Charted and Sideways (April SOTM)

ANG has finally been able to post a charted version of their Stitch of the Month (SOTM) project on their website. If you want to stitch The Glittering Kimono along with Tony Minieri but you aren't comfortable printing out a line drawing, enlarging it, and tracing it onto 18 count needlepoint canvas, visit this link.
http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2009/images/jan-tres.jpg

To see the 2009 Stitch of the Month project (a new stitch each month makes up this fabulous kimono pattern) head to ANG's website and pick the 2009 entries.
http://www.needlepoint.org/Stitch.php

The April stitch (Nobuko Variant) just went up and you see my rendition of it above, stitched in one strand of mauve-pink Impressions, color # 2054. If you are wondering why my stitch is turned sideways, I found it easier to stitch this way. Turned upright the way Tony diagrammed it, I kept missing the count. I finally turned the canvas 1/4 turn so that the left side was on top and stitched Nobuko Variant in vertical rows. Of course you have to turn your diagram also, and you see it turned to the side the same way in the photograph.

It's very pretty. I was a bit worried that Impressions would be too thick for congress cloth (I wanted to use ecru canvas but I didn't have any 18 count) but it looks good. Since this is a mystery project and we don't know what it looks like, I am just posting photos of the various stitched sections for now. Once more of the kimono is filled in, I'll show you more of what my version looks like.

Kudos to ANG for talking the lovely lady who charted this pattern into letting them use it on the website and for tracking down Tony Minieri (who was on the road teaching) for permission to chart his pattern for the counted thread crew!

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Elegant Accessories

Yesterday was the Glitzy Accessories class, today we have antique sewing accessories. And what accessories they are! There are twelve pages, each more beautiful than the last. The swan scissors in their case is just the first delight.

http://www.needleworkantiques.com/gallery_of_needlework_tools.html

I've had a lot of fun this morning reading the descriptions and thinking now I'll know what the sewing tools mentioned in 19th Century novels look like.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Glitzy Accessories and Other Classes

The latest Shining Needle Society class is open for registration. This time your teacher is the fabulous Carole Lake and the project the Glitzy Accessories shown above. You pick your colors, Carole will teach you the rest.

Here, straight from the SNS class announcement, are the details:

"Who: This class is intended for the student who loves to combine threads and stitches, who doesn't mind buying her own supplies, and wants to work on something that is easily finished and that she can actually use! What: A name tag, a tasseled frame weight, a laying tool case a scissor case, a needle book and a scissor fob. Yes, there are SIX items that you can make -- all in the same class! Why: Do-able, finish-able, fun projects with real life uses after class. Learn handling techniques for various threads in unusual places. We will start from the ground up, deciding on sizes and color placement, making guided decisions all the way. Do-it-yourself finishing is included in the class, as well as tassel and twisted cord making. Why not?

You'll love creating these small pieces of useful needleart in Watercolours, Neon Rays or ribbon floss, Kreinik #16 metallic, pearl cotton and beads on colored 18 ct. canvas. You can choose to make all your accessories match by using the same colors and threads, or you can experiment with those wild colors that you've wanted to use, but that don't seem to fit anywhere else. You don't have to buy a kit of threads you may or may not like; you can even raid your stash!

Details: The teacher for this project, Carole Lake, will post pictures of the each accessory as it is being worked, and will be in contact via email during the class. She will answer questions and give advice about all phases of the workshop, including finishing. Because choosing your own favorite threads and colors is an integral part of this class, no kit is offered. The pieces are stitched on 18 count colored canvas, and the threads are generally available. While we would prefer that you consult your own local needlework store, we realize this is not possible for everyone. The teacher will, upon request, provide mail order sources. She will also be available for color consultation via email anytime after you sign up for the class.

A detailed thread list will be mailed to each student upon registration. The amount you will spend for supplies depends on what you can raid from your stash and how many of the accessories you ultimately stitch. The teacher used Watercolours, pearl cotton, Neon Rays, and Kreinik metallic, but you can make substitutions. The pieces are stitched on colored 18 ct. mono canvas, and the canvas color is a part of the design.

Level: All levels, if able to thread a needle and follow stitch diagrams Technique: Canvas Time: Three months What you will get when you register: Your registration fee includes a booklet with comprehensive instructions for stitching and finishing plus full size color photocopies of the pieces.

Design sizes: Name Tag: 4" x 6" (varies with length of name) Scissor Fob 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" Frame Weight 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" Laying Tool Case 2"x 6" (varies with length of tool) Scissor Case 3" x 4" Needle Book 5" x 3"

You will need to provide (a detailed list will be provided but the general requirements are listed below): Canvas and all threads for stitching (you'll have a choice of working the pieces all on one large piece of canvas or on six small pieces) UltraSuede and all threads for finishing Stretcher bars to fit the canvas size(s) you are using Tacks or staple gun to attach the canvas on top of the frame Tapestry needles sizes 18 through 24 Needle for beads, such as a #28 tapestry or a #10 crewel needle The "classroom" for class will be a dedicated mailing list.

You will receive a "lesson" each week for six weeks, plus a finishing lesson. In between lessons, the teacher will be available to answer any questions. In addition, the teacher may post visual aids (stitched samples, expanded charts, etc.) to the Yahoo website.

Class begins May 1st and the online class will run for three months. The total cost for this class is $50 ($55 for international) per student, which includes postage. The instructions contain clear, complete directions for both stitching and finishing. Also included are close-up full size color photos of each piece.

As the class progresses, completed pieces from students who want to submit them will be available so everyone can see the wonderful color combinations. The instructor will mail your booklet to you after your class registration payment is received and processed. Class fee includes booklet with complete instructions for stitching and finishing, postage to mail that booklet to you, teaching fee and SNS administrative fee. Student supplies all stitching materials. This is a great project to use up stash! Students who have previously taken this class may 'audit' the class for $20 using their existing directions. NOTE: With this class, Carole is furnishing a new booklet of instructions for these projects. However, if you took the class before with the old directions, you can still easily follow along with the class. The only reason to acquire the booklet would be to have the fancy new booklet! Payment can be made by check or by credit card using PayPal. To sign up for the class, send an email to the instructor, Carole Lake who is carole@carolelake.com

http://www.carolelake.com/TeachingPieces/Glitzy.htm

and let her know if you would prefer to pay by check or PayPal. Carole will email you the proper invoice for payment. Class begins May 1, so don't delay! We hope you will enjoy this new learning opportunity with Shining Needle Society."

To take the class you need to be a member of SNS but that's the easy part. Just click on the link to SNS's website that you'll find on Carole's class description page. Email the address you see on the SNS site and BINGO! You'll be a member of SNS and able to sign up for any class you like.

The hard part is choosing a class. I plan to post about more class opportunities other places on the WWW shortly. This message is getting too long!

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Dog's Head Morning

Here's a closeup of the floral halo on Holi's head. I basically did a flower at the left end, the middle and then the right end of the halo and filled in with other flowers. If you squint, you can see that some flowers are on top of the halo, some have parts behind the halo, and some are a bit to the side. Starting from the left end of the couched length of Kreinik #32 briad that is the gold bit of the halo, here's what I did:

The red flower was the first one I did. It's in my red Patina thread, but with the perle untwisted and only one part used (I believe Patina divides into three main parts when you unwind it although it is a lot of long filaments and will divide much further). The petals are lazy daisy stitch. The center of the red flower is a bullion in red silk (Splendor if I remember correctly).

The orange flower on top of the red lazy daisy is the last flower I did. It's partly on top of the red one. It is made of two bullions done in the same overdyed yellow and orange Kreinik that is on the boxy overskirt. I love metallic thread bullions, especially in the Kreinik overdyeds! I made sure the bullions were a little longer than would lie smoothly on my fabric so they would curve. I wanted two semi-circles (or as close as I could get) so that I could put beads in the center. The beads are Petite Mill Hill gold beads, again on a short length of thread so they'd not lie flat. I think I added a last bead on top since the mass of beads (all strung on one length of thread) had an empty spot.

The purple flower is the second one I stitched. I used my purple Splendor silk to add three long stitches in roughly a lily shape, then used a single ply of pink silk from my leftover ends to make a French knot on a stalk (I keep the longer bits I cut off until a piece is finished so I can do a single missed stitch from them if necessary). I had to wrap the French knot twice to get a knot large enough to stay on top of the canvas since I was usuing a single ply of silk. Most experienced stitchers say to control the size of your French knot by the thickness of your thread instead of making many wraps of the needle. The base of the purple flower has two more curved bullions in green floss I had for leaves. I ended up finding a single pink bead on the floor near my stitching chair and plonked it between the leaves. It made a nice finishing touch somehow. I guess I was thinking of all the beads I used for hair ornaments on the geishas that are the header and background of Blog now.

The next flower is a coral ribbon rose done with floss. I made five spokes to my wheel, then went over/under the spokes as I circled the center of the "rose." This is also called a spider web stitch. There are a lot of variations of this basic concept, usually based on the number of spokes you use and exactly how you circle them with your thread. This was the next to last flower I stitched as it is partly on top of the last flower on the right.

The last flower on the right end of the halo is actually a small gold sequin topped with an orange bead. I was doodling almost when I tried this. I added green silk (one ply) to tie down the sequin further and add some color as the orange bead didn't reflect it's color on the gold sequin as much as I thought it would. I was afraid the gold sequin would disappear into the gold halo thread underneath. I added two more gold beads at the perimeter of the sequin eventually.

And that's how dogs get floral halos. It's a pretty haphazard process as I tried various things and almost doodled the flowers but you can always rip out. I did decide that the Wisper was a pain when doing flowers on top of it as the long fuzzies would get into my stitches or hide the flower. I ended up trimming fuzz away from the coral rose as it was plainly visible on top of the flower.

I'm busy with the tent stitch background now.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

More Flowers, More Skirt

Holi has a few more flowers on her halo (I'll talk about them when I am sure they are all done) and a couched dividing live between the outer and inner heart-covered skirt.

The couching is one linke of the heavier #16 braid Kreinik, tied down about every three holes with the skinnier #4 very fine braid Kreinik. The next line that was couched had the couched thread start in a different hole, but I skipped three holes to do each tie down. So the effect is staggered, not a straight line of couching. I also decided to remove the outline around Holi's head. Instead, I restitched all the brick stitches with another strand of Wisper. Wisper's very thin (think wispy beard of a very old Asian man) instead of full (think Santa's beard). In the end, the more I stitched on top of the head, the more the fur seemed thin in comparison.

I need to do a lot more tent stitching on the background, so don't expect much to see for a few days. By the way, the colors are off in the image above. I darkened and sharpened the image so you could see the outlines of the unstitched wing, each of the halo's flowers, etc. better.

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow