Why You Should Stitch a Rug

Hunt Country Yarns puts forth compelling reasons for stitching yourself a needlepoint rug.

http://horsecountrychic.blogspot.com/2022/02/stitching-needlpoint-rug.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright February 14, 2022 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

A Tip on Value from Bob

Hunt Country Yarns is only about 90 minutes from me but they aren't on the way to anywhere so I've not visited since they moved. It's too bad because Bob (the owner) always has fun tips. Here Bob talks about Value when choosing colors. Yes, he uses skeins of knitting yarn (Hunt County Yarns is 2/3 a knitting shop with needlepoint on the side) to illustrate his point, but the theory still applies to needlepoint. 
http://skeins-huntcountryyarns.blogspot.com/2015/08/30-august-2015-its-all-about-value.html

Thanks for the tip, Bob!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 30, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Lumio! UPDATED

Lumio sounds like a spell Harry Potter and his friends would cast to light up a dark attic, doesn't it?  But it isn't!
http://skeins-huntcountryyarns.blogspot.com/2013/08/17-august-2013-wow-store-just-got-in.html

This is a very heavy yarn, so it probably will work best to make custom cording or as a background accent on 12 count canvas, but I haven't seen it in person. If you have a knitting shop in your neighborhood, please check it out and let us know if you think it is something a needlepointer could use in special situations.

UPDATE:  I am told that Lumio is a "#6 super bulky yarn designed for coats, winter sweaters and accessories. Saw some great patterns for scarves and hats, but unless I were going to a colder climate would have no use for them. It is a beautiful yarn and the reflective streak in it is perfect for outdoor sportswear."  In other words, this is the largest diameter knitting yarn available, so it almost certainly isn't suitable to needlepoint canvas and might even be too fat for couching.  Many thanks, Jody!

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.

Bob Says It Best

Bob from Hunt Country Yarns has a point--I bet the portable battery powered Ott lights are a good investment if you have lots of power outages.
http://skeins-huntcountryyarns.blogspot.com/2012/10/frankenstorm-on-its-way-are-you-ready.html

We have LED lanterns which give a lot of light but it's not really a good light for stitching, so when the power is out, I can only stitch during daytime hours.  Makes you appreciate our ancestors who stitched by candlelight!  I might ask Santa for a battery Ott light for Christmas since we've had at least five power outages this year that have lasted anywhere from 3 hours to 5 days.

If the power goes out during the upcoming storm, not to worry, Blog will continue to publish as I have articles written for a month ahead of time.  I just won't be able to Ok comments or change the Canvas of the Day.  I'll catch up on that when power is restored since without electricity we have no Internet, heat, tv, lights or running water.  Let's hope not too many trees go down since Rinky Dink electric co-op is not really prepared to handle repairs.

I do have plenty to stitch.  I know you are shocked.  LOL

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

The Hunt Bathroom UPDATED FOR FOX LOVERS

Here's a lovely rug, made especially for a small guest bathroom here in Hunt Country.
http://horsecountrychic.blogspot.com/2012/03/fox-needlepoint-rug.html

UPDATE:  Goldy liked this so much I went searching for more fox canvases.  So I wrote this as a comment, then decided to post it here.


I thought it was a lovely rug, perfect for a tiny bathroom.  Critter Cove needs such a rug!

Or maybe a wall hanging or pillow?  These are classic William Morris designs by Beth Russell.
http://www.bethrussellneedlepoint.com/needlepoint/forest.htm

Maybe instead of walking on a fox rug you want to walk with foxes?
http://www.aandlhome.com/-strse-2846/fox-in-wreath-needlepoint/Detail.bok

This place sells ready made fox pillows in lots of designs.
http://www.villagehouse.net/sporting-life-needlepoint-pillows.html

Besides more traditional fox designs, NP.com has a fox game board and a foxhunt Santa!
http://www.needlepoint.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=fox

This Valentina fox in the snow piece is gorgeous.
http://store.needlenook.com/JB-Night-Fox-p23029.html

It's big, though.  How about dede's baby fox?
http://store.needlenook.com/Dede-s-Needleworks-Baby-Fox-p35068.html

This fox and hunt horn is traditional in a non-traditional way.
http://store.needlenook.com/JP-Needlepoint-Fox-In-Horn-p28998.html

If you just want a fox sign, how about this?
http://store.needlenook.com/Julia-s-Needleworks-Over-Forty-Still-Foxy-p29111.html

If all else fails, call Bob at Hunt Country Yarns.  Although Bob's shop is primarily for knitters, he stocks a great many fox/hunt/dog/horse designs and a lot of his customers do rugs. He's a great resource!
http://www.skeins.com/needle.htm



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

Paternayan Coping Strategies

I learned to needlepoint using Paternayan wool and Appleton crewel. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that Paternayan wool would become hard to find! But that is the case now. I've seen  several announcements from shops in the last year that they are no longer going to stock Paternayan because it is impossible to get from the supplier.  So they are switching to another brand of Persian wool. It's a sad day. Nothing makes more durable rugs or furniture upholstery than Paternayan. I hate to think that eBay and personal stashes are gong to be the only places to get Paternayan soon.

Several shops are trying to step into the breach and stockpile Paternayan, particularly for churches that started kneeler projects only to find that the background or other colors they need impossible to find.  I know Needlewoman East and Hunt Country Yarns are two of those shops.  If you know of more, or if your local shop seems to have a good stock of Paternayan, please tell us in the Comments.  You can also email me at chilly hollow at hot mail dot com and I'll post a Comment for you.  Here is contact information for Liz at NW East and Bob at Hunt Country.
http://www.theneedlewomaneast.com/Welcome.html

http://www.skeins.com/

This posting was prompted by a message on Janet Perry's website talking about the differences in Paternayan yarn over the years.  Apparently now the three plies of a strand are now all the same size.  Accepted knowledge when I taught myself needlepoint a very long time ago was that the strands were all slightly different in diameter.  I can't say I could ever tell much difference myself, but perhaps I am not a noticing type of stitcher.  Anyway, here is what Janet has to say.  You may find it helpful if you are trying to use Paternayan from two sources and see a difference in the ply sizes.
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/paternayan-persian-wool-old-new


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