Franklin Speaks, We Should Listen

This morning as I read new blog entries I came across this hilarious posting from the knit designer, artist, and writer Franklin Habit.  Someone gave Franklin a collection of old stitching magazines for Christmas and he's been exploring them.
http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-propagate-stereotype-1968.html

Once I quit laughing, I started to wonder what we needlepointers, designers and shop owners are doing to perpetuate the myth of needlepoint as a stuffy and boring craft?  Instead of the vibrant participatory art it can be, I mean?

Food for thought....

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Evertites Warning

I got an email from Amanda this morning with a warning for folks who use Evertites.  Amanda accidentally ruined one of hers pulling it apart after a project.  Here's what happened, in her own words:

"I wanted to tell you about a small problem I had with Evertight frames a few weeks ago. I ruined a pair of bars. I had completed a piece and removed the canvas. I had turned the screws fairly far to tighten the piece when it was on the frame. The screws were extended far. I started pulling the bars apart and the screw of one bar embedded itself in its right angle pair. I had to pull very hard to remove the screw from the other piece and it pulled out of the wooden part. It was unusable. If I had screwed the screws back to the starting position, I would not have damaged the screw or the bar. I have never seen where anyone else had had a problem like this but I was wondering if you might want to put a tip on your blog sometime so others won't have this problem. I don't think I pulled the bars apart abnormally. I always pull my bars apart like this. I think I could happen again if I were to leave the screws in an extended position. I hope this makes sense to you."

It makes perfect sense, Amanda. I'd already realized when taking my Evertites apart when I finished O'jishi that the screws needed to be retracted before taking the bars apart, and posted an update to my Evertite review article.  But this is important enough that I wanted to quote Amanda so that all Evertite users or friends of Evertite users know to untighten the sides first.  We don't want any more Evertites ruined!  They are too wonderful a tool.

(I've updated my Evertite review article with this information in case anyone finds that in a search or has it bookmarked.)

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2009/11/evertites-review.html

Please tell your friends about Amanada's warning.

We may hear from her again soon, as she just finished stitching Tony Minieri's Stars for the New Millennium and I've asked her for tips to help me stitch my version.  By the way, Amanda used Thread Gatherer's Halloween Confetti # 974 as her overdyed thread to choose colors from so her version is periwinkle, teal, orange and gold.  She says the colors are vibrant.

http://www.threadgatherer.com/SNC%20page%205.htm

Now Amanda's looking for a framer willing to cut the mat out to shape around the little diamonds that stick out from the border.  Anyone have a recommendation of a framer that cut your Stars mat this way?

Thanks for the tip, Amanda.  Evertite owners everywhere thank you!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Camouflage Lingerie Threads

This photo shows all the threads I plan to use for my SharonG camouflage bra and tap pants.  It's almost all DMC cotton floss (although I think one of the khaki colors is Anchor, I'll have to check that) except for a skein of Medici and one of Burmilana and for the DMC memory thread spindle.  I'm using that for the black coat hanger.

Why all the DMC cotton?  Well, that's SharonG's fault and to be revealed later....

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

News and Monthly Clubs

I have a random assortment of news to mention so I'll just toss everything in this blog entry.  First, the large Thanksgiving designs from Melissa Shirley that someone saw at the trade show and greatly admired in gold frames are available to see well on this site.  Three are at the bottom of this page and the last is the top item on the next page.
http://www.stitchtherapyneedlepoint.com/newreleases.php?page=4&

Thistle Needleworks is doing a monthly club of small seasonal canvases that you are supposed to stitch from your stash.  Here are the canvases.  The ones that are stitched look like a lot of fun and Thistle says they'll work up in just a weekend.
http://thistleneedleworks.com/products/ads/OrnamentOfTheMonth.html

I've mentioned Barbara Elmore's Cinderella's Closet club that Needlenook of La Jolla is running but you must see the photos of the first six finished shoes.  (Another six will be released this year.)  Barbara, you are endlessly inventive!
http://www.needlenookoflajolla.com/events/cinderella/index.html

What's the Point? has added new models to their Santa clubs and their fur and feathers club.
http://www.whatsthepoint.biz/clubs.php

Creative Stitches and Gifts has a Raymond Crawford hat of the monthly club. You'll also want to see the lovely Betsy B ornaments that are being taught in house.  I don't know if you can take this class by mail but I think it would be a lovely option.
http://www.creativestitchesandgifts.com/

A Stitch in Time Needlework has released their newest "pail" club. This year they are doing a child's bucket full of eggs.  They still offer last year's bucket of hearts and also have a nice Christmas ornament club from Kelly Clark.
http://www.needlepoint-knitting.com/los_angeles/index.php

My last monthly club is from The Needlepointer, who offer miniature houses to build your own stitched village.
http://www.theneedlepointer.com/monthly_clubs.php

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Counting Threads (Or Holes?) With Tony

I mentioned a day or two back that I have several small painted canvas projects I plan to work over the next several months before I tackle another large project and that I also want to work another charted piece.  I've always wanted to work Tony Minieri's "Stars for the New Millennium" and actually started the framework for the star quilt blocks 4-5 years ago, but put it down and never picked it back up again.  So that is what I plan to work on between painted canvases.

Before I show you links to the design, I should mention I got a nice note with tips on stitching counted thread designs from Gini this week which she's allowed me to post here.  She wrote:

"You mentioned that you have a tendency to come up short by one when you count holes. Here's how to prevent that. The first hole is 0, not 1. In effect that means you're counting threads, but I find that it's easier to count because your needle just naturally wants to count the holes as it slips off the thread and into the hole. Put your needle into the hole where you want to start counting. That's 0. Then begin counting with the next hole as 1. You'll come out correctly because each time you increment the number, you've moved over a single thread.

Now, just to confuse things, if you're working from a cross stitch chart, each square represents 2 threads each way... But I begin counting (hole 0) just above and to the left of where a vertical ground thread is on the top of the intersection and count each second hole.

Hope those tips help."

I am sure they will!  Thank you, Gini.  I'll see how this works as I get into Stars.  For those who aren't familiar with this design, the 96 page booklet has alternate colorways listed that Tony's students tried as he taught this at The Edwardian Needle.  Here is his original model, done in greens, purples, and ivory with a touch of yellow.  I've seen several colorways in person but this one is magnificent and my favorite! The photos of the booklet cover don't do it justice.

http://www.stitchamaze.com/gallery-guest/tonyminieri.aspx

Here are several other color schemes.  I believe all are from the lists in his chart book.  They are lovely, aren't they?

http://store.apneedlearts.com/stofnewmi.html

http://www.ridgewoodneedlepoint.com/index.php?p=stars

Locally the Scarlet Thread stitching group is working on this project.  Sara Leigh is blogging about their progress, starting approximately January 11th.  Good luck, everyone!  I'm sure you'll move faster than I will since it won't be my only project.

http://remedialstitcher.blogspot.com/

I'll talk about my Stars color scheme once I've introduced my SharonG camo lingerie set and started working on it.


Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow