Follow Up To How to Choose Stitches

Carol wrote:
Thank you for the reply. My takeaway from your comments is that what "works" is truly an aesthetic thing, purely in the eyes of the stitcher. What works for me may not be what works for you. But that's what makes all our pieces different; it's a lot like working with the high school speech team I coach. My oral interpretation of a piece a poetry is going to be different from how my students interpret it. ANYTHING subjective is going to have the same issues.

Jane replied:  True. I think using the guidelines above will help folks choose stitches and I think studying other folks’ stitching will also help. But the true learning will come from working your own painted canvases and figuring out what really works well for you and what doesn’t. There are some good guidelines for choosing stitches and colors (light colors and shiny things generally come forward while dark colors that don't shine generally recede; you need to keep the various parts of a design the same scale in most instances, etc.) but often what looks good to you is what is good. This means there is some really ugly needlepoint in my eyes that wins awards in exhibits.  In those cases I try to see the technical achievement in the stitching, etc.  I think mostly if a piece is a coherent whole, it is well done.  Maybe I wouldn't have done it that way but maybe I also will learn something from a different stitching perspective.

I am certain I could explain this better but for today, this is the best I can do!

Anyone who can articulate how they choose stitches for their designs, please speak up and help the rest of us.  Carol, thanks very much  for the thought-provoking question.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Jessica and the Spanish Olives

Robin gives us a lesson on making perfect Jessicas on the Needlepoint Study Hall blog using a thread I've heard quite a few folks rave about--ThreadworX's Spanish Olives.  A lot of fabulous stitchers are using this color in a variety of types of overdyed threads (perle cotton, floss, metallic and even wool).  The second link shows you the color, although I think in real life it is a more complex mix of olive green shading into medium green.  Alas, I have none to compare to the photo so I can't be sure.  [Jane adds Spanish Olives to the shopping list for her yearly trip to the shops.]
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2011/04/do-you-know-jessica.html

http://www.threadworx.com/productDetails.php?prd_id=541

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Preparing for The Royal Wedding

The whole world must have heard by now that the British Royal Family is having a wedding on April 29th.  How do you plan to celebrate?  Gay Ann Rogers is offering a Stitch In with special designs she has created just for this Royal Occasion.  There is a box top monogram (and a gorgeous silver box to put it in), a variety of scissor fobs, a beautiful royal heart monogram, a fabulous dated monogrammed sewing case for your needles and favorite scissors (and packet to preserve the needles you used on this special day), and of course certificates of your Attendance at The Wedding.  All of the items are available for order on her website, and Gay Ann has even found places for us to buy our own Diana rings on eBay if you wish.  So pick out your most comfy pjs, put on your tiara, and pick up your invitation to join Gay Ann in stitching in celebration.
http://www.gayannrogers.com/site_2/Home_Page.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Dallas Blooms (and Eats)

A bit more about the Dallas trade show, including an amazing floral pillow from Sew Much Fun.  Thanks, Vicky!
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/04/08/dallas-april-showers-bring-may-flowers-everywhere/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Carrots, Belt Buckles and Cross Stitchers

Today Rittenhouse has an essay about belt buckle canvases,
http://rittenhouseneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2011/04/needlepoint-belt-buckles.html

Sue muses on what cross stitchers have to teach us as she stitches her charted carrot ornaments,
http://sudukc.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/back-to-the-carrots/

DMC posts an explanation of all the types of thread they sell,
http://dmc-threads.com/stitching-dmc-embroidery-threads/

and Orna Willis has kits and thread packs and Ultrasuede sets on sale on her Etsy site.
http://ornadesign.blogspot.com/2011/04/kits-on-sale-at-etsy.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com