No, You Aren't Seeing Things

I've been planning a new style for Blog for a while and this morning I implemented it. I hope the changes make things easier to read.

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

Holi Has WINGS

Holi's wings were pulled out and the stitches adjusted so they touched instead of having the gap between them you saw before. Even though the gap was supposed to have a thread cover it, I like them better this way.

Holi is rapidly reaching the point of Too Much. Generally speaking, one can vary the colors, stitches, and textures (that would be the thread types such as smooth cotton versus fuzzy wool versus metallics versus shiny silks) in a piece and for a coherent design you probably should only vary two of them. I have used cottons and silk perles and fuzzy Wisper and metallics in this piece, used a lot of colors, and used a lot of stitches which are not really related to each other. The only unifying theme at all is the green used in most of the areas of the design. Holi isn't anything like my usual pieces but sometimes one has to try something different. I deliberately set out to make Holi colorful and vibrant to the point of earthquake and it looks like I've succeeded.

I'll put beads on the wings, that's for sure! LOL

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

Holi's Hearts (For you, Barbara)

I got a note through Yahoo 360's messaging system that I wasn't able to answer Friday morning. The default if you use this system to send messages is No Replies Allowed, so when Barbara asked what the heart stitch on Holi's skirt was called and where she could see the stitch diagrammed, I wasn't able to reply privately. Barbara, this stitch is called diagonal hearts.

Diagonal hearts, like most of the stitches on the pet guardian angels that are new to me, seems to have been created by the designer Kandace Merric. I have not seen this stitch anywhere else. I looked again last night in my books but it isn't there, at least not under this name. If you happen to have a copy of the February/March 1992 NP Plus, you can see diagonal hearts diagrammed. But I bet the percentage of people who have a copy in their collection is low.

So last night I pulled out my black 10 count plastic canvas and stitched a diagram. You see my pretty awful looking attempt above. I should have pulled some tapestry wool to stitch this so it wouldn't have looked so awful but I didn't have the time or energy to go looking for it last night so you all will have to forgive me for the twisted threads. It's not possible to get good stitches if you use so little thread for a larger count ground material. So stop snickering and look at the diagonal row of red hearts. This is the basis for the stitch. I hope you can see where the diagonal lines go over two lines and where they go over three. (If you count boxes, it's over one box or two.) Once you do a diagonal line of hearts, you add the orange tent stitches around each side of the hearts. The red bits are where a contrast like a metallic thread goes, also in a tent stitch. The partially completed heart in the second line of diagonal hearts shows how I center the next row to make sure everything fits correctly into the framework of tent stitches.

And that's it! Hope this is helpful, Barbara. Kandy Merric has made us a lovely stitch.

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

Evolve UPDATED

Not all of us needlepointers are really interested in stitching painted canvases. Many folks like charted pieces (which we tend to call counted thread now here in the U.S.) as there isn't much ambiguity about such pieces. You know exactly what you are supposed to do and where. Of course many counted thread people are very good with color as they often vary the colors in a design and I admire their expertise. I hope they enjoy watching me stumble around making it up as I go when I stitch painted canvases and line drawn designs.

But Blog is more about painted canvases than anything else and occasionally I try to talk about charted pieces, just to amuse my visitors who would prefer dental surgery without benefit of anaesthesia to stitching a painted canvas. So this eBay auction is for you guys.

http://cgi.ebay.com/KIMBERLY-CRUM-EVOLVE-Chart-Threads-Beads_W0QQitemZ150339079278QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item150339079278&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

It's is a wonderful (and increasingly rare) chart by Kimberly Crum (now Kim Smith) with all the threads called for in the pattern. You will need to buy the needlepoint canvas elsewhere however, as that doesn't seem to be included in the auction. The piece is called Evolve and I think it is beautiful.

It also reminds us that we need to climb out of our comfort zones and stitch something a bit different occasionally so that we stretch our creative muscles and grow.

UPDATE: This chart plus all the threads and beads needed sold for $78 plus $4.95 shipping.

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

The Asian Purses

I stumbled across a series of lovely purses with oriental themes this morning. What you see above is one of them, a Mindy design. I love Mindy's pieces, especially the Japanese quilt patterns, one of which this is adapted from.

Start your journey here. Click on Go Shopping on the left , then click on Painted Canvas in the middle of the page. Now click on Mindy and prepare to enjoy! There are seven purse canvases on the first page, including a Christmas one and one from her sheet music pattern.
http://www.homesteadneedlearts.com/

I also found clutch purses from Shorebird Studio/Katie Molineaux at The Needlepointer. Start here by clicking on Canvas Gallery on the left side of the page. Then scroll down to the Ks to find Katie's pieces. There are two sections. I found the clutch purses with a carved closure bead and obi fabric for finishing on pages 4 and 5 of Section I.
http://www.theneedlepointer.com/

Have fun dreaming of where you might carry such a purse!

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