The Camouflage Bra and Tap Pants Set

As you probably guessed from yesterday's posting, my next project is one of SharonG's bra and tap pants sets. You can see many of her lingerie items on her website.  My camouflage bra and tap pants canvases are on page 4.
http://www.sharong.com/catalog/bras/index.html

The above designs are on two 9x9 pieces of 18 count canvas.  I've owned these two canvases for a while.  They're a sort of joke as Chilly Hollow is very rural and in the middle of a mature oak forest. This means we are plagued by trespassing hunters almost every fall out to shoot deer.  I've been wondering how to frame the set (two matching frames?  a big frame with two-holed mat?) and how to stitch them the whole time I've owned them.

Then last fall an incredible resource opened up in the shape of a SharonG cyberclass on stitching her canvases sponsored by the Shining Needle Society.  The class is an ongoing one and is called The SharonG Network.  You can sign up for three month's worth or the whole year for a discount.  Head to the SNS website to join the Shining Needle Society and their Yahoo Group to see details about the class.  The next quarter should start in February.  I'll post details here when registration for the second quarter is open.
http://www.shiningneedlesociety.com/

I signed up for the year and my first quarter's canvas was my camo bra and tap pants set.  SharonG has fabulous ideas for this canvas and with her help and encouragement, I'm coming up with more.  She has graciously agreed to let me stitch-blog the canvases here as I buckle down and stitch it.

Let me just say, what she suggested is about the last thing I would have thought of....

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

About Darning Stitches

SharonG Bra with Darning Stitch Deer Background*

You have probably seen darning stitch backgrounds here and there without really understanding how they are done.  Vicky DeAngelis to the rescue!  Pay close attention to the margins of her canvas where she does little | stitches to turn the thread before stitching another vertical row.
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/still-love-that-man-in-uniform/

SuZy Murphy has a book that is all darning patterns called SuZy's Darn Stitches.
http://www.pfos.com/SalePages/PocketFullofStitchesNeedlepointBooks.htm

Brenda Hart's two Favorite Stitches books and her Stitches for the Millennium all have a few darning patterns in them as well.
http://bristlythistle.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/new-needlepoint-books-from-brenda-hart-june-mcknight/

From personal experience I can tell you to use long lengths of thread as you can't stop in the middle of a row.  Threads that drag from one motif to the next will show so make sure each row is stitched the same way so that the shadows all look the same from the front.

*For new readers of Blog, the camouflage bra and tap pants set is from SharonG.  I stitched it several years ago.  Here are the links to my old articles if you are curious.
http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/01/camouflage-bra-and-tap-pants-set.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/01/camouflage-lingerie-threads.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/01/all-beads-are-not-alike.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-size-beads-for-what-size-lingerie.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/01/bead-and-stars-tidbits.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/02/by-way.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/02/rushing-around-before-more-snow.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/02/bra-with-beads.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/02/bra-beads.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/02/beaded-bra.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/02/better-beaded-bra-and-more.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/02/comparing-beading-techniques.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/02/now-we-wait.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/02/camo-tap-pants-done-stars-started.html

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/02/sharong-camouflage-bra-and-tap-pants.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

What a Lingerie Buyer Does in Needlepoint

My Camouflage Bra and Tap Pants Canvases

You may not know that the famous SharonG started her working career as a lingerie buyer.  That may explain seven pages of painted canvases of bra and tap pants sets on her website.
http://sharong.com/catalog/bras/index.html

There are corsets as well. Here's a snazzy leopard print one. I'm sorry I can't find others for you to see online.  They are gorgeous!
http://www.needlepointyaya.com/Sale_Canvases.html

I'm not the only one charmed by SharonG lingerie.  Check out what Robin King did.
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2010/02/kitty-bra-tap-pants-are-finished.html

Two years ago I stitched the above pair of canvases.  I thought folks would like to reread how I got from the photo above to the one below.  (I know some of you remember but there are lots of new visitors here at Blog.)  Start at this link, then keep clicking on Newer Posts to follow my needlepoint lingerie journey.  You won't believe what SharonG suggested I do to this canvas!
http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/search?q=bra+and+tap+pants

Finished Camo Set

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Bead and Stars Tidbits

Lots of folks who have stitched or who plan to stitch Tony Minieri's Stars for the New Millennium have emailed me, many with interesting tips.  Amanda, who has seen many versions of this design stitched, remarked that she thought darker colors showed up well.  In fact, she changed her planned colors slightly when she realized one of her originals was too light a shade.  My preference has been for darker versions of Stars also, particularly those that have a lot of contrast between colors.  I'd love to see an all -pastel version, though.  In fact, if you have finished Stars, send me a photo and I'll post as many as I can get here.

Amanda used Trio and Vineyards Silks on her Stars, and discovered that when she had to split these for stitching, the plied threads had lots of fuzzies.   It was frustrating for her, so you might want to be careful about choosing these new threads for your version.

