Updates to Chilly Hollow Stitch Guides Blog

Amy Bunger's staff have been busy working on her stitch guide catalogue, so I have updated the Chilly Hollow Stitch Guide blog with a link to the catalogue table of contents.  You can head over to read the article by clicking on the photo of the magic carpet in Blog's right hand column.  To return here, click on the magic carpet again.  I've also added a brand new article about the stitch guides available from Needle Nook of La Jolla.  Have fun browsing!


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

Cat Topiary Garden Wall Hanging

Rear of Cat Topiary Garden Wall Hanging

The cat topiary garden canvas is made up into a wall hanging now. The back side is blue silk damask with a circle pattern.

I cut a dowel from the craft store to the proper length with an inch on either side to allow for a wooden knob (also from the craft store) to be attached on each side.  Then I sanded and stained the dowel and the knobs with cherry stain.  It's a light wash, which is suitable for the environment it will live once I give it to my mother for Christmas.

The tabs are woven trim from the sewing store.  I cut three identical loops large enough for the knobs to slide though and positioned them at either end and in the middle of the top.  They were stitched into place, then I laid the NP canvas face down on the backing fabric and hand sewed three sides together.  I left the bottom edge open so I could slide in a piece of plastic canvas covered with quilt batting on the front.  The plastic canvas had to be trimmed slightly to fit but it is easy to cut plastic canvas with scissors (not the good embroidery scissors, though!).

Once the innards were in place, I sewed up the bottom edge.  The gold braid (also from the fabric store) was tied around the dowel at each end after I stuck the dowel through the loops.  Then I put a drop of Aileen's Fabric Glue on the knot so that once it dried, I could cut the raw frayed edge of the braid away.  Aileen's Fabric Glue dries clear so you really have to look carefully to see that the knot is held in place by glue.

Cat Topiary Garden Ready for Christmas

Then I hung this up to take photos so you can see the finished piece.   Hope you've enjoyed this journey full of bushes of all shapes and sizes.


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

SOTM for 2012

ANG has just announced that Beth Robertson and Suzanne Howren are in charge of the Stitch of the Month (SOTM) project for 2012.  Since ANG turned 40 this year, Beth and Suzanne thought it would be fun to organize a project based around some of the influential needlepoint teachers from past Seminars and asked a group of them (or their families) for assistance.  Personally, I can't wait to see what they come up with in January.  The newsletter lists the teachers involved and the materials you will need for the project if you go with the original monochromatic red color scheme.  There is also information to help you pick your own colors.  Start assembling your materials now.  You know how rowdy 40th birthday parties can be!
http://www.needlepoint.org/newsletter.php

By the way, Scarlet Thread has assembled a photo of most of the threads used for the original SOTM project for 2012.  It's on their blog to help you decide if you want to party in red or choose another color for the celebration.
http://stitchything.blogspot.com/2011/11/ang-2012-stitch-of-month-news.html


If you are not familiar with the SOTM program, you should head immediately to ANG's website and explore the stitches that are published each month and the projects that they become.
http://www.needlepoint.org/Stitch.php


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