Since It's June Let's Talk Santa Beards

Ok, I know Christmas is six months away BUT finishing deadlines are coming right up, so let's talk about Santa beards.  After all, I know a lot of us are stitching a Santa Claus and trying to come up with great beard ideas.  Let's start with the new Vallerie Needlepoint Gallery Santas.  Suzie has posted about them here with photos of the finished items.  Check out those beards!
http://astheneedleturns.com/the-birth-of-a-santa/

White Santa has a beard done with thin wool in long random stitches.  So does Patriotic Santa and Fifth Avenue Santa.

Courtly Santa has French knots on a Stalk for his beard.  I suspect Wisper has been used here, probably mixed with another thread.

Beach Santa has horizontal satin stitches that are offset in a zigzag effect, probably also in thin wool.

If those aren't enough ideas for you, Diana Bosworth's little booklet "Beards I Have Known" will show you more beard ideas than you could ever stitch!
https://bristlythistle.wordpress.com/2010/03/06/needlepoint-beards/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright april 30, 2019 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

A Beard for Christmas

This time of the year all the great holiday ornaments folks have displayed will tempt us to purchase a Santa canvas to stitch for the 2016 holidays.  Then we are faced with the task of coming up with a great beard stitch. One of the beard masters is Janet Zigler Casey, who teaches a very popular line of holiday ornaments.  I thought you'd like to see all her beards.  Click on each thumbnail portrait to get a better look.
http://www.jzcdesigns.com/christmas.htm

If you stitch a lot of Santa Clauses and don't already own Diana Bosworth's little booklet Beards I Have Known, put it on your Christmas wish list.  It is full of great ideas for stitches and threads to make fabulous beards.
http://www.nimbleneedlenj.com/product/needlepoint-stitch-reference-book-beards-that-i-have-known-by-diana-bosworth/

Diana herself is another beard expert.  Check out the Petei Santas at the French Knot in Texas, most of which Diana stitched!
http://www.thefrenchknot.com/x-petei.htm

Merry Christmas, Santa!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 7, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Blue Russian Inspiration: A Collection of Fur and Beards

When I knew I was going to be stitching the Blue Russian, I started collecting links to fur and Santa beards I liked.  I thought you might find them inspiring, too.   Stephanie has done some wonderful Russian Santas from Heartstrings, which are distributed by Artists Collection.
http://stephsstitching.blogspot.com/2013/12/russian-style-santas-from-kathy-schenkel.html

Stephanie has also posted great Santa photos from a variety of designers.  Some of these she has stitched, some are from her SWANs group and some are from her local shops.  They really illustrate the diversity of fur and beards we can create.
http://stephsstitching.blogspot.com/2013/12/santa-baby.html

I love Suzanne's polar bear stocking.  I think he might have been stitched using Fuzzy Stuff from Rainbow Gallery.
http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2013/12/happy-polar-bear.html

Summer has done some wonderful Santa ornaments, working from her stash threads.
http://summerlouise.blogspot.com/2013/12/two-melissa-shirley-ornaments-completed.html

Becki's Melissa Shirley Santa has a lovely beard and gorgeous fur trim.  The fur trim is Colonial knots in a variety of threads.
http://astheneedleturns.com/russian-santas-club/

Finally, wait'll you see Anne's traditional Medici beard!
http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-wild-and-hairy-guy.html

I also referred to my copy of Beards I Have Known, which shows off the various beards Diana Bosworth has stitched for The French Knot in Texas.
http://www.pfos.com/SalePages/PocketFullofStitchesNeedlepointBooks.htm

It's a great little book but if you are not willing to spend money on a book you will only use occasionally, you can browse the photos of Diana's Peteis on the French Knot website.  I believe all the stitch guides for these creations are still available from the French Knot.
http://thefrenchknot.com/x-petei.htm

Hope you found all this as inspirational as I did!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March 2, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.