Monogram and Alphabet Charts

This morning I set up a new tab under the photo header of Blog- called "Monogram and Alphabet Sources."  I've listed the books and online sources for charted lettering for monograms and lettering as on a stocking top.  If you know of other good sources, please let me know at chilly hollow at hot mail dot com.  Thanks!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

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

Smooth Out Your Letters With This LoveMBHStudio Trick

LoveMBHStudio on Instagram has a tip for smoothing out the jagged look of tent stitched letters I hadn't thought of--she just stitches over the outside tent stitch with another tent stitch, which happens to be in a contrasting color in this example.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_Ayth_RjX2/

Stitching again gives you a slightly padded look and smooths those rough edges. 

There are other things you can do--use a \ stitch on top of your tent stitch, making the outside edge a cross stitch.

Or you can do outline or stem stitches around the edge.  Cross stitches use back stitches for this as well.

Or you can couch a thread (a metallic or a perle cotton or even a wool, anything that isn't stranded) around the edge.  

Or you can embrace the ragged edge as from a normal viewing distance, it's not going to be very noticeable.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright August 24, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Quaker Stitch: A New Stitch for Letters

Mary Corbet highly recommends Quaker Stitch for lettering.  She also has other stitches she uses for more delicate letters, heavier letters, etc. which she also mentions in this article.

https://www.needlenthread.com/2024/01/embroidered-writing-my-favorite-stitches-for-it.html

Here is her Quaker Stitch tutorial.  Since I use stem stitch for letters occasionally I will try this on my next piece that has letters.  Note that to get the stitches that create Quaker Stitch exactly where you want them on needlepoint canvas, you'll need to use a sharp needle to pierce the threads.  You can't do this stitch just on the holes between the threads of needlepoint canvas.

https://www.needlenthread.com/2020/07/quaker-stitch-tutorial-perfect-for-embroidered-writing.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright January 27, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Ideas for Letters on Needlepoint Canvas

Needlepoint.com's latest newsletter describes ways to stitch lettering on stockings, small ornaments and cursive sayings.

https://needlepoint.com/blogs/needlepoint-know-how/learn-to-stitch-letters

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 19, 2023 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Three Ways to Stitch Needlepoint Letters

Poppy Monk Needlepoint has an article on their blog explaining three ways to stitch letters on needlepoint canvases

https://poppymonkneedlepointkits.com/blogs/the-5-minute-needlepoint-blog/three-ways-to-stitch-needlepoint-letters

You can also bead the letters, use skip tent with beads in the empty spaces for a less solid look, couch a thicker thread down over the letters, or use stem stitch.  I can probably think of more but I'm running out of time this morning!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright November 5, 2022 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Needlepoint Clubhouse Talks Backgrounds Behind Lettering.

This short posting on Instagram from The Needlepoint Clubhouse talks about backgrounds and wording.

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

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.co

© Copyright August 2, 2022 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Lettering on a Christmas Stocking

Needlepoint for Fun's latest article is how to put names on Christmas stockings.  Their tips are useful but you should know that some shops will put names on stockings for their customers.  They hire an artist to paint on the lettering style the customer prefers.  If you have a local shop and a stocking that needs a name, make sure you ask if they offer this service.
http://www.needlepoint-for-fun.com/needlepoint-lettering.ht

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright September 22, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Introducing Bitch

My latest, courtesy of Bloomin' Stitches

Today I thought I'd show off my next project--Bitch, an exclusive canvas from Bloomin' Stitches.  This is in stock in the black on cream version, but the purple on cream (or any other version you want--the Needleart Nut owns this in red on white) is available if you don't mind waiting for Bloomin' Stitches to have it painted for you.
http://www.bloominstitches.com/#!bloomin-stitches-exclusive-canvases/c1hcs

This design is 8 inches square on 18 count canvas but with all the blank margin around the outside it's on 12 inch stretcher bars.  By the way, the cream background has a touch of gold sparkle in it that adds a bit of elegance to the overall design if you choose an open stitch for the background.

This canvas was a gift from a dear friend and has been claimed by a relative of mine who thinks it is hilarious.  Tasteful?  Well, no, but sometimes one has to run wild and how better to do that than in needlepoint?  I'll have it finished as a pillow with a monogram or something on the back so that the eventual owner can show off this side of her personality or not as she chooses, just by flipping the pillow over.  The tread toward "cheeky" needlepoint is explained here.
http://www.theglampad.com/2016/08/cheeky-needlepoint.html

This also is a great item to blog-stitch because the background is a totally blank slate and the lettering varies in width so much.  I'll be able to explore all sorts of ways to create lettering.  I hope you enjoy watching me figure out how best to stitch this (and how to hide it from my husband so I don't have to wash my mouth out with soap).

