Most Wanted

This week I mentioned the Nordic Santa piece by As You Like It that set off a stampede of stitchers who wanted that design for their very own.
http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/1998/Legler.php

There are other designs that were equally popular which also set off a shopping frenzy.  I thought it would be fun to list the ones I remember and ask readers to post the ones they remember being wildly popular.  I'm curious just what these pieces have in common, if anything.

The first "Best Seller" I remember learning about was Marnie Ritter's plate series.  These designs were featured in the new defunct Needlepoint News/Needlepoint Plus magazine.  You can find these on eBay still and Marnie continues to publish new charted designs in Needlepoint Now magazine.  I love these designs and have the original Aurora Borealis kit in my stash.  You can see it as well as one of the other plate designs here.
http://www.needleart.org/LAA/Ritter.php

Here's Marnie's website, by the way.  Although the older plate designs aren't listed, I think you can probably still charm her into kitting some of them up for you.
http://www.mritter.com/

The other counted canvaswork designs that set up a buying frenzy every time a pattern shows up on eBay are the mystery designs by Loretta Spears.  Here is a prize winner from the 2001 ANG Seminar Exhibit.  I'm sorry, but I don't remember which mystery this was.
http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/2001/fascination.php

Libby Sturdy's Wine Country Santa was also a big hit.  Libby's pieces are line drawn canvases that come with instructions.  You have to supply the threads.  To see Wine Country Santa (Libby says it put both her kids through college), click on Products on the left, and then browse the list of titles. Click and there you go!
http://www.justlibbydesigns.com/

SharonG set off a storm when she introduced her Tuscan landscape series several years back.  You can see them all by working your way through four pages of her Landscape and Abstract designs on her website.
http://www.sharong.com/catalog/landscape/index.html

The same thing happened when Melissa Shirley introduced her Wild Women designs.  She continues to add to the series. There are even some Wild Men included now!
http://melissashirleydesigns.com/gallery/?cat=64

Recently, Leigh Designs' Floozies (aided by stitch guides and thread packets from ThreadworX) have been wildly popular.
http://www.leighdesigns.com/Grp489x.html

Ok, now your turn.  What designs do you remember taking the Needlepoint World by storm?

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

Tidbits From All Over

Many needlepointers are members of the Embroiders Guild of America and get the quarterly magazine from EGA.  Looks like EGA is going to start posting photos and information that they didn't have room for in Needle Arts online.  Here's the first tidbit, which adds to the December 2010 issue article on Agecroft Hall.
http://www.egausa.org/scripts/blog/?p=100


Need gift ideas for the counted canvasworker on your gift list?  Scarlet Thread has plenty of ideas for your friends, relatives and even yourself.
http://stitchything.blogspot.com/


Speaking of counted thread, Laura Perin has new ornaments based on her fabulous quilt patterns.  The second link is to correct a typo in the thread list.
http://two-handedstitcher.blogspot.com/2010/12/fast-and-festive.html


http://two-handedstitcher.blogspot.com/2010/12/ooops.html

Want to see a sweet Santa?  Ridgewood Needlepoint has a customer with a darling finished example ready to be made into a standup.
http://ridgewoodneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2010/12/mandas-santa.html

We've all been trying to help Sandy pick a background for her dragon.  Janet Perry writes about picking background stitches for the Christmas tree she is finishing.
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/trimming-the-tree-background-choice

Finally, Patt and Lee Designs talks about getting new stitch painted designs ready for the January trade show. I am always fascinated about glimpses of the businesses who create the wonderful things we need to stitch and I hope you find this fascinating, too.
http://pattandleedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/12/status-updates.html

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

The Dragon - Part Five UPDATED (The Last of the Background)

Leigh Designs' European Dragon

After I sprang all those background stitches on Sandy, she did a little test stitching and then wrote back, "Wow, so hard to chose - I think I like the first one you showed that was kind of an eye and I also like interlocking dragon teeth ( I think that what you called it on the white pots) and the stitch on the prickly pear cactus in that order. The eye one looks like it would be fun to stitch. I'm not afraid of compensating stitches, learned how do to that in my formal life as a model stitcher for a x-stitch designer."

Here are the three stitches Sandy liked again, working from her favorite to her least favorite.

"Eye" stitch on base of bird wings-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sundance_designs/5042488079/

Sundance's Eye Stitch

UPDATE:  I've found several very similar stitches in Brenda Hart's books, but not exactly like this, so I have diagrammed it on black plastic canvas for Sandy.  In the photo above, each stitch is over 6 threads.  You do four vertical stitches in a row, then "stair step" up three stitches by one thread each stitch.  Once you get to the third stair step stitch, do three more straight stitches in a row just like that third step.  Then you step down three stitches, and then do three more stitches just like the third stair step.  When you reach the end of the row,  turn the canvas upside down and do the next row just the same way.  Turning the canvas makes each row a mirror image of the last.  Once you have finished a few rows, fill in the empty "eye" holes with straight stitches.  Sandy probably will use the same thread for the curved rows as she uses for the eye but one could use a metallic for the eye for a bit more sparkle.  I'll call this stitch the Sundance Eye Wave in honor of the Sundance folks who used it on their stylized bird.  Sandy will have to play around with this to see if she should shorten the vertical stitches to covering 4 threads instead of 6 and how much thread she'll need to cover the canvas.

Spiky stitch that looks like dragon spikes or feathers, background right under the spear the figure holds-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sundance_designs/5043108964/

UPDATE:  This appears to be Slanted Gobelin stitch, five stitches stacked vertically facing another five stitches that slant the other way.  Skip a thread and do another / \ pair.  Ruth Dilts diagrams this stitch on page 25 of her Needlepoint 101 book.  In her book the slant covers two boxes (or three threads, depending on how you count) but as used by Sundance it appears to cover three boxes (or five threads).  This is a good stitch to play with to find the perfect amount of thread to cover and the right size for one's canvas.  However, because this stitch skips a thread, it won't cover the background entirely, which might be a problem for Sandy.  Enlarge the photo in the Sundance album and see what you think, Sandy.

The optical cubes stitch on the catcus-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sundance_designs/5043106912/

UPDATE: I found this in More Stitches for Effects, page 43.  Suzanne Howren and Beth Robertson and call it "Fancy Stitch."  It is diagrammed turned another way but if you turn the page so that the right side is on top, it is the same stitch.

Now we all need to go through our stitch books and find examples of these stitches.  Post in the comments (or email me directly at chilly hollow athotmail dotcom) when you find one so Sandy will know which book you found it in.

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

Christmas and More

Because this is the Christmas season and Christmas is a religious holiday for us Christians, I wanted to post the link to Mary Corbet's article comparing two bishop mitres, both embroidered but created at least a hundred years apart.  We forget about the history of our craft sometimes and that decades from now, someone will be looking at various versions of As You Like It's Nordic Santa piece that was so popular several years back and thinking the same thoughts as Mary.  So tuck a note about the piece you are stitching inside the frame or pillow so that years from now, folks will know a bit about you and the piece you worked on for so long!
http://www.needlenthread.com/2010/12/a-tale-of-two-embroidered-mitres.html

(Here's Nordic Santa if you missed it.)
http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/1998/Legler.php

In other Christmas news, Kathy's set up her Christmas tree using the German style of real lit candles.  Then she embroidered one.  If you need a little Christmas spirit, pull out some spare canvas and stitch your own tree, particularly if you aren't putting one up this year.
http://www.theunbrokenthread.com/blog/2010/12/08/two-candlelit-christmas-trees/

Are you looking for the perfect gift?  Consider Kreinik's fly tying thread assortment or take advantage of the free laptop sleeve pattern to stitch up one for your favorite computer lover.
http://kreinikthread.blogspot.com/2010/12/unusual-gifts-for-him.html

Need a quick stitched gift?  Janet Perry reviews the new DebBee Designs needlepoint necklaces.
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/needlepoint-necklaces-product-review

Know someone who wants to learn to tat?  The Stitching Destashing blog has a wonderful array of tatting items for sale at a very good price.  Do a little browsing and you'll enjoy seeing other stitching bargains.
http://stitchingdestashing.blogspot.com/2010/12/beginning-tatting-kit.html

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

Another Day, Another Sale Announcement

Starting December 12, Fireside Stitchery plans a 20 percent off sale.  Every in-stock item except for books and magazines is on sale.  (Threadaholic alert:  This stop stocks lots of threads!)  The sale continues for two weeks until December 23.  If you shop via their website, make sure you enter the "20pctoff" code to get the discount.  If you shop over the phone, tell the staff you are taking advantage of the sale.
http://www.firesidestitchery.com/fs/contactUs/index.cfm

If you know of other sales, post a Comment here or email me at chilly hollow at hot maildotcom.  This is the time of year many shops have discounted sales to clear out their inventory for the year before the January trade show when they order new items.

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