Marilyn Owen's Ort Box Designs Available!

Have you been watching Melita stitch both Marilyn Owen's "Folding Ort Box" and her "Ort Box with a Twist"?  These are from old ANG project books and have been very popular with ANG chapters.  Marilyn Owen emailed me that these are no longer available from ANG but you can email her at mlowen24@mac.com to order.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/04/15/folding-ort-box-and-ort-box-with-a-twist-by-marilyn-owen/

Brenda stitched this also, using her own colors.  

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2019/04/ort-box-with-twist-updated-41619.html

They look like fun!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

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

Marilyn Owen's Folding Ort Box and Ort Box with a Twist

Melita is stitching both Marilyn Owen's "Folding Ort Box" and her "Ort Box with a Twist" as ANG chapter projects.  These are from ANG's project books and have been very popular with ANG chapters.  Marilyn Owen emailed me that these are no longer available from ANG but you can email her at mlowen24@mac.com to order.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/04/15/folding-ort-box-and-ort-box-with-a-twist-by-marilyn-owen/

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/05/08/folding-ort-box-and-ort-box-with-a-twist-by-marilyn-owen-first-areas/

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/05/16/folding-ort-box-and-ort-box-with-a-twist-by-marilyn-owen-2/

This posting has some great double running stitch tips for the blackwork.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/07/01/folding-ort-box-and-ort-box-with-a-twist-by-marilyn-owen-3/

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/07/22/folding-ort-box-and-ort-box-with-a-twist-by-marilyn-owen-borders/

Now for the lining for both boxes.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/08/15/folding-ort-box-and-ort-box-with-a-twist-by-marilyn-owen-lining/

Melita is assembling her boxes.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/10/02/ort-boxes-fully-constructed/

If you want to stitch one of these ort boxes, you can order the design from Marilyn Owen herself as ANG is no longer including it in their current project book.  Email her at mlowen24@mac.com to order.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

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

Tumbling Stripes (Marilyn Owen)

Melita Glavin's ANG chapter is going to stitch Marilyn Owen's "Tumbling Stripes" as a project.  First up, Melita has to pick colors and find threads in her stash that will work, then she has to put the piece of Congress cloth she found on too large Evertites.  She shows you how to lace a side if you too have needlepoint canvas just a little too small for your stretcher bars.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2024/01/07/tumbling-stripes-by-marilyn-owen/

Melita choose blue and yellow cotton floss for her threads.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2024/02/21/tumbling-stripes-by-marilyn-owen-with-ang-new-jersey-needle-artists-chapter/

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2024/03/20/stripes-1-4-from-tumbling-stripes-by-marilyn-owen/

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2024/04/15/stripes-5-7-from-tumbling-stripes-by-marilyn-owen/

Here is Melita's finished version, which made a lovely ornament.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2024/05/15/stripes-a-e-and-the-finish-for-tumbling-stripes-by-marilyn-owen/

Brenda is working this, too.  Like most chapter projects, it is a counted canvaswork piece, but this one is a bit unusual and quite pretty when finished.  I'll update this article as Brenda posts progress photos.

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2024/01/tumbling-stripes-12524.html

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2024/02/tumbling-stripes-updated-2124.html

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2024/03/tumbling-stripes-updated-32524.html

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2024/03/tumbling-stripes-updated-32924.html

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2024/04/tumbling-stripes-updated-42728.html

You can see larger versions of "Tumbling Stripes" on the ANG Cyberpointers' website.

https://www.cyberpointers.org/?p=7578

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright January 8, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Is 2023 the Year of the Gnome?

After I heard that ANG's going to publish six Marilyn Owen gnome designs in Needle Pointers in 2023, I started to wonder if this is going to be The Year of the Gnome.  Colour Complements is going to do thread kits for these designs, by the way.  You can see the first here.

https://colourcomplements.com/product-category/welcome-gnome-colour-complements

https://colourcomplements.com/2023/01/colourful-bargello-pattern-welcome-gnome-series.html

https://colourcomplements.com/2023/03/welcome-gnome-florentina.html

https://colourcomplements.com/2023/04/using-blue-and-orange-palette-for-dotti.html

https://colourcomplements.com/2023/06/bright-tropical-colour-palette-for-swirly-welcome-gnome.html

There are lots of gnome canvases available now.

https://familyartsneedlework.com/search?page=1&q=gnome

I know because I started looking when I also heard Needlepoint by Laura has new gnome designs.

https://www.stitchbystitchneedlepoint.com/search-results?q=needlepoint+by+laura&type=products&collections=What%27s+New+2022&utm_campaign=fc06db20-426e-4a21-96d7-c0d4e92c5f56&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail_lp&cid=68c6d8c4-6311-4db7-a6af-6c56ebef78b3

Looks like it's going to be a good year for little guys with big noses and beards.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright January 1, 2023 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

50 for 50

The American Needlepoint Guild (ANG) is starting a fund raiser to celebrate their fiftieth year.

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanNeedlepointGuild/photos/pcb.5789294624447844/5789294437781196 

They hope to raise $250,000 over the next two years to support their programs.  Your donation will be repaid through ANG's programming and some fun treats like this--

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanNeedlepointGuild/photos/pcb.5789294624447844/5789294571114516

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 8, 2022 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Give to ANG Two Ways UPDATED

The American Needlepoint Guild's latest e-newsletter is available online. You can read it here.
http://needlepoint.org/newsletter.php#fromthepresident

I want to point out two parts of the newsletter to pay special attention to.  One is the section about the Golden Needle Society which is an ANG fundraiser.  If you love using the Stitch of the Month section of ANG's website or enjoy browsing the Exhibit photos on the website, why not send ANG a little thank you gift?  This is the way to show support for all ANG does, even if you don't want to commit to dues or belong to a chapter.

The other thing of interest is the ANG Auction section.  This fall during ANG's Seminar in New Orleans folks who aren't attending can still participate in the ANG Online Auction from between August 28-30.  All proceeds benefit ANG.
https://ang.afrogs.org/#/index

And naturally if you are an ANG member, you'll want to check out ANG's classes, volunteer with the organization or just buy a copy of the Ort Box with a Twist instructions.  You can get a PDF version or a hard copy.  Just fill out and return the Merchandise Form or follow the instructions here to fax in an order.
http://www.needlepoint.org/Merchandise/2013_ANG_Ort_Box_Order_Form_D.pdf

UPDATE:  I just heard from Marilyn Owen that her Ort Box with a Twist is no longer available via ANG so please don't send them the order form.  It'll just create a muddle. If you are interested, email Marilyn directly at SOTM@needlepoint.org. She'll happily sell you the chart.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 2, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

True Confessions UPDATED

It is True Confessions time! And Sara Leigh is laying out all her works in progress (WIP), sorting the ones she has lost interest in from the ones she wants to work on. The I Am Tired of You pile will go to her guild swap this winter so they can find good homes where they will be stitched.
http://remedialstitcher.blogspot.com/2014/10/ufos-and-few-finishes.html

UPDATE:  More!   I am becoming envious of SL's stash!
http://remedialstitcher.blogspot.com/2014/11/lucky-thirteen.html

All is not WIPs though.  Sara Leigh has finished quite a few pieces, both counted and painted.  She is becoming a very versatile stitcher.  I think learning to sort through the designs we accumulate to decide what is worth spending your precious free time on is a very worthwhile exercise.  We all have eyes bigger than our stomaches!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright October 25, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Choosing Colors for Sudoku

One of the members of the New Jersey Needle Artists Chapter of ANG is changing the colors for a guild project, the stitching of Marilyn Owen's "Sudoku."  She has written up how she changes colors for charted designs, which is something I've always wondered about.  Hopefully if you are contemplating changing colors for a design this will help you, too.  Thanks for sharing, Needle Artists!
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/10/14/choosing-colors-for-sudoku/ 

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright October 15, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Totalling Up The Stash

Fans of counted designs are going to go wild over Sara Leigh's revived blog.   Sara Leigh's photography when she ran Scarlet Thread was outstanding, so you know you are going to love the pictures of her Works in Progress (WIPs).  Let's hope Sara Leith will show many of these designs again as she works on them.
http://remedialstitcher.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-wip-is-wip-is-wip.html

If you are new to counted canvaswork, Sara Leigh will introduce you to designers you've never heard of.  Check the "Counted Canvaswork Designers" tab here on Blog to help you discover where to get these wonderful charts.  Some are no longer available and some are class pieces only, but occasionally you can pick up old class projects from the designer.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 17, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Ort Box, But With a Twist UPDATED

One of ANG's most popular fund raising projects has been Marilyn Owen's Ort Box.  It's a little box that folds up for travel, then unfolds to hold your little thread snippets (orts) in one place until you are ready to discard them all.  Here you can see Melita's articles on working her Ort Box.
http://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/category/ang-main-line-stitchers-chapter/ort-box/

ANG just announced a new design by Marilyn--a folding org box with outside pockets to hold your tools.  It's very cute!  The announcement on the ANG email list read:

"Do you love small usable projects? Need something to keep all those orts under control? And your scissors or laying tool handy? Then you need the Ort Box with a Twist! This delightful project was unveiled at Seminar 2013, another ort box design by Marilyn Owen, and it is fabulous stitching fun. Just go to this address on the ANG website and download the order form! 

http://needlepoint.org/Merchandise/ort-box-twist.php

It's available for anyone, not just ANG members, so let all your friends and neighbors know about it. It's Marilyn's way of saying "Welcome to the world of needlepoint!" and we can't thank her enough. All proceeds from the sales go to support ANG's education programs. You say your friends can't needlepoint? Buy them a lovely gift and teach them to stitch!"

The link ANG provided on their website has photos of the Ort Box With A Twist and if you belong to ANG's email Yahoo Group, there are more photos in the Yahoo Group's photo album.

Once you arrive at the ANG website, there will be a second link to the order form.  I think you have to print it out and mail it in with payment.  No electronic shopping, in other words.  But it is a wonderful small project for stitching play time, to teach that small child in your life, or to create a Christmas gift before The Big Day is here.

UPDATE:  Sara Leigh says the Ort Box with a Twist isn't child's play, but it might be suitable for a teen to work.  She also found a way to pay online using an online payment company I've never heard of, so explore the ANG site carefully if you want to use that payment method.  Thanks for the help, SL!

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.

Easter Crackers

Easter Crackers, Courtesy of Marilyn Owen

I've noticed that the rage for Christmas cracker shaped ornaments has taken hold here in the World of Needlepoint. It used to be just a counted thread thing, with dozens of designs available from most cross stitch and counted thread designers. But it was not a NP interest until recently when Melissa Shirley started designing small rectangular shapes to be made up into crackers.  Melissa has designed crackers for Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's Day and Easter.  (And Palma reminded me that there are a few for the 4th of July as well!)
http://melissashirleydesigns.com/galsearch/?searchstring=crackers&searchlist=&Search=Search&dosearch=

Then Melissa tempted great stitchers to do stitch guides for them.  Laurie Walden and Cynthia Thomas have done guides for the Christmas crackers.  Palma Seijan's finishing up guides for the new Easter and Valentine's sets that are premiering this month at TNNA.
http://melissashirleydesigns.com/galsearch/index.cgi?index=1161107729_31742&col=

http://melissashirleydesigns.com/galsearch/index.cgi?index=1330034925_31843&col=

Now Marilyn Owen of Moore Than Needlepoint in North Carolina has joined in with a wonderful set of Easter crackers that are counted canvas work, not painted canvas.  Hurrah!  You can see them in detail in the link below  There is also an ad in the January 2013 issue of Needlepoint Now if you are a subscriber.  Several of the crackers will work for other times of the year if you aren't an Easter decorator.  For example, change the kite cracker's colors to a red, white and blue color scheme and you have a July cracker!  By the way, the instructions for each cracker (sold separately) include finishing instructions in case you want to try your hand at your own finishing for one of these, or use the instructions on other crackers in your collection.
http://www.moorethanneedlepoint.com/Crackers.html

If Marilyn's name seems familiar, she is the designer of the Folding Ort Box, Halloween Treat, and Ornament Quartet in the ANG Chapter Project Book, and created the design Sudoku Serendipity for Needle Pointers.  She also is part owner of Moore Than Needlepoint.  Upon exploring the shops website, I also discovered a wonderful limited edition Christmas ornament that would be quick to stitch up as a present for a golfing buddy or a friend who lives in the Pinehurst area.  Nobody in Pinehurst?  Substitute your own location or just your house number or even leave the lettering off.  

I think this is a shop and designer to keep an eye on....

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