Finishing Friday

For today's Finishing Friday, I have some wonderful dimensional stuffed animals from Tapestry Fair.   They are all in basketweave, which seems to enhance the pretty patterns.  One of my correspondents is really into 3-D animals and has two of the Tapestry Fair critters underway, so this is for her!
http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2013/08/tapestry-fair-trunk-show-day-5.html

Needle Nicely has just finished a garland of starfish but the real star here is the custom cording the shop made to string the starfish on.  You can see how this is done for huge rugs, too!
http://needlenicely.blogspot.com/2013/08/starfish-garland-finished.html

Want to see some charming simple ornaments?
http://bootsandbeads.blogspot.com/2013/08/fabulous-finishing.html

Finally, here is a lovely classic done mostly in basketweave and finished in a calm, restful style.
http://ridgewoodneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2013/08/blog-post_10.html

Finishing can be quite expensive, so I thought you'd enjoy reading about how DebBee's Designs manages to finish all those models without going bankrupt.
http://debbeesdesigns.com/DDWrdPrs/2013/08/07/the-finish-line/

She even makes her own tassels and cording!
http://debbeesdesigns.com/DDWrdPrs/2013/08/13/o-christmas-tree/

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.

Kelly's Stumpwork Koi UPDATED

Kelly Clark shows how to make a dimensional goldfish on her blog.  It is a lot easier than I'd imagined!
http://kellyclarkneedlepointhandbook.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-koi-and-turkey-preview.html

I think maybe we can give Kelly the Genius Award for this week, don't you?

UPDATE:  Kelly finished her stumpwork sampler.  Here's how it turned out.
http://kellyclarkneedlepointhandbook.blogspot.com/2014/03/stumpwork-sampler-finished.html

By the way, there is a smaller stumpwork sampler that Kelly worked and sold with a stitch guide to help you create it on your own.   It uses some of the same elements of the larger sampler.
http://kellyclarkneedlepointhandbook.blogspot.com/2012/09/kellys-new-sampler-stumpwork-naturally.html

UPDATE:  BeStitched shows off Kelly Clark's stumpwork sampler in a short video.
http://bestitchedneedlepoint.com/kelly-clark-stumpwork-kit/

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

Look What Jane Did

I've been busy writing a stitch guide for Squiggee's little goldfish canvas. You can buy the canvas (the stitch guide comes with it) from Gail Hendrix's eBay store or at any needlepoint shop.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250293634199&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=015

You can also find it by looking through Squiggeeland's eBay store.

http://stores.ebay.com/Squiggeeland-Needlepoint

Of course if you were paying attention here, you could just have followed along as I stitched, but sometimes it is nice to have everything organized in one place in hard copy.

Particularly if you are evacuating from the path of a hurricane! Stay safe, everyone!!!!

Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

The Easter Bunny Brought It

I didn't get a chocolate bunny this year or a painted egg. I got a Squiggee!

Gail Hendrix produces two series of NP designs each year. One is under The Point of It All's design name and is is larger, classic designs. The other is small, fun ornaments under her Squiggee name. The first link is Gail's Blog, which showcases various canvases and shows off charming photographs of the real Squiggee.

http://www.squiggeedesigns.blogspot.com/

http://www.squiggeedesigns.com/

http://www.thepointofitallonline.com/

She also does custom designs. I saw a frog weight that Gail had designed which had lots of underwater images and I just loved the koi on it. I asked Gail if she would do an 18 count ornament just featuring the koi. And here it is! She even sent the little colored pearls to decorate the design.

Many of the Squiggee ornaments have beads, charms or buttons to add to their fun. I have no idea where Gail finds all these little things but I think the pearls in their varying sizes and colors add a great deal to the canvas. My little Halloween stocking, which is also from Squiggee, has buttons for the trick or treat kids' costume masks. Very cute!

I'm trying to rationalize stitching both of these right away. For now, my koi and my Halloween stocking are hidden in a drawer so I can't spend all my time drooling over them instead of finishing my last little Japanese girl for the ANG Auction.If you have absolutely no self control, I think both designs are still available....

Signed, The Master Enabler

also blogging at http://360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow