Goodbye Prairie Schooler UPDATED

Prairie Schooler has retired which means their needlepoint line is about to vanish forever. To commemorate their wonderful simple designs, Nimble Needle has put together a retrospective sale.
http://nimbleneedlenj.com/prairie-schooler-collections/

I love their Santas personally.  Time to start keeping an eye out for eBay charts I guess....

UPDATE:  My spies (see comments below) say that Hoffman Publishing has picked up the rights to the Prairie Schooler cross stitch charts.  Good news for us needlepointers as many of those can be stitched on needlepoint canvas.  Thanks for the update, folks!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 31, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Finishing Friday: The Fuzzies

Linda B. just got two wonderful ornaments back from her finisher. They are spectacular! Beautifully stitched, Linda.
http://splittheneedles.blogspot.com/2014/10/just-in-time_30.html

I'm pretty sure the polar bear ornament is from Melissa Shirley but I am not sure about the snowman. He might be from Ruth Schmuff....

The finishing is out of this world.  The little fuzzy bumps, the colorful braid, the "just enough and not too much" ribbons--I love them!

For those who are into a different style, check out the two finished pieces customers of Eye Candy sent to Ada Hayden to enjoy!  The finishing from West Coast Finishing and Mountain Shadow Studio show you why they both have a reputation for excellence!
http://eyecandyneedleart.blogspot.com/2014/11/cats-and-birds-make-for-some-great.html

And finally, here are your Christmas sweaters and Christmas flamingos.  LOL
http://thenimbleneedle.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-few-finished-ornaments.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright November 4, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Need a Laugh?

If you need a laugh, check out the signs from the Stitch-Its trunk show at the Enriched Stitch. I don't know which one made me laugh hardest! 
http://astheneedleturns.com/stitch-its-signs/

Maybe "A Fool and His Money Are Fun to Go Out With"  or maybe "A Clean House Is A Sign of A Broken Computer."

It's hard to pick just one!

Oh, how about "Don't Treat Me Any Differently Than You Would The Queen"?

LOL

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.

Sweaters and Buttons

Rittenhouse has posted photos of some of their favorite Stitch-Its sweater and button sets.
http://rittenhouseneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2013/01/stitch-its-button-sweaters.html

There are tons of different designs available.  Here are just a few from the Stitch-Its site.  Note the links at the top of the page to more styles.  Not every sweater canvas has buttons but a lot of them do.
http://www.stitch-its.com/sweater.htm

You can see photographs of some I saw at Needlewoman East here.
http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2008/06/stitchits-sweater-collection.html

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

New Classes UPDATED

There are a lot of new classes being announced for the fall.   BeStitched is planning a Bike Tour, featuring the bicycle canvases by Melissa Shirley.
http://bestitchedneedlepoint.com/getting-ready-for-a-bike-tour/

They also have the Winter Girl class planned for October.
http://bestitchedneedlepoint.com/winter-girl-is-blowing-into-town/

River Silks has collected class announcements from all over, since all the classes feature their silk ribbons.  Want to learn to use ribbon?  Then one of these classes may be just perfect for you.
http://www.riversilks.com/wordpress/?p=1224

Plan to teach a beginner's class?  Or just have someone who wants to learn hanging around?  Maybe one of these Stitch-It's "Starters" canvases is just right for your beginner.
http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2012/08/stitch-its-trunk-show-starters.html

Watch to stitch a Challenge canvas?  Here are the details and the latest canvas in the Stitcherie challenge.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2012/08/its-time-for-challenge.html

By the way, Susan is going to do her fabulous needlebook class again this fall.
http://plays-with-needles.blogspot.com/2012/09/needlebook-revival.html

UPDATE:  No sooner did this article publish than The Needlepointer announced signups for their Fall 2012 and Winter and Spring 2013 retreats.
http://www.theneedlepointer.com/stitching_retreats.php

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

The Sampler Collector UPDATED

Carolyn Hedge Baird takes us on a tour of her sampler collection and those of her friends, ranging from old samplers on linen to modern painted needlepoint versions.  This inspired me to go looking for painted canvas versions of samplers, both vintage and modern.
http://www.livingwithneedlepoint.com/2012/06/03/samplers-both-old-and-new/

http://www.livingwithneedlepoint.com/2012/06/05/more-pictures-of-contemporary-needlepoint-sampler-collections/

http://www.livingwithneedlepoint.com/2012/06/10/more-framed-samplers/

UPDATE:
http://www.livingwithneedlepoint.com/2012/06/19/one-more-sampler-post/

If you are a sampler lover like Carolyn, you'll enjoy looking at the painted canvas versions available from Birds of a Feather.
http://www.flocktogether.com/needlepoint/samplers.php

Ewe and Eye's Blakeley Wilson designs are modern farm scenes that are sure to have appeal for the sampler folks.
http://www.eweandeyeandfriends.com/html/thumbnails.php?artistSearch=Blakely+Wilson

Samantha Taylor has a modern baby sampler.
http://www.jvoichdesigns.com/needlepoint_by_samantha_taylor/kits.htm

Stitch-it's Prairie Schooler line has wonderful primitive artworks.
http://www.stitch-its.com/prairie.htm

Wellesley Needlepoint features the traditional scenes from Julie Paukert that charm us with their old fashioned scenes.
http://www.wellesleyneedlepoint.com/ExclusiveDesigns.shtml

Knit and Needlepoint offers both traditional sampler designs and patterns taken from quilts and woven coverlets.  They also have modern samplers like the mermaid sampler shown here.
http://www.needlepoint-boston.com/canvases/index.php?gallery=15

Stitch Boutique of Boston has a lovely blue and white sampler.
http://www.stitchboutiqueboston.com/canvases-traditional/a-stitch-in-time-p-662/

Janet Granger has traditional samplers in miniature for dollhouses that are on evenweave fabric.
http://www.janetgranger.co.uk/acatalog/Needlepoint_Kits_Samplers_for_your_dollshouse.html

That's enough for now, sampler lovers!


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