I'd also like to direct your attention to the Needlepoint Study Hall blog which is intended to be a gathering place for stitchers working on Amy Bunger's new Halloweenies class which will start in a few weeks.  Right now, Amy's staff are posting about interesting products and their current stitching.  Beads and a SharonG lingerie set are among the blog entries.

Robin King is stitching her own SharonG bra and tap pants set there, the kitty one.  You'll want to see how she added beads to her tap pants. It's totally different than the two techniques I'm testing.
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2010/01/bead-lesson-with-geography.html

Peggy mentioned a new kit from Sundance that has a variety of beads and a project to stitch with them.  It's a great introduction for new beaders.
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2010/01/since-we-are-talking-about-beads.html

By the way, I've finished beading the silver dog tags on the bra canvas and using DMC memory thread, have shaped a long length into the black coat hanger.  I couched the coat hanger wire down with matching black DMC cotton floss.  The hardest part was enlarging the canvas holes enough to thread the memory thread through under the bra straps, but it looks quite nice.

I am going to wait to do the dog tag chain until I bead the rest of the canvas.

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

Finding a Canvas to Fit a Turtle Bag UPDATED

The latest rage in the Needlepoint World are the Turtle Bags, which come with windows to insert panels of fabric.  Needlepointers are naturally inserting canvases in the openings instead of the fabric panels that Turtle Bags Inc. sells.

https://turtlebagsinc.com

But how do you choose a canvas that will work?  The openings on both the tote bag and the cross body style are approximately 5 1/2 inches wide by 7 inches tall, so you will need a canvas with a design that is either that size already or that you can add background around to make it that size.  

The pre-made fabric inserts that Turtle Bags Inc. sells are 7 inches wide by 9 1/2 inches wide so you will need to cut down your canvas to be that size or perhaps a tad smaller before you slide it into the pocket.  That means you have to buy a canvas which has an outer dimension at least 7 x 9 1/2 inches or that you can cut to that size.  

Let's say you have a canvas in your stash that you think would look good in a Turtle Bag.  How do you check this?  First, you need a piece of paper that is 5 1/2 inches by 7 inches.  Using a ruler, cut a piece of paper that size.  Now, using magnets, position the paper behind your canvas to see if it will work.  

Above you see my birdhouse canvas from Tapestry Fair with a piece of 5.5x7 inch paper behind it.  The paper shows what will be visible on the front of a Turtle Bag.  As you can see, I'm going to have to add background around the birdhouse, so I basted a line all around the canvas about half an inch away from the edge of the paper so that I have a margin of background in case the canvas shifts a bit.  The outside overall dimensions are 8x10 inches so I will cut down the canvas to approximately 7x9.5 inches once I get the background stitched and am ready to insert the canvas in the window on the front. 

What if you don't have a suitable canvas in your stash?  What should you shop for?  First, I'd recommend you pick a canvas you can do entirely in basketweave.  My birdhouse piece has beads and ribbon embroidery, both of which will snag if it is used on the front of a purse that I carry, even if I only use it occasionally.  An all-tent stitch piece is the best choice for you as it is the most durable stitch.  

Now let's go shopping!  I browsed the Stitching Destashing website for canvases that were the right size and that were all under $40.  This charming daisy canvas is 4 1/2 x 4 and is slightly offset so adding background outside the border won't look odd.  You can do two different background colors, too, one inside the square and one outside it, to add interest.  

https://www.needlepointdestashing.com/collections/whats-new/products/floral-68

You could stitch the Chinese "good fortune" character in metallic.  The design is small at 3.5x3 but has high impact against the dark green background.  You could even add a gold border if you wanted to this one.  

https://www.needlepointdestashing.com/collections/whats-new/products/good-fortune

Another high impact design is this red shoe which is 3.5 inches square.  The one drawback of this design is that the outside dimensions of the canvas are slightly smaller than the 7x9.5 inches we are looking for, but I think you could make it work if you used double sided tape to make sure the needlepoint canvas doesn't shift around in your opening.

https://www.needlepointdestashing.com/collections/whats-new/products/red-high-heel

Want a real charmer?  How about this rabbit?  This is a larger design at 5x7 inches and has the merit of the background being easy to make wider by just adding a bit of branch on the left side.

https://www.needlepointdestashing.com/collections/whats-new/products/bunny-4

SharonG's perfume bottle is 3.75x6 inches, and will be easy to add background to.  Designs that are vertical like this one make really good choices for a purse insert as they look natural with a background added.

https://www.needlepointdestashing.com/collections/whats-new/products/perfume-bottle-2

Square designs like Melissa Shirley's five inch square vase with flowers isn't quite as easy to use but you can make the red border as wide or tall as you need.  

https://www.needlepointdestashing.com/collections/whats-new/products/vase-with-flowers-and-leaves-square

Still, dede's elephant (which is also five inches square) will look more natural with additional background as the design itself is offset.

https://www.needlepointdestashing.com/collections/whats-new/products/elephant-5

Finally, consider designs that coordinate if you are buying a Turtle Bag in the tote style as it has a window for displaying needlepoint on both sides.  This SharonG bra and tap pants set would work nicely.  Of course if you are going for the cross body style of bag, it only has a window for display on one side.  And there is no rule you have to have a needlepoint panel on both sides anyway.

https://www.needlepointdestashing.com/collections/whats-new/products/leopard-bra-and-tap-pants

Is all this too much for you?  Stitch by Stitch in Larchmont sells the bags and will find you a canvas that will work if your local shop can't help.  They recommend the Colors of Praise initial canvases but I'm sure they can find something else for you if that doesn't appeal.  

https://www.stitchbystitchneedlepoint.com/product-page/orca-turtle-bag-and-initial-bundle

Good luck stitching something totally fun for your next purse adventure.  

UPDATE:  Mindy's started painting designs to fit in the openings of Turtle Bags.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10218643023099094&set=a.10203820068054482

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10218479997463555&set=a.10203820068054482

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10218670953997349&set=a.10203820068054482

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10219007695415674&set=a.10203820068054482

http://www.mindysneedlepoint.com/shop/Mindys-Needlepoint-Designs/Turtle-Bag-Canvases.htm

UPDATE #2:  This posting on NP Nation has lots of information about the right size canvas for your Turtle Bag, whether it is a tote or cross body style.  Read all the comments.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/NeedlepointNation/permalink/4364180840325707/

UPDATE #3:  Needlepoint Alley has inserts.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/NeedlepointNation/permalink/4630671747009947/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright June 26, 2021 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Rushing Around Before More Snow

Today's going to be hectic as another foot of snow is expected here starting tomorrow morning, but I did want to let you guys know I did not finish the leaping deer background behind the SharonG camo bra. In the photo above you can see I fixed the deer legs that were too long, added some of my dwindling skein of Medici to the right hand column of deer, and worked my way up almost to the top of the canvas with t-stitches.  Judging from last night's progress, I will finish the background tonight.  I have about 20 rows to go to reach the top.   I can't wait!  I am dying to see how the beads look with the background.

The image above is not color adjusted.  Lots of you thought the background is too dark for the canvas so I omitted my usual step of enhancing the colors to make details more visible.  This photo maps to the actual colors better.  You probably thought the whole thing was darker than it actually is because I was artificially darkening the photo.

You may still think the background too dark (or too crowded or too something else) but that's ok.  There is no one "right" way to stitch a canvas.  It's all a matter of personal taste and my tastes could differ a lot from yours.  Suit yourself when you stitch.  You'll be happier with the end result if you express yourself, not someone else's ideas.

Now for the News portion of this blog entry.  Remember I mentioned yesterday that Anna-Marie Winter plans to add an article about doing photo transfers to her website? It's there now and is a fabulous guide to trying this technique.  Click on Transfer Printing on Canvas and enjoy!
http://www.annamariewinter.com/tips.htm

I've also discovered that Rainbow Gallery is now selling their Petite Treasure Braid ("petite" is the right size for 18 count canvas) in a set of silver and gold shades.  I love this stuff!  I hope my LNS gets some of these color sets in. It's a lot cheaper to buy a color selection than one card of each of six colors when you don't use very much of any one metallic on your stitching.
http://www.theneedleworks.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=4814

Finally, Robin has located more Medici for me if I need it for the leaping deer background for the tap pants, but I probably will mix what I have left of my skein with my Burmilana.  I am enamored of the idea of having to camouflage the fact that I'm running out of a color on the backgrounds of the SharonG camouflage bra and tap pants set.

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

How to Bead Needlepoint Canvas (Part Two)

Once you have your beads, your beading needle and threader, your beeswax and beading thread, your Tacky Bob or even a piece of sticky tape, and of course your canvas, it is time to attach the beads.

Most needlepointers like to use the lasso loop method of attaching beads.  Essentially you use a doubled length of thread, come up through the bead and go down again, then come up in the original hole, let each thread lie on either side of the bead, and go down again in the original hole.  The thread lies on either side of the bead, trapping it in place.  You can see a good demonstration of this technique in a Needlepoint Now magazine video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq3G6YKTyMU

This is not the only way to attach beads, however.  This author of the Beadpoint book uses continental stitch in vertical columns.  Please note that she is covering her canvas entirely in beads.  If I were just adding a bead here and there, I'd double my thread and lasso each bead for security's sake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seiSuI1kA6s&NR=1

When I covered my SharonG bra and tap pants set entirely in clear beads, I worked from the bottom left corner up in basketweave, using the lasso technique to hold each bead in place.  While working this piece I tried a lot of ways to attach the beads and this bottom-up basketweave technique (with doubled thread so I could lasso each bead) held the beads in the correct place better.  It takes a long time, though!  I wouldn't recommend it unless you have a huge area to completely cover with beads (and you are VERY patient).

