Making Beaded Stars

Colleen at The Needle Works in Austin goes the extra mile in her Share-a-Stitch weekly blog posting with two stitch diagrams--and one of them shows you how to make a beaded star!
http://www.stitchinginthetexashillcountry.com/the_needle_works/2015/04/share-a-stitch-april-29.html

Thanks, Colleen.  We love this!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 1, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Reading the Label (Kreinik)

Kreinik posted a very useful article on how to read their spool labels.  I am always forgetting what the letters after the numbers mean so I plan to bookmark this.  Thanks, Kreinik!
http://www.kreinikthread.blogspot.com/2012/07/how-to-read-kreinik-label.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 9, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Why You Need to Belong To a Stitching Guild

Mary Waldsmith explains better than I ever could why you need to belong to a stitching guild.
http://owlstitchery.blogspot.com/2015/04/why-join-guild.html

One of the most common questions I hear on Facebook at the Needlepoint Group is whether there's anyone near (fill in the blank city) who'd like to get together and stitch?  The need to hang out with other stitchers is universal.

The American Needlepoint Guild has chapters all over.  If you aren't close to one, they also have a Cyber Chapter available so you can meet online with other stitchers who can't make it to a local meeting.  (Note that ANG is having trouble with their website so be patient if you don't get answers right away.  Their webmaster is trying to fix the issues ASAP.)
http://www.needlepoint.org/membership.php

The Embroiderer's Guild of America also has many chapters including an online one.  Although their focus is broader than needlepoint, they have many needlepointers in their ranks.
https://www.egausa.org/index.php/membership/new-to-ega-start-here

Both organizations have annual seminars and regional meetings as well as local get-togethers.  Both send out inspirational magazines as part of your dues.  Time to sign up and help spread the word about needlepoint and needlework!

Thanks for the reminder, Mary.

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

Sandy and the Skein of Pepperpot

Sandy Arthur just taught her students in her "Harvest" mystery cyber class (pumpkins and grapes and fall flowers from Robbyn's Nest) how to open a skein of Pepperpot silk.  And now she is sharing that tutorial with the rest of us.  Thank you, Sandy!
http://sandyarthur.blogspot.com/2015/05/silk-beautiful-pepper-pot-silk-i-have.html

Here's "Harvest," for those who are curious.  It's a mystery so only her students know how things are progressing....
http://duodesignsinc.com/wpsite/

Not to worry, though.  Once class is over and the mystery solved, Sandy will probably be willing to sell kits to those who missed class.  If you ask nicely, that is.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 7, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Sabbatical and Serenity

Kathy of Needle Delights Originals is taking a break from designing, giving herself a sabbatical to see what happens when she doesn't design counted pieces for a while.  She's still teaching, though, and shows off the class pieces underway when she taught Serenity at her local guild chapter.
http://needledelightsoriginals.blogspot.com/2015/04/serenity.html

I sometimes take a break from my usual practice of stitching every night for 1-3 hours but it never lasts for more than a day or two.  I wonder what would happen...?

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