Debbie at the Last Minute

Debbie at Painted Pony posted a bit about her design process and in the process, shows off her newest angel (a crazy quilt angel) for the January TNNA show.
https://debbieppd.wordpress.com/2016/12/30/after-midnight/

Her angels don't look like last minute designs, do they?
https://www.paintedponyneedlepoint.com/designs.htm

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 30, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The New Loretta Spears Design

Last year when I was sorting through a bunch of Loretta Spears mystery design charts that had been donated to me to give away to Loretta's fans, I stumbled across a real treasure--a chart of a design I'd never heard of.  It's a one page free design dated 1993 meant to promote Needle Necessities threads which are used in the project.  The design is untitled except "A Design By Loretta Spears" is at the top of the page.  So that's what I call it.  More about this design is on the Loretta Spears blog.
http://lorettaspears.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-needle-necessities-chart.html

I am starting to stitch this so I'll have photographs for the article about the design.  You can follow along here.
http://lorettaspears.blogspot.com/2017/01/a-design-by-loretta-spears-free-chart.html

As a special bonus, Pat Miller is also stitching this piece.  She is sticking closer to the original instructions than I am.  You can watch her progress on her blog.  This should take you to all her postings about this piece but if not, just click on A Design By Loretta Spears in the right hand column where she lists all the pieces she has stitched.
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/search/label/A%20Design%20by%20Loretta%20Spears

Unfortunately, the copyright on this new design still belongs to Loretta's heirs, not Needle Necessities' heirs, so this design cannot be copied and distributed.  Loretta's family, following her wishes, will not sell her copyright or allow her designs to be distributed.  The best I can do is stitch it for you to see.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 9, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Silken Trinket Box

If you have been drooling over Tricia Nguyen's classes on how to make reproduction 17th Century stumpwork boxes but the prices are a bit more than you can justify, there's good news. Tricia is going to have a class on a smaller and simpler box, done in tent stitches on linen, but using many of the same materials used for the fancier stumpwork boxes and mirrors.  You can read about the kit and class on her Thistle Threads website and on her blog.
http://thistle-threads.myshopify.com/products/silken-trinket-box

http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2017/01/join-stitch-along-with-trinket-box.html

But don't dawdle.  There are only 100 box kits available as the linen that covers them is no longer available.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 10, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Mythic Crafts: New Source for Slate Frames UPDATED AGAIN

If you are in the market for a well-made slate frame, then you'll want to look over the Etsy shop of Mythic Crafts AB.  Tanja Berlin, trained at the Royal School of Needlework, raves about these Canadian products.
https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/MythicCraftsAB

These are completely hand made.  You can even have them engraved with your name or stitching motto.  Very very nice!

UPDATE:  Mary Corbet reviews and raves about this brand of slate frame here.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2017/03/slate-frame-for-embroidery.html

MORE UPDATES, this time from The Unbroken Thread:
http://www.theunbrokenthread.com/blog/2017/03/16/story-mythic-crafts-slate-frames-part-1/

http://www.theunbrokenthread.com/blog/2017/03/17/give-away-story-mythic-crafts-slate-frame-part-2/

LATEST UPDATE:  Mythic Crafts has a new and fabulous website.
https://mythiccrafts.com

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 15, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

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.