Mrs. Bush's White House Christmas

The White House Historical Association has posted a look back at the needlepoint ornaments and Noah's Ark set Barbara Bush displayed at Christmas during her husband's term in office.

https://www.facebook.com/WhiteHouseHistory/posts/pfbid02GqvefoaR4RMUr3uCxdUAiWcCuqnYEsXibiGrpgVADk8AeWoU9ZZCAe4i5Ghayq3Bl

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright December 24, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Rainforest Revisited (Kathy Rees)

StitchLady scored a complete kit of Kathy Rees' "Rainforest Revisited" and has started work on it.

https://stitchlady.wordpress.com/2025/10/12/rainforest-revisited/

https://stitchlady.wordpress.com/2025/10/20/rainforest-revisited-progress/

This is a Needle Delights chart.  You can browse Kathy Rees' designs at her website.

https://needledelights.com/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright October 13, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Needlepoint Is Always the Answer

Susan's dining room chairs have been rubbing against the wall.  Being a creative genius, she decided against chair rails in favor of a long strip of needlepoint done in perle cotton.  Think a belt for your wall!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/NeedlepointNation/permalink/24721089060874919/

Now her walls won't get scuffed and she has something totally unique.  Great idea, Susan.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright October 12, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

A Merry Holiday Newsletter from NJNA

The New Jersey Needle Artists chapter of ANG finishes out December with a fun newsletter.

https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2025/12/06/whats-happening-at-njna-12-6-25/

There is lots of ANG news, Needlepoint Bingo (!), information about charitable giving by various needlepointers, news good and bad, new designs and clubs, and of course a new thread storage option from DMC perfect for travel.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright December 7, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The BBC Discovers Needlepoint

The BBC has discovered that needlepoint is popular.

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20240613-the-aristocratic-craft-making-a-surprising-comeback

If you are curious about Hunt and Hope or just want to browse their already stitched pillows, luggage tags and stockings, here's their website.

https://www.huntandhope.com/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright October 9, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Chottie's Stitches Diagrammed

The Royal School of Needlework is continuing to expand their online Stitchbank with more stitch diagrams, this time three stitches created by our own Chottie Alderson.  The three stitches are Alisha Lace, Chottie's Plaid, and Nobuko Stitch, all with the names of real people included in them.

https://rsnstitchbank.org/?utm_source=RSN+ENewsletter&utm_campaign=627619c86e-OCTOBER-ENEWS-2025&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-2e2b921c8c-132419528&mc_cid=627619c86e&mc_eid=5e1a81057a

I didn't know Chottie came up with these stitches but her friends in San Bernardino Chapter of ANG will still remember her and all she achieved.  Thanks to them, the Royal School has these stitches for their collection.

Please consider making a donation to the Royal School's Stitchbank so more stitches will be available online for us all.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright October 5, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

New Location for Stitch by Stitch Larchmont UPDATED

Stitch by Stitch in Larchmont, NY just turned 21 and the shop is going to celebrate by moving to a much larger location in Larchmont over the holidays.

https://manage.kmail-lists.com/subscriptions/web-view?a=SwCMrn&c=01H9XGTJRHYSSZSJCSGZK1PHG3&k=818df9a7ff3a4241af938c526d309c5c&m=01K6N2CYFSP40G9P5HFWM32WMN&r=01K6SXVRJVS85DBH6ZS4D359CZ

UPDATE:  

https://manage.kmail-lists.com/subscriptions/web-view?a=SwCMrn&c=01H9XGTJRHYSSZSJCSGZK1PHG3&k=818df9a7ff3a4241af938c526d309c5c&m=01KD0W712TEAQW8VVBCENMZPQ7&r=01KD1HCKM0QND6KJWRAN0NV492

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright October 5, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Got $1350 for Class?

The Royal School of Needlework in England has a new class, "History of Embroidery," which sounds fascinating!  It isn't cheap but there are twelve lessons and it's fully digital.  If you are fascinated by the history of needlework, you might consider treating yourself.

https://royal-needlework.org.uk/courses/history-of-embroidery-course/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright December 16, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Needlepoint Ornaments from Furbish Studio

Furbsh Studio in Raleigh, North Carolina sells a ton of needlepoint Christmas ornaments.  Already stitched, most of these are quite simple and inexpensive.  Have fun browsing!

https://furbishstudio.com/collections/needlepoint-ornament

https://furbishstudio.com/collections/needlepoint-icon-ornaments

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright November 7, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

New Stitch Monday Celebrates Hanukkah and Christmas

Ridgewood celebrates Hanukkah with stitch diagrams for menorahs and dreidels.

https://ridgewoodneedlepoint.com/new-stitch-monday-192/

Then they celebrate Christmas with bows, trees and holly.

https://ridgewoodneedlepoint.com/new-stitch-monday-193/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright December 15, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Christmas with Santa Balloon (Janet Zigler Casey)

Brenda is working on another Janet Zigler Casey Santa Claus.   This is called "Santa Balloon."

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2025/09/santa-balloon-2023-92625.html

Santa himself is stitched.

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2025/10/santa-balloon-2023-updated-10625.html

And the beaded basket is made and attached.  Fun!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DQUdC-6EYeS/?img_index=1

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 27, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Make It Yours 2: Extraordinary Fonts

The Wool and The Floss shows off Krissy Johnson Designs' second book, Make It Yours 2:  Extraordinary Fonts.

https://www.instagram.com/thewoolandthefloss/reel/DO_QVBakYue/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPAJsM2kcCJ/?img_index=1

The Stitching Chicks flips through the book so you get a good idea of the various alphabets.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPOyCIRjSVv/

Krissy demonstrates how to use her books to put a monogram or name on your canvas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm2H4xpV3oM

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 26, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Stumpwork Embroidery and Thread Painting: Stitch 3D Nature Motifs

Mary Corbet stumbled across Megan Zaniewski's book, Stumpwork Embroidery and Thread Painting:  Stitch 3D Nature Motifs.  It teaches stump work and thread painting, which are techinques needlepointers like to use.  Mary loves the book, by the way!

https://www.needlenthread.com/2025/09/stumpwork-embroidery-thread-painting-book-review.html

You can buy the book through Med Embroiders, 's Etsy shop.  The shop has three of her dimensional embroideries for sale, too--the slug, the frog and the sphinx moth.  All are magnificent!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MegEmbroiders?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=4372782857&from_page=listing

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 25, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Midnight Elegance (Debbie Rowley)

Beth has been working Debbie Rowley's "Midnight Elegance" and has finally finished it.

https://bethsneedleworkstash.blogspot.com/search/label/Midnight%20Elegance%20Ornament%20-Debbie%20Rowley

What a great Christmas ornament this will make!  Sadly, this was a Shining Needle Society class and is currently unavailable from DebBee's Designs.

https://debbeesdesigns.com/product/midnight-elegance-ornament/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 25, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Morgan Julia's Jersey City Shop Opens TOMORROW

December 12-14 is the new Morgan Julia Designs shop's opening weekend in Jersey City, New Jersey!  Here's how to get to 278 Monmouth Street.  

https://morganjuliadesigns.com/pages/visit-us-nj?_kx=_J_rdnNvxpl-p5ox0M-sxKe_dW8vBdau0gAV5QbqAX3Q5z_adzzshb4gk-wH2HbP.RWeQns

Of course you can always visit their store in St. Petersburg, or stop by their website, but if you are in the NY Metro area, do stop by and say hello to the newest needlepoint emporium in the Northeast.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright December 10, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Let's Visit Nashville Needleworks

Let's take a tour of Nashville Needleworks!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DN__-YiDfvU/

If you aren't going to be in the Nashville, Tennessee suburbs any time soon, just visit their website.

https://www.nashvilleneedleworks.com/

By the way, their blog has great tips on stitching faces!

https://www.nashvilleneedleworks.com/blogs/tips-and-tricks/stitching-faces

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 25, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Kit or Canvas? How to Choose a Beginner's Needlepoint

Needlepoint.com's blog has some sensible advice when you are picking a needlepoint project for a beginner--

https://needlepoint.com/blogs/needlepoint-know-how/where-to-start-kit-vs-canvas

Frankly, I'd also think about whether they have done cross-stitch (they'll have some stash) and whether there's a needlepoint shop in their area so they can shop and personalize their own design.  It's fun to start someone on the path toNeedlepoint Nirvana, but you do have to think about their starting point.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 25, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Meet Jen Matlock Through Coco Frank Studio

Coco Frank Studio interviews Jen Matlock on their blog.  Learn how she survived having three children under the age of two--hint, needlepoint might have been involved!

https://cocofrankstudio.com/blogs/blog/stitcher-spotlight-jen-medlock?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&utm_campaign=Stitcher+Spotlight%3A+Jen+Medlock&utm_id=01K5VMDDNH2FQPTE44AW4ST34C&_kx=fpwRhZR6oWBP-QRpljb7pZMDJB9SEzHyKJegAKdmP8-TPQzDcjAtm1ktAvh5CV4x.XYMb7E

You can follow Jen's colorful needle adventures on Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/lynndlpt/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow 

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com 

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 25, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

And the Winner for Best Bullion Knots Is--

The winner for Best Bullion Knots 2025 is definitely Judy!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DO87xFmibWs/

She was nominated by her shop, The West, in Tucson.  

https://thewestinc.com/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 24, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Thread Price Increases in 2026

Lycette Designs alerts us to thread price increases in 2026.  Check with your favorite shop (like Lycette they may be planning to not pass some of the increases to you the customer) and plan ahead.  

https://www.facebook.com/lycettedesigns/posts/pfbid02Kpo5CyyEXARAL43g37Gnp4DyAPrYgHan1BKmwhTVDE29BZ53YHXAu4GbSVEqyK9Ll

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright December 6, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

A New Shop Trend

Stitches and Style has been traveling a lot this summer, visiting quite a few needlepoint shops, and has seen a new trend in two of them--free boxes!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DO1E_fakfHU/?img_index=1

Basically, customers leave threads from their stash in a box marked Free in the shop.  These are threads they have not used (or only used a bit of) that other folks might like to try out.  So if your favorite shop wants to climb on the bandwagon, see what cards or skeins of threads you have -- or perhaps a pair of scissors you've never used, a packet of needles that you bought and found were duplicates of 74 other packets at home-- maybe it will make another stitcher very happy to use what you don't use.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 22, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Winter Lights (Jennifer Riefenberg)

Melita's signed up for a Jennifer Riefenberg class sponsored by ANG called "Winter Lights."  She's gotten a lot of the candles stitched and it's turning out to be lovely.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/09/21/winter-lights-by-jennifer-riefenberg-and-ang-central-jersey-chapter/

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/10/10/winter-lights-candles-and-flames/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 22, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Shimmering Shore (Patricia Hartman)

The Sun City Stitcher signed up for a Patricia Hartman online class from the Shining Needle Society.  It's a very pretty geometric called "Shimmering Shore."

https://www.suncitystitcher.com/2025/09/shimmering-shore.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 22, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Mix It Up With Threads

Needlepoint.com has posted an article about the various threads and the effects they give to encourage needlepointers to use thread texture to add special effects to their projects.

https://needlepoint.com/blogs/needlepoint-know-how/the-art-of-mixing-threads-how-to-add-dimension-shimmer-and-depth-to-your-stitching

Personally, I like realistic designs, so I use thread textures to mimic real life, add highlights and shadows, and just have fun mixing and matching.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright July 26, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

A Heart Warming Tale from Denise DeRusha

Denise at Denise DeRusha Designs remembers how all 50 of her state postcard canvases were stitched by Rita's Needlepoint in NYC as a fund raiser for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1320338886550484&set=a.785200100064368

You can get a good look at your state's postcard design on Denise's website (where your favorite shop can order for you).  By the way, the states aren't listed in alphabetical order but by order number.

https://www.denisederusha.com/postcards-us-states-national-parks-cities-and-world-countries

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 20, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

All the Clubs at Bedecked and Beadazzled

I have a listing of available (mostly) monthly clubs available from the shops up in the tabs section just under the header page, organized by theme, but Bedecked and Beadazzled has updated their website with a listing of all the clubs they have available through the shop.   If you are looking for something fun, there's a lot to choose from.

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2025/09/lets-talk-about-happy-mail/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_source_platform=mailpoet&utm_campaign=the-last-newslettertotal-posts-from-our-blog-1

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com 

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 17, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.