Hitting the Shops Before the Woodlawn Exhibit UPDATED

Melita went on a road trip to see the Woodlawn Plantation exhibit. She had a lovely time stopping at four shops along the way.  Read all about the shops and see Melita's finds here.
https://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/2016/03/18/roadtrip-before-woodlawn-2015/

UPDATE:  Here is what Melita saw at Woodlawn.
https://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/2016/03/20/woodlawn-roadtrip-2016/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March 18, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

TNNA Baltimore on Facebook, in the Classroom and Elsewhere

If you have a Facebook account, check out the photos from Baltimore posted at these sites: Melissa Shirley Designs, Needles and Threads of Ruxton,

Just log into your FB account and search on the names exactly as I typed them above, then look at their photo albums and wall postings.

As part of the festivities, Bedecked and Beadazzled had Robin King over to teach.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2012/09/lotus-square.html

Bristly Thistle posted the framed Old Crows that Sandy Arthur and I stitched for Leigh Designs. They make a wonderful pair!
http://bristlythistle.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/leigh-crows-finished/

Sara Leigh has posted more about new counted canvaswork pieces.  This time Debbie Rowley's work is showcased.
http://stitchything.blogspot.com/2012/09/its-another-tequila-sunrise.html

Finally, Vicky is home and able to post some of the photos she took various places at the Baltimore show.  What fun!
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/09/12/canvases-threads-dining-oh-my/

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

How to Create Santa's Beard

Kristine Kingston is a stitch guide writer, painted canvas designer, teacher and and finisher who has works with Needles and Threads of Ruxton, which is in the Baltimore suburbs.  Now Kristine is adding blogging to her list of accomplishments.  Her article on stitch ideas for Santa beards is a Must Read.  Click on the photographs for a better look at the finished Santa beards using the stitches she recommends.  Then bookmark this for the next time a beard stumps you.
http://baltimoreneedleworks.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/santa-beards-i-love/

Here's the Needles and Threads of Ruxton website.  Click on Finishing to see some of Kristine's finishing.
http://www.needlesandthreadsofruxton.com/

I put a brief profile about Kristine's stitch guides on the CH Stitch Guides blog. Here's the direct link if you are tired of riding the magic carpet to the stitch guides blog.
http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com/2012/04/introducing-kristine.html


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

Vicky's Time in Baltimore

Vicky is home again in California and also reporting in about her class, Needles and Threads of Ruxton, and of course some of the wonderful things she saw in Baltimore.
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/08/16/saying-goodbye-to-baltimore/

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

Friday We Set Up, Today We Feast UPDATED

Vicky DeAngelis has arrived in Baltimore, ready to set up the Needle Deeva display for the shops to admire and buy from.  Somehow I think she is going to gain a little weight this weekend....
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/08/12/youre-leaving-me-again/

UPDATE:  Robin King's there, too.  And she is also eating fabulous food!
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2011/08/be-sure-to-try-crab-cakes.html

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

Stars and Finishing

As a special treat, I have several new photos of Stars for the New Millennium.  This isn't my version, mind, these are other folks' take on this classic design.  First of all, a friend of Donna's has taken her beautiful version of Stars to the framers.  You'll be interested in hearing how she dealt with the pointed edges of the design.
http://majtravaux.blogspot.com/2011/05/sneezy-report.html

Coni has started her version, using a patriotic color combo of red, white, blue and gold.  I love the scarlet framework she has set in place!
http://spinsterstitcher.blogspot.com/2011/05/oey.html

Speaking of finishing, Melinda shows off the finishing of one of her Halloween figures from Amy Bunger's Halloweenies class to help a fellow stitcher who needs finishing ideas.
http://melindaslivingthegoodlife.blogspot.com/2011/05/by-special-request.html

And finally, just in case you aren't interested in Stars or finishing, Donna's written up a little shopping expedition in Maryland for our virtual pleasure.  I've heard great things about all three LNSs she visited but alas!  I've never been to any of them so I was particularly glad Donna took us all along.
http://majtravaux.blogspot.com/2011/04/road-trip.html

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

Today's Thread Day

When I discovered the hibiscus had buds on it last week and one bloomed, well, I thought spring was here! I took the snow scraper out of my car, put the snow shovel and snow broom in the corner and started haunting the rose bed looking for signs of leaves. Sadly, this morning I am watching it snow hard here in Chilly Hollow. Sigh.

Oh, well, let's declare this thread day! Threads always cheer me up. With the TNNA trade show in January, there are always new thread colors coming out. Needle in a Haystack has a list of the new colors they've just gotten in and links to their online thread catalog where they have added pictures.

http://needlestack.typepad.com/whats_new/2009/02/more-new-thread-colors.html

Elmsley Rose has posted photos of several threads she is excited about on her blog. She does 17th Century reproduction embroidery so was excited to find several silk dyers selling their threads on eBay. One of them pointed her to Aurora Silk, my favorite silk perle line. The Aurora colors are gently faded as they are naturally dyed and the silk perle very easy to work with. The LNS that up and moved to PA (sob!) carried their threads so I stocked up before they left town. Lovely thread! Click on Needlework Silk to explore what they offer. Before I move on, check the photos Rose has posted of a Gilt Sylke piece. I've been very curious about this historical reproduction thread that mixes metal thread with silk into a perle twist since the Plimouth Plantation historical reproduction of an embroidered jacket started and they managed to have this made to their specifications. It looks like any project done with this very special and expensive thread will be special indeed!
http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/02/historical-sampler-special-threads.html

Barbara Bergsten has shared tips on working with specialty threads she learned at a class at her local shop on her blog. It's an interesting read, and may help you figure out why you hate that thread everyone raves about.
http://createneedlepoint.typepad.com/create_needlepoint/2009/02/specialty-thread-tips.html

Michele Herron has been in class, too. She took a class at the TNNA show from Amy Bunger. (I am green with envy, Michele!) Read about her experience with new threads (and hot fix crystals) on her shop blog. By the way, I disagree with her on Princess Perle. I have to use short lengths but it doesn't misbehave with me. Obviously I am a much meaner stitcher! LOL
http://bristlythistle.blogspot.com/2009/02/needlepoint-peasant-dress.html

Before I close, I want to return to Barbara Bergsten's blog. Barbara is starting a new project, a butterfly canvas, to illustrate how you use a variety of threads and stitches on painted canvases. The real theme of this is compensation. If you are interested in learning from Barbara, here is the first posting of the Butterfly Stitch-along. Click on Main so see the first section of the butterfly.
http://createneedlepoint.typepad.com/create_needlepoint/2009/02/painted-stitches-butterfly-stitch-along-fixed.html

Now I need to go shovel off the porch!

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

Spring Cleaning

No, I'm not spring cleaning, silly. I'm stitching, or I will be once I post this. The spring cleaning is being done by two online shops: Needles and Threads of Ruxton in Maryland and Old World Designs in California.

Both are favorite online destinations of mine and both have recently redone their websites slightly with new fun things you will enjoy (in case you need something to do besides cleaning out that closet and washing windows).

Needles and Threads of Ruxton is back with a revamped website. They still have the very nice stitch dictionary with lovely diagrams of some unusual and lovely stitches, but they've added Comments so you can interact with news stories. Sadly, most of the postings are spam right now, which is why the comments on my Blogspot blog are moderated and the comments on my Yahoo 360 blog are closed except to those with a Yahoo relationship of some kind. So ignore the comments until Needles and Threads has time to solve the spamming problem.

Instead, have a gander at these! They have thirteen pages of canvases to browse. I'm sure there is something there to catch your eye.

http://www.needlesandthreadsofruxton.com/f_product_display.php?s=4&id=4

Old World Designs has tweeked their website. They have added photos of the threads that they carry, especially helpful if you have no local shop and want to see before you mail order something. They have added one item you'll want to bookmark, or at least print out and put on your bulletin board--a chart of how many strands or plies you'll need on 13 count and 18 count canvas. They also are doing a Melissa Shirley Noah's Ark set as a monthly club with two canvases a month until September when you will have the ark to stitch together. By the way, don't miss the Terian Crafts section on their design list. Terian Crafts does lovely oriental rug and pillow patterns with wool from Chile on large count canvas. Their work is superb.

http://www.oldworlddesigns.com/

http://www.oldworlddesigns.com/ply.html

http://www.oldworlddesigns.com/artists/terian.html

Finally, Old World Designs is having a Julie Pischke trunk show. Julie has a shop in Key West and many of her designs reflect the laid-back lifestyle of the southern-most part of the continental United States. The canvas above is one of my favorites from her collection, "Island Gossip."

Yes, it's in my stash. Now put down that dust rag, shove the vacuum cleaner into the corner, put away the garden tools and sit down and choose a Julie canvas for yourself!

http://www.islandneedlepoint.com/


Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow