Showing posts with label fur. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fur. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

New Stitch Monday and the Susan Roberts Stockings

The new project for Ridgewood Needlepoint's New Stitch Monday is a Susan Roberts stocking called "Forest Friends" that Adrianne is stitching.  There's a good Santa coat stitch and great fur stitch diagrammed here.

Next she worked on the leaves in the background.

The final section on the stitch was the background snow.

Now Adrianne starts work on the second Susan Roberts stocking--"Snowman."  First up the snowman has a lovely sky.

There are two sets of trees to stitch next plus some ornaments.

Now the snowman's body and face are stitched and it has a hat and scarf.

Finally the snow is stitched and the second stocking complete.

The third Susan Roberts stocking Adrianne worked is "Lantern Walking," a classic Santa design with some nice clothing stitches.

I never would have thought to use Double Woven Variation for bushes but it works!

The snow stitch is interesting and turned out well.

Next is the sky.

Now the final touches.  Lots of French knots!

We've started on a fourth Susan Roberts stocking.  This posting is about the background sky and the moon.

The snow is done with a mixture of Stardust and Neon Rays Plus.  Stardust is a mix of silk and wool with a bit of polyester sparkle.  It's made by Brown Paper Packages.

This one has the reindeer, tree and garland all stitched.  It's really charming.

And now for the sky behind Mr. Reindeer.

This stocking has mountains down below at the toe of the stocking.  Here is the stitch for the first set of mountains.  

And here is the stitch chosen for the second set of mountains.

The reindeer on this stocking is flying over snow and a lake, so we have stitches for both.

The last part on the reindeer stocking are the two big evergreens at the bottom.

The last section is Mr. Reindeer and his harness.  And the reindeer stocking is done!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright April 15, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Monday, June 2, 2025

How to Create Fur with Teddy Thread

The Wool and The Floss sells a thread they call Teddy Thread.  It's for fur or fleece and comes on a five yard card.  There are four colors:  white, cream, gray and beige.

It is couched into position and then fluffed.  The shop's Instagram account has a video demonstrating how to use Teddy Thread.  It's easy!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright April 12, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Stitches for Fur

Melita has listed stitches she thinks good for fur on her blog.

I like long and short myself, done in cotton floss (one ply only) in layers.  You can always go back and add more thread that way to correct something you don't like.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 13, 2022 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Sunday, April 3, 2022

A Neat Fur Idea

Donna shows off a class piece from EGA's Nancy Eha.  The "fur" is beads over felt.  Clever!

If you are curious, here's the "Beaded Menagerie" kit she's working on.  Several of the animals are available as standalone kits, too.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March 7, 2022 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Using Fuzzy Stuff (A Video)

Needlepoint.com shows how to use Fuzzy Stuff, Angora and Alpaca on needlepoint canvas in this interesting video.
https://needlepoint.com/blogs/needlepoint-know-how/fuzzy-threads?utm_source=Needlepoint.Com&utm_campaign=6067ea199b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_08_15_07_59&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6eed0b10d5-6067ea199b-579725333&goal=0_6eed0b10d5-6067ea199b-579725333&mc_cid=6067ea199b&mc_eid=3a360cb48b

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 17, 2019 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Monday, February 4, 2019

Threadaholic Alert: Silk Eyelash UPDATED AGAIN

Treenway Silks has a new thread that they call Silk Eyelash.  It comes in black, white and three shades of gray/charcoal.
https://yarntree.typepad.com/needlework_news/2019/01/silk-eyelash.html

If your favorite shop doesn't carry Treenway Silks, you can order via their website.  Please note that this is a small company and if they are on the road (check schedule on their home page), they won't ship an order until they are back home again.
https://www.treenwaysilks.com/productlist.php?category=27&secondary=71

Many thanks to Needlework Retailer for the heads up!

UPDATE:  Here is what Eyelash looks like in closeup.  Many thanks to Come to the Point!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2755482811182987&set=gm.2497914506952359&type=3&theater&ifg=1

UPDATE #2:  More information and photos of Eyelash stitched, courtesy of Needlepoint.com.
https://needlepoint.com/blogs/needlepoint-know-how/working-with-our-newest-thread-eyelash

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 15, 2019 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Animal Fur Stitches

Needlepoint for Fun's latest newsletter talks about creating animal fur.  They talk about the best stitches to use for animal ears, fur and tails, and include nice diagrams to help you understand how the stitches are made.
http://www.needlepoint-for-fun.com/needlepoint-stitches-for-animal-hair.htm

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 18, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Sunday, January 14, 2018

