Suzie Runs Wild!

Suzie at Enriched Stitch has two new threads (Silken Straw and silk wrapped purl) that she is running wild with! Look out, Maggie hand painted canvas~ Suzie is on the rampage with threads!
http://astheneedleturns.com/wednesday-wips-3/

If you live in the Connecticut area, stop by the shop and see what other wild things Suzie's up to with this piece.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 25,  2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Hearts Delight (American Heart Association Benefit)

Family Arts Needlework has a neat fund raiser for the American Heart Association - a very pretty red heart themed chart from Donna Kurz.  It's not on their website (I just looked) but there's an ad in Needlepoint Now that I copied and posted above for all my counted canvaswork friends.  Contact the shop to get the instructions.
http://www.familyartsneedlework.com/home.html

Good cause and good design--there's nothing better!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March 8, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

A Tribute to Jean Hilton

Mary Agnes showed off some Jean Hilton designs she worked for shop classes on her blog.  MA owns Needle Nicely in Vero Beach, FL where the sun is currently shining and the ocean breezes are mild--think I am sick of Winter?  LOL
http://needlenicely.blogspot.com/2015/02/more-stitched-jean-hilton-designs.html

This got me thinking about the late Jean Hilton, who was one of the major influences of needlepoint in the 20th Century and beyond.  Here are two of her pieces she stitched herself.  I first saw one of Jean's designs exhibited in the early 1990s in a needlework show and was astounded.  I'd never seen anything like it.  She was a true original.
http://www.stitchamaze.com/gallery-guest/jeanhilton.aspx

Luckily even though Jean is gone now, Stitches From the Heart owns the rights to her charts and books.  You can browse the incredible variety here.  If you've got the time, I suggest you watch the slideshow.
http://stitches-heart.com/jean-hilton-designs/

Stitchers Paradise in Miami also has a large selection of Jean's work.
http://www.stitchers-paradise.com/Canvas_Embroidery/JHI/JeanHiltonMain.html

If you are in a thrifty mood, Rainbow Gallery has some small free Hilton designs.  Shop your stash and see what lovely patterns you can create with your own colors!
http://www.rainbowgallery.com/freechartdownloads.cfm?ID=12

CyberPointers has posted a great page on "Hilton" stitches.  Many of the links are dead now that Ro Pace no longer has a website but the remaining ones have plenty of tips for stitching the complex string art type stitches Jean loved and created.
http://www.cyberpointers.org/?p=2436

Pat Miller has started to work my favorite design from Jean--the Visions of Sugerplums stocking.
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/search/label/Visions%20of%20Sugarplums%20by%20Jean%20Hilton

Here is how it looks finished.
http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/1998/Correz.php

http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/1999/sugarplums.php

My personal favorite stitch Jean created is the Chilly Hollow Stitch (bet you can guess why!).  This stitch has endless variations--you can use it to hold shisha mirrors, fill the center with beads or make bullions out of overdyed Kreinik which is a FABULOUS look, you can make a starburst or triangle from it, etc.  Have fun experimenting.  The first link is Jean's base stitch diagrammed by Carole Lake.  The second is Ro Pace's diamond shaped variation.
http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2002/Mar.php

http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2011/may.php

Of course every geometric pattern designer today (Michael Boren, Ro Pace, Orna Willis and Jim Wurth are great examples) owes Jean a great debt.  She knew and encouraged many of them.  They are Jean's design kids just like we are her stitching buddies.  She wouldn't have it any other way.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 19, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Do It Yourself Stitch People Book

I stumbled across a mention of this cross stitch design book on Facebook. It's a mix and match faces, skins, hairstyles, etc. book intended for cross stitch but if you don't mind the pixelated style, this would be a fun way to create personalized people in Christmas ornaments or to teach kids to stitch their families.  There are also cats and dogs in many breeds to add your pets to the family portrait and there is an alphabet to use to label everything or add your family name or catch phrase.  You can get a glimpse inside the book by clicking on the various photos.
http://stitchpeople.com/products/cross-stitch-pattern-design-book

The StitchPeople company also does custom portraits and kits for those who want some of the work taken out of the process.
http://stitchpeople.com/collections/all

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March 3, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Pam's Table

Pam is raving about her new custom display table for a canvas she is stitching for her daughter.  The builder has an Etsy shop where you can see Pam's table.  The wood is reclaimed and she says the carpenter was great to work with.  Thanks for the recommendation, Pam!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/222933319/needlepoint-display-table-display-table?ref=favs_view_1

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 17, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.