You can use an X stitch to attach a bead.  Robin King used a cross stitch through her beads to make a beaded cat face.  This allows each bead to line up squarely with its fellows even though this is not a solid mass of beads.
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2010/01/bead-lesson-with-geography.html

I've just seen an example of a solidly beaded area done in diagonal rows like basketweave using cross stitches in the way Robin used them, but that changes the direction of the beads each row.  One row has upright X stitches holding the beads, the next has the X on its side.  This technique is Don Lynch's invention and is used on the candy corn block on his witch's hat.  It makes the area of beads look woven.  Don is with Associated Talents if you are interested in this new design.  Very creative, Don!

http://stitcherie.ning.com/photo/happy-easter-sign/next?context=user

Vicky DeAngelis wrote a nice article about solidly beading an areas on 18 count canvas on her blog.  She has tips about needles and the size of beads she likes to use for an area that is all beaded.
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/05/10/inquiring-minds-need-to-know/

Robin King likes to use brick stitch when she has an area that needs to be solidly beaded.  Note the difference between the look of her beaded area and Vicky's picture.  It's the difference between a straight and a tent stitch when it comes to attaching a bead.
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/search?q=beads

Sundance has a nice booklet on beading needlepoint canvas. This is the only such book I know about.  Here's the review I wrote of it in 2009.  The techniques above are more about using straight or tent stitches to bead but Sundance has taken this a step further and subsstitutes beads for patterned stitches and has their favorites diagrammed in the back of the booklet.
http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2009/03/book-review-sundance-beads-for.html

I'd forgotten about their Bead Explosion kit last time so here's a glimpse of it.  The difference between this and Sundance's little beaded heart kits is the variety of beads and stitches used.  If you are interested in branching out into more decorative effects and seeing a variety of bead styles but want some help, it's worth getting this kit.
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2010/01/since-we-are-talking-about-beads.html

http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2010/04/april-firt.html

http://www.bethsneedlepoint.com/Dot_StoreProducts.asp?storecategoryDesc=Other&Show=All&idstorecategory=76

There are a lot of ways to bead, depending on what you are trying to do.  I hope you experiment a bit and discover what works for you on your current piece.

Now that you are sick of beads, here's a link to show how much beads add to a design.
http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2011/05/megs-mindy.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Comparing Beading Techniques

You may remember that I used a single ply of DMC cotton floss from the strand of six to attach the beads on the tap pants canvas.  I stitched beads in place like they were tent stitches, going through each bead twice with my single thread.

For the bra, I tried another technique. This time I cut a much longer single ply of DMC cotton floss and doubled it in my beading needle. Then I took a tent stitch through my bead.  I came up a second time in the original "up" hole and then put my needle down in the original "down" hole.  I pulled the thread down but not all the way.  I left about two inches on top of the canvas so I could carefully separate the two strands.  Holding them apart with one hand and with a finger from that hand on the bead, I carefully pulled the thread down snug.  This is called a lasso technique or a loop.  You essentially tie the thread down and then put in a second stitch that has one leg of thread on each side of the bead.  This makes a little framework around the bead.  Beads are very wiggly things and you do want to secure them as much as possible.

When I looked at the two pieces, the tap pants have a few beads out of position.  I'm not sure if that is because I stitched the tap pants first and hadn't realized it was best to work from the bottom of the design up on the diagonal yet, or if the way I secured the beads was better.  It certainly took me longer to attached the beads on the bra but they do seem a little more secure.

I think it is worth it to experiment on your own with these two ways of adding beads.  If I ever totally bead another large section of a painted canvas, I will probably use the loop technique, but it s very slow.  Whatever technique you do, remember to snug the beads down tightly.  We are used to have a somewhat looser tension in making tent stitches but when you are attaching beads, you have to pull tight so that there is no slack in the threads.  Slack in the threads means the beads will wander.

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

You Know Me

Regular readers of Blog know exactly how I start each painted canvas project--I make a color copy of each canvas and if I plan to finish it myself, I also make a black and white copy.  I use the color copy to see where details I've covered up with other stitches are so I can add them later on and the black and white copies are used as paper patterns to cut out lining or backing or both.

My next step is to look at the design carefully and then figure out what this is like in real life to help me choose threads.  Looking at the shapes on the design help me pick out threads that are also that shape.  Then I look at what is prominent on the design and what isn't to help me refine the threads and stitches I started out with (no shiny threads on the areas that should be in the background, for example).  These are rules I normally work by.  But they are my rules--not THE rules.  They define my style, not describe the only way to work a canvas.

I know this and am always interested in what other people decide to do with their canvases.  I treat any needlework show I am lucky enough to visit as a seminar.   I read Needle Pointers and Needlepoint Now cover to cover.  Doesn't matter if I like the projects or not.  I'm there to learn from other stitchers, not add to my project list.  I even study the ads carefully.  I look online at stitching blogs and store sites to watch other stitchers work.  I always learn something.

And occasionally I am able to take a class.  I eagerly signed up for the SharonG Network (the elegant lady above is Sharon Garmize herself) and rummaged through my stash of 20 or so of SharonG canvases to find one that had me puzzled. I asked SharonG what to do with the camouflage bra and tap pants set and she came up with something that totally surprised me--

I sm going to bead it.  Totally. Every inch of the painted canvas will be covered in beads except for the coat hanger.

!!!!!!!!

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

Better Beaded Bra (and More)

Here's a better photo of the finished beaded bra. I finally realized that doing a scan after dark would give better results. Duh.  (Sorry, my brain has been turned to mush by all this snow.)  Looks like we are not going to get another foot of snow, however.  The weatherman is still saying 8-10 inches but so far we have about three.  It is coming down harder, though and we are to have high winds so I probably will not shovel much today.  It'll just blow right back.

Instead, I'll work on adding t-stitches to the tap pants background.  I have all the leaping deer finished!  Hurrah for me!  Can you tell any difference between the all Medici deer on the bra's background and the mix of Medici and Burmilana deer on the tap pants' background? In person I can sort of see differences, but that is because I know there is one.

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

Choosing the Right Angle for the Paper Pattern

Making an ornament out of Dr. Who's Tardis police box was a logical choice for me.  It is all straight angles.  That will translate into NP nicely.  An image search was my next step.  If you do a Google or Bing search on Tardis, then click on "images" to limit the search results, you will see photos of the Tardis, mostly ones like this which shows two sides of the exterior.
http://www.coated.com/dr-who-tardis-ice-bucket/

Occasionally you'll see images like this--a head on view of the front only.  When it comes to translating things like police boxes or houses to NP, it is easier to do a front view instead of a three-quarters angle.
http://www.mickgray.co.uk/Tardis.jpg

But since I am insane enjoy a challenge, I picked a clear image of a 3/4 view (above) and printed it out on my printer.  I knew from working on the Candy Cane Dog stocking that I wanted an ornament that was roughly six inches high by three inches wide, so I enlarged my image on the printer until I got roughly the right size.  Then I printed out a black and white copy so I could see the angles clearly, and cut it out like a paper doll.  My paper copy is on the right.

Ordinarily my next step would be to trace around the outside of the shape onto my canvas, then fold the paper model along angles like the center line between the two front doors and trace these other lines.

However, because I am insane wanted to use a black canvas with green and yellow sparkles woven in, I had to baste lines on the canvas since no marker would show well against that background.  The principle is the same except instead of drawing lines with a marker, you draw them with thread.  Below is my outlined Tardis.  Note that I haven't drawn in the roof side angles, just put in the long horizontal lines. I'll add the side angles when I stitch this.  The light on the top of the police box is also missing.  I will add it in later, using my reference photos.

The long lines are in #8 perle cotton from DMC.  It didn't matter what color I used for the outlining as long as it would stand out against the background, but I choose blue because the Tardis is blue and I had this in my stash.

You will see in my photo that I am doing one of the doors separately. I thought it would be nice for the right side door of the Tardis to open.  I am not sure I can make this work, but I am going to try.  If I can't get it working, I can always stitch a door panel on the main piece.

You also see that I have started stitching the base of the Tardis.  I am using my thread lines as padding for the base.  I plan to remove some of the lines (like the door panel window lines) once I stitch something inside them but others will raise the corner of the Tardis, or pad the roof line in the right place.

Last night I pulled out the royal blue thread I was using in the photo above and substituted DMC cotton floss in medium blue 798.  It more closely matches the blue of the real Tardis from the tv program.  I bought three skeins of this yesterday and also picked up a skein of DMC satin floss in color 30798 which matches the regular 798 blue shade.  I've not used stain floss before but since Judy Harper likes how it adds highlights to her ornaments, I thought I'd use it for details like the windows on this fake Tardis.

I've deducted four points from my Stash Credits because of this purchase.  I am somewhat astonished as to how many threads I've used from my stash, actually, especially considering I have worked on only five projects since I started counting my thread usage in August:  Leigh's South Seas Dynasty Fiji ornament, Brenda Stofft's Rabbit Geisha, the Leigh O'jishi Japanese Noh Theatre Mask, the SharonG camouflage bra and tap pants set, and Tony Minieri's Stars of the New Millennium.  Of course Stars isn't done but since I know what threads I will use there, I've counted them already.

