Horse Country Chic Talks Handbags

If you want a real statement needlepoint piece, stitch a handbag.  Horse Country Chic has a lovely posting up with great photos of various handbag styles.
https://horsecountrychic.blogspot.com/2020/08/creating-needlepoint-handbag.html

I'm partial to Melissa Shirley's purse designs which are usually based on the natural world and to…
http://melissashirleydesigns.com/galsearch/?searchstring=purses&Search=Search&dosearch=

...the big carpet bag styles from Julie Pischke Designs.
https://juliepischkedesigns.com/product-category/carpet-bags/

All these are best done in tent stitches in my opinion.  Otherwise your beautiful stitching will snag as you carry these.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 14, 2020 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Breaking News: Terry Collingham Has Died

There was a notice on Facebook today that Terry Collingham of Colonial Needle has lost her battle with breast cancer.  If you are a regular stitcher, you won't know Terry but she was the president of Colonial Needle which is the owner of Kelly Clark, Lee's Needle Arts, Silver Needle, De Elda and SOS Designs, and the distributor of Prescencia cotton perle and floss, a huge range of needles and much more.

We are really sorry to hear this and send our sympathy to her family.

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

Shop Realities During a Pandemic

Ruth Schmuff has posted a heads up about the realities of buying canvases and taking classes during a pandemic.
https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2020/08/psa/

This is the second time this week I've seen shop owners say there is now a six month wait for canvases you have to order, so do plan ahead now for what you want to stitch this winter.

By the way, designers are having a time, too.
https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.wood.18847876/posts/1620827254743545?comment_id=1623798477779756

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 11, 2020 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Meet the Designer Series from Creative Stitches and Gifts

I just discovered a fun video interview series that Creative Stitches and Gifts is doing on Facebook—Meet the Designer!  These are short videos of designers who live in the Dallas area where the shop is, so you can watch several at a time and see the real person behind the designs you love.  By the way, here's the shop website so you need to do a little online shop visiting today.
http://www.creativestitchesandgifts.com

The first video interview is with Raymond Crawford.
https://www.facebook.com/116234155758/videos/291607368830369

The second features Patricia Sone.
https://www.facebook.com/116234155758/videos/2610480125935103

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 22, 2020 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

How to Compensate in One Easy Lesson

Abigail Cecile has added a brief compensation tutorial to her website.  The little diagram illustrates how to figure out where to end a partial stitch when there's not room for the full thing.
https://www.abigailcecile.com/pages/how-to-compensate

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 11, 2020 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.