colonial samplers, garden samplers, and winter/woodland samplers, just to name a few. Do these categories reflect your interests or hobbies outside of cross-stitch?
Absolutely. I think a designer usually does their best work when the subject material reflects personal taste. My home is decorated in a Folk Art/Americana decorating style so I naturally gravitate to that look in needlework. Examples of the designs that would look great in my home are Pear Tree Inn, Willow Tree Inn, and Nature's Beauty. I do however feed the side of myself that loves the outdoors and what I see in nature. One design that I made specifically for myself was The Coffee Menu. I love all things coffee and have been a Starbucks™ fan for years.
|
|
|
New From Little House Needleworks... Ladybug, Ladybug It's almost the season for ladybugs and you won't want to miss this new design from Little House Needleworks! The stitch count is 59w X 87h. In true LHN fashion, this design is perfect for beginners yet nice enough to satisfy veteran stitchers. Retail price is only $5.00. |
Your "Dear Diary" series is a very creative selection of designs. For those who may not be familiar with it, can you tell us a little about these designs? The Dear Diary series is a set of eight designs that are set in real places in America but portray fictional young girls. Within each packet is a diary story card printed on parchment that tells a tale of a virtue that the young girl learns or experiences. In chart number one, it is explained that in order to keep prying eyes from reading the diary, the key must be hidden. A key is then included for each design and "hidden" somewhere among the threads by the stitcher. A second design is included for the virtue that can be stitched into a small pillow or stitched together with the others to form a larger design. A free center piece is included in the chart pack of the eighth and final Dear Diary design. To see what all of the designs would look like stitched together, go to www.littlehouseneedleworks.com and click on the link, "Dear Diary". I have heard some very creative stories from stitchers who have been working on this series and they all have wonderful stories to tell. However my favorite one was from a grandmother who was stitching all of them and placing them into a booklet for her granddaughter. She planned to expand the storylines of the young girls and place them opposite the designs. I was touched by the heartfelt gift that this stitcher was leaving her granddaughter.
|
|
In addition to being a very talented designer, you seem to have a knack for marketing your company very well by stepping outside the proverbial box. You were one of the first designers to utilize and promote Crescent Colours threads, you have created custom designs to be stitched on Trail Creek Farm pillows, you have several punchneedle designs available, and your product range is wide enough to suit beginners as well as advanced stitchers. Do you have a business background or do you simply take a common sense approach to running your company? I am NOT a businesswoman! If I had my way I'd play with fibers, fabrics and my computer all day long. My approach to Little House Needleworks is not from a business standpoint but that of a stitcher. Every design I put my name on I try to view through the eyes of the person purchasing it. Everyone in the industry knows that Sharon Crescent (of Crescent Colours) and I are friends but once upon a time we didn't even know one another. When Sharon first entered the industry I was asked to take a look at her threads for possible use in future designs. Because she lived in Tucson and only a few miles from me I just picked up the phone and called her. The next day I had her threads in my hand and became an instant convert to overdyed fibers. Not knowing her then as I do now, my decision to branch out away from DMC was made purely by the product and I have used them ever since. Hand dyed threads give my designs a more dimensional look that cannot always be achieved with DMC unless you want to change threads every few stitches. I also use Weeks Dye Works Thread and The Gentle Art. I LOVED working with Susan at Trail Creek on my seasonal pillows. She chose all of my fabrics and did so beautifully. What I find so wonderful about the use of pillows is the ability to place a design wherever you want it. It's a known fact that stitchers are running out of wall space! Susan's pillows come ready to go. . . . . . .all you need is the ability to finish the design for placement onto the pillow. She even provides fabric covered buttons to anchor the design. Introducing a few punchneedle patterns was fun and different. I had to first teach myself how to do it then come up with some pleasing designs. I think punchneedle is a nice change of pace from cross stitch but my first love is and will always be, cross stitch.
|
|
I understand you are an avid reader, what are some of your favorite books and what are you reading right now? I do love to read. My favorite book of all time is Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt followed by Lonesome Dove and the Winds of War and War and Remembrance. I am currently reading Night Over Water by Ken Follett. Reading has always been a major part of my life. When were young my brother Jim and I rode our bikes to the local library to participate in the summer reading program. We would come home during those hot summer days with a stack of books to keep us occupied when it was too hot to play outside. My mom has always been an avid reader as well which set a good example for us. As a reflection of my love for the written word, I designed the pattern "The Bookshelf" which showcases female authors and their work.
|
|
Would you tell a little about your family? Are they supportive of your design business? My husband Ron and I run Little House Needleworks by ourselves. I do the designing, stitching and framing and he does the rest of the work . . . . . . . including meals! He's a great cook and I'm only so-so. We have a great working partnership and never seem to be in each other's way which is a bit rare for a business run from home. Our daughter Nikki is the designer/owner of Country Cottage Needleworks. I had tried my hand at cottage styles and didn’t really enjoy them as much as I do the more sampler/darker designs. So it was decided last year that I would no longer work in the light cottage palette and that Nikki would take it over. We're both extremely happy with the decision.
|
|
Our Friday Features have been ending with a designer recipe. Would you mind digging down into the Diane Williams recipe box and sharing something tasty? This is a funny question! I don't cook! However I do have a recipe for happiness: 1 pattern from your favorite designer ¼ yard of gorgeous hand dyed linen 5 to 7 hand dyed threads Place in hand or on a frame and stitch for hours and hours until done!
|
|