A few times I was able to add 5 points because I used up all the thread from a skein, and occasionally I've used the same black silk or gold Kreinik here and there on many pieces, but in general I have used many, many types and colors of threads.  I'm a threadaholic, after all!  This isn't typical, though, and one can certainly be a great stitcher using a limited palette of threads.  I just love thread and love showing the various types to you.  Each is wonderful in just the right place, after all!

Wonder if I'll hit 200 stash credits before the summer?

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

New from SharonG

Cat and Owl by SharonG

I've been dying for SharonG's website to be updated and today it is!  There are new single canvas versions of some of her famous Tripych pieces, new flowers, several owl and cat designs that'll blow your socks off, and two tiny jewel-like oriental rug designs.

http://sharong.com/catalog/new.html

The small Cat and Owl is my favorite but I know the realistic cats have many many fans (and a third cat canvas in this series is underway) and of course there are always the SharonG classics to stitch.  Her fountain pens, bra and tap pants sets, and those lovely scenes of Italy and France she does never ever go out of style.


Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Stitching The Ground Elmer Sits On

Because this is a Christmas stocking, I want it to have a lot of zing, which means I want to use things that shine and catch the eye--things such as metallic threads, beads and/or crystals, or I can also use color to make this stocking a star on the Christmas tree.  I can also use contrasts to make elements of this stocking stand out.

Studying the Kirk & Hamilton stocking and thinking about Christmas stockings in general and how I'd like this one to look, I thought I would like to have bling in each section, whether it is the dog, the toe or the top.  The snowflakes are easy but how do I make the dog stand out with bling?  I decided that the best way to do this is to surround the dog with beaded or metallic stars in the dark blue sky and to treat the lighter blue ground he stands on as sparkling snow.  If I make the dog darker and solid with heavier threads, those contrasts should make him the focal point.

So I needed a thread and a stitch to accomplish this.  First, I pulled out all the threads in my stash which are close to the blue of the ground the dog stands on.  Keeping in mind that I wanted sparkle, I tossed out the dull threads that are wools or cottons, won't work well on 18 count canvas, etc.  I ended up with a card of Silk Lame Braid, which is a new thread from Rainbow Gallery that twists silk and metallic together into a soft thread with a little sparkle.  This thread is intended for 18 count (there is a 13/14 count-sized version) but I used a size 20 needle to get it through the holes instead of my more normal 22 or 24 as this thread is easily snagged.  I choose Sky Blue SL13 and used shorter than normal lengths to cut down on snagging or roughing up this delicate thread.
http://www.rainbowgallery.com/Detail.CFM?ID=1149

Now for a stitch.  I'd recently seen Robin King use a nice stitch for her SharonG Miss Kitty bra and tap pants set--Victorian Stair Step.  I liked the look but decided that I wanted the slant to go the other way, so I reversed it into Backwards Victorian Stair.  It gave me a little diagonal movement, especially since I used a sparkly thread that gives movement through its shine.
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2010/02/pink-background-phase-1.html

Here are two online diagrams of the normal Victorian Stair Step stitch.
http://carolelake.com/Stitches/VictStep.htm

http://www.needlesandthreadsofruxton.com/stitches/victorianstep.pdf

If you look closely at the final photo, you'll see I stopped stitching my blue snow ground the dog sits on before the painted canvas ends at the horizon.  That was the logical stopping point.  I'll continue the darker blue sky a little more to meet where I want the backwards Victorian Stair Step to end when I stitch that part of the stocking.

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

Santa's Sunglasses

Joan Thomasson's Hawaiian Santa needed sunglasses and I wanted him to have heavy black framed ones like the ones my youngest brother wears since this is for him.

The first thing I did was to tent stitch the glass part of the sunglasses with navy blue Water N Ice, using the kit's enclosed light blue/green metallic for the highlights where the sun hits the sunglasses.  Then I pulled out my black DMC memory thread and cut off a 4-5 inch length.

DMC memory thread is actually thin copper wire wrapped with DMC thread.  You can read more about it here at the DMC website.
http://www.dmc.com/majic/pageServer/0k010101l7/en_GB/Desire-memory-thread.html

This was my first time actually using the thread that DMC kindly sent me to try out.  It is a lot more flexible than I expected it to be, so it was very easy for me to twist it into a rough figure 8 shape, then bent it a bit with the eraser end of a pencil to the exact shape I needed.

As you can see from the long end on the left, the cut end does unravel a bit, so I was careful to cut plenty of this stuff.  I ended up cutting off the short end under the earpiece knot I made and keeping it from unraveling with a dot of my fabric glue.  After that dried, I had to enlarge the hole in the canvas for the long end to go in, but it was easy to couch down the glasses on the front with black DMC cotton floss and easy to tied down the long end on the back with the same thread. After that, I trimmed down the long loose end a bit on the back side and Santa has his sunglasses.

DMC memory thread is certainly something I'll use again.  I have a SharonG bra and tap pants set in my stash I plan to work soon and memory thread (perhaps in silver?) will make a great coat hanger.
http://www.sharong.com/catalog/bras/index.html

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

On the Airplane with George and what came of it....

