Face and Hair Stitches

Sue has written a great article about stitching faces with tent stitches on her Sudukc blog.  She uses color to give her faces personality.  Make sure you click on the tiny thumbnail photos of each face.  Those marks you see are actually numbers so you can see exactly the examples she mentions in each section and understand what she did where and perhaps use these ideas on your own faces. The eye treatment of the geisha is particularly clever, but each face shows how you can mix tent stitches with the right color to get a wonderfully expressive face whether your face is realistic or more cartoonish.
http://sudukc.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/torin-ailfred-opatrick-and-faces/

If you find Toppy irresistible, here are more postings as he grows.
http://sudukc.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/with-a-sparkle-in-my-eye-and-a-smile-on-my-face/

http://sudukc.wordpress.com/2012/03/05/too-many-irons-and-toppy-too/

http://sudukc.wordpress.com/2012/03/29/my-plate-broke-but-i-am-back-toppy-too/

By coincidence, Janet Perry has a short article up about three ways to stitch hair. None is particularly difficult but they all give realistic hair effects.
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/ideas-for-stitching-hair

Many thanks to both ladies for showing how simple stitches can breath life into a needlepoint face!


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

Roger

Roger

Because of yesterday's dog canvas posting, I got a wonderful email from Susan who stitched the above Ewe and Eye canvas (now distributed by Maggie) for her sister.  The canvas is named Roger.  Here's a nice big photo, followed by a link to the same canvas at a shop site.
http://www.eweandeyeandfriends.com/html/larger_view.php?currentPage=21&recordId=1128

http://theneedlepointer.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=21&products_id=8695

He's a handsome guy and must have made her sister very happy!  Thanks for sharing, Susan, and helping with websites.  Folks who are curious about other canvases along the same lines can check out the other dog designs (plus many other animals) on the Ewe and Eye website.

http://www.eweandeyeandfriends.com/html/designs.html

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

Have You Pinned Yet? UPDATED

The latest Internet rage is Pinterest, a way to collect and "pin" images in collections.  Needlepoint.com has started a nice little collection here.  As far as I know, this is the only shop participating but I've heard of cross stitch designers and fellow stitchers who are doing so.  It's by invitation only right now, but the invites are there for the asking.
http://pinterest.com/needlepoint_com/

Thanks to Donna, I have a Pinterest page full of various versions of Stars for a New Millennium.  Thanks!
http://pinterest.com/brncgirl/stars-for-a-new-millenium/

If you want to see more Pinterest pages, try River Silks' pages.
http://www.riversilks.com/wordpress/?p=835


In the interest of full disclosure, you should know that a lot of folks object to Pinterest's changing links so that they make money off what you pin.  I know about this thanks to Julie at Shop Sampler. Follow her links if you want to learn more.
http://theshopsampler.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/pinterest-shining-some-light-on-possibly-shadey-practice/


Some users don't mind. Whether you do or don't, it would be nice if they disclosed this to users when they sign up.

UPDATE:  Here's what Sharon Boggins has to say about Pinterest.
http://www.pintangle.com/journal/2012/3/24/why-i-ask-people-not-to-pin-this-site-on-pinterest.html


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

Bow Wow

Cape Cod Dogs they don't chase cars they like to pick up girls in bars!

Lewmew mentioned in the Comments section that she loves dog canvases and is looking for a blogger who talks about their dogs and dog designs both. I don't know of anyone who shows off a lot of dog canvases, but several bloggers I know have dogs and mention them occasionally, just not as often as Lewmew would like.  Sorry!  I can tell you about dog canvases and designers who have some spectacular ones, however.  If you like realistic dog canvases, Barbara Russell and Tapestry Tent are the places to start.  Here is Barbara's website.  Click on any thumbnail to see the entire canvas.
http://barbararusselldesigns.com/browse.html

I found the most Tapestry Tent dog canvases on The Needlepointer's website, but it takes a little work to get to them.  Go to the link below and choose Tapestry Tent from the list on the left side of the page.  Then use the pull down menu in the middle right under Tapestry Tent's name to choose Dogs.  You'll get two pages of delightful canvases.
http://www.theneedlepointer.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=71

Amanda Lawford also has some great detailed realistic dog pieces from Constance Coleman, just not as many as the first two designers.   Here's where you can see them.  Just put your mouse on top of a thumbnail and the entire design will appear.
http://www.amandalawford.com/products/coleman1.html


There are other designers with an occasional wonderful dog canvas here and there.  Top Drawer has a page of dog and cat designs that gives a wide range of styles.
http://www.topdrawer-needlepoint.com/canvases/index.cgi?Field=category&Key=Cats-and-Dogs&Sort=title&disp=thumbs&ptitle=Cats%20and%20Dogs

If humorous canine canvases are what you want, Maggie is the place to start.  Her dog canvases are in two locations.  Choose "Cats and Dogs" from the Category pull down menu.  Once you are done there, return to this page and click on "Our Faithful Friends" at the bottom of the page.
http://www.maggieco.com/html/main_table.html

If you want stylized dog canvases, I love the Paper Russells ones that DJ Designs distributes.
http://www.designsdj.com/paperrussells.html

I have to admit my very favorite dog canvases are from Shorebird Studio.  They are not totally realistic but they are all elegance.  Click on "New in 2012" on the left side of the page to see the new poodle design, then click on "Pet Portraits" to see both custom pieces and Katie Molineux's terrific dog ornaments.
http://shorebirdstudio.com/

By the way, my Cape Cod Dogs purse above is an Elizabeth Mumford painting translated into needlepoint by Needlepoint of Back Bay.
http://www.needlepointofbackbay.com/product_pages/Elizabeth-Mumford.htm

I know I've forgotten great canvases, so why not help me out by mentioning your favorite dog canvas in the Comments below?


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

For Charley Harper Fans

Here's a special treat for fans of Charley Harper designs.  They are all stitched with the same or very similar stitches and framed the same way to make a unified collection of cardinals.  Fabulous!
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2012/02/flying-together.html


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