Interview with Associated Talents

Needlepoint.com has been busy with visitors to their shops.  They managed to drag Don Lynch off the beach long enough to do an interview.  Don's the designer behind Associated Talents.

https://needlepoint.com/blogs/needlepoint-know-how/meet-don-the-designer-behind-associated-talents-and-two-sisters

Needlepoint.com owns the Associated Talents line and also Two Sisters (designs by Don's daughters) now that Don's retired and his daughters out of college, so you can find his work on their website.

https://needlepoint.com/collections/associated-talents?view=sl-6EAD3EE4

Now, go work on that tan, Don!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright June 8, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Needlepoint Clubhouse Demonstrates Various Styles of Beading

Needlepoint Clubhouse demonstrates various styles of beading in this video on their Instagram account.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5ymzncr59-/

Don Lynch's basketweave beading will alternate the way the beads point.  Here's a diagram.  Note that to do a solid area in basketweave beading, work the rows up and down on the diagonal as if you are working regular basketweave.  You'll get the best results if you use size 14 or 15 beads that are faceted instead of round like a ball bearing.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright April 16, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Needlepoint.com Interviews Don Lynch

Needlepoint.com has posted a short interview with Don Lynch of Associated Talents and Two Sisters.

https://needlepoint.com/blogs/needlepoint-know-how/meet-don-the-designer-behind-associated-talents-and-two-sisters

The blog doesn't say, but Needlepoint.com owns the two design lines now that Don and his wife want to retire to the beach and his daughters are busy with their own lives.  

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright October 24, 2023 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Beading Three Sunflowers

Sue stitched three identical sunflower designs (using a Laura Perin chart) and decided to bead the centers of each differently.  And she's posted instructions here!
https://sudukc.wordpress.com/2019/07/05/the-tale-of-three-sunflower/

By the way, what I call messy beading is piling beads of all colors/shapes/sizes on top of beads, starting with loops and then just sticking in 1-2 beads where the loops didn't cover well.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 5, 2019 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Needlepoint in the News!

Needlepoint is in the news a lot these days.   Don Lynch of Associated Talents was flipping through a magazine at the beach and found a Melissa Shirley design on a couch pillow in one of those swanky apartment profiles in the September 2017 edition of "Traditional Home."
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1961541197449722&set=gm.1501785353231951&type=3&theater&ifg=1

Then Annie and Company showed off an Esurance commercial filmed at the shop in Manhattan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar356DuRC0g&feature=youtu.be

And here is another commercial with a stitcher!
https://www.ispot.tv/ad/w6p7/eucrisa-steroid-free

I can't wait to see what's next!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright September 3, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Fiber Talk and the Two Sisters UPDATED

This week's Fiber Talk interviews Preston and Grace Lynch, the siblings behind Two Sisters Needlepoint.
http://wetalkfiber.com/2017/07/24/fiber-talk-with-preston-and-grace-of-two-sisters-needlepoint/

Their ideas about what it takes to interest folks, especially younger folks, in needlepoint are thought-provoking,  plus it's interesting to hear how they got interested themselves and how their company was born.  Here is their website.  Have fun browsing and watching the palm tree sway!
https://www.2sistersneedlepoint.com/about

UPDATE:  Here's a bit more about Two Sisters.
http://www.dailygamecock.com/article/2017/09/usc-student-talks-owning-a-needlepoint-company

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 26, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Breaking News: Barbara Bergsten Retires (and the Designs Live On)

Barbara Bergsten Designs has a new name and new owners since Barbara wants to retire! Barbara's designs will continue under new ownership as Two Sisters.  Here is the announcement on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NeedlepointNation/1165857860158037/?notif_t=group_activity&notif_id=1476308335798486

Wondering why Don Lynch of Associated Talents posted this?  Preston and Grace Lynch, the Two Sisters who now own Barbara Bergsten Designs, are Don's daughters  Way to go, Don!  We love that your family is starting a new needlepoint design business based on Barbara's fabulous work.

Here is the new website for Two Sisters Needlepoint.  Stay tuned for new and exciting things from the designing duo.
http://www.2sistersneedlepoint.com

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright October 14, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Beads, Beautiful Beads

Don Lynch of Associated Talents posted three photos on Facebook showing how he uses Sundance's 3mm bugle beads on one of AT's Halloween ball ornaments.   Don is very clever with beads--he's the inventor of the basketweave beading technique--and this looks even easier.  He says these 3mm bugle beads fit perfectly on 13-14 count canvases.  Thanks for sharing, Don!
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1059944844037879&id=113124148719958

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright October 14, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Don's Basketweave Beading in Video

Oh, boy! The Kreinik website has filmed a woven look done with clear beads using size 4 Kreinik very fine braid.  The video stars Associated Talents' Carol Gantz who works with Don Lynch (also Associated Talents) who invented the basketweave beading technique.  It's sometimes called Don Beading in his honor.
http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Basket-Weave-Beading-Technique-with-Kreinik-Threads.html

If you fall in love with canvas M-189 ("Starfish Frieze"), Associated Talents has a free stitch guide for the canvas on their website.  Sorry, after Associated Talents was sold to Bradley needlepoint, the free stitch guides disappeared along with their old website.
http://www.atneedlepoint.com/Guides/M-189-GUIDE.pdf

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright April 27, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Trend of 2015?

One of Yahoo's editors wrote just before Christmas that needlepoint is one of the coming trends of 2015.   I found the article full of inaccuracies but what do you expect when someone from JoAnn's Fabrics is consulted as a needlepoint "expert" or a knitting shop talks about the needlepoint they sell?  Or when Jonathan Adler's work is cited as a major influence?  At least the author had sense enough to ask Don Lynch of Associated Talents and TNNA's Needlepoint Group for help and the Etsy shop they referred to has some nice tent stitched pieces.  
https://www.yahoo.com/diy/hooked-why-needlepoint-will-be-2015s-big-105635472380.html

But this is the view of needlepoint from the outside, where "grannies" who stitch floral designs and pop art pieces interpreted in needlepoint are what needlepoint is seen as.  I suppose I shouldn't roll my eyes too much.  At least maybe the publicity will draw someone in to try.  Let's hope the shops and fellow stitchers are ready for new stitchers!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 24, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Needlepoint Now Coming Up

The editor of Needlepoint Now has released the newsletter preview of the November-December 2014 issue.  There will be another Russian Santa guide from Sandy Arthur in the next issue, two new Pat Mazu stocking charts, a guide for Don Lynch's fabulous Be for the holidays, another Susan Porta holiday light, and much more!
http://www.needlepointnow.com/wp-content/uploads/NN_NWSLTR_2_Oct14-.pdf

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright  October 30, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Messy Beading and Fiesta Beading

Meredith Willet, one of the most inventive needlepoint/bead mavens on the planet has done it again.  She's come up with an easy beading style that she apparently calls Fiesta Beading.  Pour a variety of beads into a containerm grab one at random and attach it with the tent or reverse tent or straight stitches that attach beads oriented any way you like.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/09/catching-up-with-meredith-willet.html

Messy Geading is another invention of Meredith's (at least she named it).    UPDATE:  A kind reader reminded me that messy beading is Julia Snyder's invention.  My apologies!

To do messy beading, you come up with your needle where you want beads, add some beads to your needle, and go down again a bit away from the hole you came up in. Repeat until you fill the area to be beaded.  The loops you create go every which way and look very pretty.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright September 22, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

NC State McKimmon Center Needlepoint Exhibit UPDATED

Look what Don found!!

It's nearly March and you parents of high school students know what that means--college tours! It's the time of year to lug the offspring to various emporium of higher learning to try and find the best fit for their talents and interests (without bankrupting the homestead).  Don Lynch of Associated Talents just made such a trip to NC State in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Look what he found while hunting for the on-campus Starbucks!

Closeup

There was a note saying the work was presented to the state by "The Youth of North Carolina" in 1976.

Another Section

Anyone know anything about the wall of needlepoint and how it came about?  It looks like there was one section for each county in the state.

Another Closeup

Thanks, Don!  I appreciate your sharing the photographs with Blog readers. Perhaps someone can add to the story you accidentally uncovered.  

UPDATE:  Marilyn did some research and this is what she found out about Don's mystery wall of needlepoint.


"I did a little follow-up, and received the following information from Louise and Linda.

Yes, I remember! I was a 4-Her when this state project took place. It was a bicentennial statewide project. It hangs in the Jane S. McKimmon Center on the wall outside of Room 2 near the snack bar. Each County 4-H program was to design and create a needlepoint square representing their county. The county squares were grouped by districts. I was an Onslow County 4-H member so our square had a sailboat representing Mitchell 4-H Camp, which was located in Swansboro, NC. The McKimmon Center was a new facility on campus at the time and this large Art is displayed very well there. I hope this help you.

Another point of interest may be that for the creation of bicentennial 4-H flags. the 4-H emblem which is protected by copyright was abandoned as a special flags were created. The major modification included 4 dark green leaves shaped like tear drops and the did not touch one another and the stem was straight. These tear drop leaves do not have the indention on the outer leaves and no "H's" on the leaves. These flags are still used during the Honor Club Tapping ceremony on stage. I recall seeing the same shaped flag with the top felt teardrop leaf with a blue background and white stars and the other 3 teardrop leaves were red and white striped with no "H's". Personally, I think it was special for that year that they should be never be used again."

Thanks, Marilyn!  Don and I and Blog's readers really appreciate your efforts!

UPDATE:  Julie took even more photos in 2018.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NeedlepointNation/permalink/1946512365425912/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright February 21, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Talking Turkey

Actually, we are talking turkey work today.   If you have a Facebook account and belong to the Needlepoint group known informally as Needlepoint Nation, you will have seen Elaine ask what folk's favorite thread for turkeywork was.  This quickly morphed into a discussion of the easiest way to do turkeywork, with Don Lynch of Associated Talents posting his favorite technique.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202498803651684&set=gm.568890126521483&type=1&theater

This inspired Kimberly to post her favorite technique and threads on her blog.  Isn't it nice that the designers we love are so willing to share how they master a somewhat difficult technique?
http://akimberlydesign.blogspot.com/2013/11/turkey.html

By the way, my favorite threads for turkeywork are silk/wool blends with a little metallic mixed in.  Lush!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Needed: The Perfect Tree UPDATED

Diane's looking for the perfect artificial tree to display her ornaments. Got any ideas?  What do you use?
http://dianestakingtimeouttoneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2013/03/finding-perfect-ornament-tree.html

UPDATE:  More trees for ornaments are in this wonderful Easter posting by Carolyn Hedge Baird.
http://www.livingwithneedlepoint.com/2013/03/27/easter-needlepoint-easter-trees-and-easter-ornaments/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Alligator Comes for Christmas

Jude Designs' Christmas Alligator

It is pretty hectic here in Chilly Hollow as we try to finish some renovations before company arrives for the holidays, but I have gotten a bit done on the small Christmas Alligator ornament from Jude Designs. Here you see the background almost finished and his red stocking cap finished except for the white fur trim.  For the background I decided to use Double Cross, a stitch Vicky DeAngelis talked about on her blog.
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/its-all-about-the-finish-part-2/

I used Double Stitch on my Cat Topiary Garden for sone of the evergreens and it is a beautiful stitch. However, it is a thread hog and I ran out of the 18 count size of ecru Silk Lame Braid # SL03 I was using for the big crosses.  That's why I worked on the stocking cap before finishing the background while I waited for an emergency shipment of Silk Lame Braid.

By the way, step two of Double Stitch is the tiny cross stitches.  They are in a similar color in Impressions (#1146) but because of the difference in textures, the Double Stitch has some depth and interest to it, besides having the sparkle of Silk Lame Braid.  I like having a lot of metallics on Christmas ornaments to help them stand out among all the other Christmas decorations.  One thing I didn't notice until I did the scan for this posting was the loop of thread laying on top of the red stocking cap above the alligator's left eye.  This is a bit of the metallic from the Silk Lame Braid which untwists itself as you stitch.  I use short lengths of thread to minimize this, but you can still have something stick up at the end of a length of thread if you aren't careful.  Interestingly, I don't have this problem with the smaller Petite Silk Lame Braid, perhaps because the twist is tighter.

In the photo the right half of the background has the tiny cross stitches added but I haven't gotten to the left half yet.  I also still need to do the background between the tail and the head but I ran out of steam last night and went to bed.

The stocking cap is done in the new shaded Petite Very Velvet.  Rainbow Gallery shows off the colors of regular shaded Very Velvet in the link below so you can get an idea of the colors available.  Sorry but I couldn't find an online color card for the Petite shaded.    I am using V810, which seems to be similar to the regular Very Velvet's Holiday Reds.  I used Interlocking Goblein which is done in horizontal rows and allowed the colors to fall where they wished.  
http://www.rainbowgallery.com/detail.cfm?ID=1251

Once I finish the background, I plan to use Don Lynch's basketweave beading technique on the blue Christmas ornament.  While I run around like a maniac, getting ready for Christmas, you can wander over to Don's website at Associated Talents and see how he does basketweave beading.
http://www.atneedlepoint.com/Guides/HE-801-GUIDE.pdf

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

So, What Has Jane Been Stitching?

Associated Talent's Skeletor

Sadly, the answer to that question is Not Much. I have a deadline for Belleza and the same deadline for a second small piece that came in the mail this week and there's a custom stitch guide I should be doing, but March was hectic with a two week trip to visit my husband's family, which involved the same amount of planning and luggage that one takes on a climb up Mt. Everest.  Belleza was too large to go with us, so I took a small Associated Talents ornament which is called Skeletor as my travel project.  There are a series of these small (two and a half inch square roughly) Halloween ornaments which are a quick and fun stitch.
http://www.atneedlepoint.com/CanvasLookup.asp?Category=Halloween&SubCategory=Ornaments&QueryPage=1

When we came back from our trip, of course everything had to be caught up on but as soon as that was accomplished, my mother had another mini stroke so I packed again and went to see her, again without Belleza (who is probably feeling neglected, poor thing).  When I got home, I came down with a bad cold complicated by the historically high levels of tree pollen in Chilly Hollow.  I have been sick ever since, coughing and blowing my nose, and sleeping whenever I could.  So I have not stitched much in a month.  Hopefully that is about to change.

I did manage to finish stitching Skeletor, whom I named Bob.  That's him above.  He is a sweetie and will make a fabulous flat ornament when I have time to find a good backing fabric.  But for now he's going back into a drawer to stay safe until I have much more done on Belleza.


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

Santa Came Early and His Name is Don

Candy in Don Lynch's Basketweave Bead Technique

This year I got my Christmas present a little early when Don Lynch of Associated Talents taught me how to attach beads in a basketweave-type pattern.   Don invented this technique and often uses it on his models for his needlepoint designs.  Now AT has started adding free stitch guides to their website and several of them show how to make your beads look amazing, courtesy of Don.  You can see how he does it by heading over to the Chilly Hollow Stitch Guides blog and reading today's article, then following the link.

Just click on the magic carpet photo in the right hand column and you'll be whisked away. When you are done, ride the magic carpet again back here.

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

Let's Go Clubbing UPDATED

It's been a very long time since I jumped in a limo and went from club to club in Manhattan, ending up at an after hours place at 3 a.m. followed by breakfast at 5.  (Actually, if I propose doing that at my age again, please just hit me over the head with a brick a couple of times so I can skip the alcohol and go straight to the hangover.  It'll be lots cheaper.  Limo drivers and champagne are expensive!)

However, there is a type of clubbing that I can still indulge in without any regret later--touring the monthly clubs available at your favorite needlepoint shop.  So jump in the limo with me and off we go!

First stop is at Ruth Schmuff's blog where she previews her latest club--a series of darling owls from Eye Candy.  (Ruth is the distributor for Eye Candy.)  The owls have been beautifully stitched by Ada Hayden, Eye Candy's resident designer and master stitcher.  Aren't they cute?
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2011/11/hoot-hoot.html

http://theneedlebug.com/2011/11/hoot-hoot-by-ruth-schmuff/

After a few virtual appletinis at Ruth's, let's head on over to Club PFOS where they are showing off some of their Christmas tags canvases.  They are really Christmasy, so we are going to have a nice Irish coffee here to warm our souls for the holiday season.
http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2011/11/tag-time.html

http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2011/11/finished-tags.html

http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2011/11/more-finished-tags.html

http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2011/11/tags-again.html

Since some of us are sick of Christmas already, we piled back in the limousine and headed to Texas where The French Knot has the doorman ready and waiting to escort us in.  They have a nice little buffet laid out for us, with an assortment of local brews (mostly beers and Scotch varieties) for sampling along with crackers, French bread, cheeses and cold cuts with a nut assortment in bowls.  Speaking of nuts, they also have acorns--subtle and sophisticated acorns to fill a cut glass bowl on your holiday table next year.  Those who are thinking about their Thanksgiving menu will want to check out the little Thanksgiving sets and the Indian corn canvases on this same page.  I believe the acorns are from Associated Talents.  Anyone want to get Don Lynch (of AT) a beer?
http://www.thefrenchknot.com/z-thanksgiving.htm

The final stop is also in Texas, at Needle House where they are serving scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and Bloody Marys.  On display they have their very elegant jeweled Russian eggs.  Restful in their pastel colors, they are the perfect foil to the other clubs.  And if you are still feeling rowdy, how about them snowmen?  Renaissance Designs has a series of colorful and silly snowmen to dress up your house after the holidays when there is nothing to do but build snowmen because of the nasty weather.
http://www.theneedlehouse.com/jm/

Now that the limo is dropping us off at home, one by one, here's to a fabulous holiday season to each and every one.

Anyone have any aspirin?

P.S.  Elizabeth Turner has a new pink elephant Needle Buddy magnet.  As good as aspirin and a lot funnier!  (It's not on their website, sorry.)
http://www.elizabethturnercollection.com/Needle_Buddies.html

UPDATE:  I think the pink elephant magnet from Elizabeth Turner is pictured here.
http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2011/12/more-magnets.html

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

Beading Variety for Needlepoint (with Crocodile)

Yesterday I stumbled across two new sources of beads, mostly semi-precious stone beads and mother of pearl shapes, but including the crocodile bead mentioned in the title of this Blog entry. (Click on Miscellaneous, then choose Semi-Precious Beads.)
http://www.accesscommodities.com/products

Here's the second place, Beadcats.  The styles and types and sizes of beads available from all over the Internet is mind-boggling!
http://www.beadcats.com/catalog/seed/beadcard.htm

So are the ways you can use beads on your canvas.  Don Lynch of Associated Talents has invented a way to make your beads look like basketweave.  Look carefully at the pink and red hearts on top of the two heart ornaments here.  These are two of Don's canvases using this technique.
http://stitcherie.ning.com/photo/athe-801-807-809?context=user

Beaded Bird from Leigh Ladies of the Night:  Luna

You can use brick stitch to bead areas.  Here's Luna's bird, totally beaded this way in two colors of beads.  If you are using multiple colors, use the same size and style (round, hex, cylinder shaped, etc.) beads for all the colors.
http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2011/03/other-bird.html

Robin King has a great tutorial on beaded brick stitch at the Needlepoint Study Hall website.  This is exactly how I did my bird in the link above.
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2010/04/beading-pumpkin-balloon.html

If you just need a bead here or there, use the lasso technique. Needlepoint Now has a nice video that illustrates this technique.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq3G6YKTyMU

If you want to use beads for features, such as a cat's eyes and mouth, Robin has illustrated how to use cross stitches to make your beads line up in straight lines.
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2010/01/bead-lesson-with-geography.html

If you need dimension in your beading, try Julia Snyder's messy beading technique. Essentially, you string a series of beads on your thread, then go down into your canvas leaving them as a loop of beads on top.  The link below shows messy beading, with a lot of beads in a row instead of a loop.  Use the last bead as a stop and go down through the row with your needle again.\ to the back.  The stop bead on the end will hold the row.
http://theneedlebug.com/2011/10/seemed-kinda-crazy/

Beaded Pumpkin from Leigh's Smilin' Jack Fash Insert

Sundance Needlepoint has pioneered using beads for the tent stitches in a complex stitch.  If you look at the pumpkin on my Smilin' Jack piece, it is stitched in Serendipity Stitch with beads taking the place of the tent stitches in that compound stitch.
http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com/2011/08/smilin-jack-stitch-guide-available.html  

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