Snowflakes UPDATED

Yes, the snowflakes are now blue.

Somedays I just can't help myself when it comes to tinkering with Blog!

UPDATE:  I took the blue snowflakes down Monday but added them back until Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 7) so that Goldy could see them.  I am a bit worried about the javascript that powers the snowflakes causing problems for older computers but since Goldy was curious, they are back for a limited engagement.

If you have a blog run on Google's Blogger system, you can add snowflakes and falling leaves to your blog by using these easy instructions.
http://bdlab.blogspot.com/2010/11/add-falling-colored-stars-snowflakes.html

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

The Dragon - Part Three (More Background)

Leigh Designs' Dragon

Morning, Sandy. Thanks for letting me know the dragon piece will be a pillow. Sounds like "framing" the dragon within a stitched border will work, but how do you like the idea? Do you want a pillow with a border like the SharonG ones I showed you?

Leigh Designs' O'jishi

These two photos are of a stitched faux bamboo border on a pillow to help you visualize stitched borders and see if that is what you'd like for your pillow.

Finishing by Marlene's

I specified a floss-type thread for the background so that we could get a lovely shine. Silk and Ivory won't do this as well. Are you sure you want to use Silk and Ivory or do you want to step out of your comfort zone? Do you think the pillow will get hard enough wear that floss won't work? Your choice....


By the way, I love that you have ideas already for this piece and that they are different than mine.  My job is to get you thinking about the design and to come up with your own ideas about what you think will look good.  It's a virtual collaboration but you are in the driver's seat.  I'm just the tour guide up front with the megaphone shouting "Over there you see a pillow with a stitched faux bamboo border.  Over here we have a pillow with a stitched metallic frame in black and gold."  Which you like best, if any, is up to you. 

Before you commit to a light cream color for the background, make sure that the colors of the dragon will stand out against it. I can't tell the colors of the dragon from the photos well enough to advise you. You will need to have at least a medium-colored dragon on the light cream background or the dragon will look washed out. I've used light spring green and light lavender together and had them disappear into each other when stitched, so this is important. My light green and pale lavender looked very different in the skein than they did stitched. What looks ok in the skein may not work when actually stitched, so if you have some light cream thread (doesn't matter if it is Silk and Ivory or not since you are just trying to get an idea of how well the colors play together), try stitching a little sample in basketweave using the cream and also using your main dragon color to see if the colors are distinct enough from each other. You'll have to step back from the stitched sample to know for sure. A pale cream with medium golds and browns should be ok, but you want to be certain before you commit to a background color since you are going to buy the threads.

Generally speaking, don't stitch a dark color next to another dark color or a light next to a light or you will get the disappearing effect. Even two medium colors together can be a problem, depending on the colors. You can get away with a lot if they are complimentary colors, though.  Here's a bit about which colors are complimentary if you aren't familiar with the concept.
http://painting.about.com/od/artglossaryc/g/defcompcolours.htm

We can go ahead and think about background stitches once you let me know whether you plan to do the background for sure in Silk and Ivory and if you want a stitched border. Those two choices will help narrow down backgrounds. One other thing, how big is the dragon's eye and how big is the tiny hole that the tail forms? You can tell me inches or NP canvas threads, whichever makes sense.  I'll tell you why I want to know next message.

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

American Needlepoint Guild News

ANG has posted the final step on the 2010 Stitch of the Month project on their website.
http://www.needlepoint.org/Stitch.php

There is also a page with the final product in various colors on their website.
http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2010/dec-tres.php

If you are a member of the ANG Yahoo Groups site, you can see more versions underway in the Photo Section of the site. Here's the home page where you sign up to become a member of the group.
http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/ANG_List/?v=1&t=directory&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=dir&slk=6

In other ANG news, the group has started selling instructions for peyote beading a small amulet bag.  When this topic appeared on the ANG email list, I didn't realize at first that this wasn't a class, and I still have questions.  Is this suitable for beginners?  Do the website instructions explain how to add the chain to make this a necklace?  Do you put your initials on the back side?  I don't have any of the answers to these questions but this is a good price for a project for those who know peyote beading already.
http://www.needlepoint.org/Merchandise/amuletbag.php

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

Stocking Stuffers and Vacations

Lots of new things to talk about today, including the class Sundance is going to teach at TNNA in January.  If you are a shop owner, you might want to take "Do What You Love".
http://sundanceinstitches.blogspot.com/2010/12/do-what-you-love-class-at-tnna.html

Stitchers' Treasures in Escondido, California is planning an all-day stitch in party to celebrate the holidays.  Wish Chilly Hollow was closer so I could go!
http://stitcherstreasures.typepad.com/whats-up-at-stitchers-treasures/2010/12/all-day-stitch-last-one-before-christmas.html

Need a stocking stuffer for that fellow stitcher on your Christmas list?  Ruth's got the perfect thing for you.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2010/12/perfect-stocking-stuffer.html

Laura's posted photographs of all the lovely canvas colors from Nature's Palette.  Luna is on one of their custom colors--a misty gray--but there are many more to choose from if you want to treat yourself to a lovely piece to stitch something special on.
http://two-handedstitcher.blogspot.com/2010/12/luscious-canvases.html 

Susan's been traveling and has a review of Key West from a needlepointer's perspective.  For some of us, a trip to the Keys is the perfect holiday destination.
http://plays-with-needles.blogspot.com/2010/11/island-inspired.html

But if you are just staying at home, Susan has a window shopping experience just for stitchers like you.
http://plays-with-needles.blogspot.com/2010/12/holiday-window-shopping.html

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

The Dragon - Part Two (Background)

Leigh Designs Dragon

To summarize what Sandy said about her dragon design yesterday, it is a 13 count canvas that is roughly 20x24 inches in the outside dimensions with a dragon that is about 15 inches wide and roughly 18 inches tall.   She bought Rainbow Gallery's Silk Lame for the wings and Plant Earth Fiber's Silk Opal for the body of the dragon, and is thinking about using Flair for the smoke and flame.  Sandy likes full coverage on her designs and is stitching this for her son.

If you aren't familiar with Silk Lame Braid, it is a silk thread twisted with metallic.  It comes in two sizes (13 and 18) for those sizes of NP canvas.  (Sandy, did you buy the 13 size for your canvas?)  It's a very pretty but tender thread that will abrade going back and forth through NP canvas, so short lengths work better. You shouldn't try to use 13 sized Silk Lame on an 18 count canvas unless you don't have any other good thread option for the effect you want.
http://www.rainbowgallery.com/detail.cfm?ID=1225

Silk Opal is a silk thread from Planet Earth Fibers that looks like Vineyard Silk except it has a metallic fiber woven in with the silk.  It looks more like wool than Silk Lame does and there's not as much metallic in it, but it is pretty much the same sort of thread -- a mix of glitter and silk shine.  Unfortunately there aren't any photos on the Plant Earth website yet as this is a new thread, but I found some good closeups on the Gone Stitching website.
http://www.gonestitching.net/index.php/catalogsearch/result/?q=silk+opal&x=0&y=0

The first thing I do when I start planning the stitching of a painted canvas is think about how it will be finished.  Sandy, are you going to frame this?

If so, it helps to know the standard sizes of frames.  It is a lot cheaper to buy a frame already made than to have one custom made.  Luckily, 20x24 inches is a standard framing size.
http://www.suite101.com/content/standard-frame-dimensions-a122074

If a mat is desired, it looks like a standard size is 16x20.  This is important because a) standard mats are cheaper and b) this helps Sandy know how much background to cover.  With the dragon roughly 15 inches wide by 18 tall, a mat this size will work.  If she is indeed going to frame this, knowing how much background will show is important.  Sandy can measure out a paper rectangle that is 16x20, cut it out, and use the background paper to mark where the background needs to stop.  I often do this by taping my background paper pattern on a sunny window, then taping the canvas on top.  After that it is easy to put a dot with a fabric marker at all four corners on the canvas to show where to stop the background because you can see the paper pattern through the canvas on a sunny day.
http://www.pictureframes.com/html/precutmats.html

Once I know how something is finished, I generally work on the background next.  Sandy, whether you are going to frame this or not, I need you to pick a color that looks good with the colors of the dragon.  I imagine ecru, blue, red or green or perhaps orange or purple would set off the colors well, but this is something you have to pick because you have the real canvas and can match colors better.  I'm thinking floss (either silk or cotton) for the background thread because we can do a beautiful background in floss that will be different enough from the Silk Opal and Silk Lame threads you have for the dragon that it will set him off nicely.  If you hate working with cotton or silk floss, however, let me know and we can make other plans.

Sandy, please let me know whether you plan to frame the dragon and if you wanted to use a mat.  We can do a stitched frame like SharonG does if you like that look.  Here are examples:
http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2005/oct.php

http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2005/mar.php

SharonG also stitches a very beautiful faux bamboo border on some pieces.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnA94t3K9i0FpU3mTGrHcoMwPZTM2wXK2wO4n2Us5q9c-iW6egXF7TUea73TbiT_MAcD0f2W0k3wOemRYKDNLWLVdulT3GHc_wzjsGCw2SimK-hT5t_JrLU1vD3t5SYryXiZRIFMmz9BEQ/s1600-h/koicropped.jpg

Just let me know how you plan to finish the dragon, if you want to use a mat and whether you liked a stitched border.   I also would like to know what color you want the background to be and some idea of a floss brand you'd like to use there.  Then we can talk background stitches.

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