Odds and Ends and Bangs

Last night I worked on Luna's hair and started the cloak trim. Although the purple Empress wool from Pure Palette I have is too heavy for the cloak lining, it makes beautiful tiny French knots as you see in the photos.

You probably won't see Luna again until I finish the cloak trim, lining and her hair.  I need to cut down on the number of redundant photos I post here, so we'll talk about other things until I am able to show you these items finished.  

Speaking of other things, Judy Harper continues very ill.  Apparently her family has turned off any eBook purchases on her Elegant Whimsies website but the website and her two blogs are still there for now.  It distresses me to know Judy is seriously ill since we carried on a lively correspondence and a running debate over just how much embellishment is too much on a canvas.  Judy always argued for restraint although she was a big believer in beading a canvas using the "use skip tent stitch then fill in the empty holes with beads" approach.  Here's Judy's Blogger profile which says what Judy is in just two sentences.  Keep those good wishes coming!

http://www.blogger.com/profile/00301188397987608400

If you are curious about the tiny colored sequins that Needlepoint Tool Time has in stock, Tisha has posted a bit more information about them as well as listing shops that stock them.

http://stitchplaywithneedlepointtooltime.blogspot.com/2011/02/details-about-micro-sequins.html

ABS Designs has posted all of the Nutcracker Ballet ornament series that Anne blog stitched here so we can see the set together.

http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/2011/02/nutcracker-series-reprise.html

http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/2011/02/nutcracker-series-part-two.html

Rittenhouse has posted an interesting article about NP portraits on their website.  It's a good read with plenty of eye candy illustrations.

http://rittenhouseneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2011/02/portraits-in-needlepoint.html

If animal portraits are more your style, check out the dog and wolf examples from Barbara Russell at Nimble Needle's blog. (Feb. 22 and 23, 2011 if you are late to the party.)

http://thenimbleneedle.blogspot.com/

Are you a NP book collector?  If so, you'll want to take a peek at the books PFOS profiles on their blog.  Many are Julia Snyder's but not all.

http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2011/02/interesting-books.html

Finally, these are for bargain hunters.  Ruth Schmuff has a Groupon (Groupon is a group coupon) deal going. 

http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2011/02/groupon-coupon-for-bedecked-and.html

Amy Bunger is doing a sale of the week for each Friday-Sunday.  Keep an eye out tomorrow to see the limited sale items for this weekend.

http://www.amybunger.com/online_3day_special.html

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

Where Would We Be Without Our Tools? UPDATED

Today is all about the tools we use.  Janet Perry has copied ThreadworX's guide to caring for their threads on her blog. The list of things not to do is good to their threads is great to keep in mind with all threads, since many of them are no longer colorfast and we needlepointers don't usually pre-wash threads before stitching like stitchers on linens often do.
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/caring-for-threadworx-threads

Rita on the ANG email list mentioned Clover's domed needle case which you can use to carry pre-threaded needles with you on a trip. I was curious enough to look up information about this item, and found a video of how it works on the Clover website.   Click on the video called "Dome Threaded Needle Case."
http://www.clover-usa.com/Make+It/Videos/

Needlepoint Tool Time has received copies of the new June McKnight book "Spooky Stitches."  Tisha does a brief review on the shop blog, including a photo of the page layout.
http://stitchplaywithneedlepointtooltime.blogspot.com/2011/01/spooky-stitches-has-arrived.html

UPDATE:  PFOS has a review with even more photos of various stitches inside.
http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2011/02/spooky-stitches.html

PFOS just got in some of Tink Boord-Dill's charted alphabet books and also have a review with page layout photos.
http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2011/01/alphabet-books-hot-off-press.html

I think I'm in love with these!
http://theoriginalscrapbox.com/catalog/the-workbox

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

Odds and Ends

Need some cheap scissors for teaching kids to stitch or for that trip you are planning?  Check out the new items on the Needlepoint Tool Time site.
http://www.needlepointtooltime.com/category/22868497

Are you puzzled by how to use overdyed threads?  Janet Perry mentions a XS site article with basic tips on the ways to use overdyes.
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/overdyed-thread-techniques-demonstrated

Wondering if your shop is going to be able to get in the colors of Paternayan wool you need?  Needle in a Haystack updates us on the situation.
http://needlestack.typepad.com/whats_new/2011/01/paternayn-supplies.html

The great English needlepointer Anna Pearson has posted an article about the differences between continental, half cross and basketweave on her blog.  If you ever wondered why basketweave was harder wearing, this article is for you.
http://anna-pearson-needlepoint.blogspot.com/2010/07/stitch-knowhow.html

Just want to look at eye candy?  Are you interested in Halloween?
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2011/01/its-halloween-somewhere-right.html

Do you prefer Christmas?
http://melindaslivingthegoodlife.blogspot.com/2011/01/noel-is-finished.html

Are you a fan of Laurel Burch's art?
http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2011/01/were-feeling-laurel-burch-y.html

Or do all things kimono set your heart pounding?
http://japanese-embroidery.blogspot.com/2011/01/beauty-of-kimono-and-obi.html

I hope you find something in all the links above that interests you.

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