Introducing Robin King's Insomnia

Robin's got Insomnia. Yes, indeed! And she's willing to share....

Before you start emailing me home remedies for sleeplessness, let me assure you that Robin doesn't have trouble sleeping. She's stitched a canvas called Insomnia which you see above which she is graciously sharing as my guest blogger today. Insomnia is a Maggie design, adapted from a Jeanju Clifton painting. The link below has the plain painted canvas on Maggie's website. Insomnia measures 11.5" wide by 15 " high on 18 count canvas.

http://www.maggieco.com/html/detail.php?ID=973&Category=1&pg=1&q=@Jeanju%20Clifton

Here's what Robin told me about the design and how she stitched it:

"I am attaching the photo of Insomnia. Here is my story: Pat, my guy, photographed the original art piece by the artist, Jeanju Clifton. When I saw the photograph, I said to myself, 'This would make a great needlepoint canvas!"' It took me a few years to get Maggie Co. and Jeanju Clifton together, but it was finally made into a canvas.

I had Amy Bunger create a Stitch Guide through her Cook-Up a Canvas classes, and then I stitched it. I learned how to knit, and knitted the long scarf with Poppies on size 0 Bamboo needles. I made her curlers (from curlers) for her hair, and I made her knitting needles out of the same size 0 Bamboo needles. Her hands are wire-wrapped floss so that she is actually holding her knitting project. I was true to the painting, so yes, those are blood-shot eyes. After all, it is entitled 'Insomnia'. Each of the cats are wearing a different sweater. You can even see Elliot in the aqua Argyle sweater. She isn't a pretty woman, but she sure was fun to stitch. I lost count at the number of Colonial Knots for her Chenille robe. Her Curler Cap was done with Gathered Flair. The blue/gray flooring is the Tessellated T's. She is wearing an actual pearl pierced earring. The white cat is playing with a real ball of thread that I wound up.

I submitted Insomnia to the Nashville ANG in 2005. It didn't get any awards, but there was a nice commentary from Tony Minieri and Judy Souliotis. They asked that Insomnia be given a chance to comment on, and for me, that was all of the prize that I needed."

[Jane says: Heck YEAH! Ribbons are one thing but being singled out for recognition from Tony Minieri and Judy Souliotis is rare and priceless. You can read what they said about Insomnia and see another photo of this piece on the ANG website in the link below. By the way, Robin is the photographer and webmaster of Amy Bunger's website and she films the Amy DVDs. The Elliot she mentions is her orange tabby cat who loves wandering into the photo shoots she does of finished Amy needlepoint.]

http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/2005/conversation.php#502np

Robin continues: "So, that is my story. I took an idea and through determination brought it into reality. Yes, those are real curlers. I went to Sally's Beauty Supply, found some tiny curlers, and then cut them down even 'teenier' to fit Insomnia. The small yellow velcro type curlers were about the size of your little finger. I used about a 1 inch length, and then I trimmed away some of the guts so that the curler would tighten down even more. Remember, all stitch suggestions & threads were à la Amy; I was merely the worker-bee. Amy was fearful about sending her needlepointer customer / friend into a Knitting store ... would I get hooked and ditch needlepoint for knitting? I told her to not worry. I was only learning to knit for Insomnia. (Later I found out that I couldn't multi-task while knitting like I can when I needlepoint.)"
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Learning to knit so you can stitch a NP canvas? Robin, that's REAL dedication!

Hope everyone enjoys seeing what a talented stitcher can do when helped by a terrific teacher like Amy Bunger using a hilarious canvas from Maggie. Thanks for sharing, Robin, and for being my guest blogger this morning. I get a grin all over my face every time I look at Insomnia's details.

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