HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

And You Thought YOU Decorated for Halloween

Lots of folks decorate for Halloween. Even I have been posting Halloween Canvas of the Day items on the Blogspot blog. Pierette has posted a darling easel-type piece on her blog.

http://lovetostitch99.blogspot.com/2008/10/happy-halloween.html

But the clear winner of the most decorated website for the holiday is Gay Ann Rogers. Click on any photo on her home page and you'll find a Halloween surprise.

http://www.gayannrogers.com/site_2/Home_Page.html

By the way, the trick or treaters canvas above is either Susan Roberts. or Tapestry Tent. If you have this for sale, I know someone who is looking....

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

I Laughed Til I Cried

I visited Coni's blog this morning and when I read it, I laughed until I cried.

http://spinsterstitcher.blogspot.com/2008/10/cautionary-tale.html

I've never ever done anything like this myself, if you don't count the time I glued my hair to an ornament I was finishing. Bet you thought a lot of stitchers don't use glue because it might ruin the canvas in 200 years. No, it's because they heard about What Jane Did.

Coni and I will be at the bar, swapping horror stories. Can I get a refill martini please?

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Behind the Scenes

I haven't done anything more on finishing the wizard as a standup this week. I really need more time than I have after work to stuff the piece, wrap the rocks in some quilt batting and put that in the bottom, then stitch the base in place. I am still thinking about whether to continue the beaded edge on the base in the front or not. I guess I'll make up my mind when I see how everything looks assembled. So there won't be a progress report until Saturday or Sunday on the final touches on Joan Thomasson's wizard.

That's not to say I haven't been busy with my next painted canvas or planning my ANG Auction project, but I'm not ready to reveal those yet. While you wait, how about you take a look at this new website? It sells off stash for stitchers who have taken a look at their pile and decided they'll never live long enough to stitch That. If the person running this is who I think it is, this is a very reputable way to turn the pieces you'll never stitch into stash cash.

http://canvasesbegone.com/

The selection of items for sale changes. In the week I've been watching this, some things have disappeared and others appeared. It's a fun bookmark to browse looking for bargains, even if you aren't ready to part with anything right now.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

The Needlepoint of Politics

A week from today Americans will vote for a new President. If you are a political junkie, you can stitch while you blog, campaign for the candidate of your choice, or just dodge the constant phone calls from people looking for your vote.

The original political needlepoint came from Mary, Queen of Scots. An explanation of some of the symbolism she used in her spot motifs is here.
http://www.millennia-designs.com/tapestry-cross-stitch-embroidery-kits/76/90/88/

The state of New Hampshire, famous for its first primary voting (the votes that select a candidate from each party) sells political NP items such as coasters, luggage tags and dog collars.
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/01/04/primary-needlepoint/


Susan Treglown does a donkey painted canvas. Donkeys are the mascots fo the Democrats.
http://elainemagninneedlepoint.stores.yahoo.net/democratdonkey.html

Here is the Susan Treglown elephant, the Republican mascot.
http://elainemagninneedlepoint.stores.yahoo.net/repel.html

Very serious Democrats, by Julia
http://elainemagninneedlepoint.stores.yahoo.net/friendonletf.html

Ditto Republican by Julia
http://elainemagninneedlepoint.stores.yahoo.net/friendonletf1.html

Chaparral is having a political animal stitch-in. Here are finished models. Put your cursor in the middle of one and click to see a nice big photo.
http://www.ndlpt.com/html/kits.html

The photo illustrating this blog entry is (probably) a plastic canvas rendition of Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate for President. It was stitched by Stephen Savage and comes from his Flickr account. Sadly, I can't find any stitched portraits of John McCain. He just doesn't have a face that lends itself to caricature.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

No Flair, Beads Instead

Now that the beaded edge is finished around the wizard, I turned my attention to the smoke coming out of the cauldron at his feet. I had intended to use wired Flair to create this effect and pulled out cards of orange, black, lilac and grey Flair trying to decide which color looked best. As I laid the various colors on the canvas, it struck me just how small a space the smoke needs to occupy. The base of the smoke should be less than 1/4 an inch and the top where it twisted and turned and vanished into nothingness (i.e., should be plunged to the back of the canvas) was another 1/4 inch. That's really half an inch only and I just didn't think that Flair with wire inside was going to look its best in such a small space.

I really liked how the crystal Sundance beads looked so I used them instead, starting at the cauldron and laying a line of 4 beads across the surface of whatever potion the wizard has in his cauldron. The next two lines were three beads each, then I moved up a bit and did a row of two beads, then just two single beads scattered to show the smoke (and perhaps bubbles?) were rising and disappearing into thin air.

I used a ply of red silk to attach the beads, and you can see a little of it in the photo above. However, in person you don't see the red. It does not show through the crystal beads' middle. They must be lined with silver instead of actually being clear. They look clear when you use them but the couching thread along the edge was more of the grey silk from the background. I didn't realize the silk didn't show when I attached beads to the edges of the piece because the silk was so close to the clear bead color.

Although this is not what I'd planned to do, I am happy with the look. I'll just remember that you need at least 2-3 inches to use wired Flair to get a good effect the next time I'm tempted to use it.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Sophisticated Socks

Since I showed off one insider shop photo yesterday, I thought I'd show off another today. The great picture above is the stitched version of one of the Kelly Clark Sophisticated Socks that are a monthly club from Needle Nook of La Jolla. I begged, pleaded and whined until I got my hands on a photo of a finished sock. This club just started and the photos of the socks stitched aren't available but I got my hands on one.

You can see all the naked canvases here.
http://www.needlenookoflajolla.com/events/kclarksocks/index.html

Hopefully all the stitched sock photos will be posted here soon. Until then, click on a sock and the large photo beneath will show it in detail.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Wizard's Beaded Edge

I have started adding beads to the edge of the Joan Thomasson wizard stand up piece. They must be done before I can add the wired Flair smoke and then stuff the piece, add rocks as weights and hand-stitch the base on. So there is a lot still to do. I thought you'd like to see the edge with the two #16 Kreinik silver threads couched down and the beads beginning to be added on top of that. I am alternating one single pale lavender seed bead from Mill Hill with a group of three crystal #14 beads from Sundance. They don't touch-each group is about 3 mm from the next. The crystal clear beads from Sundance have incredible sparkle while the larger round lavender bead is exactly the color of the purple underrobe. They look very nice. I have about 1/5 of the edge beaded and will continue to work on that tonight.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Elliot, The Summer House, and Halloween

The photo above shows the official NP inspector for Amy Bunger's website. His name is Elliot and his job is to make sure Amy's class models are perfect in every way. And that they do not contain catnip, of course!

Elliot lives with Robin, the webmaster for the Amy Bunger website, who sent me this photo. Isn't he a charmer? The house he is checking out is Melissa Shirley's Summer House. It's one of the home study canvases that Amy offers for folks who want to do directed stitching at home. You can see the real photo shoot photos at the link below. Just click on either thumbnail to actually see the house.

http://www.amybunger.com/summer_house_home_study.html

If you want to see Elliot in action when he inspected the Yellow Mustard House (also by Melissa Shirley), head over here.

http://www.amybunger.com/albums/album_image/6262614/3610741.htm

You can always see the other Home Study projects (including the other two seasonal houses) by clicking on the link at the left side of the page. Sadly, there are no more Elliot sightings there.

However, you can treat yourself to a read of the newest Amy Bunger newslettter by looking for the E-Newsletters link. After that, find the October 2008 newsletter and click on that link for a PDF file to open with the newsletter contents. Make sure you check out the amazing Halloween pieces there. Turns out that Robin, Elliot's owner, doesn't just handle the website. She's also an awesome stitcher and teacher in her own right who is into Halloween in a big way.

Lucky Amy! She's got both Robin and Elliot on her payroll!

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Laura Perin Is The Border Queen

I read Laura Perin's blog religiously. She is a counted thread designer of both realistic and geometric pieces and there aren't many charted designers active today. So I like to keep an eye on what she's up to.

Right now she's talking borders. What you see above is the border she created to mimic an expensive triple matted framing job for her version of the Gay Ann Rogers' "Mystery in a Corner" design. It is what I call a KNOCK-OUT idea.

It's not the only one she's had, either. Head over to Laura's blog and back up until you find the 10/6/08 posting about her Halloween House, then start reading forward to discover several cheap and easy ways to put fake mats and lovely borders around your pieces. You may never pay Big Bucks to a frame shop again.

http://two-handedstitcher.blogspot.com/

Laura's website lives here.

http://www.ljperindesigns.com/index.htm

Gay Ann Rogers just has finished her annual e-Merchandise week but in about three weeks you ought to be able to see various stitched Mysteries in a Corner on her website again. But nobody has a mat as beautiful as the one Laura stitched!

http://www.gayannrogers.com/site_2/Home_Page.html

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Finishing with Beads

Over on the main Yahoo 360 blog, Madonna mentioned she didn't have much experience with using beads in finishing. I can't say it is hard--I do it all the time, after all!--but it helps to see what is possible.

Let's head over to Summer Truswell's Finishing website and look at some examples of the ornaments she makes from your stitching. Read the descriptions to both see what sorts of finishing you can order from here and see what you can do yourself. Many of the edges have beads incorporated into the trim and they all are lovely.

http://www.needleworkfinishing.com/needleworkfinishing-ornaments.htm

Great job, Summer!

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Slow Progress

Last night I attached another 3 inches' worth of Kreinik silver metallic thread around the outside edge of the wizard. It is very slow as I have to blindly push the needle with one hand inside him and grab it with the other on the outside to pull up and through. Takes forever! If I do beads on top this will be much faster as I can simply catch the Kreinik already in place with my needle. But for now, don't expect much progress. By the way, I'm still have significant problems posting to Yahoo 360 and reading comments. Apparently readers are having trouble reading Yahoo 360 and I am not able to close the poll there I did to ask you guys how you liked the feather trim.

[deep sigh]

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Yahoo 360 Hates Me UPDATED

I have posted the No Feathers entry to Yahoo 360 three times already today and each time the entry vanishes. So I've given up. There is only so much time I have to blog, much less try to cope with Yahoo!

UPDATE: On attempt #4 I got the Yahoo 360 blog entry to post but I haven't been able to make any links clickable. Sorry. I am afraid to attempt that as Yahoo will just erase the entry again.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

No Feathers

The people have spoken! I've gotten lots of emails on top of the poll on the 360 blog and most folks say I should ditch the feathers. Janine sums up everyone's reasoning particularly well, so I'm going to quote her here.

"I voted for leaving off the feather trim. I think it is mainly because I don't view the trim as 'matching' the rest of the piece. I also think the sheer volume of the feather trim distracts from the wizard. Janine"

So last night I reluctantly put the pretty feather trim back with the other braids, trims and ribbons, pulled out a spool of Kreinik #16 braid and started to attach that to the outside edge of the wizard. I looked at other colors, particularly a tube of Kreinik Ombre in Misty Violet (navy, silver and touches of purple), but the silver looks the best. If I'd had a spool of the #32 braid I would have used that but since I don't, I doubled the thread and am in the process of stitching both lengths along the edge.

Most folks, whether they liked the feather boa trim or not, spoke of things like "cold" or "snow" or "snowglobes" and I think the silver Kreinik is both subtle, looks good with the wizard piece colors, and also gives a wintery feel. By coincidence I traded brands of beads with LD and now have a tube of Sundance beads which are clear and faceted. They look like little ice beads and I may scatter groups of them along the edge with the silver. I won't decide that until all the braid is attached.

I'm half-way through hand sewing it on. Right now it is slow going because I have to put my hand inside the piece like a hand puppet to attach the Kreinik across the top. I will speed up when I get the top arch finished and start down the other side. I am also not couching it but am attaching the Kreink by piercing it with a tiny sharp sewing needle. You can read how this is done here in section 7 near the bottom. I'm not using the flat Kreinik ribbon but the same thing can be done with #16 and #32 braid. The main thing to remember is that your thread will be abraded by going through the Kreinik so use short lengths and when it starts looking rubbed like it might break along the length, change threads. You won't have this problem with the flat ribbon as much. It is easier to attach this way, also.

http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2005/december/directions.php
More details on the edging challenge as I figure out what I want to do and manage to do it!

You can see the Sundance beads on their website. They are really really really nice but no one in my area carries them so I haven't stitched with them much. If I remember correctly I have the Clear in size 14.

http://www.sundancedesignsonline.com/catalog.php?Line_ID=7&Subject_ID=All&Designer_ID=All&PageFinder=1&LimitRows=3
For those who don't know already, size 14 is perfect for 18 count canvas. Read more about various bead brands and see the recommended sizes of beads for various canvas sizes here.

http://www.firesidestitchery.com/FIRESIDE/FSgeneralpages/beads.htm

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

On Top, or Bottom?

Last night I drew around the base of the hollow standup wizard on paper to make a pattern. It's a bit lopsided, so I am thinking just how I should round it off, or whether I should. While I experiment with paper and scissors, I've posted a photo of the wizard with feather trim around his base. I'm dithering over whether the trim doesn't look better around the edges after all....

What do you think? I'll open a poll on the Yahoo 360 site only. Blogspot doesn't have polls so folks with an opinion who can't read Blogspot blogs or who don't have a Yahoo account so they can participate in the poll will have to email me at chilly hollowat hot maildot com.

Thanks for your opinion. Now I can't decide!

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Why Am I Showing My Finishing?

Why am I going over my amateur finishing step-by-step?

Not everyone wants to finish their own pieces. I hope my adventure finishing the Joan Thomasson wizard will encourage you to try finishing your own pieces, but even if you never put a thing together yourself, at least you have a better idea how it is done. Visit these websites and think about what I did with the wizard and how the stand ups they showcase look. Check the beads, braids and ribbons used as trim, check out the bases to see wooden feet and platforms, check the edges to see how smooth they are. Is the edge a seam or a wide flat area? Do the trims and buttons and bows enhance the style of the original NP or fight with it to draw attention to themselves instead of the NP? What do you like and dislike in these finishing examples? Would any of the styles look good with your current piece? Why or why not?

David McCaskill's House of Four Seasons has a lovely plain seam and corners where the building sides and roof meet.
http://www.blogger.com/Why%20am%20I%20going%20over%20my%20amateur%20finishing%20step-by-step?

Stitchery Square shows standups in a variety of styles, each suited to the theme of the piece.
http://www.stitching.com/stitcherysquare/finishing_standups.htm

Kelly Clark features boxed standups with feet made from round painted wooden beads.
http://www.kellyclarkneedlepoint.com/node/78

Marlene's showcases a huge variety of styles. Use Next at the bottom of the page to see more pages.
http://www.marlenecustompillows.com/Standing/standings1.html

Finishing is a real skill and a good finisher who can do a lot of different things and who listens to you is worth their weight in gold. If you know a bit about the various styles available, you can better explain what you want to a finisher or get a better result yourself. "Knowlege is power" isn't just a slogan, you know. Any time you notice a website with examples of their finishing, it is a very good idea to look things over carefully to get ideas or at least names of places that finish to your tastes.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Sew a Fine Seam

Yesterday I hand-stitched the wizard NP canvas to the backing fabric. If it stops being pitch black before I leave for work, I'll post a photo of my progress. We basically have a hollow stand up figure with no bottom. I had planned to stitch my feather boa trim all around the edges of the needlepoint but it is too wide. Now that the wizard is standing on his own, I can see that the trim is just Too Much. I probably will leave the edges bare (gasp!) with no trim at all but encircle the base of the standup figure with the feather trim which still looks nice with the design but the clean, crisp edge seems to want to remain unadorned with any sort of trim.

I'm not a neat hand sewer, but this time I did good. I back stitched all around the edge of the needlepoint, just inside my two rows of tent stitches that encircled the background edge. Then I carefully turned the two stitched pieces inside out (you put them together with the right sides facing each other) to show the needlepoint and the front side of the backing fabric.

Since I'm not going to put any trim around the edges, the next step will be to figure out the oval shape of the base and cut that from the leftover fabric, then put wire through the Flair and bend it into the right shape and length of smoke for the cauldren. I'll attach the Flair to the back side by reaching up through the open base. The cauldron is near the wizard's feet, after all, so this shouldn't be too hard.

I'll post a photo when it is light enough to take one, but that might not be until I get home tonight. Fortunately, it usually isn't dark when I get home from work.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Wizard Supplies

Yesterday I got all the supplies together for turning the Joan Thomasson wizard into a standup piece. You can see many of them above. There's the blue polished chintz, the feather boa trim (hope you can see the silver among the feathers), the black and white copy of the stitched canvas all cut out to use as my pattern, and a mesh bag full of pebbles.

To weigh the base of the standup, I considered buckshot (which I couldn't get) and aquarium gravel (which seemed too heavy). I ended up browsing the crafts emporium's artificial flower aisles. Besides fake roses and chrysanthemums, they also sell glass bowls and pebbles, marbles and glass ovals to fill the bowls, either for display or to hold the artificial flower arrangements in place. I considered glass ovals or glass marbles but the medium-sized pebbles seemed the right weight and were inexpensive, two dollars instead of three for glass oval pebbles or glass marbles.

The rocks will weigh the base. I'll remove the tag and put them inside a plastic bag probably but not cut the mesh. They will be double-bagged, in other words. Not shown is the quilt batting and foam I'll put inside. I didn't want to get it dirty.

I've not made any more progress on this--I didn't even have time to iron the fabric yesterday, much less use the paper pattern to cut it out with an inch extra all around on all sides--but I hope to have a little more time today. Weekends are the time I am not too tired to do finishing but they also are the busiest days of the week!

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Visit from Ruth

It's Saturday morning and I have a day full of chores planned, but while it is still dark outside, I thought I'd sit down with a cup of coffee and visit with Ruth Schmuff. She's sent out her latest e-newsletter and it is full of things to enjoy.

There are lots of Shelly Tribbey pieces at Ruth's shop website. Her things are lovely but the Lion and Lamb ornament caught my eye as Peace and Brootherhood are two things I'd like to see under my tree Christmas morning this year. This small ornament comes from Ruth's page of in-stock Shellys.

http://www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/products.php?catid=24

If you want to see more, either visit Shelly's website, or Ruth's shop in person. Ruth has a Shelly trunk show there until 10/26 and she says Shelly sent a lot of stitched models. Now that's something I like to see!

http://www.shellytribbey.com/christmas/index.html

You can find how to reach Ruth's shop just north of Baltimore at her website. This is the What's New Page, which you'll want to explore first. Don't you just love those abstract sheep canvases? I own Pumpkin Man by Mindy already courtesy of a rare visit to Needlewoman East. It actually might be a good thing I don't get to real shops very often!

http://www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/whatsNew.php

Don't miss the Needle Vials on the What's New page. They are a very colorful way to keep your needles tidy! I posted a photo from the newsletter above. Aren't they wonderful?

Finally, Ruth has finished stitching a double-sided peppermint Santa from Melissa Shirley. It is in one of my very favorite color schemes and done with beads, silks and crystals. You can pick up the front canvas only, or both, and they come with a stitch guide. All the goodies and threads necessary to stitch like Ruth are also available as a kit. Follow the link on the What's New page for details or just skip all that and head to Ruth's blog to see a nice photo of the Santa stitched, front and back. Can't wait to see him finished! Particularly since later today I'll start trying to make up my standup wizard Santa.

http://tistheseason.org/blog/ruthsBlog.html

Ruth, next time you come over could you bring donuts and that Santa?

Jane/Chilly Hollow

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

Fireside's New Monthly Clubs

Fireside Stitchery has announced four new monthly clubs for next year in their latest newsletter. You must sign up by mid-November, so check them out here by clicking on the newsletter link.

http://www.firesidestitchery.com/infoalerts/index.cfm

Of course you can also check out what's new in the shop by using another link on that page, or if nothing appeals to your inner sports fan, you can always stitch a baseball....

http://www.firesidestitchery.com/infoalerts/Specials/Baseball/Export1.htm

Jane, married to a Red Sox fan in Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

About to Finish

The stitching on the Joan Thomasson wizard was finished last weekend except for the smoke coming out of his cauldron. I have to get it partly put together as a standup before I can add that touch so I don't damage it in finishing.

I have a medium blue polished chintz for the backing fabric and found a feathery boa trim to edge the design. The feathers are white with silver metallic strips woven in. I already have quilt batting and foam for the stuffing. My next step is to pick up something to weigh the base. I thought I'd use aquarium gravel but a friend suggested buckshot. I'll have to see what I can find in the stores but that probably will wait until the weekend. I have too many more urgent errands to accomplish at lunch today and something will remain undone. You know us stitchers--our needlepoint is usually less important than other life chores!

I've also finished my mystery project I can't show you--the Stitch of the Month Project that ANG unveils each December. I did one of the models, so it's a secret for another two months. I'll just whisper in your ear that I choose Caribbean blue as my main color....

The next project is chosen and I've been thinking a lot about it. But more on that after I finish the wizard!

Finally, Yahoo and Google and MSN all changed their interfaces slightly yesterday. Yahoo 360 now has a social component but I want to assure all of you I removed the email addresses Yahoo pulled from my contacts and have turned off everything there I can find to protect your privacy and mine. I don't need any more social interaction, thank you! And certainly not in public. I don't even much like the Friends function that Yahoo 360 has built in but I tolerate it as that boosts the "findability" of Blog in searches. I've not signed up for the Follower component of Blogspot (owned by Google) either. I don't really care to demonstrate how many folks read Blog publicly, how many sign up for readers, etc. That's your business, not mine or everyone else's who wanders past.

Yes, I am an old fogy. Sue me.

Or if you are 20, laugh and then pick up your needle and let's get back to NP.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

GAR E-Merchandise Week

Gay Ann Rogers is holding her annual e-merchandise week starting today. Visit her website to find counted thread designs that aren't available any other time. Some things are in very limited quantities so stop by early in the day and click on everything!

http://www.gayannrogers.com/

The photo above is her little Stitching Goddess Ornament, seen on the Small Designs page.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

October 2008 Chilly Hollow Newsletter Article

The only thing that rivals the beauty of the forest leaves outside my window in late October is the heap of silk skeins in my stash. How about we explore silk this newsletter? This website talks about the process of turning silkworm silk into beautiful silk skeins for needlework.

http://www.wormspit.com/

For the historians among us, here are two painted canvases that illustrate the process in ancient times.

http://www.artneedlepoint.com/_product_19259/Making_Cloth

http://www.artneedlepoint.com/_product_19259/Women_Preparing_Silk

Nordic Needle has a nice summary of various silk threads on the market here. Why not explore a new brand of silk? A skein of luxury is only $5-6 each and we spend that much on coffee at Starbucks.

http://www.nordicneedle.com/newsletters/stash/08.shtml

Now let's see lovely things are done in Asian embroidery with silk. Here are the designs used to teach the phases of Japanese Emboidery.

http://www.japaneseembroidery.com/Instruction/study_and_instruction.htm#Phase

Here are other pieces from the English JE site.

http://www.nuido.org.uk/

The Japanese JE site sells obi.

http://www.kurenai-kai.jp/en-gallery/index.htm

Here is the American JE site. Note the CD for sale and all those threads!

http://www.jecstore.com/

I can't help it--I'm drooling!

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Videos and Cleveland and a Newsletter

How's this for a mish-mash of a blog posting! LOL

First of all, The Point of It All has a bunch of how to do needlepoint videos. I've seen them mentioned several places already but haven't had time to view them. I hope they are useful to you. One tip--turn the sound down or mute it before you click on the link.

http://www.monkeysee.com/play/11638-needlepoint

Are you from Cleveland or do you have friends for whom you'd enjoy stitching a Cleveland ornament? Wool and Willow has delightful souvenir ornaments of the city.

http://www.woolandwillow.com/Cleveland_landmarks.htm

Finally, Stitches in Time has a newsletter up that is fun to read. The link to it is at the top of this page. The Stitchers Gallery is full of finishing inspiration as well.

http://www.stitchesintimeneedlepoint.com/

Enjoy!


Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Summer TNNA Photo Shoot

I just discovered a slide show of new designs from the TNNA show this summer. What fun!

http://www.tnna.org/MemberBenefits/MemberSectionsGroups/NeedlepointGroupGalleriasummer2008/tabid/176/Default.aspx

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

More Progess in CH, No Photos

I stitched off and on all weekend and finished the rows of tent stitch all around the outside edge of Joan Thomasson's wizard. I also have the project I can't show you 2/3 done. This week after work each night I hope to work on the mystery project so that it will be finished by next weekend when I hope to turn the wizard into a standup. I'm going to shop for edge trim or braid and aquarium gravel this week. I have everything else I need to finish the wizard. Wish me luck!

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Vicky DeAngelis Does Christmas

A while back I wrote this about the ANG Seminar exhibit, "By the way, the blue ribbon for painted canvas without a stitch guide (professional) *and* the first Nina Goerres ribbon for Christmas projects went to Vicky DeAngelis who stitched Kelly Clark's Twelve Months of Santas. I think these are Vicky's pieces which served as the models for the stitch guides."

http://www.needlenookoflajolla.com/events/kellyclark/index.html

I have managed to wrangle a good photo of all Vicky's Santas together which you can see and drool over above. These were stitched in Vicky's role of part owner of Needle Nook of La Jolla and they are available as kits from the shop for those who saw them on display at the Indian Wells Seminar and despaired of ever doing anything as wonderful themselves. But this isn't the only example of Vicky's fabulous stitching for you to see. I've managed to accumulate lots of links to Vicky's work for your viewing pleasure. Most of these have won awards, too.

Tapestry Tent cat
http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/2001/lazy_cat.php

Terry Enfield kimono

http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/1998/DeAngelisKimono.php

Christmas ornament

http://www.needlenookoflajolla.com/stitchers_corner/images/deangelis_orn.jpg

Gay Ann Rogers? Christmas ornament

http://www.needlenookoflajolla.com/stitchers_corner/images/deangelis_orn2.jpg

Geisha by Sandra Gilmore (Once in a Blue Moon)

http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/2002/midori.php

Lee's Needlearts black and white geisha

http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/2007/images/4003-22.jpg

I just wish I could charm Vicky into revealing her stitching secrets! How did she get to be so good? Is there hope for us all?!

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Fairy Tales for Dark Days

If you have been watching the world-wide economic meltdown with trepidation the last week or so, you might find a bit of comfort in the posting our fellow NP blogger John Young made. I'm old enough to remember several economic disasters (the 1973 Oil Embargo, anyone?) and to be able to put them into perspective. Sometimes you have to look to the past to remember the present isn't forever.

http://www.tikaro.com/2008/10/from-fdrs-first-inaugural-addr.html

This is a good time to escape for a bit and relax, which is probably why needlepoint was invented. My favorite escape from the pressures of first through third grade when I was learning to read was a good fairy tale and I still love them. No one does lovelier fairy tale canvases than Edie and Ginger. Above is Sleeping Beauty. If you look out through the window you'll see the entrance with vines beginning to grow to block access to the enchanted castle with the princess deep in slumber inside.


This canvas is the Little Mermaid. Don't you love the swirl of the waters? It's a sad tale of love in the original but here you only see the beauty of the sea and the mermaid and her friends.

Edie and Ginger canvases are distributed by CBK Needle Collections. You can look for your favorite fairy tale here. Don't forget there are two pages of escapism just waiting for your needle!

http://cbkneedlepointcollections.com/ProdList.php?page=1&scId=9&cpId=6

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog with two more designs showcased at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Free Alphabet Generators

Whether you are stitching a name on top of a Christmas stocking, or looking for a nice mongram to sign your work, you will have fun playing with these two free online alphabet generators.

http://www.stitchpoint.com/eng/tool/alph/_alphabet_generator.php

http://www.celticxstitch.ie/cgi-bin/stitches.cgi

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

Caution! Armadillos Here

What's with all those armadillo needlepoint canvases I keep seeing?

