No St. Charles Report--Yet

Lupe, from Tapestry Fair

So far I haven't found seen any online updates about new goodies from the St. Charles needlework show. So you'll have to make due with information about the next historical needlework class from Tricia Nguyen which she is teaching at Williamsburg this winter.  Start reading about the new threads and the project at the September 21st entry, then come forward and stare at the new threads created for this project.  Wonderful!
http://thistle-threads.com/blog/

Ridgewood Needlepoint has a great photo of the new large Lee leather bag with small round canvas, suitable for a monogram.
http://ridgewoodneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2010/09/hooked-on-bags.html

The Point of It All has banker clips to hold a rolled canvas in position in case you prefer stitching "in hand" instead of putting your canvas on stretcher bars.
http://blog.thepointofitallonline.com/2010/09/save-your-hands.html

If you love threadwinders, you'll want to see what Monica has in her online store--little silvery ornate winders that look like a cross between snowflakes and Celtic crosses.
http://www.mymarkdesigns.com/catalog.php?item=98

Tapestry Fair has posted photos of their two new Day of the Dead canvases on their website.  These are licensed designs from the New Mexico artist Manual Salas.  I just love Rosa but perhaps you prefer the floral patterns on Lupe (shown above)?  Mexican culture is a mystery to me but I have a soft spot for their cheerful skeletons that celebrate Death and the love of life that lingers after we are gone.
http://tapestryfair.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57&Itemid=1

Stay tuned for the latest as soon as my spies report in!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Done! Or is it?

Finished?

The Pirate Cat is done!  His head scarf is redone to make it smoother and remove the empty stitches that were just visible under his hat.

So is he finished?  Well, no.    I'd always had A Plan for spicing up the bland background behind the kitten and now's the time to see if the plan will work.

Step One:  Jane grabs her purse and car keys, and heads to the local crafts emporium.  She hunts high and low, then squeaks with joy when she finds Just the Thing.  ON SALE!  [Yes, like the Spinster Stitcher I'm probably going to have to wait until this blows over and the cashiers forget me before setting foot in that crafts emporium again.]

Jane comes home and takes the Pirate Cat off the stretcher bars, then finds her color copy of the canvas, breaks out the goodies from the crafts emporium and this is what she ends up with.

Finished NOW?

But I'm still not done, so the Pirate Cat goes back on the stretcher bars....

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

The St. Charles Report

Things are starting to trickle out of St. Charles, MO (where all the shops and designers and thread makers and so forth are having a party about us--excuse me while I weep).  First up, Gail has taken pity on me and posted another photo of a new ornament, a gingerbread cookie version of the Statue of Liberty.
http://squiggeedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/09/more-st-charles-goodies.html

If you have your September/October 2010 Needlepoint Now, you probably have seen some of the newest things in the ads.  I highly recommend you read the ads.  They are wonderful fun!  By the way, that Pat Mazu mini sock looks like another type of fun and I can't wait to study the next stitch diagrams for the Marnie Ritter sampler.  Excuse me while I go weep over my copy's not having arrived yet.  Looking at it on their website is not the same!
http://www.needlepointnow.com/current_issue.html

Since I am already unhappy about the fun I missed, this is the perfect time to show the class Susan just attended.  Color me VERY jealous!  And a bit intimidated by the stitching.  It is amazing.
http://plays-with-needles.blogspot.com/2010/09/stumpwork-by-jane-nicholas.html

Oh, well, I just updated the Chilly Hollow Stitch Guide site with a photo of O'jishi, an article on Tapestry Fair's new quilt series with stitch guides that includes photos, and a note about June McKnight's creative consultations.
http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com/

Anyone got a hanky?  I need to blow my nose after all that weeping.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

The Pirate Coat's Lace Collar

Is the Pirate Cat done?

The final step in dressing our kitten is the trim on his coat collar.  I wanted something fancy so I thought of doing this in detached buttonhole so that there would be a touch of lace around the edge.  I choose #4 Kreinik to do the job and it worked beautifully.  (However, a couched line of gold metallic would be much easier if detached buttonhole intimidates you and will look almost as good to my eyes.  You know me--I can't resist a challenge, even if there is an easier way that works almost as well.)

Failed Inspection!

The last step with any finished canvas is Final Inspection, particularly if you stitch mostly at night like I do.  I have to check everything closely in the daylight to make sure I didn't miss a stitch, that there are no mistakes, etc.  Sadly, the Pirate Cat failed inspection.  If you click on this closeup, you will see two smudged areas where bare thread intersections show at the edge of the pirate's hat, one on each side.  I need to add a navy blue stitch on the right and a black stitch on the left.  I also am not happy with the left side of the kerchief around the kitten's head.  The stitches are too long in places and broken up in other places.

So tonight I will remove the long blue stitches on the left side, cover the two misses intersections, and then restitch the kerchief.

Hopefully by tomorrow everything will be stitched and I can post progress.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

The St. Charles Gossip

Barbara Bergsten Won't Tell!

The St. Charles Gossip would be me--I have tidbits to share about what designers are going to bring to the St. Charles wholesale market. This is what is known as a Cash and Carry show.  Shops can buy what the designers bring and cart it home with them.  No waiting for things to ship later.  When your shop owner gets back from St. Charles and recovers enough from all the excitement to show up at your LNS, they will have the latest items for you to enjoy.

Barbara Bergsten will be at St. Charles.  She's not telling what she is bringing except for the No Peaking canvas above.  LOL
http://createneedlepoint.typepad.com/create_needlepoint/2010/09/tnnas-fall-needlecraft-market-.html

I've heard that Melissa Shirley is introducing a new artist but there hasn't been even a whisper what the designs will be like.  We'll have to wait and see what she posts on her website this weekend.
http://www.melissashirleydesigns.com/gallery/?bsn=1

Leigh Designs' new series is called Ladies of the Night.  Photos will be revealed on their site Sunday.  I guessed what Leigh was doing so I've seen photos of the series.  It truly isn't like any other painted canvas I've ever seen.  All I'll say is it's on custom canvas....
http://www.leighdesigns.com/

I know that Needle Works isn't going to the St. Charles show but they ordered new designs sight unseen from their favorite designers and promise to post photos on their blog next week as the shipments arrive. So this is going to be a good site to watch.  The Sept. 1 blog entry already shows off Brenda Stofft's newest Halloween designs.
http://theneedleworks.typepad.com/

Speaking of Halloween, Squiggee (Gail Hendrix) has some wonderful new pieces for St. Charles.  There's a witch with a green complexion, and a scardy cat!  And there is a wonderful witch's house, too.
http://squiggeedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/09/st-charles-sneak-peak.html

http://squiggeedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/09/peaking.html

http://squiggeedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/09/still-peaking-at-st-charles.html

Finally, for the counted canvas folks, here are new items from Shakespeare's Peddler.
http://shakespearespeddler.blogspot.com/2010/09/just-facts.html

As things are revealed, I'll post links here as I find out about them.  Until then, how about reading Janet Perry's review of the self-finishing Timeless Tote clutch purses?
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/timeless-totes-self-finishing-clutch-product-review

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow