Words of Wisdom from Lisa Scottoline

Words of wisdom from Lisa Scottoline—who turns out to be One of Us.
https://www.inquirer.com/life/lisa-scottoline-ralph-waldo-emerson-new-year-20200103.html?fbclid=IwAR0HdzAMjxa__slb6q3oGEK6aHsiDbNHrwgsCvo4jVw490m79rn5hS-tSY0

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 4, 2020 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Reviews: Mary Legallet's New Book UPDATED

Ruth Schmuff has a quick review of Mary Legallet's new book, Mary's Whimsical Stitches.  I understand Needle Bug in Montgomery, Alabama also has copies.
https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2020/01/mary-wrote-a-book/

Here is a bit about it from Mary.
http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/marys-whimsical-stitches

UPDATE:  Here's a review from Amy Bunger.  I didn't realize URLs were included for at least a few of the stitches in the book so you can see colored photos of stitched examples online.
https://www.amysgoldenstrand.com/uploads/7/2/3/6/72364657/0220.pdf

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 18, 2020 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Important Safety Tips for Needle Minders

Judy of HildaBelle Treasures has posted some important safety tips to keep in mind if you use magnetic needle minders.
http://www.needleminders.us/blog/making-things-stick/

You can have fun browsing their gallery of needle minders  Just use them safely.
https://needlemindersus.myshopify.com/collections/all

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 3, 2020 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Ten Tips for Stitching Faces

Gay Ann Rogers starts off 2020 with her ten best tips for stitching faces.
http://www.gayannrogers.com/?fbclid=IwAR1cpm2gfFUvXYpeAYW1NBxomgf8OX7RZ1w7Ifb6FiWUmBXvZmvNemWR0SY

I'm not sure how long this will be available so I am going to quote Gay Ann here:

Ten Tips for Stitching Faces in Needlepoint

"The single most common question I am asked: how to make a pretty face in needlepoint. 

Here are what I hope will be Ten helpful Tips.

1. Stop and think about the typical needlepointed face. I have made faces just 7 stitches wide; the largest I do is usually 30-35 stitches wide. Because there aren't many stitches in which to accomplish a large amount of information, each stitch shows up as larger than you might expect. Keep the thread you use light in weight, soften the colors and keep the details simple and suggestive. Ugly faces usually happen in needlepoint because of too many heavy clunky contrasting stitches and lines. Keep gradations from one stitch to another low in contrast so that transitions aren't harsh.

2. The above is particularly true of noses. Keep noses light in line and detail. Google ‘illustrations of pretty faces’ and you will often see a nose suggested by a tip and two arcs for nostrils. Avoid making noses with heavy contrasting outlines stitched in black from each brow to nostril.

3. Pay attention to the shape of the line defining the face, usually a pleasing oval shape wider at the forehead, narrower at the chin .If you outline the face, do not use a color that is very contrasty with the color of the skin: a black line around a face filled with soft flesh color is too contasty. Consider changing the outline to a flesh color only slightly darker than the flesh color for filling.

4. Blend in suggestions of cheeks rather than choosing bright pink ovals or circles, unless you are creating a cartoonish character. If the face is very small, consider eliminate the cheeks all together.

5. As a rule, pretty means wide-set eyes, each eye with a slight upturn. Take advantage of a stitching a slight upturn if you have that choice.

6. Remember to make eyes ’see’. They need a dot of white. I see so many eyes in needlepoint without the white ahd they always look blind. (We don’t have these ‘dots of white’ but our eyes are aways bathed in liquid and the light reflects off the liquid).

7.  If you are faced with a choice of making the eyes slightly larger or slightly smaller, often slightly larger is a good choice.

8. If you are faced with a choice of making a forehead slightly taller or slightly shorter, often slightly taller is a good choice.

9. Needlepoint faces are usually stitched in Tent Stitch because the area for a face is so small and Tent Stitch is the smallest stitch. Tent stitch, depending on the slant, can create a jagged edge which in some circumstances can disfigure a feature.  Remember you can reverse the direction of a Tent Stitch, thereby smoothing out jagged details. This is particulary helpful on eyes and mouth.

10.  Overstitches can be your best friends: you can use them effectively to soften jagged lines, particularly helpful for eyelids and a mouth and for the suggestion of a nose. The trick to overstitching on faces: very light weight thread not too contrasting in color."

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 3, 2020 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Mario Bautta Auction UPDATED

Horse Country Chic has alerted us to the auction of Mario Buatta's estate next week, which will include his needlepoint pillows.
http://horsecountrychic.blogspot.com/2020/01/mario-buatta-auction-coming-later-this.html

His chintz fabrics were Must Haves in the 1980s and I think his style will come back again.  Sotheby's is holding the auction.  You can browse the two part catalogue online but the auction items will be on display in Manhattan before the sale if you are in the area.
https://www.sothebys.com/pdf/2019/N10304_Vol_1/index.html

https://www.sothebys.com/pdf/2019/N10304_Vol_2A/index.html

UPDATE:  One lot of needlepoint animal pillows sold for $17,500 USD.
http://horsecountrychic.blogspot.com/2020/01/mario-like-needlepoint-animal-pillows.html

UPDATE #2:  A second auction of Mario Buatta's estate is scheduled for March 13-14, 2020.  There are a few pillows and quite a few framed needlepoint designs, particularly of dogs.
https://auctions.stairgalleries.com/auction/the-collection-of-mario-buatta-12579/lots/?search=display

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 2, 2020 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.