Bet you didn't know the late George Carlin inspired needlepoint designs. Are you familiar with SharonG's funny bras? Want to hear where she got the idea?

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-38820

Here are more of the lingerie designs. Certainly this is not what grandma called NP! (The breakfast bra and matching tap pants are on page 5.)

http://www.sharong.com/catalog/bras/index.html

Artists finding each other funny and inspiring each other. I'd love to know what George took away from his meeting with SharonG! The moral is we don't know how we impact other people. I can only hope my impact is good and inspiring and try to learn from other folks' inspiration.

CNN picked up the story and is researching it a bit, maybe for their news or for Larry King or Anderson Cooper. All depends on whether they need something a bit quirky to remember George by.

Rest in peace, funny guy. And thanks.

Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

A Bit More from TNNA

I have a few more postings from here and there about the Columbus, Ohio trade show.  The DMC blog has two new postings. The first is all about their tapestry wool.  This is a thread not easily available to me so I was eager to see needlepoint stitched with it.
http://dmc-threads.com/?p=2353 

The second posting is about trends they noticed at the show.
http://dmc-threads.com/?p=2372

The trend I'm picking up on is needlepoint purses myself.  Margaret's report from TNNA today shows what leather goods, including purses, are available from Stirling.  I just love the new purse shape!  The bronze and pewter colors don't do much for me but they are neutrals, so you can use any stitched canvas with these colors and they will harmonize.
http://cranecottage.com/stitchingblog/?p=1561

But adding stitching to a purse isn't the only purse trend I've noticed.  Pocket Full of Stitches has just posted a blog entry about all the various stitching purses they carry for carrying your stitching projects and tools.   I don't know it any of these are new bags, but I thought you'd like to see the huge range of totes available from just one shop.
http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2010/06/you-can-never-have-too-many-bags.html

Do you love charted pieces, laying tools or threads?  You'll be interested in what Scarlet Thread picked out at market.
http://stitchything.blogspot.com/2010/06/new-from-laura-j-perin.html

Before I forget, remember how I covered the SharonG camo bra and tap pants set all in beads?  I just discovered that one of Pocket Full of Stitches' customers has done a SharonG wine glass canvas in all beads. I think even the wine cork is covered in beads!  You can see it here in PFOS' customer profile.
http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2010/06/guest-blogger-suzanne-hicks.html

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

A Year of Thread Stash Credits 2010 (293)

Last August 25 I started keeping track of just how many threads I used.  Since today is August 26, 2010, the first year is over.  Just how many thread credits did I accumulate?  Two hundred and ninety-three!  In the last year I've worked on thirteen projects:

South Seas Fiji Dynasty Ornament
Rabbit Geisha
Cameo Ornament
O'jishi
Stars for the New Millennium
Surfin' Santa
Camouflage Bra and Tap Pants Set
Candy Cane Dog Stocking
Tardis Ornament
Stuart Plaid Lion
Blue Bow Gift Tag
Nordic Snowman Stocking
Brazil Cha-Cha
Skulls Cell Phone Case

That's a lot of thread and a lot of projects, but remember, many of the projects were small and I am a threadaholic. There is no reason that you shouldn't stick to one type of thread or brand if that's what makes you happy.

To bring everyone up to speed, every time I use a new thread on a project, I give myself one point.  If I use up all the thread in a skein (or on a card or spool), I give myself five points.  If I buy a new thread, I subtract one point from the total I've accumulated so far.  I didn't count beads in the total above or I certainly would have broken 300, but I did count silk ribbons.

I had fun with this.  I think I'm going to restart the counter now and keep track of anything new I use on Stars plus count the threads I use on future projects.

Hope you enjoyed watching the numbers move as much as I did.  Wonder if I can break 300 this year?

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

Beaded Tap Pants

Here is a photo of the totally beaded tap pants.  Don't they look great?!  It's a unique look to have a canvas covered in bead "ice."  I've put this aside for a bit as I am working on the bra's background.  More on that tomorrow as hopefully I'll finish Step One of the background tonight.

I like to do backgrounds first but on this project I didn't have a frame yet so I beaded the tap pants while looking for frames.  I intend to frame these two canvases separately in identical frames.  Once I found frames, then I decided on a background for the pieces and started working it around the bra.

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

What Size Beads for What Size Lingerie Canvas?

