Squinting?

Ruth has the perfect suggestion for the folks like us whose vision isn't as sharp as it once was.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2012/06/is-type-getting-smaller-or-is-it-just.html


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

Things You Might Need UPDATED A THIRD TIME

Suddenly this week there are a lot of online postings about various tools folks might want to use to help them stitch.   Makes me think someone turned on the big neon sign in the sky and it read Tools, Talk Tools!

Who am I to not listen?  LOL

Here are the items you might want to browse.  First is Bedecked and Beadazzled talking boxes.  But they are just any box, they are elegant leather boxes and containers in all colors to hold wonderful tools.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2012/07/boxes-for-storing.html

UPDATE:  You can see more of the boxes here.  The second link is to the company website.  Rowallan is a Scottish firm, a specialist in leather goods.
http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/2012/07/new-accessories.html

Mary Corbet has a set of needle I.D. cards that look very useful if you have a lot of needles you don't know the size or name of.  These come from Access Commodities which has donated a set to Mary to give away.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2012/07/needle-id-cards.html

Needlepoint Tool Time's blog is showing off the new tubular Sparkles and the skin thread collection from Access Commodities (which I think it hard to find, so act now).  I believe the instructions on how to use the silks for shading skin was written by Tony Minieri, so that alone is worth having.
http://stitchplaywithneedlepointtooltime.blogspot.com/2012/07/happy-4th-of-july.html

Here's their website.
http://www.needlepointtooltime.com/

Finally, here's a really good photo and description of the EZ Beader.
http://peaceloveandstitching.blogspot.com/2012/07/more-flower-progress.html

UPDATE:  A friend just sent me this link to an Italian line of automatic needle threaders.  She got hers for $5 on Amazon but shop around and make sure you get the size you will use most.  Anyone with trouble threading needles probably should look into getting one of these.  Thanks, L!
http://www.automatic-needle-threader.com/adw/automatic-needle-threader.html

UPDATE:  Bohin makes a needle threader, too.  This video talks about how it works and gives tips on how to use it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZpRd5xGpyc&feature=youtu.be

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

Invitation to a Garden Party

Ruth is throwing a Garden Party! The featured guest is this collage design from Eye Candy which is the subject of Ruth Schmuff's next mystery class.  No one, not even Ruth, knows exactly how this will turn out but since Ruth loves color and bling and wonderful stitches, this is a party you want to RSVP for as soon as possible.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2012/06/its-garden-party.html

http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2012/07/fun-is-just-beginning.html

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

TNNA Columbus 2012 Wrap Up

While I was hauling water, buying ice and bottled water, lots of folks were posting about the TNNA show than ended last week.   Vicky DeAngelis and Robin King both worked the Needle Deeva Both and taught at a nearby shop, What's the Point?  Here's Robin, talking about her market fun.
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2012/07/tnnacolumbus-2012-wrap-up-part-1.html

http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2012/07/tnnacolumbus-2012-wrap-up-part-2.html

Vicky has even more photos of all the goodies we all want to see.  Note the Kirk and Hamilton polar bear canvas in the second link.  I saw that on display at Woodlawn.  Ruth Dilts did a fabulous job stitching it!  If I remember correctly, she won a second place ribbon, too.
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/06/30/a-little-bling-in-your-life/

http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/07/01/the-market-beat-goes-on/

http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/07/02/keepin-cool/

I've already mentioned Ruth Schmuff's latest designs but she just blogged about them, with photos of everything.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2012/06/whats-new.html

Katherine's posted her favorites on her blog.  What are your favorites?
http://bootsandbeads.blogspot.com/2012/06/market-goodies.html

Orna Willis has two new counted pieces, one of which incorporates small polymer clay pieces.
http://ornadesign.blogspot.com/2012/07/from-place-of-frustration-and-new.html

http://ornadesign.blogspot.com/2012/07/from-place-of-frustration-second-new.html

Ada Hayden of Eye Candy allowed one of the cross stitch magazines to chart her Candyland Christmas Tree Farm.  Here's the result.  It'll please anyone who doesn't want to stitch the painted canvas version of this.
http://eyecandyneedleart.blogspot.com/2012/06/so-what-else-is-new.html

Finally, River Silks took photographs of the pieces on display at Leigh Designs' booth.  You'll see three pieces I've stitched, including the center three which use River Silks.  Thanks for the photograph. I had no idea how Leigh set up her booth or that three of my models for the company were on display.  I did the two on each end and the center Barcelona.
http://www.riversilks.com/wordpress/?p=1131

Enjoy!


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

DMC in France UPDATED

If you are curious about thread manufacturers, you'll want to see these glimpses of the DMC company and its French headquarters, where the most widely available threads in the USA are born.
http://dmc-threads.com/jet-mettre-la-france/

There's a video of how the threads are made, too.
http://dmc-threads.com/bon-voyage-la-france/

Mary Corbet has some interesting thoughts on the source of needlework materials and the perceived decline in quality of DMC.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2012/06/dmc-embroidery-threads.html

You may be interested in reading a similar article on needles and their origins already posted here on Blog.
http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2012/06/needle-origins.html

UPDATE:  I'm beginning to think Mary is on to something when it comes to needle quality!
http://www.oneoffneedlework.co.uk/blog/bendy-needleart/

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