I've already gotten threads together for this, but that's another posting.

Stay tuned for another Chilly Hollow Needlepoint (blog-stitching) Adventure!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 26, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

My Next Project

I've been rummaging in my stash, trying to see what I want to blog-stitch next.  But before I reveal my next public project, I thought I'd tell you about something that I've never stitched but that has started to intrigue me--projects with lettering.

I'm sure you've seen those signs from & More with a striped background.  They are always popular.
http://www.andmorethreads.com/andmorethreads.com/Sayings.html

Of course many designers have saying canvases.  How about "Mermaid My Day" from CBK?
http://www.needlepoint.com/mermaid-my-day-19115.html

Or maybe Zecca's "Just Be Kind" will speak to you.
http://needlepointalley.com/site/?page_id=7#!/Just-Be-Kind/p/35573110/category=8327483

The sky's the limit when it comes to styles that word canvases come in as these postings by Pocket Full of Stitches of the range of sayings they had in the shop in July demonstrate.
http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2016/07/christmas-in-july-letters-words-sayings.html

http://pocketfullofstitches.blogspot.com/2016/07/christmas-in-july-letters-words-sayings_19.html

With all these sayings so popular, of course bloggers have talked about their current canvases and how they stitched them.  Suzanne in particular loves sayings canvases and has lots of great ideas for them.  She likes to use metallic and tent stitches for skinny lettering to make it pop off the background.
http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2016/04/rub-some-dirt-on-it.html

She loves large expanses of blank background so she can use complex, compound stitches in multiple threads there.
http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2016/05/mother-darling.html

And she just figured out a way to make the slightly larger words raised.
http://suzannehicks.blogspot.com/2016/05/exciting-new-stitch-for-lettering.html

 I'm sure I'll at least think about all these ideas as I start work on my new piece.  (Hint:  the color scheme of my new canvas is cream and lilac.)

I'll show you once I find stretcher bars and get it attached to them.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright  August 16, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Three Ways to Name Your Stocking

Needlepoint for Fun shows three ways to add lettering to your stocking.
http://www.needlepoint-for-fun.com/needlepoint-lettering.htm

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 4, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

For the Traditional Needlepointer

Beverly R. sent me a note about this post on the style blog Mrs. Blandings which describes a lady who needlepoints rugs a' la Mrs. George Bush Sr.
http://mrsblandings.blogspot.com/2009/04/gros-point.html

The blog led me to this website which reproduces the Seasons magazine article referred to. Note, clicking on images enlarges them and the text to readable size. (At least it did for me--this might depend on the computer software you have.)
http://www.seasonsmagazinedigital.com/seasonsmagazine/2009spring/?folio=64

I've also got a great lesson from Judy Harper on how to create letters for your Christmas stocking. What is more traditional that stitching holiday stockings for friends and family?
http://fairy-crafts.blogspot.com/2009/04/names-on-stockings-how-to-tutorial.html

If you read Needlepoint Now magazine you will have seen an article about a lady who takes old needlepoint pieces and makes them into wonderful pillows. You can read the article online at her blog (click on the magazine cover photo) and see photos of her latest pieces. There's are links to the Boutique where you can buy a remade piece of your own, or at least enjoy the lovely finishing, as well.
http://cest-chouette.blogspot.com/

Continuing my theme of traditional needlepoint, here is a link to a museum in Holland with lots of photos of old needlepoint and other types of stitching. You don't need to read Dutch to enjoy the photos.
http://m-silkwork.blogspot.com/2009/04/embroidery-at-rijksmuseum.html

Finally, silk wrapped purl may be available again as a thread after centuries. You can read a bit about it here on the blog of the lady who is reporting on the reproduction of the Plimoth Plantation embroidered jacket. I've seen the new Gilt Sylke Twist which reproduction sampler and embroiderers are drooling over. This is another thread in our tool kit which will be fun (although probably expensive) and a doorway into our stitching ancestors' lives.
http://thistle-threads.com.mytempweb.com/blog/index.php/2009/04/silk-purl-another-ripple/

Many thanks to Beverly R. who started me down this path of looking for links for those of us who appreciate traditional needlepoint! Wish I could have thanked you in person but your Replay function on the Yahoo 360 message system is turned off.

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