Many people like to customize their kits, or run out of something important. and need extras, or want to make their own projects in a style to match their Bucilla treasures. Here’s tips on where to find replacements for key kit components:
Floss
Use DMC floss as replacement, can buy skeins individually at Micheals or Hobby Lobby (and limited colors at Walmart). Current kits show the DMC color codes on the color chart on the back of the color picture. Some older kits use bucilla color codes that require a conversion chart found online.
Needles
The larger needle in the kit is usually a size 6, and the smaller one is a size 10 or size 9. If you just need one or two replacements, DMC needle assortments (3/9 or 5/10) will include both sizes you need. Many people like to keep each color threaded at the same time to save time. Hobby Lobby and amazon sell sets of individual size needles. Embroidery needles are the type in the kit, but other (non ball-point) types will work too.
Beads
Modern kits use clear, transparent red, and occasionally opaque black seed beads. The beads in the kit are usually size 10 or 11, however, there is so much variation in the individual beads that any round seed beads size 10, 11, or 12, or 2mm are suitable as a replacement. Micheal’s sells size 11 seed beads, Hobby lobby sells size 12. Both work well. Vintage kits use silver-lined beads, which are usually marked with S/L in fine print on the package and have a metallic center on the beads. If you are trying to replicate a vintage look, you may want silver lined beads, however, silver lined beads tend to tarnish over time, so some crafters prefer to substitute clear beads for the silver lined ones even on vintage projects.
Some crafters like to use other colored transparent beads on various colored sequins instead of clear for added effect, such as using transparent light green beads on green sequins, transparent blue beads on blue sequins, transparent amber beads on gold sequins, and so on.
Felt
Current kits use 100% polyester felt. Kunin is a good brand of 100% polyester felt, sheets of it can be found at Hobby Lobby (and other retailers such as Blick art supplies, and sometimes walmart in limited colors). Kunin’s website has the comprehensive list of colors available. Regular weight is best for applique, especially for smaller areas. Premium weight (thicker) Kunin felt is best for stocking backs or cuffs, or other large areas.
If you need a larger palette of colors, Benzie Designs is one of the most recommended vendors of wool-blend felt. Vintage kits used varying types of wool blend felts, and wool blend felt will blend seamlessly with polyester felt in most cases. Over the River Felt is another that has lots of recommendations.
Amazon has a wide assortment of felt. However, please read listings carefully. Some felt is not soft felt, but very thin stiffened felt, suitable for other types of projects, not this.
Reputable Kit Vendors
- Plaid
- Amazon
- Merry Stockings
- Herrshners
- 123Stitch (recommended for both US and for overseas buyers, cheap shipping)
- Mary Maxim
- Buddly Crafts (for UK customers)
For Vintage Kits you could scour:
- Ebay
- Etsy
- Mercari (occasionally)
- Poshmark (occasionally)
- Flea Markets
- Garage Sales
- Thrift Stores
- Antique Malls