The above canvas is by Susan Roberts. It's for sale at an eBay auction.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Treglown-SW-Armadillo-HandPainted-Needlepoint-Canvas_W0QQitemZ120314322464QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120314322464&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

It works up nicely, as you can see in this pillow treatment by Chaparral.

http://www.ndlpt.com/html/kits.html

They also have the large and elaborate Melissa Shirley version of an armadillo in its natural habitat on their home page.

http://www.ndlpt.com/

Armadillos also come in pink.

http://www.changingwomandesigns.com/Animals.html

Or on cumberbunds.

http://www.clarkneedlepoint.com/finishing.php

Armadillos appear like magic on Alabama's deserted four lane highways, trundling along in the median and scaring drivers who are already spooked by not seeing any traffic for 10 miles. They also run like the wind when chased, particularly if the chaser is Jeff Corwin carrying a butterfly net.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo4eAm64I4o&feature=related

Jane, victim of the Armadillo Fright once in CH

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

Progress Update from Chilly Hollow

While I've been tent stitching around the wizard and working another project I can't show you, other folks have been busy. Stitch Niche in Mississippi has posted two newsletters. I always find their stitched projects inspiring.

http://www.needlepointyaya.com/newsletter/nwsindex.htm

Stitches by the Bay is doing a 3-D octopus class and one of candy corn (yumm!) dressed as a mummy for Halloween.

http://stitchesbythebay.com/classes.html

I've also posted one of Isabel's Originals canvases as my Canvas of the Day in the right hand column. Isabel's canvases are inspired by French style so the letters of the alphabet are made from French contortionists in traditional dress. The garden of the month canvases show Frenchwomen in their garden each month, with the correct plants for that time of year. They are dressed in 19th Century garb but in a modern touch, you will find zodiac symbols on their clothing. These are large and expensive designs but very beautiful. You can see them here. Click on "Hand Painted Canvases" at the bottom of the page and scroll through the gardens to find your favorite month. July is above.

http://www.isabelspocket.com/

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

While I've been tent stitching around the wizard and working another project I can't show you, other folks have been busy. Stitch Niche in Mississippi has posted two newsletters. I always find their stitched projects inspiring.

http://www.needlepointyaya.com/newsletter/nwsindex.htm

Stitches by the Bay is doing a 3-D octopus class and one of candy corn (yumm!) dressed as a mummy for Halloween.

http://stitchesbythebay.com/classes.html

I've also posted one of Isabel's Originals canvases as my Canvas of the Day over in the right hand column. Isabel's canvases are inspired by French style so the letters of the alphabet are made from French contortionists in traditional dress. The garden of the month canvases show Frenchwomen in their garden each month, with the correct plants for that type of year. They are dresses in 19th Century garb but in a modern touch, you will find zodiac symbols on their clothing. These are large and expensive designs but very beautiful. You can see them here. Click on "Hand Painted Canvases" at the bottom of the page and scroll through the gardens to find your favorite month.

http://www.isabelspocket.com/

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

The House on Crow Corner UPDATED AGAIN

Halloween is coming soon and you know what is essential to a good scare? A haunted house!

The House on Crow Corner from Laura Perin (designer is Vicky Hastings/Cricket Collectioin of Dreamhouse Ventures) is shown above. Isn't using beads for autumn leaves clever? More information about how this was stitched and finished at Ms. Perin's blog.
http://two-handedstitcher.blogspot.com/2008/10/house-at-crow-corner.html

http://two-handedstitcher.blogspot.com/2008/10/stitchers-beware.html

Apparently this is available as a XS chart also from Cricket Collection. The chart is called Three Gables.

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2636315990101234019VZbaXl

Middle of page, pre-made house to use in displaying trick-or-treat standups, etc.
http://www.pfos.com/index.htm

Susan Roberts' 3-D Halloween House. Click on NP, then Halloween / Thanksgiving. The bottom of the page shows both the plain canvas and the stitched version assembled.
http://www.threadneedlestreet.com/

David McCaskill's 3-D Halloween house with a candle inside to add to the spook factor.
http://www.needlenookoflajolla.com/storedir/proddetail.php?prod=dm_hallhouse

I'd love to trick or treat at any of these places. Happy Halloween!

UPDATE: Needle Works of Austin has this canvas for sale. Head to their website, click on Webstore, then Painted Canvases, and finally Click on Halloween. Or use the search function.

http://www.theneedleworks.com/

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

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month UPDATED

Most of us know someone who has had or is currently struggling with breast cancer. Because it is such a wide-spread disease, many NP companies, stores and designers have fund-raising efforts.

Pocket Full of Stitches and The French Knot are shops in the fore-front of fund raising.

http://www.pfos.com/

http://www.thefrenchknot.com/newsletter.html

If you subscribe to Needlepoint Now magazine, you've read Judy Harper's article about designers who donate part of their profits to breast cancer research. If you don't subscribe, Judy repeats some of what she wrote on her blog.

http://fairy-crafts.blogspot.com/2008/09/mrs-santa-has-heart-donations-for.html

Squiggee reports how this is working.

http://squiggeedesigns.blogspot.com/2008/09/mrs-santa-has-heart.html

Then Squiggee is inspired to widen her efforts towards raising money for all sorts of cancer types.

http://squiggeedesigns.blogspot.com/2008/10/special-squiggee.html

UPDATE: Ruth Schmuff tells me her shop has two new breast canvas canvases, one for dog people and one for cat lovers, available on your choice of 18 or 13 count. They are cute and different, and here's a link. Pet the critter of your choice!

http://www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/products.php?catid=183

Whatever you do to help find a cure for breast cancer, get yourself screened for the type of cancer that strikes your sex most. Remember, it's just been a year since my very dear sister-in-law discovered she has breast cancer and almost 15 years since my oldest and bestest friend underwent surgery for the same. Both are doing very well, but early detection helps a lot.

Get tested. Don't wait. I want you around to stitch plenty more with me!

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

Jinice Show UPDATED

While looking at store websites, I found one that is doing classes on some of the classic Jinice painted canvases. These normally are outlined canvases with large blocks of color filled in. The canvas normally comes with a stitch guide and a skein of Watercolours which is the main thread used in the design. If you like Asian-themed canvases, you will enjoy seeing the Jinices. The fan and the Russian domed buildings are definitely Jinice designs. I don't know about the floral purse flap.

http://www.theneedlepointclubhouse.com/default.asp

The photo above is another Jinice design, a kimono this time. This piece with its skein of Watercolours and a stitch guide just sold on eBay for $56.50 plus shipping.

UPDATE: After Cheryl said she had heard older Jinice designs would be re-released to take advantage of all the lovely threads we have available now, I found this page of Jinice designs. Some look as if they have been reworked already!

http://www.danjidesigns.com/Jinice/index.htm

UPDATE #2: Needle Nook of La Jolla says that many stitch guides for these designs have been rewritten with the new threads available in mind. Danji owns the designs so if you are interested, ask your local shop to contact them.

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

One Snowman, Ready for Shipment

The snowman's done! He will go out in the mail Monday to my friend Mimi who is collecting handmade, unbreakable ornaments to adorn the 200 trees her group is sending overseas to decorate mess halls of our troops during the holiday season. I hope he brings a bit of home to folks who are in harm's way for our country's sake. Here's the back side. You can see better here that the Fantasticfoam gives the ornament a padded pillow look. It's quite light-weight, too, which is a good thing for ornaments that have to be sent quite a distance.



What did I learn from this design? Despite the ease of drawing a snowman, I'm no artist. His face near the scarf needs rounding out and the scarf blows the wrong way. I knew that when I drew it but I was working in a small space since I grabbed a scrap through my stock of them and there wasn't room to put the scarf the way it should go. However, it turned out ok.

I also learned that to have a really plush turkeywork-style beard you need at least 10 empty rows. I only had three rows at the edge of the stocking cap which is rather skimpy. It looks fine--our snowman is going to be in a hot climate probably, after all--but I'll remember the need for elbow room to give this stitch space to look its best the next time I want to use it. And if I don't have that room, I'll use another thread or technique to get a fur effect.


Here are the other ornaments heading out with the snowman, courtesy of a wonderful lady who rummaged around her stock of ornaments and found these to donate. They are mostly beaded perforated paper and they are lovely--nothing is too good for our troops!

My husband's Christmases in the military were just another day, with not even a hot meal. I'm doing my best to keep that from happening to this generation of military men and women.

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

Is It Time for Spring Cleaning and No One Told Me? UPDATED

The totally fabulous Stitchamaze website has a new look. If you like charted geometric pieces, don't miss Lorene Salt's work in the Guest Gallery. Her original designs will blow your socks off!

http://www.stitchamaze.com/Default.aspx

On October 8 Kelly Clark's new website will be up. This is next Wednesday-mark your calendars! Don't worry if the link below stops working for a bit. The old website will have to come down and the new one be uploaded first.

http://www.kellyclarkneedlepoint.com/

Rishfeld Designs has updated their website with many more photos of their expanding line of canvases.

http://web.mac.com/rishfelddesigns/Site/Welcome.html

Finally, CBK Needlepoint Collection's site isn't brand new, but it's new to me.

http://www.cbkneedlepointcollections.com/

Congratulations on the websites to all. But I'm beginning to think this is spring instead of October!

UPDATE: Orna Willis is also planning to revamp her website. It really is spring cleaning time!

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

Snowman Parts

Above you see the finished snowman off the stretcher bars with the items I'll use to make him into an ornament. The black grid pieces are plastic canvas. Two pieces are cut slightly smaller than the outside dimension of the actual snowman NP. The tan pieces are acid free foam called Fantasticfoam, which is used --among other things-- in finishing. It comes in sheets like the plastic canvas does. I cut it to the same size as the plastic canvas pieces and there are two of those also.

The last item is a piece of gold lame fabric. It's tissue lame, pretty thin, and the wind moved it in the photo. You can see it is frayed a bit at the edges, which is one reason why it is much larger than the piece of needlepoint, even including the outside unstitched margins.

What I did last night was to layer the fabric, padding foam, then plastic canvas and wrap the two inner pieces like a package, turning my wide margins of gold lame to the back and stitching them in place with sewing thread. Then I layered my needlepoint with the foam next to the back side of my stitching, then the plastic canvas behind that. (In either case, the foam is trapped between the needlepoint (or fabric) and the plastic canvas.) The needlepoint isn't as wide or flexible as the gold lame fabric, so I folded the edges over to the back around the inside layers and laced them in place, with a doubled strand of sewing thread. You end up with two halves of an ornament which can be sewed or glued together. I sewed mine, going around the outside edges and whip stitching them together, making sure everything lined up. Don't forget to put a loop hanger between the layers as you sew because this is a Christmas tree ornament that needs something to attach it to the tree!

This makes a fat sandwich with edges that are around 3/8 inches wide. That's wider than the normal ornament edge width I get but I wanted to try finishing this way to see how it turns out. I actually have a little pillow with the snowman on the front and the gold lame on the back. I'm not sewing trim around the edge to hide the join and make the snowman more decorative. I am having a bit of trouble with the trim because I didn't have anything the right dimension. All my trim and cord and braid was either too skinny or too fat. I solved that problem by doing two trims around the margin--I'm currently sewing a wired gold trim I bought at the fabric store around the edge. When I finish I will couch another trim in front of it--the smaller blue Snow thread that made the background. That will hide the join better and look pretty with blue and gold together.

I am not finished sewing the two trims on yet, but should finish that tonight to show off the finshed piece tomorrow. In the meantime, why don't we go over to NC Pat's blog and see her put her Janet Z. Casey Santa ornament together? She uses a somewhat similar finishing technique and gets great results which is why I wanted to try this style of finishing. I don't normally finish the front and back of an ornament as halves of a whole that need to be fitted together. Remember, this is a blog. You'll need to scroll down past part two to find "Let's Finish the Santa Heart."

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/

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

Looks Like Me?

An unnamed Blog reader thinks this might make a nice avatar for me. Make sure you check the link to see what the design company wrote about this canvas to see why.

http://www.sundancedesignsonline.com/detail.php?Product_ID=2237

I actually prefer Our Lady of Abundant Caffiene.

http://www.sundancedesignsonline.com/catalog.php?Designer_ID=26&Subject_ID=All&PHPSESSID=15dd41b813480575c3367462b7e2a115

I'll get even!

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

Blocked Again

The snowman's edges are getting a little frayed during the blocking process (this is the main reason you see such wide margins on painted canvases and why they are covered with masking tape or artist's tape or bias tape or sewn) but he is much squarer. The lower right corner still sticks out like a snail's foot but this I can hide in finishing. I should add that a professional finisher (or someone who is a lot pickier than I am) wouldn't settle for this and would block a third time. But I'm not going to bother because I know I can compensate for the slight distortion in the ornament.

I hope to take him off the stretcher bars and assemble my finishing supplies tonight.

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

Flower Pots

2 the Point has photos up of their flower pot canvases by Patti Mann.  This is another monthly club. The first link shows stitched examples and the second tells you about the club.

http://www.topoint.com/finishingpot.htm

http://www.topoint.com/canvasclubs.htm

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

More October

It's even more like October in Chilly Hollow this morning, so on the left is one of SharonG's scarecrows. I don't see many real scarecrows anymore, but wouldn't he be wonderful with a sheaf of dried corn stalks in his background? His brothers can be seen here.

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

John and I've been talking about finishing and I know it's on the minds of many of you with projects to have made up. Want to see how Cheryl does it? Don't miss the very clever Hanki-panki purses with their magnet powered changes of design.

http://www.cherylsfinishing.com/index.html

I've run across this neat DMC/Anchor conversion chart that not only allows you to translate DMC into Anchor and vice versa, it prints out a color swatch!

http://crosstitch.com/anchor.shtml

Finally, Tanglecrafts is developing some interesting little four-way bargello patterns. I don't like bargello much but I do think these are charming.

http://tanglecrafts.wordpress.com/2008/10/02/freeform-bargello-the-series-so-far/

Have fun browsing.

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

Volunteers Needed

Ok, who wants to volunteer to knit socks like these for me? I'm even willing to take two with different patterns! 

http://www.needlenookoflajolla.com/events/kclarksocks/index.html

Seriously, these are the Kelly Clark mini-socks which Needle Nook of La Jolla are offering as a Sophisticated Sock canvas series.  I think they are very interesting looking.  I'll be curious as to how they are stitched.  Any chance of a preview, Vicky?

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

October

This morning there was a bit of winter nip in the air in Chilly Hollow. It's October 1 and Halloween is around the corner!

For most needlepointers, October is the month when you have to have that big Christmas project to the finisher's place for him or her to work their magic.

It's the month when you need to kick into high gear and finish stitching the pieces you are not sending out to the finisher that you plan to give as gifts this holiday season. It's a stressful time!

I think that is one reason Halloween parties and dress-up costumes and candy is so much fun for adults. We really do need a little fun with the holiday chores breathing down our necks.

The pumpkin above is one of Leigh's Pun'kins, the witch. You can enjoy the others here. They are quite clever in how a strategically placed leaf and vine become the pumpkin cat's ears, etc.

http://www.leighdesigns.com/Grp511x.html

How about looking at some fun pieces from Ruth Schmuff's shop? Some are finished, some aren't, but they are all inspiring.

http://www.tistheseason.org/blog/2008/09/trick-or-treat.html

http://www.tistheseason.org/blog/2008/09/more-finishing-options.html


And of course I can't resist adding an old favorite--the Victorian Halloween pieces from Melissa Shirley that Chaparral has done in their own over-the-top manner with finishing to match.

http://www.ndlpt.com/html/series/svictorianh.html

Happy October!




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

Blocked!

Yesterday I stuck the snowman ornament under running cold water in the sink and got him damp all over (not sopping wet).  Then I stapled him to 5x4 inch stretcher bars which is the outside dimension of the scrap of 18 count canvas I stitched him on.  If I'd put him on stretcher bars to stitch, I might not have needed to block him.  No guarantees on that, though.  Interlocking Goblein pulled him quite a bit out of true.  Oddly, this stitch which I normally use in the thinner and more forgiving Impressions, pulled more using Caron's Snow than my more usual thread.  The type and size of thread you use makes a difference in whether you need to block just like the stitch you used does.

I took a chance wet blocking this piece. You never know whether a thread is colorfast.  In fact, cross stitchers who normally wash their background fabric both before and after stitching and who also wash their threads before stitching with them, deal with running colors all the time.    I used a lot of synthetics which in my experience don't run.  The red smile nylon thread was my biggest concern but it only ran a smidge and it isn't noticable in person although you can see it in the photograph.

This sat overnight and dried.  I will reblock today as the lower right corner could be a little less prominent.  But he's going to be much easier to finish as a square than a parallelogram!

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