Making Bookmarks

Jan Sprague is having fun working on an original Bargello design, but when she gets stuck, she makes a bookmark from leftover threads and canvas pieces. It's a nice way to keep one's hands busy with something useful while thinking through a design problem.
https://stitchlady.wordpress.com/2017/05/08/bookmarks-3/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 8, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Needlepoint.com's A La Carte Retreat Report

I thought you'd love to hear about the annual retreat that Needlepoint.com holds each year.  This year the retreat was held in Raleigh close to Needlepoint.com's shop.  The canvases taught are from the Burnet and Bradley, Kirk and Bradley and Elizabeth Bradley lines, which are owned by the company that also owns the shop, by the way.  The designers are all different, so there is a lot of variety on offer and plenty of classes you can mix and match to suit your own desires.
http://stitchstyleblog.com/2017/03/kicking-off-retreat/

http://stitchstyleblog.com/2017/03/day-two/

Planning for the 2018 retreat is already underway.  Check Needlepoint.com's website for the latest information.
https://needlepoint.com/retreat.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March 19, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Following the Path to a Background and More (Angel with Tree)

Last time I choose stitches and materials for the Angel with Tree's hair, skirt and jacket, skin, and snowflakes.  I promised to talk about where I started stitching, what choices I made, what worked and what didn't, and how I altered my path as I worked on this design.

Face and Hair

The easiest part of stitching people is to work their faces.  There are pitfalls to make a face look right, but those probably are generally related to stitching the eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth.  I tent stitched my face using various shades of cotton floss.  Then I added the features with bits of brown wool, black Kreink and burgundy floss.  I suggest that after you work an eye, you carefully consider what you have done, then rip out if necessary.  Even one stitch will make a huge difference.  I often add either a reverse tent stitch or a straight vertical or horizontal stitch to an eye or mouth to make it look right.  In this case the nose paint showed through the pale pink floss so I didn't bother to stitch the nose.  The eyebrows were done in stem stitches using the lighter brown thread I used for my hair.

I like wool and wool-like stitches for hair.  Because my godmother had gentle curls in her brown hair I altered the angel's hair to match.  I found two shades of Medici wool, a Felicity's Garden silk/wool blend, and Vineyard Silk Shimmer (silk with metallic woven in) in my stash and created hair using French Knots and Colonial Knots.  I wanted big, irregular curls so a mix of threads and stitches served to create the look I had in mind.  Some of my French Knots were one wrap, some were two.  All were placed roughly to match the four shades of hair painted.  I particularly like the fact that the Vineyard Silk Shimmer has a bit of metallic in it. That added highlights to the angel's hair.

Next I wanted to tackle my background.  I had a lovely blue Splendor silk matching the background paint and wanted a light coverage stitch that looked like snow.  I chose to make up a stitch around each of the white snowflakes to emphasize the dots of white.

First Background Attempt

But once I had the little diamond motifs in, I was stuck.  What do I do next?  Open stitches?  Solid tent?  Everything seemed WRONG.  I had to face the fact that a fancy background was going to be the star of the show instead of the angel herself.  So I ripped it all out and went with the calmest of backgrounds—brick stitch.

Second Background Attempt

I did compensate around the white dots.  Luckily brick stitch over two is very easy to compensate.  And as you can see, the little tree worked up nicely using leaf stitches dotted with small round gold beads and Swarovski crystal sequins.  Three good ideas out of four ain't bad!  It is all too easy to fall in love with an idea that doesn't work.  Then you are stuck with a piece you can't finish because you cannot bear to rip out that one part that you love--but that doesn't work.  Don't be that stitcher!  Be ruthless when you must!

Today's Stitch Guide Moral:  Don't be afraid to change directions. Staying committed to the wrong path doesn't work.

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

Revisiting Wooly Dreams UPDATED

I imagine a lot of needlepointers aren't familiar with the lovely whimsical designs from Lula Chang of Wooly Dreams..   It's a shame that they aren't more widely available!   Look at these—
http://www.oldworlddesigns.com/artists/WoolyDreams.html

Annie and Company has some pieces in stock…
https://www.annieandco.com/collections/wooly-dreams-design

…and so does Needle Works.  I also see pieces on eBay a lot. They are worth looking for as they are lovingly painted little jewels.
http://www.theneedleworks.com/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=161

But this morning I want you to visit Lula Chang's website and read about her designs, and how she got into needlepoint design.  Start here and read one page a morning, then click on the arrow at the bottom to go to the next.  Lula is great company over your favorite beverage!
http://www.woolydream.com/WDtextHowdesign.html

UPDATE:  I have been told that Lula Chang died in 2014.  What a loss!  My condolences to her family and friends.  Her needlepoint designs are charming. I will have to pick up one while I still can to stitch in her honor.

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

Turning the Fat Cat into B.B. King the Cat

Louise's Needlework has released a new shop newsletter, complete with the story of how the fat cat canvas from Vicky Mount turned into B.B. King.  If you've ever hesitated to change a canvas to suit yourself, read this.
https://siterepository.s3.amazonaws.com/530/newsblastmay2017.pdf

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