Yesterday I noticed that Judy Harper recommends size 14 beads for 18 count needlepoint canvas and size 11 beads for 13 count.  She's got several examples on her blog of lovely beaded effects using the skip tent method of beading and varying whether she uses sparkly or less sparkly beads.
http://fairy-crafts.blogspot.com/2010/01/beads-with-needlepoint-and-plaid-egg.html

Her recommendation much matches what Fireside Stitchery used to post on their website:
18 count canvas:  14/0 or 1.25mm
13-14 count canvas:  11/0 or 1.33mm
12 count canvas:  10/0 or 1.35mm
10 count canvas: 8/0 or 6/0;  3-3.5mm
7 count plastic canvas: 5/0 or 4mm


Remember that bead sizes are written either 11 or 11/0--it's the same thing--and that the smaller the number, the larger the bead.  (Judy also points out that the term "seed beads" can mean any size.  A seed bead isn't always a tiny bead.)


So how come I'm using size 11 beads on size 18 needlepoint canvas?  Easy!  The totally clear beads I want to use don't come in size 14.  So I have to use a bead a little larger than I should.  Besides, I've noticed that the shape of the bead also effects what size bead fits what size canvas.  My Miyuki beads are also size 11 but they are smaller than the round size 11 Sundance beads.  Their shape is a cylinder so they fit together better on the 18 count canvas than my other size 11 beads which are rounded.  The Miyuki beads are't much larger than my Sundance size 14 hex beads!


In other words, depending on the effect you want, you don't have to stick to the recommended sizes.  Of course if you plan to completely cover a canvas like I'm doing, you probably wouldn't want beads much larger than one size above the recommended one.  But beads vary A LOT, so you have a little leeway on what you do. 


If you want to put a bead at the end of a coil of DMC memory thread to make a hat ornament, it probably doesn't matter what size it is as long as it looks good with the design.  In the photo above, the belt buckle is covered with rows of size 14 beads, and the belt area to the right of the buckle is covered with size 11 beads.  You can see the sizes are pretty similar.


In the photo above you see one leg of the tap pants iced over with beads.  The black area near the crotch has a missing bead because I didn't get them packed in tightly enough.  I'll go back and add that later.


I started out adding beads in horizontal rows, sort of like doing continental tent stitches.  I normally work from the top down but rapidly discovered that this hides the bead hole I should go down in.  So I have changed my working method to beading from the bottom of an area up.  This makes it easier for me to see where things go, especially if I start my stitch at the top and go down in the hole nearest the row of beads under where I am working.


I worked most of the leg this way and then realized it was even easier to work beads on the diagonal like basketweave.  So I am now working on the other leg from the bottom up along diagonal rows, switching thread colors when I move to another area in my stitching path.


I'm still using one ply of DMC cotton floss and going through each bead twice.  When I finish this canvas and move to the bra canvas, I'll try doubling my thread in the needle and attaching each bead in two passes--one through the bead and the second with a thread on either side to hold the bead steady.  I want to compare how easy the two methods are before I make a recommendation.

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

What Is Wrong With This Background Part Two

I really appreciated all the input I received in the Comments when I asked Blog readers to try and find the problem with the background of the bra canvas.  You guys found a problem I didn't know about--I never realized that some of the deer have longer front legs than others!  (I'll fix that tonight before I continue the t-stitches around the deer.)  For folks with dyslexia, the deer legs all look alike until someone points this out.  I'm grateful for your sharp eyes.  I suspect I made the mistake on one deer and didn't catch it, then looked at the long-legged deer and copied his stitching on his neighbors.  The moral is to do your counting from your chart, not from the motifs you've already done.

However, this isn't the problem I know I have and I am quite pleased you didn't see it.  The end vertical column of deer on the right hand side is stitched with a different thread and a slightly different color than all the other columns of deer.

The bulk of the leaping deer are stitched in Medici color #8505 which is tan.  I had a full skein of this and thought it should be enough for the deer.  I think it would have been except that I decided to use cross stitch instead of half cross stitch.  Somehow the fact that I was going to use twice the amount of thread than I originally planned didn't register in what I laughingly refer to as my brain!

So I rummaged around in the stash and found a similar tan in Burmilana #3744. It is slightly more yellowish in hue but a good match.  I did the right hand column deer in it using tent stitches instead of cross stitch except for the top partial deer which is in cross stitch with the top \ stitch done in my Medici to camouflage the fact that I am using a different color.  The bottom / stitch is in my Burmilana.

You may be able to see the color difference in the third deer from the top in that right hand column.  Working from the bottom up, I added the top \ stitch in Medici but the top half of the deer is just Burmilana in underlying / tent stitches.

Of course I could have posted an SOS here and on the ANG email list and someone would have scrounged up a skein of Medici 8505 for me, but there are other ways of coping when you run out of thread, especially when you are using cross stitches.  It seemed a good idea to go another route here in case you find yourself in the same fix in the future.

When I get to the tap pants' background, I'll probably stitch all the deer in tent stitches and then randomly top some of those / stitches with Medici or with Burmilana.  That will hide the thread change even more.

Since no one spotted the color differences and I can barely tell myself even knowing where to look, this workaround will do well.

Besides, isn't it fun to know that a canvas with a camouflage theme has camouflaged thread in the background?  LOL

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