Tools, Beautiful Tools! UPDATED

It must be something in the air, because everywhere I look these days I see beautiful tools for stitchers like us. It all started when Gay Ann Rogers was busy at Callaway and asked her cyber students about our favorite scissors.

These are counted thread people who stitch on linen, do hardanger (which involves -gasp!- cutting holes in the ground fabric) and who stitch a lot. Their favorite brand seems to be Dovo scissors, so you should see if any of your local suppliers carry them and test a pair. However, the scissors we all want in Gay Ann's classroom are these French handmade beauties. Click on the thumbnail for a better view (and the price which will blow your socks off).
http://frenchneedlework.com/cgi-bin/general.pl?scissors-&scissors-

Naturally if you own something this gorgeous, you need a case to keep them in. Check out what Kimberly Crum has made! Yes, that's one view of the tool case above. There are more at her Etsy store.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14369302

UPDATE: I found the chart for stitching your own Kimberly tool case. Kimberly Crum no longer does charted designs so this is probably not widely available.
http://www.stitchers-paradise.com/Canvas_Embroidery/KIMs.html

UPDATE #2: This site also has what seems to be the matching chatelaine design.
http://www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/products.php?catid=13&firstcid=1

Of course it isn't as magnificent as this antique casket in the new catalogue for the 16th Century embroidery show you're been reading about if you follow Plimoth Plantation's stitching of a reproduction jacket typical of the period. But for me, it is a modern version of our age-old desire to have a container worthy of our most precious tools.
http://www.traditionalstitches.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TS&Product_Code=Twixt&Category_Code=NP

Of course now we need a new laying tool How about these smooth painted ones? They also sell chatalaines if you prefer your tools out where you can easily access them.
http://www.dazzlingornaments.com/layingtoolshome.html

http://www.dazzlingornaments.blogspot.com/

Friends rave about these wooden laying tools which are perfectly smooth and balanced and perfect for someone who wants a more minimal laying tool.
http://www.turn-of-the-century.com/embr.htm

Of course if you have scissors, you need scissors fobs.
http://www.urbanuniquities.com/

And magnets. Fireside has these on sale.
http://www.firesidestitchery.com/infoalerts/Specials/KelmscottDesigns/needleminders/index.cfm

That's enough for now!

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

I Fell Asleep in the Chair Last Night

So I didn't get any stitching done. All this snow shoveling and ice removal is wearing me out!

Luckily I had time to browse all sorts of neat things so there is something to show you this morning.

First of all, Orna Willis is having a sale. Her blog has the details and the sale code so you get 40% off her charted pieces. I've seen her work displayed and in person it is harmonious and fun instead of loud and brash as the designs seem in photos. Plus you can play with the colors and have something uniquely You. So check it all out.
http://ornadesign.blogspot.com/2009/02/quick-hello-and-good-news.html

Terry Dryden has released her kit of the month, the very beautiful Hydrangea Windows. I also have seen this in person. The photo doesn't show how lovely it is or the dimensionality of the ribbon hydrangeas. If you want a line drawn canvas and the instructions instead of working from the magazine issue, this is the time to buy it.
http://www.terrydryden.com/-blog/2009/2/3/february-threads-kit-hydrangea-window-garden.html

If you love seeing photos of finished pieces, Judy Harper and Gail Hendrix have blog entries to charm and entertain.
http://fairy-crafts.blogspot.com/2009/02/sea-horse-all-finished.html

http://squiggeedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/02/off-to-maine.html

If your druthers are to watch pieces unfold, then you want to go see Denise & Linda at the Stitching Sisters blog. Denise is working away on a Barbara Elmore interior. Right now the wall and fireplace are stitched and they look great!
http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/2009/02/feel-like-ive-built-house.html

If you are a history buff, this last website which Elmsley Rose uncovered will fascinate. Rose was looking for examples of Elizabethean embroidery and found some spectacular embroidered gloves. I am personally entralled by the Coronation Gloves. Look at that goldwork!
http://charlie.2-minute-website.com/site/trustfund.trial/

Personally I feel very lucky that we have so many stitching friends to visit when we aren't able to stitch ourselves.

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

Leigh Designs With Black Tweed

The last bit of news from the Leigh Designs e-newsletter deserves a posting of its own. A closeup photo of the new tweed canvas that Leigh used for her Ray's Moppet canvases was included. I grabbed it for you to see above. The holes sort of disappear unless the canvas is painted. That makes it easy to see how to stitch a Moppet in her bathing dress and makes it easy for the unpainted tweed background to appear solid. No background stitching! As someone with endless background around my Baroque Fish to stitch, I really do appreciate this.

You can see Ray's Moppets here on Leigh's website. Note how the background looks like fine wool tweed from a distance.
http://www.leighdesigns.com/Grp503x.html

The story behind Ray's Moppets is a great one. Dr. Ray Endicott is a long-time customer of Leigh's and the idea came from him. He has stitched many a Leigh canvas and knows exactly what we needlepointers want when it comes to canvases. Many thanks to Dr. Ray for his inspiration!

You can read more about Dr. Endicott's needlepoint and see lovely photos here.
http://www.caron-net.com/03janfiles/jan03fea.html



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

Leigh Report (With Black Ice Garnish)

Leigh Designs' e-newsletter just arrived in my email box, just in time to distract me from more snow and particularly ice. See the nice clear driveway? It actually is covered in a thin layer of ice I can't even stand up on. I hate winter!

But Leigh has news of new Sundance bead colors and a little booklet called "Sundance Beads for Needlepoint" which explains the types of beads and stitches to use with them. Small enough to tuck into a pocket and not very expensive, so this is something to look for. It's not on the Sundance webite yet, but you can always browse the many colors and styles of beads and beading wire, not to mention painted canvases.
http://www.sundancedesignsonline.com/

Leigh noticed two other great new projects at the TNNA show--Zephyr 100% Merino wool from Aurora Yarns which Leigh thinks the size and texture of the discontinued Medici and which comes in overdyed and coordinating colors--and Thentix hand conditioner which is
non-greasy and which will not come off on your needlepoint. Thentix has a touch of honey and feels great. If you need a skin conditioner, you may want to try it out.

The links are below for more information. Please note that like Sundance, Aurora Yarns doesn't have anything on their website for their Zephyr wool yet. These are brand new products, just introduced at TNNA. And thanks to Leigh Designs, we know about them, too!

http://www.aurorayarns.net/

http://www.selectmarketing.us/index.php/Thentix.html

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

Bubbles and Eye

The title says it all--I added an eye and silver bead bubbles to the Baroque Fish over the weekend. I'm still working on the background and also the top part of the skirt. Note the front of the skirt where it should meet tent stitches has no tent there. I wanted to wait and see where the skirt stitches would logically end and then put in the tent stitches. Remember, this is an outlined canvas and you don't want those outlines to show. I want to put in the tent stitches where they meet the figure later to both hide those lines (which might show through the ecru thread) and to compensate evenly.

The eye is a length of Sparkle Rays in seafoam green covered by a lazy daisy stitch that is tacked down at the top and bottom but not in the middle. I thought it looked good as is and didn't take the loop down on the right hand side.

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