Katie's Rugs

The Needlepointer is having a truck show from Shorebird Studio, so their latest e-newsletter shows off some of Katie Molineux's rugs. They are amazing and not on her website, so I thought you'd like a little art show this morning. Enjoy!
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=2b1a4dafdf1ba6e29e773aa79&id=bcae16e4cc&e=73961ee0ea

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 29, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Breaking News: Kathryn Molineux Wilson Has Died UPDATED

Small Peacock from Shorebird Studio

Jill at The Needlepointer just reported on Facebook that Katie Molineux Wilson of Shorebird Studio died December 26, 2014. We have lost a great talent and a very nice person, to boot.  If you aren't familiar with her work, here is the Shorebird Studio website.
http://shorebirdstudio.com

Above is Katie's Small Peacock, the only piece of hers I've stitched.  It was a gorgeous piece of art and graces our house now.  I feel lucky to have been able to stitch this.

UPDATES:  Tributes from fellow stitchers--
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/so-hard-to-say/

http://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/2015/01/07/dragon-fly-a-tribute-to-kathryn-molineux/

Postings of some of Katie's amazing work--
http://needlenicely.blogspot.com/2015/02/two-count-em-two-finishes.html

http://needlenicely.blogspot.com/2011/05/katie-molyneaux-small-canvases.html


Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 6, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Blue Russian and More

Northern Light Santa, Ready for Stretcher Bars!

By now many of you will have seen last night's accidental posting of the announcement that I am about to start blog-stitching Leigh Designs' Northern Light Santa.  The article was set to publish this morning but...!  Hey, I don't explain this stuff--I just blog here!

This morning was full of housekeeping chores related to the design I call Blue Russian.  I started a folder for the stitch guide, I made a color copy and then a black and white copy of the design, I scanned the design so I had a nice closeup of his face for Blog's header.  I posted the photo in the header and accidentally erased the Welcome to the Chilly Hollow Needlepoint Adventure title!  For some reason Blogger is refusing to publish the title on top of the photo.  Rats.  

Hey, I don't explain this stuff--I just blog here!

Guess we will do without a title for a while.  We all know where we are, right?  LOL

By the way, the poll results from yesterday show that three-quarters of you want Northern Light Santa to be finished as a standup.    The voting will continue until Friday, so make sure you cast a vote.  (If the poll doesn't work for you, email me at chilly hollow at hotmaildotcom and I'll keep track of those votes and add them at the end.)  I'm going to shoot off an email to Sue Parsons of West Coast Finishing and ask her what shape she recommends I sketch out for a background to make the best looking stand up possible.  Stay tuned for that.  This is a finisher's busiest time of the year so I may not hear from Sue quickly.   The vote may change later on but we'll have Sue's thoughts about stand ups anyway, just in case.

I'll get him on stretcher bars today and start pulling threads.  FYI, I have attached the full body scan here so you can really see the details of this beauty.  Blue Russian is elegant from the tip of his cap to the bottom of his robe!  Note especially the blues in his silver coronet and staff, and the three silver dot triangular pattern on his robe among the snowflakes.  The color won't be quite accurate--I adjusted the contrast and boosted the colors so you could see the details--but it'll give you an idea of what he looks like in person.  Once again, Blue Russian is 6 inches high and painted on 18 count ecru canvas like all the Russian Santa series.  Here are the others, just for reference purposes.  They are all the same size.
http://www.leighdesigns.com/Grp833x.html

I know some of you are stitching along with me, some of you chose other Russian Santas, and some of you are sitting on the couch with your drinks and popcorn, hoping my ideas will work for your Santa canvas from another designer.  I promise we'll all have a good time!

Before we get settled and start, I did want to mention an e-newletter I got this morning from The Needlepointer.  They are going to have a visit on December 17th from Katie Molineaux, the designer behind the lovely realism of Shorebird Studio.  I'm not sure of the hours yet, but The Needlepointer can tell you if you happen to be in the area.
http://www.theneedlepointer.com

Don't miss this.  Katie is one of my favorite designers because she does Asian and animals so well.  Seeing her designs in person is not to be missed!
http://shorebirdstudio.com

Now, what size stretcher bars do I need?  Where is that box of beads and sequins and crystals?  Ok, is everyone settled in the sleigh?  Got the lap robe pulled up to your waist?  Hold on tight to your drinks.

We're OFF!

Questions?  Email me at chillyhollow@hotmail.com and I'll get back to you within a day or so.

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.

Outside the Box

Yesterday we talked about the individuality and creativity of Marnie Ritter. Today we are going to look at the same traits in Cara Sue Richard.  She loves to cut threads, add threads, add colors, textures, add everything to painted canvases.  Often she totally transforms the subject matter.  Wait'll you see what she did with the HP Designs Deco Cat canvas that Ruth taught as a mystery class a few years back.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2012/11/think-outside-box.html

Here are more of Cara Sue's works of art.  I'm sorry I don't have a finished portrait of the tulips to show you.
http://stitcherie.ning.com/photo/pink-tulip-2liz-darkness-added/prev?context=user

This is another Lani canvas of a tulip.
http://stitcherie.ning.com/photo/tulip-pink/prev?context=user

I think this horse is from Leigh Designs.  Cara Sue's an original, isn't she?
http://stitcherie.ning.com/photo/more-022/prev?context=user

Check out the flowers carefully to see where she has cut away the NP canvas threads.  This is a Shorebird Studio piece.
http://stitcherie.ning.com/photo/yin-and-yang-cut-canvas?context=user

Finally, here is her Tree of Life.  Amazing!
http://stitcherie.ning.com/photo/tree-of-life-1/prev?context=user

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

Who Was Looking for This?

Katie Molineaux's Limited Edition Foo Dog Canvas

The photo above is a limited edition design from Shorebirds Studio.  I believe there were only ten of these painted since the obi fabric that comes with the canvas for finishing was in short supply.  They are sold out and no longer listed on her website.
http://shorebirdstudio.com/

A lot of folks were looking for this design and I helped track down at least six of the ten.  I've found another ($339) on a website.  I haven't inquired if this canvas is still available, but if you are one of the folks still looking for this piece, email me at chilly hollow at hot maildotcom and I'll give you the URL.  They have the rhododendron obi piece at the same price.

Rhododendron Obi Canvas

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

Scarab Rings, Kreinik and a Fancy Terry Background

Terry Christopher's Snow Wave Stitch

With space limitations in the jewelry box lid where I plan to insert my Egyptian scarab jewelry canvas, I had to figure out just how to make the design shine without the use of beads or fancy stitches.  So I turned to Kreinik.  Their metallic threads were perfect for gold jewelry.  I pulled golds, blues, red, and brown from my stash, looking for shades that go well together but trying to use as much holographic Kreinik as possible.  I really wanted the scarab rings to shine and holographic Kreinik does just that.

After I had the threads chosen, I simply tent stitched the design.  I did have to be careful to keep tied off ends of thread well away from the edges of the scarab rings since holographic Kreinik frays a bit and those ends will poke up through the lightly stitched background if I am not careful.

Once the scarab rings were stitched, I turned my attention to the background.  I needed a subtle but pretty background stitch. I played around a little with the idea of stitching Egyptian hieroglyphics in the background but the complexity of the letters defeated me.  So I turned to one of Terry Christopher's stitches which you see in the background in the photograph above.  I saw this piece on Facebook and diagramed the stitch Terry created for a student at 2 the Point (Terry's shop).  This is a Shorebird Studio design, by the way.  You can see it on Shorebirds' website by searching for canvas M424.  The second link is to Terry's online store.
http://shorebirdstudio.com/

http://www.topoint.com/terry_bio.htm

You can see the original photo that Terry posted on 2 the Point's Facebook page.  I'm not sure if those without a Facebook account can see this, but here's the link.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=188567564508578&set=a.188566801175321.42855.157438187621516&type=3&theater

What you see in the photo above is my diagram which was done on a page from Ruth Schmuff's Stitches CD Volume One.  Ruth's bargello stitch is very similar to the stitch Terry used but it isn't quite the same stitch. In Terry's version, each stitch unit moves up a thread in Terry's snow wave stitch.  In the diagram you see two stitch units drawn in pencil.  The X shows where the third unit moves up a thread to start.  Each unit moves up one thread.  The photo of Terry's original design and my charting of her original stitch are posted with Terry's permission.

Isn't she just the greatest?!


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

Shorebird Trunk Show

i'm a big fan of Katie Molineaux's Shorebird Studio designs so I was thrilled to hear Thistle Needleworks/AP Needle Arts is having a trunk show of her work from October 8-22nd with 20 percent off the canvases. You can either go to Thistle in person or shop at the Alex Paras Needle Arts website
http://store.apneedlearts.com/shsttrshoc8o.html


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

Wanted: One Shorebirds Panda

A friend of a friend is trying to find Katie Molineaux's panda canvas (shown above).  If you have it in your stash or in your shop and are willing to sell it, would you please email me at chillyhollow at hotmail dot com?  I'll put you in touch with the person who is lusting after this lovely design.  Thanks!

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

Managing Transitions

While stitching the endless background on the Rabbit Geisha, I've been thinking about managing transitions. Sounds like a management phrase, doesn't it?  "Managing transitions...."

What I mean by this is how to make the background meet the central figure in such a way as it all looks good.  The first hint that this is important on this canvas came when the background stitch between the Rabbit Geisha's ears looked odd.  Above is how I managed this area by turning the odd space between the ears into all tent stitches in the background thread.  If you look carefully at the left side of her neck, you will see a few tent stitches there, too.
You'll also see a few unstitched areas on the right beside her nose.  I'm still thinking over what to do there.  I'll probably stitch longer horizontal stitches right over the shorter ones.

There are other transitional areas on this canvas.  In the photo above, there is a small space between two pink ribbons just under the sleeve, a larger space between the ribbons and the side of her robe, and another space between the pink ribbons a bit further toward the bottom of the canvas.  In these areas I was able to compensate my split pavilion stitches and they looked good.  I am not sure why compensation here looks fine and between the rabbit ears doesn't, but it may be because the space between the ears is angled, not a straight vertical area.

It is more difficult to pick out, but there are transitional spaces all along the bottom of the hem where the navy tent stitches meet the background stitches.  There is actually a channel left blank between the split pavilion stitches in the background and the navy tent stitch outline of the hem but you can't see it well.  In these cases you have to experiment to see whether to leave an unstitched area.  Look at the pavilion stitch between the two tassels.  In that one area I put a stitch in the blank space.  See how crowded it looks and how it bleeds over into the navy tent stitch?  I will pull this out before I go any further but I wanted you to see the difference between leaving an empty space and filling it.

So what do you do in these areas to make the place where the background meets other stitches look good? There are always ways around the problem and the Rabbit Geisha shows several:  compensate, leave a blank space, use tent stitches instead.  I recommend you just try out a variety of strategies and rip out the ones that don't work.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

New Treats to See

I have plenty of treats for you to see today. First, Amy Bunger's March shop newsletter is up on her website. There's a new stitch, plenty of photos of fun canvasas and news about her Nativity series. If you missed any earlier newsletters, links for them are further down the page.
http://www.amybunger.com/current_enewsletters.html

Shorebird Studio has their 2009 new items up. Click on New for 2009 in the left hand column and enjoy the beautiful designs.
http://www.shorebirdstudio.com/

Finally, Alex Paras Needlearts has updated their online shop. There are too many interesting things to list, so do a little exploring and see what treats you can find.
http://store.apneedlearts.com/

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow