The Halloween Train

Needle Orts Rides the Halloween Train

Last week Needle Orts sent me photos of their version of Raymond Crawford's Halloween train. They are fabulous!  This is the same set that Linda of Stitching Sisters is working on.
http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/2013/10/latest-finish_27.html

What Linda doesn't tell you is that the darning stitch pumpkin background of the train engine shown above is worked in glow in the dark thread (Petite Silk Lame Braid).  It is guaranteed to glow spookily--the staff all crowded into the bathroom at Needle Orts and turned off the lights to test how it looked.  Fabulous!

The Dearly Departed Peeks Out a Window

Debbie told me the hearse car has two beads for the dearly departed and they also added the Undertaker and Family Member to the windows above.

The Spooky Caboose and Its Passengers

However, my personal favorite is the caboose canvas, with its pumpkins, candelabra and black cat riding along to the funeral.  What fun!

You can see the original unstitched canvases at Raymond Crawford's website.  Look for Halloween Part Three.  Needle Orts' website is the second link in case you want to buy a ticket for the stitch guides ride.
http://www.raymondcrawford.com/designs/halloween/

http://www.needleorts.com

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.

A Stitching Sister Inspires More Stitching

If you haven't been stitching a long time or you aren't a Needlepoint Now subscriber you may not have seen Denise's wonderful interpretation of Sandra Gilmore's 9/11 design based on an iconic photograph from that day.
http://larchmont.patch.com/groups/business-news/p/larchmont-needlepointers-show-patriotic-pride?ncid=newsltuspatc00000001&evar4=picks-1-post&newsRef=true

If you own the September-October 2011 issue of NP Now, you can read more about the design there.  I don't know if Denise used Susan Portra's stitch guide for her version of the piece or not.
http://www.needlepointnow.com/back-issues/2011-issues/sep-oct-2011/

By the way, Denise is the co-owner of the Stitching Sisters' Blog.  Do visit!
http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com

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.

And Even More Monthly Club News

This is the time of year when announcements of the new monthly clubs are popping up all over.  Seeing how beautifully Denise's floral calendar pieces are turning out reminded I promised to summarize even more club news the last time I mentioned these clubs.
http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/2011/10/another-month-goes-by.html

I think you can still sign up to stitch Raymond Crawford's monthly flowers at the shop like Denise did, but they do have a neat Kelly Clark tiny witch series that just started.  I think if you search on Raymond Crawford on Denise's blog, you will see good photos of all the series she's done to date.
http://www.needlepoint-knitting.com/stitch-clubs.htm

Now for the newest clubs!  Starting off the list is Fancy Stitches in Texas with their Thanksgiving Stars set from Kathy Schenkel.  With the holiday just around the corner, this is a perfect time to start on a set for next year's display. They have done Kathy's Halloween and Nativity Stars in the past, so you could have a stars ornament theme going for each holiday.  Just sayin'....
http://www.fancystitches.com/page3.html

The French Knot (also in Texas, the birthplace of monthly clubs!) has updated their website to show the latest finished ornament of the month models.  This year they have chosen Christmas themes.
http://www.thefrenchknot.com/x-ornofmonth.htm

Nashville Needleworks is doing a monthly club with the Tapestry Tent/Susan Roberts Halloween March canvas.  You'll work a part of this larger piece every month until all the darling children in their trick or treat outfits are finished.  Looks like you can still sign up for their spring Egg club, too.
http://www.nashvilleneedleworks.com/home.html

If none of the above appeal, you can  order from the Heart Kit Collection from Nature's Palette, the company behind the custom colors of NP canvas.
http://www.naturespalettecanvases.com/Heart_Kit_Collection.html

I think that's enough for now.  I promise more clubs later.

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

Why Leaving Denise and Linda on Their Own is Dangerous

I can sum up the delicious fun they got into in one word:
http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/2011/09/denise-linda-take-on-new-craft.html

Beads.

