Laying Tools

If you haven't read Sue's blog posting about her various laying tools already, you should look at it here.
http://sudukc.wordpress.com/2009/03/02/i-lay-i-layed-i-will-laythreads/

I like to use metal laying tools like my Best Laying Tool (also known as the BLT) for silks and wooden laying tools for cotton floss, while I also use my trolley needle a lot as it is always handy on my left thumb. I also have a nut pick from my nutcracker set that handles ribbon threads like Flair and ribbon floss very well. I think one's hand size is important here, so do try out laying tools before you buy.

I recently found this nice source for laying tools, some of which are new styles to me. Have fun browsing now, and laying threads later!
http://store.apneedlearts.com/layingtools.html

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

Books, Geishas, Or Nue and Time

Last night I started on my Renaissance Rat's wings using an unusual stitch called Wings from Linda Corirossi's book Canvas Embellishment. I can't show you an image until the computer comes back from the shop, but this stitch is diagonal rows that alternate shapes, each row to be done in two different colors or threads to provide highlights in the narrower row. It is not easy to do the stitch but it looks very good now that I have the first two rows done.


I highly recommend Linda's book, by the way. It has stitches I haven't seen elsewhere nicely diagrammed. Speaking of books, Julia Snyder has a new one out you might be interested in.
http://www.amybunger.com/catalog/item/6268582/6711310.htm

Speaking of new things, if you are interested in thread painting kits, you'll want to see the new projects Trish Burr is getting ready to sell, courtesy of Mary Corbet.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2009/02/oh-glories-of-thread-painting.html

Mary is trying to stitch at least 15 minutes a day, something that isn't always easy! Read about her plans here and think about trying to stitch a set time each day yourself.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2009/02/15-minutes-with-needle-and-thread.html

Mary is stitching an Or Nue iris under the 15 minute/day plan. To watch her work, head to her blog and look for the March 3 and then the March 5 entries.
http://www.needlenthread.com/

If books, stitching flowers and schemes for stitching each day don't interest you, not to worry. I saved Madonna's Gossiping Geishas project for last. What fun!
http://frontrangestitches.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-dont-i-write.html

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

Kimonos and Cottages (and More)

I know I'm posting on an irregular basis these days with my computer in the shop--I have to take advantage of any computer access I get. I should be back on schedule next week. Until then, how about we look at the Glittering Kimonos progress as two folks work on Tony Minieri's Stitch of the Month project he did for ANG? Liz has finished stitch two, in a lovely shade of sage green.
http://lizartblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/sotm-section-2.html

Jan has picked her colors and has her line drawing on canvas.
http://stitchlady.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/ang-stitch-of-the-month-project/

Rittenhouse has posted photos of a stitch guide they are doing in the shop. It is always fun to see what various guides look like.
http://rittenhouseneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2009/03/art-fun-of-stitch-guide.html

I love seeing finished projects myself. Can anyone identify the designer of the two little heart projects Cyn just posted photos of?
http://cyns-stitches.blogspot.com/

Gail Hendrix has a great slide show of some of her painted canvas designs on the bottom of her blog home page. I love the animals (the fox chasing the hound is really funny) and the creative and different interpretation of the Twelve Days of Christmas designs she did, but the illuminated manuscript page with the dragonfly and narcissus plants is outstandingly beautiful.
http://squiggeedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/03/teaser.html

The final eye candy for today is Barbara Bergsten's Staffordshire cottage canvases, all stitched up for Chaparral Needlework which will offer them as a canvas club this spring.
http://createneedlepoint.typepad.com/create_needlepoint/2009/03/staffordshire-cottages-series.html

I'm stitching away on my Renaissance Rat's tent stitch background, which takes forever but at least you won't miss not seeing pictures of that! And the computer should be back from the repair shop early next week.

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

New Treats to See

I have plenty of treats for you to see today. First, Amy Bunger's March shop newsletter is up on her website. There's a new stitch, plenty of photos of fun canvasas and news about her Nativity series. If you missed any earlier newsletters, links for them are further down the page.
http://www.amybunger.com/current_enewsletters.html

Shorebird Studio has their 2009 new items up. Click on New for 2009 in the left hand column and enjoy the beautiful designs.
http://www.shorebirdstudio.com/

Finally, Alex Paras Needlearts has updated their online shop. There are too many interesting things to list, so do a little exploring and see what treats you can find.
http://store.apneedlearts.com/

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

My Renaissance Rat

I've been stitching my Renaissance Rat for a while now, but not talking about her since you've already seen Joanne's fabulous Bernice. My rat is ecru, reds and gold and I think she is lovely. Unfortunately she has no head but I'll fix that eventually. I just need the right shade of brown for her fur.

I want to draw your attention to two things--the red in the bodice versus the red in the skirt bottom. The skirt has red Trebizond silk (it's a perle type thread, very pretty and easy to work with although it can be thick for 18 count, depending on the stitch you've chosen) and the bodice has red Patina nylon perle (not so easy to work with but very shiny and pretty). The two threads are exactly the same color if you compare strands, so when I ran out of the Trebizond, I thought I'd use the Patina on the bodice. Now the bodice is a lighter shade of red-color magic! This does happen, although I think the reason is the nylon thread is shinier than the silk perle.

The second thing I wanted to mention is that I used Kreinik's red and gold mix #203 for French knots on the bodice. I really like the effect although this is a very ugly thread on the spool!

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