New to Mirrix: some of our favorite things!

As many of you know, Mirrix just moved to a new and lovely space. A big move means big changes. We are happily ensconced in our new digs. It is a spacious and organized and happy place. We want to fill it with happy stuff (besides the standard Mirrix mix of toys). 

To that end we have been combing the internet looking for some of our favorite things. One of our goals is to amass a lot of weft material. We do (top secret) have a line of tapestry yarn coming our way. More about that in a future post. For now, we just want to show you what is new at Mirrix and why we love it.

Scissors and Clippers

We don't talk about scissors and other such items very much. But they are incredibly important. Are yours always sneaking away and getting lost between the cushions on the couch or underneath your husband in bed? Unlike my phone I cannot ping those scissors. I imagine one day if and when I move I will find all the lost scissors. Hundreds of them. Along with the lost needles and eyeglasses. 

Back to the scissors and clippers. We have added to our collection. First up: Xuron Precision Micro-Tip Scissors. These are fantastic. Their job is simply to snip threads. It makes a clean cut with almost effortlessly. Precision ground blades with one being serrated to hold the thread and a spring to return the scissor to its resting (open) state. The lack of finger loops makes picking them up and putting them down much easier than it is with regular scissors. These are a must have! You can find them here.

I panicked the other day because I could not find my pair. Searched far and wide. Turns out DH had "borrowed" them. I am going to have a chip put in those things! 

This pair of Fiskars scissors is also on our favorite things list. You've seen them around. The orange handle is a dead give away.

They are designed like most scissors except they have a micro-tip allowing you to make the most precise cuts. But they are also regular scissors than can handle bigger jobs than the blue handled ones. You can find them here.

Weft

You asked for more weft yarn and we listened. We found some gorgeous Perle cotton called Presence Finca Perle Cotton. We even love the name! We are selling them in two sizes: 03 and 05. The larger the number, the thinner the yarn. Size 03 is the weight of standard cotton crochet yarn. Size 05 is about doubled that and similar in size to our hand-painted silk. It's a great accent yarn to combine with wool or to use on its own. The colors are rich and heavenly. We are carrying almost the full range in packs of six. You can find them here.

Here are some teaser photos for you:

We also have a new yarn sampler set "Some of Our Favorite Colors" that was introduced last week and already sold out. But don't worry, we just got more in today! (Phew!) You can find the set here. 

Beads

Now we have not forgotten you bead lovers. You asked for beads in a variety of shapes and sizes. We discovered these lovely Czech assorted beads mixes to tease your imagination. We have them available in fie different color ways. The beads range from 6 to 15 mm and include the following shapes: two-hole, diamond, curved drops, ginkgo, triangle, super duos, bricks, one-hole drop beads. It's a fun and exciting mix and what is more after you purchase a bag of these beauties send us an email with a photo of what you made and we will send you a $20 discount code for your next order. Our customers give us the best ideas and we want your ideas as to how to use these beads on a Mirrix Loom. You can find them here.

Felting

And next a favorite medium of mine which I have not done in ages. But this new to Mirrix kit is bringing me back to the fold. I have been busy making little feel balls just to get back in practice. I have used needle felting mainly to make wall hangings not unlike a tapestry. I have also used it to add detail to an actual tapestry. I've combined it with beads and all sorts of crazy fibers. Needle felting has a broad range of applications and has a very shallow learning curve until you launch into the some of the more elaborate three-D pieces. Jump in. It won't strip your wallet of that many pennies and is sure to inspire. You can find the kit here.

But what good is a kit like this without refills and options for other colors? They call them Paint Box Wools (love that name) and can be found here.

Ah, felting needles. But first, a little history of from whence they come. Normally industrial practices having to do with fiber start with someone making something with fiber by hand. For example, humans learned how to knit with sticks a long, long time ago. And that lead to knitting machines. Same goes for weaving. And Crochet and anything else you can think of. But with needle felting, industry invented it and craft people discovered their needles. Normally these needles are imbedded in a large plate that is mechanically pushed up and down on the fiber. The barbs on the needles twist the fiber together, hence creating felt. Practical uses for this technology. When sitting in your car, look up. That stuff on your ceiling could very well be manufactured felt. These needles are fairly delicate. I have known to break a few in my time. You can find them here. 

Books

We are so pleased to have the new book from our fearless and famous (and really nice) world-renowned tapestry weaver and teacher, Rebecca Mezoff: The Art of Tapestry Weaving. We waited anxiously for this book to come out and it does not disappoint. A must have for every tapestry book collection. You will find it here.