Trees on Tulle: The Cat Topiary Garden Grows

Two Spruce Trees

After the tulle was laid over my canvas and basted into position, I decided to start stitching with the two big spruce trees that are on either side of the topiary bushes.  In the photo above, the left spruce is stitched and the right spruce is half finished.  These big trees dominate the layer of background that is in front of the background we stitched first (and covered with tulle so it wouldn't take over the world!) but behind the topiary bushes.

I decided on a stitch called Double Stitch which I found in SharonG's SENSE book, page 28.  Double Stitch is just rows of tall, skinny cross stitches that are three threads high and one wide, with regular cross stitches between each big one.  Make sure you always put the same slanted leg on top.  I work my / leg first and then put the \ stitches on top, but it doesn't matter which you do as long as you are consistent.

Double Stitch

In the diagram you see mostly the big cross stitches. This is because I didn't work the tiny cross stitches in the empty spaces.  I only did step one of this stitch.  I may come back later and put in the tiny cross stitches using a thin metallic or I may use beads here or I may do nothing at all.  I won't decide until I have more bushes stitched and can see what they all look like together.

On the tree on the left side, Double Cross (step one only) is stitched as a light coverage stitch with one ply of my dark spruce green Au Ver a Soie #1826.  Pick a silk or cotton floss that is very close to the darkest green on this tree and the empty spaces that we haven't stitched will let the lighter paint shading at the top show.

For the tree on the right side, I did my Double Cross (step one only) in light coverage stitching with one ply of the lighter Soie Crystale 8092.  Pick a silk or cotton floss that is very close to the lightest shade in this tree and the darker shades painted toward the bottom will show through the skipped threads and shade this tree for you.

The next bushes we will do are the two tall cedars on either side of the fish topiary bush.  I will use the same thread that I used on the right hand cedar (Soie Crystale 8092) on these two bushes but will use two different stitches.

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

More Reports from Day 2 UPDATED

The second day of the trade show is over.  Before she heads out to eat, Colleen reports in with more photos.
http://theneedleworks.typepad.com/the_needle_works/2011/06/day-2-done.html

Michele (Bristly Thistle) also reports in.
http://bristlythistle.blogspot.com/2011/06/columbus-2011-day-2.html

She says there are four new Charley Harper designs on NP canvas.  They sound wonderful!
http://bristlythistle.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/new-needlepoint-from-charley-harper/

UPDATE:  Palma found us photos of the new Charley Harper designs.
http://www.bristlythistle.com/newharper.html

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

Neither Cats or Geishas

Ruth Schmuff is reporting in from the TNNA trade show and according to Ruth, it's all about the finishing.  She proves her point with a stunning fish sculpture by dede Odgen, a Melissa Shirley humorous crow, Barbara Elmore's tree canvas, colorful Zecca pieces, a wonderful Mindy pillow that's rumored to be in the next Needlepoint Now, and much, much more.  All the photos are of the finished models, which shows just how much finishing adds to a piece.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2011/06/its-all-in-finishing-touches.html

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

The Cat Lover's TNNA UPDATED

Unfortunately, the designers selling at the trade shows don't have a lot of time to go look at the fun stuff, but Vicky has cleverly managed to pick out some cat canvases for herself--a great Halloween cat from Danji and a whole bunch of kittens with lampwork bead faces from Sundance. And there's more about the show, the food, a new random beading technique she learned from a Julia Snyder class, and of course a new look at the Creepy Critters that her fellow Team Deeva member Robin King stitched.
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/06/12/a-sampling-from-tnna/

In the interests of fairness, Colleen of Needle Works has found a darling stuffed dog canvas from Sew Much Fun.  Of course she also photographed a stuff cat canvas.  (Fairness only goes so far.)  She also shot two phots of big banner style canvases at Melissa Shirley's booth and promises to go back there for more photos.  Stay tuned.
http://theneedleworks.typepad.com/the_needle_works/2011/06/more-posts-for-market.html

The Needle Bug staff are worn out, but very very happy.  They claim purses (not cats or geishas) are everywhere.  How about cat or geisha purses?!
http://theneedlebug.com/2011/06/okay-worn-out/

By the way, the RSS reader for The Needleworks' blog isn't working.  Neither my blog list or my Google Reader are updating even though Colleen has made six posts from Market.  If your favorite blog isn't posting as much as normal, go there in a new browser window and check to see if your feed is also broken, particularly if they use Typepad.

UPDATE:  Janet Perry has added more information to her listing of new TNNA products.
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/new-summer-needlepoint-products

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

That's Not Needlepoint UPDATED

That's Not Needlepoint by Dede Odgen

That's Not Needlepoint (It's Inspired Art Created with Your Needle) is the title of dede Odgen's new book.  In the introduction dede describes the 41 page spiral bound booklet as "inspiration for needle artists...a guide for your imagination...."  In other words, dede doesn't intend for her booklet to be a stitch guide for the eight different sea-themed canvases she discusses, but you could use it that way for the canvases which are thoroughly discussed.  I think you'll get more out of the book by treating it as a lecture on stitching every sea creature under the sun rather than using it a stitch guide for her sea themed canvases.  I think it's a great book full of interesting ideas for underwater canvases.  However, if you don't have any interest in stitching fish, corals, shells, etc., this book isn't going to be something you'll want.

The book has an introduction, three pages of color photos of stitched canvases printed on both sides, an index of the stitches mentioned, a list of threads and their manufacturer to help you order them, and a list of other dede seascape designs not mentioned in the booklet.

Inside the Book

Many of the canvases she discusses have line drawings, stitch diagrams and lists of possible threads to use for the shells, fish, seaweed, etc. on the designs.  A few just have a few sentences of general information to help you get started.  The photos above are the cover of her book and a random page inside.  Only the stitch diagrams for complex stitches are numbered to indicate the order in which you create the stitch.  In other words, this is a book for an experienced stitcher, not a beginner who won't know the threads mentioned or know how to do the easier stitches dede recommends.

The canvases discussed are her brand new seahorse under a magnifying glass,
http://www.fleurdeparis.com/products/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=ED-18073

her blue fish sculpture (see pillow top of page),
http://www.firesidestitchery.com/fs/handPaintedCanvas/index.cfm?fuseaction=getHPCanvasList&CategoryId=58&saleId=111&saleTypeId=1&showStart=6&groupNo=2

her green aquarium fish,
http://www.fleurdeparis.com/products/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=ED-18015

her blue glass aquarium fish,
http://www.fleurdeparis.com/products/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=ED-18034

her undersea garden,
http://www.dedesneedleworks.com/photo.html?src=photos/pillow/1378.jpg

child's director chair,
(I couldn't find a link, sorry)

seahorse pillow,
http://www.fleurdeparis.com/products/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=ED-18056

enchanted mermaid's dream, and
http://www.dedesneedleworks.com/photo.html?src=photos/pillow/18050.jpg

the winged angel fish ornaments.
http://www.dedesneedleworks.com/photo.html?src=photos/ornaments/18051.jpg

If you are curious about dede Odgen's designs in general, browse her personal website,
http://www.dedesneedleworks.com/

her distributor's website, and
http://www.fleurdeparis.com/products/10Browse.asp?Category=dede%20Needleworks

the trunk show that Fireside Stitchery currently has underway.
http://www.firesidestitchery.com/fs/handPaintedCanvas/index.cfm?fuseaction=getHPCanvasList&CategoryId=58&saleId=111&saleTypeId=1&showStart=1&groupNo=1

The book is available wholesale from dede herself.  Have your shop contact her via her website to order.  In the interests of full disclosure, dede allowed me to buy the book wholesale directly in order to review it for you during the trade show in which it is being shown instead of waiting for my local to get it from her.

I think it is a fabulous idea book for the experienced stitcher who has a canvas of fish, shells, corals, jellyfish and the like in their future.   I plan to read it cover to cover again and again.

UPDATE:  Janet Perry also reviewed this book.  Here's her take on it.
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/thats-not-needlepoint-book-review

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