Franklin Speaks, We Should Listen

This morning as I read new blog entries I came across this hilarious posting from the knit designer, artist, and writer Franklin Habit.  Someone gave Franklin a collection of old stitching magazines for Christmas and he's been exploring them.
http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-propagate-stereotype-1968.html

Once I quit laughing, I started to wonder what we needlepointers, designers and shop owners are doing to perpetuate the myth of needlepoint as a stuffy and boring craft?  Instead of the vibrant participatory art it can be, I mean?

Food for thought....

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

Evertites Warning

I got an email from Amanda this morning with a warning for folks who use Evertites.  Amanda accidentally ruined one of hers pulling it apart after a project.  Here's what happened, in her own words:

"I wanted to tell you about a small problem I had with Evertight frames a few weeks ago. I ruined a pair of bars. I had completed a piece and removed the canvas. I had turned the screws fairly far to tighten the piece when it was on the frame. The screws were extended far. I started pulling the bars apart and the screw of one bar embedded itself in its right angle pair. I had to pull very hard to remove the screw from the other piece and it pulled out of the wooden part. It was unusable. If I had screwed the screws back to the starting position, I would not have damaged the screw or the bar. I have never seen where anyone else had had a problem like this but I was wondering if you might want to put a tip on your blog sometime so others won't have this problem. I don't think I pulled the bars apart abnormally. I always pull my bars apart like this. I think I could happen again if I were to leave the screws in an extended position. I hope this makes sense to you."

It makes perfect sense, Amanda. I'd already realized when taking my Evertites apart when I finished O'jishi that the screws needed to be retracted before taking the bars apart, and posted an update to my Evertite review article.  But this is important enough that I wanted to quote Amanda so that all Evertite users or friends of Evertite users know to untighten the sides first.  We don't want any more Evertites ruined!  They are too wonderful a tool.

(I've updated my Evertite review article with this information in case anyone finds that in a search or has it bookmarked.)

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2009/11/evertites-review.html

Please tell your friends about Amanada's warning.

We may hear from her again soon, as she just finished stitching Tony Minieri's Stars for the New Millennium and I've asked her for tips to help me stitch my version.  By the way, Amanda used Thread Gatherer's Halloween Confetti # 974 as her overdyed thread to choose colors from so her version is periwinkle, teal, orange and gold.  She says the colors are vibrant.

http://www.threadgatherer.com/SNC%20page%205.htm

Now Amanda's looking for a framer willing to cut the mat out to shape around the little diamonds that stick out from the border.  Anyone have a recommendation of a framer that cut your Stars mat this way?

Thanks for the tip, Amanda.  Evertite owners everywhere thank you!

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

Camouflage Lingerie Threads

This photo shows all the threads I plan to use for my SharonG camouflage bra and tap pants.  It's almost all DMC cotton floss (although I think one of the khaki colors is Anchor, I'll have to check that) except for a skein of Medici and one of Burmilana and for the DMC memory thread spindle.  I'm using that for the black coat hanger.

Why all the DMC cotton?  Well, that's SharonG's fault and to be revealed later....

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