In the Market for Original Needlepoint Art?

If you need needlepoint art, Jill Vendituoli has added a Shop section to her website where you can purchase original designs in Jill's unique style.  My current favorite is "Houston" which is a tribute to the folks who endured Hurricane Harvey.  What's your favorite?
https://www.jillavendituoli.com/shop

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 10, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Traveling with Needlepoint

Like traveling with small kids, taking your needlepoint with you on vacation takes a little advance planning. Needlepoint For Fun has a short article on the things they recommend you take with you, particularly if air travel is part of your trip.
http://www.needlepoint-for-fun.com/needlepoint-tools-and-accessories-for-travel.htm

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 13, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Lycette Designs Interview

Fiber Talk's most recent podcast is an interview with Jessica Chaney of Lycette Designs.  Learn how Lycette Designs got its name, learn about Jessica's accessories collection, bag envy, her family's needlepoint history, and of course much more!
http://wetalkfiber.com/2018/07/15/fiber-talk-with-jessica-chaney/

You can visit Jessica's website….
https://lycettedesigns.com

…and enjoy her blog.
https://lycettedesigns.com/blog/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 15, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Canvases by Dolce and Gabbana

At least one of the gowns at the 2018 Met Costume Institute Gala featured needlepoint panels.  Dress by Dolce and Gabbana, worn by Emilia Clarke.    Thanks to Quail Run for the photos!
https://www.facebook.com/QuailRunNeedlework/photos/a.339586356091534.93299.326583717391798/1863965616986926/?type=3&theater

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 15, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Sharpening Doc: A Review

My Scissors, Sharpened

Out of the blue last spring I got an email from Jane B., asking if I would help her out by letting her husband practice sharpening my embroidery scissors.  He had started a scissors sharpening business to keep busy in retirement and had sharpened all her scissors, so he needed more to work on.  By coincidence I'd just realized that my usual pair were starting to get dull so I packed them up along with a pair of very old scissors with curved blades my mother picked up at a yard sale eons ago that I use for trimming turkeywork.  I thought having regular and curved blades would give him a good workout.  So off they went to Oregon for sharpening.

Jane told me it would take 1-2 days for him to get them sharpened and back in the mail to me.  I think the scissors were gone 5 days, including a Sunday, which is really fast considering they went from the East Coast to the West Coast and back again! I shipped them out Priority Mail via the US Mail and they were returned to me the same way.  (I included a shipping label with my name and address to make the return easier for Jane and her husband.)

The Scissors Returned!

When they came back to Chilly Hollow, I was impressed to see they were carefully packaged to protect the tips.  They are perfectly sharp again, even the curved blades. There are still nicks and scratches on the scissors themselves due to long use but the blades cut as well as if they were brand new. Jane tells me that removing the scratches might dull the finish so I'll be happy with just having them sharp.  She also tells me her husband can do curved and pinking sheers as well as regular scissors.

I think it's a fabulous service, and I'm very pleased with how the scissors cut now.  I highly recommend you consider using The Sharpening Doc if you don't have a local sharpening service, which I do not.  The best I could do before Jane's offer was hope a sharpener would visit Joann's Fabrics in November to collect and sharpen my scissors.  The person they use does a nice job but it takes two weeks and they only come by once a year.

The cost to sharpen a pair of scissors at The Sharpening Doc is $5.00 but if the tips need to be restored because of a previous botched job, it's an additional $8.00. Shipping and handling is $12.00 on top of that.  And yes, you can send a batch of scissors.   The priority mail box they use will hold up to fifty pounds of goods, so you can include lots of pairs for the same shipping and handling charge as long as you stay under fifty pounds.  The Sharpening Doc will figure out shipping charges for large orders if you let them know ahead of time.  The shipping and handling charge covers up to $50 in insurance, so if you are sending a very expensive pair of scissors, you might want to arrange more insurance both when you ship and when the box comes back to you.  You will get an email or phone call when your scissors are shipped back with the tracking number to monitor the package.

Payment should be via a personal check made out to The Sharpening Doc.

For further information and the form that should accompany your scissors, check out the Sharpening Doc's website.
http://www.thesharpeningdoc.com

Thanks, Jane B.!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright June 21, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.