Knotting

Check out the Chinese button knot in this link. I think I'm going to use one in finishing my three camels stocking.

http://www.chineseknotting.org/

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

Asian Girls Purse for ANG Auction

Guess what came back from the finisher yesterday?

Yes, the lantern-shaped purse is finished and ready for the 2008 ANG Seminar Auction at Indian Wells, CA this fall. Isn't it lovely? You can't see how Summer Truswell finished the really well in these photos, sadly. She somehow found silk dupoini fabrics that matched the outer blue or pink borders very well and covered the back of each canvas with it, then attached each "pocket" to opposite outer sides of the purse. It's probably best if these aren't used as pockets for anything heavy or thick, but one could easily slip an airline ticket there.

Once again, the two canvases are from Melissa Shirley (the 1161 series, all of which are 5x5 inches) and the finishing was donated to ANG by Summer Truswell. The purse itself came from a company called Lantern Moon. Here are links:

http://www.melissashirleydesigns.com/gallery/?cat=28

http://www.needleworkfinishing.com/professionalfinishing.html

https://www.shopatron.com/product/product_id=LAN1-1711/536.0

If you go to the Indian Wells Seminar and make it to the auction, please take photos of the winner with his or her Asian purse, ok?

And Summer, THANKS!

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

Newsletters and Update

To update you on where I am with projects, Autumn Leaves' basketweave is nearly done. I went shopping for trim on Monday and for beads on Tuesday, so I have most of what I need to finish the rock slab jewelry piece and the camels mini stocking. Hurrah! I will make another trip to the really big bead shop today to pick up some seed beads (hopefully) as I have an errand to run in that part of the suburbs.

I'm also getting fun information from various newsletters. Homestead Needlearts has a nice series of photos about finishing up. Isn't that ruby slippers pillow FAB?! Scroll down further and you'll see some of the new Prairie Schooler canvases. This is a XS company that is making their classic Santas available on canvas.

http://www.homesteadneedlearts.com/thelatest.html

Janet Perry's newsletter linked to the Stitch-Its website. This is the place distributing these Santas and they say you can talk to them about doing your favorite Prairie Schooler design on NP canvas. See the following for the current available canvases and a link to the PS website to drool over more.

http://www.stitch-its.com/prairie.htm

If you like the Kelly Clark Santas or the Melissa Shirley small ethnic ones, you'll want to check out the links.

Happy summer stitching, everyone!

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

On the Airplane with George and what came of it....

Bet you didn't know the late George Carlin inspired needlepoint designs. Are you familiar with SharonG's funny bras? Want to hear where she got the idea?

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-38820

Here are more of the lingerie designs. Certainly this is not what grandma called NP! (The breakfast bra and matching tap pants are on page 5.)

http://www.sharong.com/catalog/bras/index.html

Artists finding each other funny and inspiring each other. I'd love to know what George took away from his meeting with SharonG! The moral is we don't know how we impact other people. I can only hope my impact is good and inspiring and try to learn from other folks' inspiration.

CNN picked up the story and is researching it a bit, maybe for their news or for Larry King or Anderson Cooper. All depends on whether they need something a bit quirky to remember George by.

Rest in peace, funny guy. And thanks.

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

Still Putting the Wise Men's Camels Together

As you can see from the photo, I've cut out the 1/4 inch margin all around the stitched NP canvas and snipped inwardly pointing lines into the curved areas. Those cuts, which only go in about halfway, help the turned under edge lie flat. And I laced the wool felt around the foam core, just like you lace a piece of needlework to foam core before framing it. Then I put the two sides together and stitched them, making sure that the hanging loop I made was attached to the back of the NP first. The lumpy upper left area stitched smooth once I started putting things together. I just turned under more/less of the needlepoint or the back felt to make the join smooth. When I cut my foam core I used my color copy of the plain unstitched Liz canvas as a pattern. I cut around it and used the cutout as a template on the foam core, but made the foam core 1/8 inch smaller than the NP. Next time I will make it 1/4 inch smaller all around. I think that will help with the joining of the front to the back. And next time maybe my lacing will be less lumpy! Practice makes perfect....

The final piece isn't shown yet because I need to find trim to hand stitch around the margins. Using 1/4 fat foam core means my ornament is light weight but 1/4 thick, so I need larger braid than I can make to put all around the edges. So I'll need to go shopping Monday and Tuesday to collect supplies.

As always, stay tuned!

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