Needlepoint and Basket Making on Nantucket UPDATED

Janet of JCB Stitches on Instagram was able to tour Nantucket's Hadwen House, which owns the collection of the former Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum.  Why is that of interest to us needlepointers?  There are a set of chairs with needlepoint seats featuring baskets, made for the former museum to honor various people.  Use the right side arrow to see many of them.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBbP52Vx26E/?img_index=1

UPDATE:  The Nashville Needlepointer visited the museum and shot a short video of the needlepoint chair seats and bench displayed there.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DM0KMCcNWfI/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright October 22. 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Floral Leopard Chair Auction

Colors of Praise is going to auction off an upholstered chair with a new design at the trade show in October.  It is lovely!

https://www.facebook.com/colorsofpraiseneedlepoint/posts/pfbid02JXE8vqrvnev2G6UYN3TAd3cHuttwhLQ3DhgzjmZ51R8DMNAZWd8P8PYiFLTL7mjul

Only shops and designers can go to the show so you'll have to ask your local shop owner to place a bid for you.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollo

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright October 8, 2022 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Two Children's Chairs

The Beinecke Library at Yale just posted photos of two children's sized chairs, designs by Pablo Picasso, stitched by Alice B. Toklas.  It appears likely that Yale owns the photo of the chairs, not the chairs themselves, judging from the wording of the record.
https://brbl-dl.library.yale.edu/vufind/Record/3528440

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright October 28, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Let's All Sit Down

Orna Willis has found some lovely photos of needlepoint chairs.  I know that the second and third photo of chairs are designs by Kaffe Fassett.
https://ornadesign.blogspot.com/2018/09/needlepoint-to-sit-on.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright September 13, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Anna Talks Decorating with Needlepoint

The British needlepoint designer and teacher Anna Pearson has written a long, fun article about decorating your home with needlepoint. It's full of good ideas to help you figure out what will work for your own abode.  Anna uses her own designs as examples but the principles she lays out will work for any designer's work — or even your own original creations.
http://anna-pearson-needlepoint.blogspot.com/2017/10/practical-and-decorative-needlepoint.html

Thanks, Anna!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright October 5, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Vintage Needlepoint Spotted in the Wild UPDATED

Meg saw these three vintage needlepoint pieces at the Ringling Brothers Circus owners' home, Ca’ d’Zan, located in Sarasota, Florida.  There is a huge six panel screen, a pair of matching upholstered chairs and a card table.  The chair behind the card table may or may not be needlepoint.  I cannot tell.  Use the side arrows to see everything.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154458930203212&set=pcb.1276438349099987&type=3&theater

Thanks, Meg!

UPDATE: By coincidence, this morning a friend sent me this very well written explanation of why the author rescued a piece of needlework and what it means to do so.
https://mollybawnchronicles.blogspot.com/2017/03/a-rose-for-rose.html

Time to hit the thrift shops to rescue the lost!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 2, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

When Needlepoint Chairs Were the Height of Fashion

Hands Across the Sea tells us stories of a time when needlepoint chairs were the most fashionable thing.
https://hands-across-the-sea-samplers.com/narrative-embroidery/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March 17, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Finishing Friday: The Dino Director's Chair

You will love the dinosaur covered director's chair that a customer stitched at Ridgewood! 
http://ridgewoodneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2015/11/janes-directors-chair.html

Some little boy is going to be VERY happy!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright November 25, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Kristen's Classic Chairs

Fans of needlepoint as upholstery will love seeing Kristen's chairs. 
http://knitionary.blogspot.com/2011/05/little-chairs-for-little-people.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 3, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Brenda's Stitching Post (with Floor Frame)

Brenda has a snug stitching nest in her home and kindly posted a photograph of it for us to see.
http://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2014/11/my-stitching-post-aka-happy-chair-111014.html

I have the same K's metal floor stand that she does and although you can't see it's flat metal plate base, you can tell that it will fit right under her love seat/recliner.  Knowing just how a floor stand will work with your favorite stitching chair is the biggest clue whether you will love it or regret spending the money.  Hopefully this photo will help you make up your mind whether to ask Santa for the floor stand you've been eying or not.

Here is a diagram of the K's metal stand so you can see the whole thing.  Brenda has a different clamp and doesn't have the wooden tray to hold various items that you see in this photo.
http://www.kscreations.com/floor_metal.htm

Hope this gives you an idea of whether the K's metal stand will work for those of you in the market for a floor stand.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright November 11, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Cushion-y

If you find yourself getting stiff after a long session in your stitching chair, how about checking out Ridgewood Needlepoint's latest find?  I have plenty of posterior padding myself but this does look like something useful to have!
http://ridgewoodneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2014/05/sit-upon-sit-comfortably-for-hours.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 29, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Eames Chairs Needlepointed

Are you familiar with Eames chairs?  They are classics from the 1960s, often called Mid Century Modern by 20th Century designers.  Now that we are in the 21st Century, they are starting to look like antiques.
http://blog.2modern.com/2014/04/an-eames-classic-remade-in-needlepoint.html

Many thanks to Kirk and Bradley for posting about this on Facebook!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright April 23, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

A Chair to Remember

These photos were apparently taken at the Chelsea flower show in 2012.
http://deeperdazzle.com/tag/textiles/

Design and stitching by Kaffe Fassett.  I think the rest of the needlepoint is also his design but I am not certain.  In the last photo he's on the left, stitching.  

After I wrote this article and put it in the queue to publish, I discovered Kay Fassett is being honored at the American Museum in Bath.  Here are more photos of his incredible work!
http://needleprint.blogspot.com/2014/03/kaffe-faseett-celebrates-50-colourful.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March, 25, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Children's Rockers

You know how you can't find navy slacks or cream colored turtlenecks when you need them? Needle Nicely has found the same thing happens with children-sized rockers, so the shop was thrilled to find three Sudberry rockers to stock in the shop.   These are classics, just waiting for the right stitcher to come along....
http://needlenicely.blogspot.com/2013/11/have-seat.html

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.

How To Stitch A Cane Backed Chair

Just in case you have a chair with a woven back or seat.... 
http://with-my-needle.blogspot.com/2013/07/i-want-this-chair.html

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.

More Amazing Finishing

Today I have more amazing finishing dished up for admiration. How about this child's director's chair?
http://ridgewoodneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2013/07/did-absolutely-wonderful-job-stitching.html

CBK shows off the finishing of Starke Art at the bottom of their home page.  A heart shaped frame ornament created from your stash threads?  Wonderful!
http://www.cbkneedlepoint.com

Ruth Schmuff shows off three different ways of finishing her Zecca snowman mystery piece.  I love them all!
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2013/07/cool-down-think-snow.html

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.

Happy 4th of July! UPDATED

As today is when America's birthday is celebrated, it is appropriate that we listen in as Brenda describes stitching reproduction chair cushions using the pattern Martha Washington used when she stitched cushions for George's beloved Mt. Vernon.  The photos of Martha's shell patterned cushions I've seen led me to believe that these were pink on a pale yellow background.  How much time has faded the colors!  I didn't know they were done in cross stitches, either.
http://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2013/06/mt-vernon-va-seat-cushion.html

These are very elegant and will be wonderful in the restored dining room.

UPDATE:  I found an article that shows off the cushions better, both an original and the repo ones done for Mt. Vernon.
http://institchesshopblog.blogspot.com/2012/11/lots-to-be-thankful-for.html

Brenda stitched one of the reproductions.
http://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2013/06/mt-vernon-va-seat-cushion.html

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.

Freshen Your Seat

Rittenhouse has just posted a reminder of their custom chair seat services.   If you want to take a break from that fancy pillow or picture stitching to create a lasting heirloom for your dining or living room, this is the place.
http://rittenhouseneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2013/01/dress-up-your-chairs.html

If you don't subscribe to Needle Pointers, ANG's magazine which comes as part of your ANG membership, you won't have seen the chair that won all the awards at Seminar 2012.  Magnificent!
http://www.needlepoint.org/index.php

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

More Needlepoint Chairs

Carolyn has more needlepoint chairs for us to admire. 
http://www.livingwithneedlepoint.com/2012/08/12/needlepoint-on-furniture-part-2-more-chairs/

I even have one to add to the collection, the Alice in Wonderland Chair I got to see at the 2001 ANG Seminar needlepoint exhibit.  Trust me, the photos don't do it justice!
http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/2001/alice_wonderland.php

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

Ideas and Trends

I gather ideas from all over the Internet for my stitching. Sometimes they are practical--like this article Mary Corbet wrote about how some thread types work well with others and how some thread types are not right for certain stitches or effects.  (Personally, I love wool for bullions but I've never looked at my finished bullions under a microscope!)
http://www.needlenthread.com/2012/07/wool-thread-silk-thread-good.html

Sometimes they are more abstract--like this Janet Perry article about how dimensional (or 3-D) needlepoint is a great way to stitch pieces you can finish and use in your home.
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/3-d-needlepoint-is-it-a-trend/

Speaking of trends, want to be trendy?  Here's a fun shoe embellishment idea.  (Thanks for the link, Kreinik!)
http://www.dreamalittlebigger.com/craft/2012/7/17/neon-doodle-embroidery-super-kicks.html

Want to be retro?  How about these Mid-Century modern chairs with NP backs?
http://dmc-threads.com/needlepoint-inspiration/

Regardless of the practicality of the ideas above, they show how important the Internet is to the spread of stitching ideas across the World of Needlepoint.


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