Saturday, September 4, 2010

Off to EGA Seminar in San Francisco


I'm not going to EGA's Seminar this year but other folks are.  Gay Ann Rogers has started posting about the EGA Seminar on her website and Vicky De Angelis has promised to report in occasionally.  I'll post Vicky's messages here as she has time to send them.   Here is GAR's website.  Keep an eye on it each day.
http://www.gayannrogers.com/site_2/Home_Page.html

Anyone else going?  Let us know what you see and do!

UPDATE:  Janet Perry has more information and some tips on where to park and eat on her site.
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/calling-sf-bay-area-stitchers

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Nerdlepoint Final Touches

Raspberry & Cream Nerdlepoint
Nerdlepoint is done!  I have enhanced my nerd credibility and done it fabulously, if I say so myself!

Ok, I don't actually own a smart phone but the next time I visit my brother (who has a Blackberry permanently attached to his belt--minus the time he ran over it with the lawnmower but we won't talk about that) he is going to be AMAZED.

In the photo above you see why I put another outside row of white tent stitches after the two fancy borders--I wanted some space between the earlier borders and the final one so that the latter wouldn't overshadow the former.

The thread I used for the final border is now called Legacy.  It was called Charleston when Needle Necessities made it but now that ThreadworX is open and reproducing many of the old NN threads, you can buy it under the new name.
http://www.threadworx.com/product.php?catid=5&catName=The%20Legacy%20Collection%20-%2010%20yards&pg_num=1

This is a manmade fiber that is fuzzy like a plastic feather boa.  If you use the pre-cut 18 inch length, the last 2 inches become stretched out and thin in the needle's eye, so I used 9 inch lengths to stitch long stitches all around the perimeter, each overlapping the last a bit.  When I was finished, I ran my thumb over the threads, up and down and then side to side, to make the fuzzy parts stand out.  They are trapped by the stitching but a gentle brushing is enough to make them pop out all over.

I absolutely love the effect!  It is the perfect final touch.  John and I were very curious about whether my use of color instead of the original black and white, or my adding borders would mean smart phones equipped with QR Code readers would be able to scan the code and be sent right to this site.  I sent him the photo above and he scanned it with his phone and -- IT WORKS!  His phone was sent right to http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com as planned.

Now I'm wondering whether I could have used fancy stitches for the big squares of the design.  I guess I'll leave discovering whether that scans up to another explorer to discover.

I am so happy!  Even the fact that now I have to put this on the front of a great pink tote bag I own can't make it any less fun--and you know I hate finishing.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Patt and Lee: 73 to 90

The Winner!
When I add up the votes sent privately or in the Comments section with those cast in the poll, the final count is Asian Inspirations Sampler 73, Pirate Cat 90.  The Pirate Cat Wins!  


[Shut up, Marianne.  I can hear you saying, "I told you so" all the way down here and it is distracting.]


I'll be starting on the Patt and Lee Pirate Cat later this weekend.  First, I need to get my raspberry and cream Nerdlepoint finished.


Win This By Commenting
I know the Asian Inspiration Sampler folks are disappointed but I have a treat for you, too. Through the generosity of Patt herself, I am able to send the canvas off to a new home instead of returning it to the designer.


If you love the Asian sampler best, just comment here.  Wednesday I will use a random number generator to pick one of the comments as the winner and ship the Asian Inspiration Sampler off to you, courtesy of Patt and Lee Designs.  If the Comments section doesn't work for you, not to worry.  Just email me at chillyhollowat hotmail dot com and I will add you into the contest.


Many thanks to everyone who voted on what adventure I head out on next.  And even more thanks to Patt and Lee Designs, who graciously put up with me and sent off the canvases for me to blog stitch for your enjoyment, then said it would be ok to give the spare canvas away to a Blog reader.  It is very kind of you!


Now I'm off to make copies of the Pirate Cat canvas that I'll need once the stitching commences.  See you back here later.


Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow