Strawberry Needle Safe

Stitched like a little band sampler, this exquisite project was used for a class here at Pinks Barn and the stitches include queen stitch, satin stitch, sheaf stitch, diamond hemstitch, long-legged cross stitch, ray stitch, couching and the addition of seed pearls.

The needle safe is stitched on a decorated edge linen band from Vaupel & Heilenbeck and is self-lined with an eyelet ribbon closure and a pewter strawberry charm.

It measures 7.5 x 4in (19 x 10cm) when unfolded and is supplied with five gold-plated needles, wrapped in acid free tissue and gift boxed.

My association with Vaupel & Heilenbeck in Wuppertal, Germany goes back over 30 years. We were lucky enough to visit the studio recently and see the whole family just before the business was sold and the oldies finally retired at over 80! My grown-up daughter Lou was in her buggy when we visited the first time and the family took us to our first Christmas Market.