FInishing Friday: Dollhouses and More

I haven't done a Finishing Friday posting in a while since several shops do a Friday posting of their customers' work now, but I thought you might like to see what Ridgewood's folks have been up to as there is quite a variety now that Christmas finishing is done for a bit...
http://ridgewoodneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2015/01/finishing-friday_30.html

...and I thought you'd love to see the dollhouses decorated with Janet Granger's kits.  That's finishing, too, right?
http://www.janetgranger.co.uk/gallery.htm

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 30, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Another Look at Evertites UPDATED

Here's another look at how Evertite stretcher bars are used. Mary is using them for an embroidery project, not needlepoint, so her misting tip won't work for us but it is still a fun article about the versatility of Evertites.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2015/02/setting-up-my-embroidery-carrot.html

UPDATE:  Ruth Schmuff has written an introduction to Evertites with lots of great photos.  Please note she does not mention that you should not secure your canvas in the corners when you use Evertites.  That is the area that expands, so tacking or stapling the corners will tear the canvas.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2017/01/lets-talk-stretcher-bars.html

If you want to read more about Evertites, type their name in the search box at the upper left corner to read more articles about them.

Update #2:  As Melita notes, any 3/32 inch hex key will work to replace the tool that comes with Evertites.

https://melitastitches4fun.com/2023/09/14/hex-key-a-needlepoint-tool-for-evertite-stretcher-bars/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 12, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Creating Tiny Beaded Scallops

Today's finishing tutorials are from Mary Corbet. In the link below she teaches how to create a simple row of scallops using beads. The second link shows a somewhat more complex row of equally pretty beaded scallops.  Quick, easy, pretty--what more can you ask?! 
http://www.needlenthread.com/2015/01/scalloped-beaded-buttonhole-edging-1.html

http://www.needlenthread.com/2015/02/scalloped-beaded-buttonhole-edging-version-2.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 2, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Gay Ann Rogers' Hearts Sale is TOMORROW

Gay Ann Rogers has retired from teaching but not designing counted canvaswork pieces. This year she is working on a portrait of Catherine the Great of Russia that will be offered later in the year (May?  Her annual October sale?).  Gay Ann also does a mini sale in February of charted heart designs.   This sale starts TOMORROW.  Some items are one-of-a-kind and the charts sold as kits are often limited in number so pay attention to the times the sales will occur.  I never remember because her starting time is most inconvenient for me so I miss out very often.  Don't be like me!
http://www.gayannrogers.com/hearts-2015.html

http://gayannrogers.blogspot.com/2015/02/among-my-hearts-this-february-is.html

This year there will be four new heart designs (including the magnificent Imperial Emeralds Heart which is based on one of Catherine the Great's crowns), special antique awls, special scissors fobs and tool sets, etc.  There will be items for the Sweet Tooth box of stitching goodies, which is actually a repurposed See's Candy Valentine box that is used for stitching tools and supplies.
http://www.gayannrogers.com/catherine.html

If you have not seen her portraits of Queen Elizabeth I and the smaller portraits of Mary, Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick, you can see them here.  I don't believe these kits will be offered for sale again as GAR can't get the special tiny pearls and other beads used for them any more.  She says the Catherine the Great portrait will be much more opulent.  Hard to believe, right?
http://vimeo.com/31689238

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 10, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Amanda Has a Song in Her Ornaments

This week Virginia highlighted a series of Christmas song ornaments from Amanda Lawford that I didn't know existed.  This isn't a totally unique idea--Tony Minieri did a charted series based on Christmas songs some years ago--but the designs are beautifully executed and Virginia stitched hers very nicely.
http://stitchstyleblog.com/2015/01/snowed-stitching-away/

Chandail used Tony's for a club.  I'm not sure if it is still available as they don't seem to be on Chandail's website any more.
http://siterepository.s3.amazonaws.com/956/e_newsletter_july_chandail_2012_0820_final.pdf

Aren't designers clever to come up with these wonderful things?

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 28, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.