Introducing the Turkey Canvas

Mary Lake Thompson Turkey

Nancy is my next volunteer. She writes:

Thanks for the opportunity to seek your guidance on a canvas. Mine is a large turkey by Mary Lake Thompson [published by Melissa Shirley Designs].
http://melissashirleydesigns.com/galsearch/index.cgi?index=1189016781_15552&col=

Here are the specifics:
Design size: 12" wide x 9" high
Canvas size: 18" x 15"
Canvas gauge: 13

Issues:  Design exceeds the painted border, requiring further stitching decisions.  Design elements are very detailed. I look at it and can't figure out what to do beyond basketweave. Would light coverage work here? If so, which areas?

We have lots of wild turkeys around our property, and I'd love to have this one inside! But I'm having trouble getting started.

I answered Nancy this way:

Jane: Heck, yeah light coverage would work on this canvas. Do you have any problems with doing a white border outside the red border so it looks like the turkey is stepping outside of a mat in a framed canvas?

Nancy: I have no problem with doing a white border outside the red border - something of that nature is almost necessary. I don't know quite how to plan it.

Nancy:  I have no LNS in the area. I've been trying to add to my stash, but no real way to see all the thread possibilities out there. So your suggestions from what you are aware of will be so welcome. I happily order from several stores that do mail and Internet orders.

I have looked through my threads and have several that could work in the piece, mostly Splendor and Needlepoint Inc.silk and Impressions silk/wool with some additional random threads pulled because they are in the color range. And Wow! there are a LOT of colors in this piece!

I don't know if you're familiar with wild turkey, but they do have a touch of iridescence to their feathers, if that helps to put you in mind of threads.

We have a herd that roams Chilly Hollow (photo from last week above).

It's funny, but normally the males only display in the spring at mating season. This year they've been in full strut for a couple of weeks now. I don't know if it's climate change or what. Maybe they're trying to inspire me to get going on this canvas! They come up and knock their beaks on the patio door, trying to communicate with their reflections. This can go on for an hour or more in the mornings!

I'm going to go now and see if I have the right stretcher bars and get Mr. Turkey taped and stapled.

I have been enjoying the work you are doing on the first reader canvases and really look forward to our work together. My family is primed for this adventure and all want links to your blog when we get started!

Jane: The first thing I want to know is if there are any threads and/or stitches you already know you do or do not want to use on this piece.

Nancy: You asked about threads and/or stitches I know I want to avoid. I'm game for trying any stitches you want to suggest. The only threads I know I'd like to avoid: I have trouble with Vineyard Shimmer getting all bunchy on the surface. And I really prefer to avoid rayons! I could live the rest of my stitching life without Patina and Fiesta.

Jane: I don’t like nylon threads either, although I have to say Rainbow Gallery’s Panache isn’t half bad as nylon threads go. Ok, we have the preliminaries in place, so let’s start talking turkey.

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

A Book Lover's Delights

I have a treat this morning for folks who adore stitching books.  I've found great new books (well, they are new to me) on the Alex Paras Needle Arts website.
http://store.apneedlearts.com/neli.html

Thistle Needleworks has a nifty small Quick Stitch Reference book that is perfect for travel.  I haven't seen this in person but I've seen Judie's stitching (your stocking is decorating my car rear view mirror this year, Judie) and I know this will be a useful little book.  If you travel, this might be the perfect gift for yourself.

Counted canvaswork folks love playing around with colors and patterns, so I think they might be interested in Stitching Inside the Box, which is from Finger Step Designs.  The book is about creating your own band sampler and can be used for both cross stitch and needlepoint samplers.

There is lots more here, but I think the Magazine section is of particular interest since AP Needlearts is selling old copies of Needlepoint Now and Embroidery and Cross Stitch at discount.  If you are missing issues or just want to explore these magazines at a lower than usual price, check them out.

There are many other great books listed here but anyone who wanted the out of print Knots, Fur and Turkeywork can pick a first edition up here.

Ridgewood Needlepoint Blog has posted photos of the new book versions of Ruth Schmuff's Stitches, Volumes One and Two.  Ruth's books originally were only on CD and as smart phone apps, but since many of us don't have computer or Internet access when we are stitching, hard copies were made available.  These are great books, by the way.  I have these CDs (but not the Backgrounds one, are you listening, Santa?) and adore them!
http://ridgewoodneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2010/12/stitches-volume-i-and-ii.html

If you are love reading about books as well as reading them, then you will want to visit Marianne's blog where she talks about how the books she sells go in and out of fashion.  As usual, you can tell how much Marianne loves the books she describes in loving detail. I imagine what is happening is that the folks who love her books buy and more on, without new buyers finding out about books they might really enjoy.  So make a habit of visiting Marianne's website to keep up with books before they go out of style and disappear again.  Like me, you will find books you never heard of that tempt you to add them to your bookshelves.
http://needlepointtalk.net/2010/12/18/book-fashions

http://www.newneedlepoint.com/

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

I'm iPhone Mobile Now

In my march into the 21st Century (dragging my needlepoint behind me in a little red wagon borrowed from Beloved's grandson) I have made Blog "mobile enabled."  This means that if you want to read Blog on your smart phone, it is in a format made specifically for mobile devices.

I actually prefer the usual format when reading blogs on mobile devices.  If you are like me, scroll down to the bottom of the page when using your smart phone and click on "View Web Version" and you'll be back at a regular computer view that shows the column on the right hand side of the page.  You can toggle back to "View Mobile Version" if you change your mind.

For those who blog via Blogger, Google seems to be rolling out this feature to those who use their Blogger in Draft setting.  When it is available for your blog, you'll get a message from Blogger when you log into your account that allows you to turn on the mobile view if you wish.

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

Art Interpretation (Revolution Included)

Paris Bottman Cat Stocking from Maggie Designs

The Dangerous Mezzo mentioned in a Comment that she adored the Maggie cat stocking in the header photo.  (Thanks, DM.)  This photo shows a Paris Bottman design that was adapted by Maggie to needlepoint that I stitched several years back as a Christmas present for my mother.  When DM mentioned it, I started thinking idly about artwork that various needlepoint designers have licensed.    Melissa Shirley regularly published various designers' work besides her own and of course Maggie Designs is all licensed art.  I don't believe Maggie does any designing herself.  While I was thinking about this and wondering if there was a Blog entry to be written on the topic, I discovered this on the Sundance Needlework website.
http://sundanceinstitches.blogspot.com/2010/12/lattes-at-starbucks-and-jane-lafazio.html

The article she mentions by the artist Jane LaFazio is here.  It's quite interesting to see needlepoint through the eyes of an artist whose work is being reproduced this way.  If you go back to the Sundance blog link above and scroll back some, you'll see close ups of various parts of the Tree of Life design as they were worked.
http://janeville.blogspot.com/2010/12/tree-of-life-reincarnated.html

If all this art talk is duller than dishwater for you, then you might want to go over to the Spinster Stitcher's blog where she is fomenting revolution.   I plan to sign right up.  After all, who doesn't want to be involved when SS is leading the charge?  A good time is guaranteed to be had by all.
http://spinsterstitcher.blogspot.com/2010/12/show-us-your-backside.html

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

The Dragon Itself (Part Nine)

Leigh Designs' European Dragon

Continuing the discussion about Sandy's dragon, we will pick up with

The Head and Eye - The eye is the most important part of the head. Stitch it first with tent stitches and use silk floss or a thin metallic. I think I would stitch the eye color in metallics to contrast with the pupil in silks. Perhaps add a bead for the pupil. Backstitch or stem stitch around the eye with your silk. These areas need the detail of a floss instead of the heavier look you would get from your Opal or Silk Lame Braid. Experiment until you are happy and don’t be afraid to rip out. You want your dragon to have the proper expression. Once the eye is mastered, then tent stitch with careful shading the rest of the face. You may wish to backstitch or stem stitch the outline around his mouth, the continuation of the eyeliner over the top of his head, the line at the corner of his mouth and of course the forked tongue and chin hairs. Treat his tiny head spines the way you did the small spines on his lower body and tail.

The Smoke and Flame - I’d leave these to the end (along with beads on the tummy scales if you indeed use them). Let’s talk about the flame first. I know you want to use something like Flair for these areas. Because you are going to have the background stitched already before you get to these, some test stitching in the margins of the canvas or on scrap will serve you well in determining what you do. You may find the color of Flair you chose doesn’t work. Testing will help you decide on the right color. I would not stitch the Sundance Eye Wave background stitch over the smoke and flame areas. Leave them bare and stitch right up to them with the background stitch. When it comes to the flame, look at what Cassie did for her hummingbird tail in the link below. I think once you lay down long lengths of Flair, you could (using a sharp needle and one ply of a silk so it won’t catch on the Flair) do stem or outline stitches right on top to highlight this area. Note Cassie did a long straight stitch but stem or outline stitches are less likely to snag on a pillow.
http://sundanceinstitches.blogspot.com/2010/12/hummingbird-in-oaxaca-tree-of-life.html

I’d bunch up my Flair for the smoke and tack it down using a darker gray thread. You can probably stitch long stitches along the bottom of the Flair with a sharp needle, then gather the Flair by pulling on the threads. This is how ruffles are attached to pillows, etc. This tutorial is for using a sewing machine but you can use the same technique and won’t have to have two lines of running stitch. Just put your row of running stitches close to the bottom of the Flair and use long stitches. Probably silk will work best as thin metallics might snag the Flair.
http://www.wikihow.com/Gather-Fabric-into-Ruffles

I hope I didn’t forget any areas on this large, complex piece! Please ask questions where things aren’t clear. Have fun with this. We all are eager to have a photograph when you finish so don’t forget us!

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