Stars and Stripes: The 2018 ANG Seminar in D.C.

Folks at ANG's 2018 Seminar are starting to report in.  Pour yourself your favorite beverage and settle in your comfy chair to read all about it.
https://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/2018/08/24/ang-2018-seminar-exhibit-in-washington-dc/

Melita is taking classes, too.  She's in "Designing Geometric Samplers," by Kathy Rees.
https://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/2018/08/25/designing-geometric-samplers-day-1-with-kathy-rees/

https://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/2018/08/26/expo-at-seminar-and-day-2-of-class/

https://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/2018/08/27/day-3-designing-geometrics/

https://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/2018/08/30/designing-geometrics-sampler-post-class/

https://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/2018/09/05/designing-geometric-samplers-a-stained-glass-violet/

Jan has arrived and starting stitching.  She won a ribbon, too, but had to leave early.  Hope all is well now, Jan!
https://stitchlady.wordpress.com/2018/08/21/day-1-at-the-ang-seminar-in-dc/

https://stitchlady.wordpress.com/2018/08/22/day-2-of-seminar/

https://stitchlady.wordpress.com/2018/08/23/day-3-at-seminar/

Donna will be there shortly.  Here's a glimpse at a piece she's exhibiting, Sue Kerdt's "Holiday Patches."
http://majtravaux.blogspot.com/2018/08/ang-time.html

This is Linda's first time at an ANG Seminar.
https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/22/ang-seminar-2018-first-timer-report/

She had a wonderful time!
https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/25/seminar-2018-wrap-up/

Carol's taking Dawn Donnelly's "Liberty" as a class.  So is DMB.
https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/23/day-one-at-seminar/

https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/23/liberty-seminar-2018/

https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/24/liberty-day-2-seminar-2018/

https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/26/liberty-update/

Carol is also taking a rozashi class from Margaret Kinsey called "Serenity."
https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/26/serenity-at-seminar/

https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/28/wrapping-up-seminar-2018/

Dawn is taking Gail Stafford's "City Lake", tracing trees, working random stitches and otherwise stretching her skills.
https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/23/seminar-2018-day-one/

https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/24/city-lake-conclusion-and-more-seminar/

Rosie is doing Toni Gerdes' "American Plains."
https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/23/american-plains/

https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/25/more-american-plains/

Rosie also volunteered at the Exhibit and started a class with Jo I. Christensen, "Bunnies on Lavender Lane," to learn stumpwork.
https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/26/catching-up/

https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/27/confidence/

Sue's taking "Diamond City Lights," by Diane Herrmann.
https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/24/diamond-city-lights-day-1/

https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/26/day-3-of-diamond-city-lights/

DMB is taking Toni Gerdes' "New Glory" and loving it.  She also helped out at Expo and won a cute design at the auction.
https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/26/new-glory-day-1-day-3-of-seminar/

https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/26/new-glory-day-two/

https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/08/27/new-glory-day-3/

Brenda took Michele Robert's evening purse class and also Joan Thomasson's Christmas mini stocking.
https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2018/09/ang-2018-seminar-9118.html

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2018/09/golden-gala-evening-purse-92118.html

She helped make scissor fobs to be given to ANG Seminar attendees when they registered.
https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2018/09/ang-2018-seminar-scissor-fobs-9318.html

BLG first hit the shops.  (of course!)
https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/09/05/my-time-at-the-ang-national-seminar-part-1/

Then she went to embellishment with three fabulous teachers.
https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2018/09/05/my-time-at-the-ang-seminar-part-2/

Not all the postings are by students.  Here is what Sandy Arthur says about the classes she is teaching and Seminar in general.
https://sandyarthur.blogspot.com/2018/08/ang-seminar-washington-dc-todays-post.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 22, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Breaking News: Danji Has a New Owner!

Kreinik breaks the news officially: Danji has been sold to Old Town Needlework's owner Janice!
https://www.facebook.com/Kreinik.Manufacturing.Company/videos/312011792908823/

Have fun, Janice!  And Jill, enjoy being semi-retired!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright September 24, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Beading Koma UPDATED

I've seen mention of something called a beading koma recently but I had never seen photos or a clear explanation of how beading komas are used in Japanese bead embroidery until this explanation.   Basically you string beads on your thread, then wind the length around the koma.  This allows you to unroll a section as you couch it down on your design.  Thanks, Margaret!
http://www.sharpneedler.com/2018/07/beading-koma-what-great-tool.html

Regular komas are used in Japanese embroidery to hold and control pairs of gold thread as they are couched. This is what they look like—
https://berlinembroidery.com/product/japanese-koma/

They are used in a pair, one for each of the pair of gold threads that you will be couching.
https://kreinikthread.blogspot.com/2012/05/need-another-pair-of-hands.html

You can see a photo of two koma being used in gold embroidery on Mary Corbet's website.
https://www.needlenthread.com/2012/04/goldwork-embroidery-never-ending-but-so-worth-it.html

Obviously a beading koma is not used in quite this way.  It is shaped slightly differently and intended to be used when you have a long line of beads to couch on something.  You can purchase a beading koma from Mary Alice here.  Looks like you need to buy the hair elastic separately and add it to your wooden beading koma.  (UPDATE:  DD says she bought a beading coma from Mary Alice and the elastic band came with it.)  But they are easily available at drug stores and places like Target and Walmart, which enables you to find a fat one in just the color you prefer.
https://bluebonnetstudio.com/wood-products/beading-koma-various-woods

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.

Lost and Found

Kathryn Crosby's Lost Needlepoint

Randi just saw this on display at Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama.  For those who don't know, Unclaimed Baggage sells items that were lost on flights and never reunited with their owners.  It's always a fun place to browse although I never found any nice needlepoint there.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215752907309430&set=pcb.1851161821627634&type=3&theater&ifg=1

This has special meaning to me since my godparents were close friends with the owners of Unclaimed Baggage and they saw the Crosby needlepoint piece before it was reunited with its owner.  My godmother told me it was a beautiful large floral in lavenders and blues that was impeccably stitched.  Thanks, Randi. I always wondered what this was like.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 4, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Fold and Pinch Method of Needle Threading UPDATED

Sue at the Tortoise Loft has a tutorial on how to thread a needle using the fold and pinch method.  
https://suetortoise.wordpress.com/2018/07/13/needle-threading-101/

Thanks, Sue.  Tips are always helpful, and we don't always have a needle threader right there when we need it.

UPDATE:  Dawn reminded me of another way to help threading a needle:  "Some of your readers may not know that the eye of each needle has one beveled side to make threading easier. If the thread won't go into the eye on the first try, turn the needle to the other side."

Thanks, Dawn!

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.