Don't forget to tell me

Don't forget to tell me what sort of stitching you do the most of in the poll above.  Blogger is still misbehaving.  Besides refusing to publish the title of the poll, it won't put photos where I want them today.  AND I cannot make the lettering of the poll more visible!

Bad Blogger!

Thank goodness you guys still come to share a drink and talk needlepoint tales with me despite Blogger's antics.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Back to the Topiaries

dede Odgen's Cat Topiary Garden

Now that my deadline for finishing Smilin' Jack in time for the Baltimore trade show is met, I am back working on the topiary bushes on my dede Odgen piece.  Cat Topiary Garden has to be finished in time for my mother's birthday in September (Shhh!  Don't tell her!) so I am trying to get the big topiary bushes done quickly.

I'm working on the center back topiary, the one with the bird on top, using a variant of skip tent stitch in which I substitute cross stitches for the tent stitches one normally uses for skip tent.  My threads are four shades of DMC cotton floss, using two plies.  (If you are stitching the 13 count version of this piece, you may want to use three plies.)  I like the regular look that skip cross stitch gives me.  It resembles the close clipped look of a real topiary bush.

From darkest to lightest, I am using DMC 319, 987, 905 and 703.  Rummage in your stash and find four shades of green that work well together.  You don't have to use exactly the thread I did.  I think a thin wool would look very nice on the topiaries--particularly on the 13 count version of this design-- but I didn't have any thin enough in enough shades of green to use on my 18 count version.

In the photo I have used all but the lightest shade of green. I'm saving that for the top of the topiary.  I'm working the bird topiary with the canvas upside down to reach without touching areas I've already stitched.  I'm considering whether to sprinkle tiny French knots or beads (or both) along the top margins of the topiaries but I have decided to wait until all the bushes are done before I decide whether to use beads and French knots on areas.

I hope to finish the bird topiary and also the short cat topiary behind the gate this week.  Then I will work on the shorter fish and mouse topiary bushes next week.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Ruth Schmuff Trunk Show

The Needlepointer is having a Ruth Schmuff trunk show.  Their newsletter doesn't say if there is a trunk show discount on the prices listed on their website, but since a Ruth Schmuff trunk show is rare, I decided to post it anyway.
http://www.theneedlepointer.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=76&sort=20a&page=1&zenid=ctm496gbenq4m4q824h0qqsv04

These aren't the only Ruth Schmuff canvases in her line.  To see more, visit Ruth's Tis the Season website.
http://www.tistheseason.org/paintedCanvases.php?catid=202

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Kreinik Interviews Amy Bunger

If you like meeting the fabulous people behind our canvases, books, stitch guides and more, you'll enjoy Doug Kreinik's interview of Amy Bunger.
http://kreinikthread.blogspot.com/2011/08/whats-in-name-amys-golden-strand.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com