Threadaholic Alert: Pashmina from Gloriana

Gloriana's new Pashmina thread is becoming more widely available so I thought I'd post some photos.   This is a four-stranded blend of silk and cashmere as you can see in this closeup photograph. I understand with care you can split each of the four plies in half to have eight plies, but I don't know how many plies will work on 18 count.  I would start with two and see how it works up as a lot will depend on the stitch used and your personal stitch tension.
https://www.traditionalstitches.com/p_glorpashmina.html

Needle in a Haystack has photos of most of the colors (Pashmina isn't on the Gloriana website yet).  Note that these are overdyes, so there will be some color variation in the skein.
http://www.needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/Gloriana_Pashmina.html

Rittenhouse appears to have photos of all the colors up on their website.  You have to choose a color and click to see a better photo.
https://rittenhouseneedlepoint.com/fiber/pashmina.html

The prices vary greatly among all three sites but not all the skeins being sold are the same size and Traditional Stitches is a Canadian shop.  I am looking forward to my favorite shop getting some of this in stock so I can try it.  I love Gloriana's colors.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 7, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Candlewicking Fur

Needlepoint for Fun has an interesting article today about how to create slight tufts of fur using a technique that mimics candlewicking.
http://www.needlepoint-for-fun.com/candlewicking-on-needlepoint.htm

I highly recommend that the tent stitches under the candlewicking stitches be in wool or something else that offers a firm foundation.  You also should consider using glue on the back side and using this only on something that will not receive any wear.  A piece framed under glass is going to last longer without the candlewicking tufts of fur pulling or falling out.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright November 17, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Sunday, February 26, 2017

Tips for Shading Painted Canvases

Needlepoint for Fun's newest online tip article lays out two ways to shade areas on your canvas, particularly skies and animal fur.
http://www.needlepoint-for-fun.com/how-to-shade-needlepoint.htm

The article links to ANG's website where there is another shading article to help you understand color blending. I expect with this help you can do some pretty neat shading on your own on that canvas that has you puzzled. Have fun learning to master shading!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 27, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Stitches for Animals

In August Mary Legallet treatied us to stitches and threads for animals.   Some will even work for insects.  (Are bugs animals?)
http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/8/3/nothing-like-a-fur-coat-in-august

http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/8/7/a-menagerie

http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/8/10/spread-your-wings-and-fly

http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/8/17/oui-oui-oui

http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/8/21/fish-sticks

http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/8/24/wheeeeee

http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/8/31/it-takes-a-village

By the way, Donna has a great fur stitch, too.  So I thought I'd include it here.
http://majtravaux.blogspot.com/2016/08/interlocking-gobelin.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 6, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

The Golfer's Stocking and Santa

The Renegade Needlepointer shows off another beautiful Christmas stocking, this time for the golfer in the family. The "Santa and Critters" stocking has a golf bag tag but is actually about animals.
https://renegadeneedlepointer.com/2016/04/12/lifes-a-game/

The same child also has a custom Amanda Lawford stand up Cowboy Santa, complete with Texas touches and a charming teddy bear and black lab, not to mention another little golf bag.

Amazing, huh?

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 1, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

The Neglected Stitch (Split Stitch)

Mary Corbet talks us through split stitch in this wonderful tutorial. By the way, split stitch not only makes wonderful trees, limbs and stems, it makes terrific animal fur!  I'd suggest using a sharp needle, though, not our usual tapestry needle.  Mary's talking embroidery, after all, so she naturally uses a sharp but we needlepointers normally use blunt tip needles.  
http://www.needlenthread.com/2015/07/branching-out-with-split-stitch.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 28, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

The Tulip and The Mole

Linda at Split the Needles is stitching away on a mole, using Tulips.  Her canvas one of a series of little autumn animals from Melissa Shirley that The French Knot is doing as a club (second link below). Linda's already finished the bunny.
http://splittheneedles.blogspot.com/2015/06/mole-head.html

http://www.thefrenchknot.com/z-thanksgiving.htm

Tulips is a subtle colored kid mohair thread from Gumnut in Australia. Purl Soho describes it a beautifully here but it looks like they've sold out.
http://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/7701-Gumnut-Yarns-Tulips-

Not to worry, though.  If you want a sample to play with and your local shop doesn't carry it, Alex Paras will sell you whatever you like.
http://store.apneedlearts.com/gumnutyarns.html

Here is the Gumnut color card for Tulips.  Custom House is the distributor in the US.
http://www.customhouseofneedlearts.com/gumnut/tulippic.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright June 2, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Snowball Fight!

Suzanne of the Hugs and Stitches blog just hit a home run with her latest canvas from Scott Church Creative/CBK. It's a squirrel caught in the middle of a snowball fight!
http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2014/11/check-out-this-masterpiece.html

She got the dimension of the piece just right, balancing all the heavier elements like the tail and scarf and snowballs with heavier background and ground stitches.  Nothing really outshines any other part so that the entire design is unified.  This is the kind of thing we stitchers aim for--every bit is perfect and works with every other bit.

There isn't anything I don't love about this piece, from the beaded dimensional snowballs to the fluffy turkey work tale to the hand knit silk scarf.  Here is the original Scott Church needlepoint canvas, just to help you see how Suzanne brought this to life.
http://www.cbkneedlepoint.com/uploads/sc-pl_25.jpg

Congratulations on perfection, Suzanne.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright November 26, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Friday, November 21, 2014

White on White

If you have ever struggled to pair two whites on a canvas, you will find Anne Stradal's ideas invaluable. 
http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/2014/11/christmas-angel-part-3.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright November 13, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Fun Fur from 1887

Thanks to Needlepoint for Fun's newsletter, I discovered this blog written by the Engligh embroiderer Sue Jones featuring a tutorial for replicating a Victorian fur stitch .  It is from an 1887 publication called "Dictionary of Needlework" that has been republished by Dover.  I don't think herringbone stitch is particularly easy to do but this would be fun to try if you need neat rows of fur.
http://suetortoise.wordpress.com/embroidery-and-crafts/techniques/victorian-fun-fur/

You can sign up for the wonderful newsletter from Needlepoint For Fun on their home page.
http://www.needlepoint-for-fun.com

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright October 17, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Changing Color with Beads UPDATED

Suzanne shows how to change colors using beads on this Raymond Crawford Santa design. 
http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2014/10/best-santa-ever.html

UPDATE:  Suzanne just posted about using French Knots and Turkeywork to finish her Santa.  Lovely!
http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2014/10/beading-turkey-work-and-french-knots.html

Shall we give her the Smart Cookie Award this week?

Yes, definitely Suzanne is the Smart Cookie this week.  Hugs!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright October 16, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Blue Russian Inspiration: A Collection of Fur and Beards

When I knew I was going to be stitching the Blue Russian, I started collecting links to fur and Santa beards I liked.  I thought you might find them inspiring, too.   Stephanie has done some wonderful Russian Santas from Heartstrings, which are distributed by Artists Collection.
http://stephsstitching.blogspot.com/2013/12/russian-style-santas-from-kathy-schenkel.html

Stephanie has also posted great Santa photos from a variety of designers.  Some of these she has stitched, some are from her SWANs group and some are from her local shops.  They really illustrate the diversity of fur and beards we can create.
http://stephsstitching.blogspot.com/2013/12/santa-baby.html

I love Suzanne's polar bear stocking.  I think he might have been stitched using Fuzzy Stuff from Rainbow Gallery.
http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2013/12/happy-polar-bear.html

Summer has done some wonderful Santa ornaments, working from her stash threads.
http://summerlouise.blogspot.com/2013/12/two-melissa-shirley-ornaments-completed.html

Becki's Melissa Shirley Santa has a lovely beard and gorgeous fur trim.  The fur trim is Colonial knots in a variety of threads.
http://astheneedleturns.com/russian-santas-club/

Finally, wait'll you see Anne's traditional Medici beard!
http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-wild-and-hairy-guy.html

I also referred to my copy of Beards I Have Known, which shows off the various beards Diana Bosworth has stitched for The French Knot in Texas.
http://www.pfos.com/SalePages/PocketFullofStitchesNeedlepointBooks.htm

It's a great little book but if you are not willing to spend money on a book you will only use occasionally, you can browse the photos of Diana's Peteis on the French Knot website.  I believe all the stitch guides for these creations are still available from the French Knot.
http://thefrenchknot.com/x-petei.htm

Hope you found all this as inspirational as I did!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March 2, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Furr-Fuzz-Funn

Planet Earth Fiber has announced a new thread called Furr-Fuzz-Funn. This is a mix of kid mohair from baby goats and silk and it is playable plyable.  (Sorry!) This is very different from the synthetic and wool fuzzy threads we have available now as it will probably have the sheen of silk and you can ply up or down to achieve the coverage you want for the stitch and canvas count of your choice.
http://www.planetearthfiber.com

Right now the colors are black, whites, gray and browns.  I haven't seen this yet but if I manage to get my hands on some I'll report back.
http://www.planetearthfiber.com/index.php/furr-fuzz-funn

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.