Florentine TV

Anna Pearson has a new YouTube channel! You can learn more about how she choose Florentine as her YouTube topic here.
http://anna-pearson-needlepoint.blogspot.com/2019/11/making-my-first-youtube.html

She's starting out with "An Introduction to Florentine" for those who love or who are just interested in learning about Bargello-type stitches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUvphha_FKY

Anna shows the materials you need to stitch your own Florentine pillow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U698iDzVqTk

Here is how you work the first row.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXlbwg0C2AA

Help picking colors.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sYj9iMRAz8

Help making it into a pillow or box top with tips for finding the right fabric or box.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h__eZQEiCM

All the pillows in the background are her own designs, plus she makes doing a pillow look really easy.    If you are charmed, you can see more Bargello (including free charts) online at these sites.
https://www.needlepointteacher.com/stitches/numbered-a-b/bargello/

https://www.needlework-tips-and-techniques.com/bargello.html

http://www.nordicneedle.net/guides/stitching-techniques-guides/canvaswork-needlepoint/bargello-canvaswork/#.XWAB-C2ZN3k

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 23, 2019 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Help Purchasing a Lighted Magnifier

Dazors are the gold standard of lighted magnifiers. They are expensive but very long lasting.  For those who are considering a purchase but who don't understand the terminology of lenses, or who are confused about which model will suit them, or what diopter means, Dazor has an information page useful for anyone considering a magnifier, whether you end up with a Dazor model or not.
https://www.dazor.com/choosing-a-lighted-magnifier.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright July 3, 2019 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Gay Ann Rogers' Sale Starts Today

If you are a fan of Gay Ann Roger's designs, her sale starts tomorrow, October 17, 2019.
http://www.gayannrogers.com/pre-week-.html

Gay Ann does counted canvaswork and her designs are usually stitched on either 18 count or Congress cloth.  We know that three samplers will be available (The Flowers of Spring, Echos II  Tudor Rose Sampler, and Drawn Thread Sampler) plus she has new designs that will be available.  Of course there will be more old favorites, and it looks like Carolyn Meachum will sell antique needlework tools as well in the Saturday Surprise Windows.  

Stay tuned!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright September 9, 2019 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Learning To Create Perfect Padded Satin Stitch Circles

If you ever wanted to create a nice round circle on your canvas with padded satin stitch, Anna Scott has a lovely short tutorial on her website.
http://annascottembroidery.blogspot.com/2019/08/doodle-stitching-going-dotty-on-satin.html

Anna mostly does crewel on linen but if you use a sharp needle, you can replicate her circles on needlepoint canvas.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 21, 2019 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Using the Binding Stitch on a Belt Canvas

I've finished all the basketweave on my belt canvas so now I need to finish the edge with binding stitch.  Not all belt finishers want a binding stitch, so check with your finisher or the shop that is arranging finishing for you first.  Some will want two extra rows of tent stitches instead.  I like the binding stitch, however, and the finisher I'm using does as well, so I have to master it before I can send my belt out.

I found several tutorials on doing the binding stitch on a belt.  Note that she counts holes, not threads, when figuring out where each part of the binding stitch goes.  You may prefer to count threads as I do, but it's easy to just count two threads instead of three holes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niT5P--H35U

Here's another video.  She folds the raw edge down, which might make it easier for you to count or stitch the binding stitch.  I find it a little too easy to get my thread twisted if I turn down the edge myself to work this way.  There's great information on starting/ending a thread here whether you use her turn over technique or not.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXFSMtRsAwU

M's Canvashouse also has a good video by Tink Boord-Dill.  I think this "back three, up one" technique is the fastest way to work binding stitch.  The video makes clear that you always work from the right towards the left and that you only bind the two long edges, not the ends of the belt canvas.  I used this technique to work my binding stitch.  But pick the technique that works best for you.  Like much in needlepoint, there isn't one right way to do binding stitch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6kenW41SbQ

If you prefer the written word in a tutorial, Serendipity has a nice write up.
https://www.serendipityneedleworks.com/needlepoint-binding-stitch/

Many thanks to Hingham Square Needlepoint, Serendipity Stitch, M's Canvashouse and Eye of the Needle for help with binding stitch.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright October 10, 2019 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.