Gingham on the Diagonal

This is my nephew's dog, Lolly Parton.  I stitched an ornament for him featuring Lolly one Christmas but I ran into a problem--I wanted to do a gingham background but with the squares turned on their points to make a diamond.  This is regular gingham checks--

https://woolfloss.com/products/x435-peace-gingham-in-red?_pos=10&_sid=828f4f38b&_ss=r

I wanted a background like this--

https://woolfloss.com/products/ki2158-bunny-with-sprinkle-ears-green-gingham?_pos=28&_sid=828f4f38b&_ss=r

I tried to stitch squares in all tent stitches but as usual with tent stitches, the left sides looked jagged.  I mentioned my dilemna to Gay Ann Rogers, who immediately fixed the problem with a sketch that I've diagrammed for you for clarity's sake.  Perfect!

Isn't that clever?  Gay Ann Rogers combined tent and reverse tent to create diamond shapes that have smooth edges!  Gay Ann graciously allowed me to share her idea here so that we all can do great gingham diamonds, too.  Thanks, GAR!  You are the best!

(By the way, I found it easiest to work the NW and SE parts of the diamond first, then add the NE and SW sections --they are the same colors in the top diamond on the diagram-- but you do what makes sense to you.)

Here's Lolly's ornament, by the way.  Perfect.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright May 30, 2026 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

WARNING! Gay Ann Rogers Eagle Birthday Heart Sale

Gay Ann Rogers announced yesterday afternoon she'll have a sale tomorrow (July 2) for her brand new 250th Birthday heart featuring an American eagle.

https://www.gayannrogers.com/index.html

Set your alarms.  This one will sell out fast.  

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright July 1, 2026 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Margaret Bendig's Fourth of July Heart

Brenda's Needlepoint Studio is going to teach Margaret Bendig's "Fourth of July Heart" with her ANG chapter in Delaware.  Here is the pre-work for the heart.

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2026/03/heart-fourth-of-july-31326.html

Note that since the original threads are no longer available, Rainbow Gallery's Neon Rays were substituted and found to work beautifully.

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2026/05/may-9-2026-i-placed-last-stitch-on-this.html

The design was published in the July 2008 Needle Pointers magazine, so if you are an ANG member, you may have this copy in your magazine pile.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright March 14, 2026 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

My Beading Heart (Nancy Cucci)

Brenda's Needlepoint Studio worked another Nancy Cucci chart, this one called "My Beading Heart."  It's very pretty and like all Nancy's designs, has lots of beads and sparkle that don't show up in photographs.  Brenda also learned how to cover white canvas with paint while working this, a useful skill!

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2026/02/heart-my-beading-22426.html

You can find the instructions in the January/February 2010 issue of Needlepoint Now magazine.  It's out of stock at the magazine's website but you can find copies on eBay or perhaps borrow one from a friend if you didn't subscribe back then.

https://www.needlepointnow.com/product/jan-feb-2010/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright February 25, 2026 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Ribbon Hearts (Michele Roberts)

Melita stitched some of Michele Robert's ribbon heart designs for the Festival of Trees in New Jersey.  These were published in ANG's magazine, Needle Pointers, and various heart designs are listed in the October/November 2025 issue if you are interested and a member of ANG.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/12/15/ribbon-hearts-at-the-festival-of-trees-in-nj/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow 

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright December 16, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Sunflower Heart in the Depths of Winter (JudyAnn)

Melita is treating herself to a JudyAnn heart as a break from a more complicated project.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/12/03/sunflower-heart-by-judyann-needle-art-canvas-design-background/

The heart features a sunflower.  Melita is using the Ginny Stapleton stitch guide published in ANG's Needle Pointers (the July-August 2025 issue) for this and five other JudyAnn hearts.  It turned out great!

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/12/14/sunflower-heart-flower/

The finishing is lovely, too.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2026/01/28/sunflower-heart-finished/

If you are charmed, you can order JudyAnn's designs from her website or her Etsy shop.

https://judyannneedlepoint.com/product-category/hearts/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/judyannneedlepoint/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright December 4, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Michele Robert's Ribbon Heart

Melita shows off Michele Robert's ribbon heart design and tells you all about joining ANG.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/09/16/hearts-from-the-2000s-in-timeless-treasures-from-the-archives-in-the-september-october-2025-issue-of-needle-pointers-magazine/

Hint:  If you are under 35, you can get a half off membership.  The magazine will be digital only but it's a great deal.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 17, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Heart My Pastel by Nancy Cucci

Brenda has stitched another very pretty Nancy Cucci heart.  This one is called "Heart My Pastel" and you can find the chart in the July/August 2012 issue of Needlepoint Now magazine.  That's excellent news as usually Nancy Cucci charts are only available through her classes.

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2025/08/heart-my-pastel-82725.html

The digital version of the magazine is $4.50 on the Needlepoint Now website.

https://www.needlepointnow.com/product/july-august-2012-digital-edition/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright August 29, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Anniversary Heart (Nancy Cucci)

Brenda has been quite busy stitching Nancy Cucci's "Anniversary Heart." 

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2025/08/heart-anniversary-81225.html

Wish we could see all those beads better!  Cameras are blind to sparkle, sheen and shine.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright August 12, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Black and White and Jeweled All Over Heart (Nancy Cucci)

Brenda's Needlepoint Studio is a big fan of Nancy Cucci's work.  (As am I.  I can't wait to see it made into an ornament!

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2025/07/heart-black-and-white-and-jeweled-all.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright July 29, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Kandace Merric's Diaper Crazy Heart

Kandace's Japanese Circle Diaper Patterns

Melita stitched one of Kandace Merric's heart designs from the 1990s published in ANG's magazine, Needlepointers.  ANG is republishing old projects in their current issue and this is one of several heart designs made available again.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/07/09/hearts-from-the-1990s-in-timeless-treasures-from-the-archives-in-the-july-august-2025-issue-of-needle-pointers-magazine/

Kandace's Rabbit Pet Guardian Angel

Kandace Merric died in 2016 but she left us some amazing work.  In 2008-2009 Blog readers stitched Kandace's Pet Guardian Angels.  They were donated to the ANG auction to raise money for the organization.  If you search on "Pet Guardian Angels" here on Blog, you can see the finished animal angels.  They were amazing!  If you have old copies of Needlepointers, the first of the Pet Guardian Angel charts were published in October/November 1996.  There was a cat, a dog, and a parakeet, a rabbit, a fish, even a pet rat.  All were adorable dressed in their gowns and wings.

You can see more of Kandace's stitching (and admire her dogs--she was a major fund raiser for Westie dog rescue organizations) on her Facebook page and on NAN's website.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200171172546999.198471.1381993964&type=1

https://needleart.org/gallery/permanent-collection/accession_thedogshow_kandacemerric/

Miss you, Kandace!  

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright July 10, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Emerald Isle Heart (Nancy Cucci)

Brenda and some of her fellow ANG guild members stitched Nancy Cucci's "Emerald Isle Heart," which is lovely.

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2025/07/heart-emerald-isle-71625.html

There are a lot of beads, so photos don't do this justice.  Sadly, I think Nancy Cucci's pieces are only available through ANG classes.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright July 17, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Purple Hearts (Toni Gerdes)

The Sun City Stitcher has pulled out an ANG Seminar project by Toni Gerdes called "Purple Hearts," and is working away at it.  

https://www.suncitystitcher.com/2010/07/busy-weekend-purple-hearts-workshop.html

https://www.suncitystitcher.com/2025/07/purple-hearts-continued-from-2010.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright July 9, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Great Stitches for Clothing, Hearts, Backgrounds, Circles and Flower Petals (plus a Star and a Brick)

Quail Run has posted a neat stitch and stitch diagram for the one they used for a hatband and collar on their Pilgrim turkey.  Since they are starting to post stitch diagrams for all sorts of things, I thought I'd gather them in one place.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1153806046774798&set=a.635108881977853

It's a double brick stitch variation, and not too difficult to do when stitching black on black like the hatband Mr. Turkey wears.  Gives his starched collar a nice look, too.

Quail Run has also posted a diagram for Ribbing Stitch, which is perfect for a knitted item.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1158088719679864&set=a.635108881977853

Next, the shop has posted two lovely heart stitches.

https://www.facebook.com/QuailRunNeedlework/posts/pfbid0dsGeCYRYipCDh4hHc35Tar33V9Jzwan9TQZEnvUf3sD6tYgRxzKTQArhESnWBSPNl

This simple background stitch will go fast.  It is an open stitch but you can add a tiny upright stitch over the empty canvas thread to take care of that.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1168822438606492&set=a.635108881977853

Here are stitch ideas for round spaces.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1179302014225201&set=a.635108881977853

Flower petals are next.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1181770873978315&set=a.635108881977853

And here is a star diagram, easily made larger if needed.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1186038726884863&set=a.635108881977853

Bricks are great made from Mosaic Stitch.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1197797579042311&set=a.635108881977853

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright June 22, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Swirled Heart in Gold and White (Rozelle Hirschfelt)

ANG's Cyberpointers Chapter is working on Rozelle Hirschfeld's "Swirled Heart in Gold and White."  Brenda stuck with the original gold and white colors.

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2025/04/heart-swirled-in-gold-and-white-42525.html

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2025/05/heart-swirled-in-gold-and-white-updated.html

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2025/05/heart-swirled-in-gold-and-white-updated_0679855437.html

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2025/05/heart-swirled-in-gold-and-white-updated_15.html

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2025/05/heart-swirled-in-gold-and-white-updated_056096561.html

https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2025/05/heart-swirled-in-gold-and-white-updated_01483844425.html

If you aren't familiar with Cyberpointers, you can read about them here--

https://www.cyberpointers.org/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright April 25, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Melita Has Plans for Susan Portra's Cabochons Series

Melita plans to stitch all of Susan Portra's Cabochons series.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/02/13/the-cabochons-series-by-susan-portra/

She is missing #11 and #12 and is seeking information on them.  Please check your stash!

Melita started with Love from the Cabochon series since it was kitted already.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/03/27/love-from-the-cabochons-series-by-susan-portra/

And it's done!  

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/03/30/backgrounds-beads-and-cabochons-for-love-from-the-cabochons-series-by-susan-portra/

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/05/29/love-from-the-cabochons-series-by-susan-portra-finished-ornament/

Now she worked Joy, which is also finished (and very pretty).

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/06/09/joy-from-the-cabochons-series-by-susan-portra/

Next up is Charity, which turned out to be a great teaching project.  It's also a lovely design.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/07/27/learing-and-sharing-tips-thanks-to-charity-from-the-cabochon-series-by-susan-portra/

Charity is done and made up into an ornament.  You'll enjoy reading the finishing tips, Melita added.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/10/18/finally-finished-charity-from-the-cabochon-series-by-susan-portra/

Peace is next.  Melita thinks the thread colors will temper All That Pink.  I like pink myself, but what I noticed was the nice arrangement of the boxes on this one.  Very jazzy!

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/10/26/peace-from-the-cabochons-series-by-susan-portra-begins/

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/11/23/peace-from-the-cabochon-series-by-susan-portra-progress/

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/12/22/peace-from-the-cabochon-series-by-susan-portra-another-annoying-thread/

Peace was a fast stitch, helped along by a snowstorm.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2026/01/21/peace-from-the-cabochon-series-by-susan-portra-finished/

Hope is very pretty in lavender.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2026/02/01/hope-from-the-cabochons-series-by-susan-portra-moving-along/

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2026/05/21/hope-from-the-cabochons-series-by-susan-portra-background/

Now Melita is starting Faith.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2026/05/25/faith-from-the-cabochons-series-by-susan-portra-begins/

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2026/08/02/faith-from-the-cabochons-series-by-susan-portra-continues/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright February 14, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

KC Needlepoint Supports Hearts for Hospice

KC Needlepoint makes it easy for you to contribute to the Hearts for Hospice program.

https://www.kcneedlepoint.com/blogs/news/stitch-to-support-hearts-for-hospice?_pos=2&_sid=2b92b5bd8&_ss=r

https://www.kcneedlepoint.com/products/hearts-for-hospice-canvas?variant=43792530571438

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright October 19, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Heart Diagrams for Valentine's Day

Ridgewood Needlepoint celebrated Valentine's Day 2024 with diagrams for a section of heart-shaped stitches.  There are spot motifs and backgrounds, both open and full coverage.

https://ridgewoodneedlepoint.com/happy-valentines-day/

Thanks, Ridgewood!  

UPDATE:  More hearts for 2026.

https://ridgewoodneedlepoint.com/new-stitch-monday-200/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright February 14, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Bisque Needle Minders and Beeswax UPDATED

If you collect teacups or just want a touch of English style on your current project, you might want to check out the new china needle minders Mary Corbet has started to sell.   (Unfortunately both items sold out immediately but keep your eye on Mary's shop to pick up one or both when they are stocked again.)

https://www.needlenthread.com/2023/07/sweet-marguerite-introduction-other-new-tidbits.html

The painted china needle minders come in heart, square, circle or octagon shapes with various floral patterns and the occasional butterfly or dragonfly.  

The beeswax petites are available four to a little box, making them perfect for the stitch who likes to wax their threads for beading, Goldwork, or to just tame that Kreinik that will not behave!

UPDATE:  Melita bought Mary Corbet's beeswax petites and loves them.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2026/05/23/beeswax-petites-by-mary-corbet-of-needle-n-thread/

By the way, the floche color assortment packs are back in stock if you want to add some to your thread stash.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright July 13, 2023 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

New Heart Frames for Self Finishing

Beth Gantz Designs now has self-finishing heart frames with new designs that fit.  The Associated Talents hearts fit also, according to Beth.

https://www.facebook.com/InitiallyNdlpt/posts/pfbid02hi3hkam4NHCWsheGqUWbfwYMgzoFGe98PAeaRJzQcs5ccUDXMPivFBte5V7qVJuLl

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright May 2, 2023 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.