When I am running a background marathon, my mind often starts to wander. Last night I started to think about Jean Hilton's death, all the wonderful comments people posted to the ANG email list thanking her after she was gone, and the lady who wrote we should thank the folks who have made our needlepoint better, more fun, more skilled, more creative or just more MORE.
I should do that. But who do I thank? There are hundreds of stitchers who have influenced me via the Internet, especially ANG's email list. There are designers who have inspired me, books that have given me endless ideas, fellow stitchers who encourage and instruct me. How do I make a list? Ok, here goes--
The Internet has made a huge difference in my needlepoint life. I especially want to thank the folks on the ANG email list who pose questions, answers, and links and have eased my lonely stitching life no end. I also want to thank my fellow bloggers who are always interesting and who make the NP Blog-o-sphere of the last 3-4 years such a fun place.
When it comes to books, I have to thank TNNA whose little How to Needlepoint booklet opened the door to endless pleasure; Kaffe Fassett, the master of color, whose Glorious Needlepoint showed me what NP could be; Jo I. Christensen, who wrote the Needlepoint Bible I use almost weekly; and finally Brenda Hart, whose stitch dictionaries are always inspiring.
I want to thank Marnie Ritter, whose incredible plate designs in the old Needlepoint News and Needlepoint Plus magazine are as beautiful and relevant today as they were when published twenty years ago. She is still publishing gorgeous things in Needlepoint Now, using a multitude of threads and stitches she has created out of thin air. I can't tell her how much I love her work!
I want to thank three painted canvas designers who do the realistic, shaded pieces I so admire--Leigh, Mindy and SharonG. Your gorgeous designs make my fingers itch to stitch and my brain goes into overdrive, trying to come up with something that will add a new dimension to your works of art. Thank you all, and thank you for your willingness to share personal help, advice and stitching tidbits. These are really exceptional women, not just exceptional designers.
And finally, I want to thank the late Nina Goerres, who got me started writing about needlepoint on a regular basis, and blog readers, who keep me going because you keep coming back here.
The iris above is from my garden. It is a meagre thank you for all you've done for me. Now, who do you want to thank? Act now, while they can still hear your gratitude....
Jane/Chilly Hollow Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow
