Five Tips for A Successful Needlepoint Project

When I ran across this posting from a new stitcher listing the five tips she learned from her first needlepoint project, it got me thinking. What are the five most important stitching tips I've learned Ifrom my decades of needlepointing?
http://seamstresserin.com/5-tips-for-successful-needlepoint-projects/

Here's my list:

1. Wash your hands before you start stitching and repeat this periodically during a long stitching session.
2. Discard your needles from the last project when you start a new project.
3. Pay careful attention to starting and ending threads.
4. Choose classic projects you will not tire of and stitch them with the best materials you can find.
5. Never stitch when you are really tired.

What are your tips?

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Just Background

Denise of the Stitching Sisters has posted a photograph of a fantastic Barbara Elmore class she took with Linda.   Take careful note of the background.  It is completely covered except for the flower heads and stems with one stitch, background and leaves both.  The stitch is an open darning stitch so the colors of the leaves show through nicely without your having to switch threads or stitches.  Then the stems are stitched (I think that is a padded satin stitch) and the flower centers beaded.  The final touch are some simple ribbon stitches in sheer ribbons.  It's really a perfect quick and easy project to learn to use beads and ribbons and open stitches.  
http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/2013/06/a-finish-summer-flowers.html

See?  Backgrounds don't have to be hard!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Visiting the Lost Art Yarn and Needlepoint Shop

Diane has been in Michigan, where she was able to visit The Lost Art Yarn and Needlepoint shop in Traverse City.  The shop's for sale, by the way, in case you are thinking you might move to Michigan and open a shop of your own....
http://www.dianestakingtimeouttoneedlepoint.com/2013/06/traveling-and-needlepoint-great.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Surprise from dede

Needle Works has a surprise for us--a new book from dede Odgen. No one has seen this year so I have no details but dede's fans will be interested in keeping their eyes open for reviews and more news as this becomes more available.   
http://www.stitchinginthetexashillcountry.com/the_needle_works/2013/07/share-a-stitch-july-7.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Organizational Database for iPhone and PC UPDATED AGAIN

Brenda has added a list of her favorite smart phone apps to her blog. This article talks a bit about her thread organization database. To see the list of apps, click on the X in the upper right hand corner of the article and then choose the Apps tab. 
http://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2013/06/favorite-apps.html

It looks like the eBooks are all from the iTunes store which means they only work on Apple phones and devices.  I don't know if the database is PC compatible or useable on Android phones.  If you want to do a bit more research, here's the HanDBase site.
http://www.ddhsoftware.com/handbase.html

UPDATE:  Brenda describes how this works on her iPhone and PC.  Essentially she has a database of thread brands with type information that links to a database that lists all her threads.  She can sort by project, color number and much much more.  If you love databases and organization, this is definitely something to explore.
http://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2013/07/handbase-threads-inventory-database.html

MORE UPDATES:  Brenda explains how she set up her database, very useful information for those of us who are interested in HanDBase or databases in general.
http://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2013/08/handbase-projects-database.html

And now she is using Excel, too.
https://brendasneedlepointstudio.blogspot.com/2018/03/project-list-and-thread-inventory.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.