A Tribute to Jean Hilton

Mary Agnes showed off some Jean Hilton designs she worked for shop classes on her blog.  MA owns Needle Nicely in Vero Beach, FL where the sun is currently shining and the ocean breezes are mild--think I am sick of Winter?  LOL
http://needlenicely.blogspot.com/2015/02/more-stitched-jean-hilton-designs.html

This got me thinking about the late Jean Hilton, who was one of the major influences of needlepoint in the 20th Century and beyond.  Here are two of her pieces she stitched herself.  I first saw one of Jean's designs exhibited in the early 1990s in a needlework show and was astounded.  I'd never seen anything like it.  She was a true original.
http://www.stitchamaze.com/gallery-guest/jeanhilton.aspx

Luckily even though Jean is gone now, Stitches From the Heart owns the rights to her charts and books.  You can browse the incredible variety here.  If you've got the time, I suggest you watch the slideshow.
http://stitches-heart.com/jean-hilton-designs/

Stitchers Paradise in Miami also has a large selection of Jean's work.
http://www.stitchers-paradise.com/Canvas_Embroidery/JHI/JeanHiltonMain.html

If you are in a thrifty mood, Rainbow Gallery has some small free Hilton designs.  Shop your stash and see what lovely patterns you can create with your own colors!
http://www.rainbowgallery.com/freechartdownloads.cfm?ID=12

CyberPointers has posted a great page on "Hilton" stitches.  Many of the links are dead now that Ro Pace no longer has a website but the remaining ones have plenty of tips for stitching the complex string art type stitches Jean loved and created.
http://www.cyberpointers.org/?p=2436

Pat Miller has started to work my favorite design from Jean--the Visions of Sugerplums stocking.
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/search/label/Visions%20of%20Sugarplums%20by%20Jean%20Hilton

Here is how it looks finished.
http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/1998/Correz.php

http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/1999/sugarplums.php

My personal favorite stitch Jean created is the Chilly Hollow Stitch (bet you can guess why!).  This stitch has endless variations--you can use it to hold shisha mirrors, fill the center with beads or make bullions out of overdyed Kreinik which is a FABULOUS look, you can make a starburst or triangle from it, etc.  Have fun experimenting.  The first link is Jean's base stitch diagrammed by Carole Lake.  The second is Ro Pace's diamond shaped variation.
http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2002/Mar.php

http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2011/may.php

Of course every geometric pattern designer today (Michael Boren, Ro Pace, Orna Willis and Jim Wurth are great examples) owes Jean a great debt.  She knew and encouraged many of them.  They are Jean's design kids just like we are her stitching buddies.  She wouldn't have it any other way.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 19, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.