Let It Snow!

The newest video from Needlepoint Now magazine is on how to create a snowflake.  (Of course Mother Nature is making those at my house right now but hers won't last long enough for your project.)  You will have to make the video full screen to see what is going on since silver on white doesn't have much contrast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMs4bcQKCK8

Needlepoint Now has created a series of videos to supplement the diagrams that appear in their magazine articles.  You can browse them all on their website, even if you don't subscribe.
https://www.needlepointnow.com/project-information/video-instruction/

Or you can subscribe to their YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChSmve6538WtqlyuLnOs6Zw?spfreload=5

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 24, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Visiting with Dianne UPDATED

This morning I made a visit to the A-Z Needlepoint website that used to belong to the Regal Rabbit. The shop has closed and the owner moved away to be closer to her family now that she's retired but the website has been turned into a personal blog.  UPDATE:  An employee of the Regal Rabbit says that the person posting here isn't Dianne, the owner of Regal Rabbit.  It is possible someone else purchased the domain name and is using it.

It was fun to listen to her talk about stitching a bit and the role it has in her life now and in the past.  I think you might enjoy listening, too.  Just get a favorite beverage, settle yourself down with your Internet device and enjoy.
http://www.a-z-needlepoint.com

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 23, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

When Beads Go Bad-Substitute!

Recently I obtained a used copy of the instructions for Gay Ann Roger's Queen Elizabeth 1 heart.  Gay Ann's hearts are usually sold with a bead and threads kit but of course since someone already stitched this, they weren't included with my design.  So I had to improvise, using what I had here in my stash.    For comparison purposes, here is the Queen Elizabeth 1 heart, stitched beautifully by Beth as Gay Ann intended, using Gay Ann's threads and beads.  Click on the photograph for a good look.
http://bethsneedleworkstash.blogspot.com/2013/01/heart-of-elizabeth-stitched.html

My heart is not nearly as elegant!  After all, the pulled work wouldn't pull on Congress cloth so I abandoned pulled work for gathered Flair.  I cannot replicate the necklace exactly, either, since the beads I have here are not the same sizes or shapes.  So I tried to improvise.

My Heart, with Wonky Central Necklace Area

You can see the start of my necklace above.  Beads are wiggly things in general but I found it very hard to keep mine straight.  The sizes weren't quite right and even though I went through all the beads several times and backstitched around them, they still are not quite straight.  Part of this is because my new eyes after cataract surgery don't do close work perfectly.  (Dazor lamp here I come!)  Part is also due to the fact that I was hurrying.  I'd heard from various folks that the necklace was the hardest part of the whole design anyway.  I believe them.  So what to do?  Keep trying?

Nope, I have a Secret Weapon which you see on the right side of the heart, just sitting there.  That, my friends, is a Sundance Golden Square #BDS-MA006A.  It is from Sundance's new line of Metallic Accents!  You can see most of them here, although the Golden Squares aren't shown yet.
http://www.sundanceneedleworks.com/catalog.php?LimitRows=all

My Heart After Sundance Came to the Rescue

Looks a lot better now, doesn't it?  Golden Squares cover an area about 5 threads high and 5 wide on 18 count needlepoint canvas.  My heart is on Congress cloth, where the Golden Squares cover an area a bit more than 6 threads high and wide.  There's a lot more to do to finish this necklace and then I need to do the second pearl necklace but now I feel a lot better about how it looks.

The moral of the story is that when beads go bad, you can sometimes find a great substitute for your look.

By the way, there is good news for those who love Gay Ann Roger's varied heart designs.  She is stitching more for her traditional February sale.  Keep an eye on her website for news about the sale dates. Gay Ann only has 2-3 sales a year since she needs time to stitch.
http://www.gayannrogers.com/index.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 7, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Ultrasuede for Ornament Backing (and More)

Those who do their own ornament finishing will be happy to hear I've discovered another source for Ultrasuede.  Micro-Stitchery is a source for miniature doll house rug charts so the pieces of Ultrasuede available are two and four inches square, but this is perfect for small ornament finishing  (or for small appliqués) and a lot of colors are available.
http://microstitchery.com/a_ultrasuede_1.html

Have fun browsing the charts after you pick out the right fabric squares for your finishing.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 21, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Learn Long and Short Shading

Trish Burr has made a series of video tutorials to help folks learn long and short shading, sometimes called needle painting here in the U.S.   She also has a video on padded satin stitch, which you may also find useful.
https://trishburr.com/tutorials/

Thank you, Trish!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 14, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.