Stitch-A-Pen | Mr X Stitch

I type, text, email, click, tweet, post, Instagram, snap, chat, google, and post all day, using some kind of electronic device. Yet I covet those hotel pens left on the nightstand (for years, those were my young niece's "present" when I returned from a trip). I paid $12 for a disposable "Indy 500" pen at the Indianapolis airport, and probably way more than that for a "Van Gogh paint tube" pen at the Amsterdam airport. Tradeshow booths giving away company pens, doctor's offices with logo pens on the counter, and those custom print companies who send incorrect versions of what they think you want to promote ("Kreinik Dena of Manufacturing, West Virginia")—these places feed my pen hunger with their offerings. Yes, they are pens, and most were probably free...but they are kind of boring. I need another pen like I need another tote bag (so many fun designs!), except, actually, we all need pens. Chances are that at some point, someone in your day was looking for a pen. And let's be honest: have you ever hesitated to loan someone your "good pen" for fear of never getting it back? We need pens, most of us love using a pretty or souvenir pen, and we are protective of our pens. In celebration of the pen, I present a gallery of stitched models. Wait, "how do you stitch a pen?" you ask. Well you can't stitch the ink (hmm, idea for Doug Kreinik: thread that's ink! turns into ink? ok maybe not), but you can stitch something and put it around the pen part. Then you can look at some pretty stitches while writing, or make a high-end-looking gift for someone (they don't need to know it took so little time and money to make). Simple stitches, worked in beautiful threads, in a customizable pen = great idea (classy gift idea too). These are Kreinik Stitch-A-Pen kits. Shameless plug: At Kreinik, we've made stitching pens easy with the aptly-named Stitch-A-Pen series. You can get pen kits with various designs, or blank pens to stitch your own. They take the embroidery techniques we love and put it in a daily-use form. I have stitched so many of these because they are quick, fun, and different. Writing with something made of colorful fibers and interesting stitches really does transform you mood, even when writing checks and paying bills. In addition to Stitch-A-Pens—which are full kits featuring threads, perforated paper, chart/instructions and the pen—you can also buy the pen itself and create your own designs. Pick any stitch out of your repertoire (or a needlework book) and work it in colorful or glow-in-the-dark threads (choose Kreinik threads, of course, for sparkle and special effects). Pick colors from school, sports teams, holidays or special occasions. For these, I crocheted tiny shells and circles out of Kreinik Tapestry #12 Braid and Japan #7 thread (both good weights for small motifs). I added some photos for the backdrop, and glued them all into the Kreinik Make-A-Pen. "Winter Stitches" is a Kreinik Stitch-A-Pen kit featuring snowy colors of Kreinik metallic threads stitched on black perforated paper. The paper is an ideal size for fitting inside the pen barrel (Aida cloth is too thick). From simple to sublime, use a variety of stitches and threads on your pen. Stitchers of all skill levels can make a pen. (Kreinik threads on perforated paper) With glow-in-the-dark threads, you can have unlimited fun in designs. These Halloween-themed Kreinik Stitch-A-Pen kits all feature easy stitches that glow and look awesome when the lights go out. Try doing something different with your threads and stitches: finishing as a pen. Better get a few—you know people will want to borrow your stitched pen, so go ahead and make some as gifts. Go here for more info on the Stitch-A-Pen kits. These pens were made by wrapping fabric scraps and metallic threads around the barrel of the customizable pen.