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

We Look Like a Million Bucks

Denise stitched collars for her Tonkinese and the cats are proud as punch of how great they look.  I think they are very well done myself and they feature the safety breakaway latches, too.  Actually, I think this is the first time I've ever seen photos of cat collars.  They are magnificent.
http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/2011/08/kitty-cat-collars-back-from-finishers_03.html

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

Classes, Past and Future

The Stitching Sisters blog just reported on a wonderful Saturday spent in class with SharonG.  Lucky them!
http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/2011/06/wonderful-day.html

http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/2011/06/perfect-weekend.html

Nimble Needle has reported in about their class, too.  Check out the photos!
http://thenimbleneedle.blogspot.com/2011/06/day-with-sharon-g.html

M's Canvashouse is going to do a five part class on the witch shoes canvas.  You can see the canvas and read the details on their website.
http://www.mscanvashouse.com/

Ruth Schmuff has managed to snag Robin King to teach at Ruth's shop in the Baltimore suburbs.  What fun they will have!  No word yet on what Robin will teach (it is a new ornament in the Creepy Characters series) but that almost doesn't matter, as talented as Robin is.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2011/06/save-date.html

Start saving your pennies.  I bet both the upcoming classes will allow mail order students.

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

SharonG Art Stitching

Regular Blog readers will know one of my favorite designers is SharonG.  I love realistically shaded canvases and she does some of the very best.  Some of Sharon's Italian landscapes were inspired by a series of photographs Denise took around her place in Ponza, Italy.  Denise kindly has posted the framed original photos and her stitched interpretations on her blog.  Click on the photos for a better look. Isn't it interesting how SharonG changed the elements in the photos to make the design her own?  Denise did a fabulous job stitching the canvases.
http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/2011/03/i-need-bigger-house.html

You can see good photographs of the plain canvases on SharonG's website.
http://www.sharong.com/catalog/new.html

Speaking of SharonG and fabulous stitchers, wait'll you see what Belle did with the SharonG dragonfly sampler....
http://sharongneedlepointdesigner.blogspot.com/2011/03/belle-sprague-needlepointed-masterpiece.html

Amazing designs interpreted by amazing stitchers!

By coincidence, Rittenhouse has published a bit about stumpwork kits and the beginner's class they have planned. If you are interested in learning more about using stumpwork in your stitching, you will want to give this a read.
http://rittenhouseneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2011/03/stumpwork.html

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

Another Pair of Stitching Sisters

Remember my interviews with twin sisters Eileen Aird (owner of the Ridgewood Needlepoint shop) and Elizabeth Hess (owner of Needlepoint Broad painted canvases)?  I've found another pair of sisters in the business, Cindy of Cindy's Needle Art and Randi of Sew Much Fun.  Cindy's shop is in Canada but she has an online store.
http://www.cindysneedleart.com/

Here's a brief interview Cindy did with her sister about the Sew Much Fun line.
http://www.cindysneedleart.com/index_files/aboutus.htm

And here are some of the Sew Much Fun designs for your viewing pleasure. (Prices are in Canadian dollars if you fall in love.)
http://www.cindysneedleart.com/index_files/other.htm

Many thanks to the Spinster Stitcher who is going to stitch one of the frog designs from Sew Much Fun.  I got curious and tried to find a photo of the canvas online only to discover this interview and all the interesting designs that the shop sells.
http://spinsterstitcher.blogspot.com/2009/09/provenance-of-ms-lily-frog-her-very.html

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

Happy Dancing All Over

I'm not getting much done in Chilly Hollow due to my work obligations but there's a whole lot of stitching going on the Blog-o-sphere.

Barbara Bergstein has just finished her mermaid canvas (see Feb. 18, 2009) for a purse and has started a seahorse (Feb. 20). Her seahorse posting is especially interesting as she talks about the things she must consider as she chooses threads for this new project. You might enjoy scrolling down and reading about the Silk Lame thread (mermaid tail) and Boucle thread (mermaid's blonde towsled curls) she used on the mermaid project as well. Lots of fun going on at Barbara's blog!
http://createneedlepoint.typepad.com/

The Linda half of the Stitching Sisters just got her latest project back from the finishers--it's an amazing stitching toolbox. This you have GOT to see!
http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/2009/02/stitch-is-finished.html

Anne Stradal has posted another tutorial on blending colors for a sky on her Cape Stitcher blog. It shows off one of her beautiful lighthouse canvases very well and tells you something of its tragic history.
http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/2009/02/mississippis-lonely-lighthouse.html

Finally, Pat has finished her Tudor Dog in the household pet guardian angel series. It will go off with its brothers and sisters to the ANG Auction in Milwaukee next fall to raise money for ANG programs. Someone is going to love this as much as I do! Thanks, Pat. Your dog and rabbit are simply beautiful.
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2009/02/royal-angel.html

Hopefully I'll get some stitching done this weekend so I can add wonderful items to Blog also.

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