Why Barbara Paints Her Own Canvases

Barbara Elmore just wrote a fascinating article about why she paints all of her own canvases.
http://stitchpography.blogspot.com/2012/10/why-i-paint-my-own-orders.html?spref=fb

How painted canvases are designed and reproduced is a very interesting topic.  From my limited experience each designer has a slightly different way of working.  Here is how Leigh Richardson of Leigh Designs works, from an interview she graciously did in 2010.
http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/01/interview-leigh-richardson-of-leigh.html

Sadly, the bullwhip didn't make it into the photographs.  Sorry, Barbara!

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

That's One SCARY Shop!

Absolutely Needlepoint is decorating for Halloween.  If you happen to be in south Miami, do me a favor and dress up in costume before your next visit, ok?
http://absolutelyneedlepoint.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/ghosts-gobelins-and-more/

I think Bedecked and Beadazzled is just as frightening!
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2012/10/eeek.html

Vicky isn't as scary but then we are all suckers for gifts from sisters.
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/10/07/getting-into-the-spirit-of-halloween/

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

Embellishing a Forest

Kreinik published this video interview with Sally Baer of BB Needlepoint on the Kreinik Facebook account. I think you can see it whether you have a FB account or not. It's worth watching to listen to a master at embellishing NP canvases describe how it was done on her design "In The Woods" and see some of the new threads that were used.  The techniques Sally describes are wonderful.  Her website is the second link.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151072320323316

http://www.bbneedlepointdesigns.com

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

Share a Stitch Sunday UPDATED EVERY SUNDAY

Colleen at Needle Works has come up with the brilliant idea of Share a Stitch Sundays!  Here are the first two Sunday stitches--Baroness...
http://www.stitchinginthetexashillcountry.com/the_needle_works/2012/09/share-a-stitch-sunday.html

...and Buckey's Weaving.
http://www.stitchinginthetexashillcountry.com/the_needle_works/2012/10/share-a-stitch-sunday-1.html

UPDATE:  More Sunday Shared Stitches!
http://www.stitchinginthetexashillcountry.com/the_needle_works/2012/10/share-a-stitch-sunday-october-14.html

http://www.stitchinginthetexashillcountry.com/the_needle_works/2012/10/share-a-stitch-sunday-october-28.html

http://www.stitchinginthetexashillcountry.com/the_needle_works/2012/11/share-a-stitch-sunday-november-4-.html

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

More about Belleza's Background

Belleza's Background

An anonymous visitor to Blog left a comment about the purple background behind Belleza, asking what the subtle sparkle was.  The sparkle comes from tiny round silver beads that look like BBs, set among the empty spaces between rows of one of Marnie Ritter's Flat Variation stitches.  I am a huge fan of Marnie Ritter's unique stitches and am always happy when one of her complex creations is suitable for a canvas I'm stitching.  This particular Flat Variation is from her Canvas Patterns Book I.
http://www.mritter.com/products.html

The stitch is on a page with other flat variation stitches.  It does not have a name of its own.  In the photograph I have finished the background stitching and have started adding the beads.

I wanted a rough texture in the background, as if Belleza was standing against a rough plaster wall that had been painted, so I choose the very beautiful High Cotton "Periwinkle" 310.  Because I wanted the shading of the background paint to show, I used just one ply of the five that make up a strand of High Cotton.  The addition of the silver beads was serendipity.  I was considering using them elsewhere and put a few on the canvas to see how they would look.  One rolled onto the background where it was the perfect contrast with the matte texture.  They are all attached with one double ply of DMC cotton in a color that matched Periwinkle (DMC #333) as one ply of High Cotton is to thick to go through the size 15 silver beads.

One of Marnie Ritter's Flat Variation Stitches, diagram courtesy of Sheena James

This flat variation stitch is done in diagonal rows, each row interlocking with the previous row.  The bead goes in the empty space between rows.  The stitch diagram is courtesy of Sheena James, who charted it for me.

Sorry the photo of the background isn't better.   High Cotton Periwinkle is an exact match of the background color so the camera doesn't distinguish between painted canvas and thread well.  The tiny silver beads raise the canvas off the scanner bed just enough that I can't get a good scan either.  However, by looking at the photo and the stitch diagram you should be able to tell what I did for Belleza's background.

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