Introducing the Beaded Holiday Quick Stitch Kit with Papertrey Ink

Welcome everybody! We're kicking off the holiday crafting season at Papertrey Ink today with the first of the seasonal crafting products being debuted for 2015. I'm honored to be the first to get you in the mood for Christmas with the introduction of my latest Quick Stitch Kit: Beaded Holiday. It's all about taking classic holiday shapes and adding bling and sparkle with beaded motifs. I've done all the hard work, so all you have to do is sit back and enjoy yourself while creating stunning items for home decor and gift giving.

Beaded Holiday Kit Contents:

Custom tote bag

Beaded Holiday: Mitten die collection

Beaded Holiday: Stocking die collection

Beaded Holiday: Star die

Beaded Holiday: Motifs die collection

Beaded Holiday: Garland die collection

Bead storage box (ten compartments)

6mm Bugle Beads, Silver

6mm Bugle Beads, White

3mm Seed Beads, Red

3mm Seed Beads, Chartreuse

3mm Seed Beads, Teal

3mm Seed Beads, Silver

8mm Cupped Sequins, Red

8mm Cupped Sequins, Chartreuse

8mm Cupped Sequins, Teal

8mm Cupped Sequins, Silver

The total retail cost of the "Beaded Holiday" Kit is $105. There will be a limited number of these exclusive kits available, so be sure to get yours while you can! The Beaded Holiday: Garland dies are the ONLY item from this kit that will be available for purchase separately at a later date.later date.  All other items are limited edition to this kit and will never be offered again!  "Beaded Holiday" Kit will be available for sale beginning on September 1st at 10pm EST, only at Papertrey Ink. Read all the details on Nichole's blog or contact Customer Service with any questions.

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As you can see, you get three large stitched designs in the kit: the Beaded Holiday: Stocking Die , Beaded Holiday: Mitten Die, and the Beaded Holiday: Star Dies. In addition to that you receive Beaded Holiday Motif dies: the Beaded Snowflake, Tree, and Argyle Dies. They are sized to work interchangeably with the larger designs. Let's take a closer look at all three of these beauties. 

First up, the Beaded Holiday:  Stocking featuring the Beaded Holiday Tree Motif. All three of the beaded motif dies feature the use of 8mm sequins, 8/0 seed beads, and 6 mm bugle beads. We've included a wonderful custom assortment of beads and sequins (to match the PTI colors) in the kit. It even comes with its own 10 compartment storage box.  You are all ready to craft when you get your kit. And once you use up what is included, you have the sizes and specs you need to replenish your supplies at your local craft store. 

The Beaded Holiday: Stocking comes with a contrasting cuff. You also have the option of adding in a contrasting toe and heel, as I did here. Or you can totally leave those off. All the dies are included and I'll be providing PDF's and a tutorial video (below) so you can follow along with all the tricks. I promise, however, that these are really easy to put together.  

Both the Beaded Holiday:: Stocking and Beaded Holiday: Mitten have a loop die for sewing in and hanging your stocking or mitten ornament on the tree. Or, alternatively, you can just loop a piece of twine or ribbon through to work the same way. It's all up to you. You know I'm all about options. 

Next up, the Beaded Holiday: Mitten. You have the option of sewing in a contrasting cuff. Or you can leave it off. All the dies you need for that are included in the kit. 

The Beaded Holiday:Argyle Motif is a stunner. I do believe it is my favorite. Embroidery floss can add another punch of color. I use all six strands to really make the floss diamonds really stand out. 

I've made a Beaded Holiday: Stocking and Beaded Holiday:Mitten video tutorial. These are very similar in construction, so I've combined the how-to together. Also included in the video are a few beading tips. 

I mentioned in the video that there is a felt interfacing that I like to use on my stitching projects. It is called Pellon Craft and Home Decor Interfacing, Ultra Firm Sew In. It is stuff that is used for hat brims and the like. I got it off the bolt at Joann's, for around $5.00 a yard on sale.  In particular, this stuff is great for giving some rigidity to a single layer felt design or on the backside of a pocketed stocking or mitten. It cuts great in the die cut machines without pre-treament. Even all those stitching holes!

For your reference, here is a photo of the bolt. Excuse the cell phone picture. I had kids dancing around me, had to be quick. Figured it was best to get you the information, no matter the photo quality.

Lastly, we have the Beaded Holiday: Star with the Beaded Holiday: Snowflake Motif Die. This ornament is stuffed with Poly-Fil for plushness. 

A note on the Beaded Holiday Motif Dies. Talk about a beautiful way to add some shine to your project. You use the same type of stitching holes as any of the other stitching dies. The holes are just spaced differently to accommodate the sizes of the beads and sequins for a perfectly spaced design. The how-to details on these are best presented in the PDF that will be included in your purchase. In the meantime, here's an illustration of all three together. 

Now, how about taking this ideas and expanding on them?

All three of these larger stitched designs would make darling ornaments. Present all three together in a coordinated color theme with matching packaging, like I did here. (I call this my Frozen colorway set! You could see them on Elsa's and Anna's tree, right?)  This would be a perfect friend, family, or teacher gift. 

I even added the Beaded Holiday Tree Motif to my paper packaging (Front and Center 1 Die, not included). Takes about ten minutes and is so pretty. Would look fabulous on a tag too. 

These basic shapes are more than just ornaments. You can do so many other things with them. Here, I've left the top of the Beaded Holiday: Mitten open to hold a napkin and silverware set for the holiday table. Add a loop and this can be taken home by your guest and then used as an ornament. Double duty for the holiday table and a party favor. 

Tie these beauties onto packaging too. If you make a pocketed Beaded Holiday: Mitten or Beaded Holiday: Stocking, a gift card fits right inside. 

How about stringing these felt shapes onto a garland for some festive home decor? Would you believe we have a Beaded Holiday: Garland Die included in the kit? Oh yeah, we've got you covered! 

The Beaded Holiday: Garland Dies consists of five separate dies. You've got the long loops for the ends of your garland, like you see here. I always find hanging garlands to be tricky. I think the looped ends are going to help me out in a big way. Problem solved.

You can make your garland as long and as simple as you want it by adding on segments. Custom size it to fit your particular space. 

The Beaded Holiday: Garland Dies also comes with three different lengths of "garland connectors'. Again, just customizing the size to your needs.  These are the felt pieces that string between your Beaded Holiday Mitten, Beaded Holiday: Stocking, and/or Beaded: Holiday Star.  

We are finding out as a team just how handy these little babies are. I do believe most of our "extra" ideas have to do with using them in alternative ways. As you can see, I made a felt loop chain garland with mine with the largest length of garland connectors. You can get seven rings per the width of the Papertrey Ink felt. Imagine creating garland for birthdays in any of the PTI felt colors! This die is going to take you beyond the holidays for sure. 

And lastly, included with the Beaded Holiday: Garland Dies is a "holes only" die so you can stitch your garland connectors between your large shapes, joining them together. 

I've created a video tutorial on how the Beaded Holiday: Garland Dies work with the Beaded Holiday: Stocking, Mitten, and Star. There are tree different ways to use the garland connectors for garland. Just depends on your preference. Click play to learn more. 

A few other things of interest with this particular garland I've created. I choose not to use any Beaded Motif Dies. Just for a different look. Also, I used fabric treated with Heat N' Bond and ironed on to cuff, heel, and toe cuts of the Pellon Crafts + Home Decor Interfacing Ultra Firm Sew In. Whenever I use fabric, I also back it with the same cut in felt, so the rest of the project doesn't show through the fabric. 

A long time ago, I created a Make It Monday Video about using Heat N' Bond with fabric for die cutting. If you need the refresher, here's the link. 

Also, this stocking was left open at the top to make a pocket. It can hold fun stuff while strung as a garland. I'm thinking some sort of advent or countdown garland might be fun. The stockings and mittens can easily hold a piece of candy or a tag with a holiday activity listed on it.  Especially when teamed up with the Sew Stylish Number Dies, available separately. 

One last project before I wrap it up for the day. Take the Beaded Holiday: Garland Dies and make a vertical hanging decor piece. I sewed up three Beaded Holiday:  Stars with a blanket stitch on the Beaded Holiday: Garland Dies. Jingle bells are sewn between the stars. A little hot glue was used to keep the points of the stars along the garland connectors and the jingle bells from flopping around, but none of that shows. No problem then, right? Whatever it takes! 

Also of note here, I used all three Beaded Holiday Motif Dies on the Beaded Holiday: Stars to show you how they are interchangeable on the larger shapes. 

The back of this project show you more of the construction. I used the "holes only" die from Beaded Holiday: Garland Dies and cut that into the back of my Beaded Holiday: Stars. I was then able to sew in the garland connectors from the Beaded Holiday: Garland Dies, creating a long line. The smallest length was used to connect the stars. I used the loop at the top so it could hang off a hook or knob and the medium length at the bottom so I could cut a little flag edge with my scissors. 

The looped end from the Beaded Holiday: Garland Die  is big enough to go around a door knob for a door hanger. With jingle bells sewn in, it jingles every time somebody opens or closes the door. 

And that's a wrap folks. Hank approves of his mother's craftiness. Or maybe just that he knows when I finish this blog post, I'll be taking him to the pool. :) I think the latter is more likely. 

The ladies have more inspiration for you. Click below to see what the team's been up to with the Beaded Holiday Quick Stitch Kit.  And absolutely all the official info is available this morning at Nichole Heady's blog.

Hilary Kanwischer

Lizzie Jones

Rebecca Luminarias

Tracy Miller

All my projects today feature the use of the Beaded Holiday Quick Stitch Kit available on September 1st, 2015 at www.papertreyink.com at 10 PM EST. The Beaded Holiday: Garland Dies will be available later as an individual purchase in the store (in a few months), but the rest of the kit is exclusive. If we sell out in 24 hours, a preorder will become available. That means you preorder at that time and it takes 4-6 weeks for the kits to be manufactured, assembled, and sent out to you.  If you are interested, grab one while you can. I look forward to seeing what you do with it.

Thanks so much for your interest and happy holiday crafting!