More about Beading NP Canvas

Rittenhouse has written another of their fascinating articles about needlepoint.  This one is very topical given I just unloaded a ton of beading tips here on Blog.  Rittenhouse adds a lot to what I said in this fascinating article.
http://rittenhouseneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2011/06/bead-embroidery.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

More Trees on Tulle: The Cedars

Left Cedar Tree

The cedar trees on this piece are tall and narrow so I went looking for a stitch that was upright and skinny, just like the trees.  I found the perfect stitch in June McKnight's Plants and Animals in Needlepoint (a great book if you are stitching flora and fauna and critters, by the way).  I'm calling the trees that are on either side of the fish topiary cedars, by the way, and they were both stitched with one ply of the same thread-- Soie Crystale 8092.  This is also the same thread used on the big spruce tree on the right side.

Tall Straight Cross

The stitch I choose is called Tall Straight Cross.  It's diagrammed on page 14 of June McKnight's book.  It is a very simple stitch, just rows of long vertical stitches over four threads.  You skip a channel (or two threads) between each long stitch.  The second step of the stitch is to cover those long stitches in the middle with a shorter vertical stitch over two threads.

In the example above you see the yellow straight stitches I worked from left to right and two horizontal backstitches that I have started working over the middles going from right to left.  You can work the stitch in any way that makes sense to you, however.  The rows above and below the first row interlock so that your canvas is covered with cross shapes.  Because you are using light coverage stitches, some paint shows but this is a much denser stitch than the one used for the juniper bushes last week.

In the photo above the cedar on the left is stitched but the one on the right (which is partly behind the arch of the gate) is not.  That's because I worked it slightly differently, but with the same one ply of the same thread.  I stitched it without doing the horizontal tie down stitches.  In other words, do the yellow stitches in the example without adding the tie downs on top.  This allows more paint to show as this tree has more shading.  It's also easier to compensate the cedar stitches that show between the latticework if you don't have to worry about the horizontal stitches.

Doing the first half of Tall Straight Cross is the same as during Parisian stitches.  Many stitches are created by not doing steps in another stitch.  Here's a photo of both cedar trees done.

Next time I'm probably going to work the short juniper bushes to the right and left of the cat topiary but I haven't decided yet.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

A Temple For Suzy

The Framed Model

Suzy asked me to post a photo of the finished Temple of 1000 Cranes.  So here they are!

Finished but Unframed

This is a canvas by Leigh Designs, one of her series of eight fantasy pagodas.  This is the first one Leigh designed.
http://www.leighdesigns.com/Grp714x.html

Roof and Trees Closeup

These are big canvases, 11x14 on 18 count, so it is hard to get a good photo but here are some closeups of several areas.  My personal favorite part is the temple itself, particularly the roof.

Rocks and stone steps closeup

The stone steps and rocks turned out particularly well, though.  The design was stitched with light coverage stitches and I didn't stitch the background much at all.  If Leigh hadn't talked me out of it, I would not have stitched the big tree in the background on the right at all but Leigh thought it would look better if it were stitched to match the left big tree.

One Last View of Everything

Hope you enjoyed the show, Suzy!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Kelly Clark Speaks

Actually the fact that she can speak at all--much less blog--is pretty impressive a few days after the madness that is a TNNA wholesale market!  But speak she does, showing off her newest designs.  Click on each photo for a better view.
http://kellyclarkneedlepointhandbook.blogspot.com/2011/06/tnna-summer-wholesale-market_17.html
Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com 
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Designer Updates

Jude's Skateboard Witch

Now that the TNNA show in Columbus is over, I've started browsing designer websites, looking for updates of the newest painted canvases.  So far, here's what I've found:

Renaissance Designs has some wonderful little kimono doll kits that might be perfect for teaching that child in your life to stitch.  As usual, their Halloween pieces are wonderful and that standup Patchwork Santa is pretty amazing, too.
http://www.renaissanceneedlepoint.com/new/new.html

Colors of Praise does wonderful birds and flower designs, but look! There's a geisha, too!
http://www.colorsofpraiseart.com/new_designs.html

Amanda Lawford has added some wonderful animal designs, particularly the funny dog pieces starting on page 7.  No geishas were spotted.  :(
http://www.amandalawford.com/products/new1.html

Canvas Candy has new juvenile and Christmas ornament/canvas sets.  (The geisha is under Asian.  LOL)
http://www.jlcanvascompany.com/Juvenile.html

A Dragon's Tale is featuring new fairy tale canvases based on her sister's paintings.  Since I love fairy tale canvases almost as ones with Asian themes, we'll let the lack of a geisha slide here.
http://adragonstaleneedlepoint.blogspot.com/search/label/Fairy%20Tales%20by%20Christine%20Mix

I believe the garden pieces are new also.
http://adragonstaleneedlepoint.blogspot.com/search/label/Gardens

Jude Designs has added some wonderful things to her line.  There's a magnificent Madonna and Child and the totally hilarious Skateboard Witch you see at the top of the page.  No geishas but her 12 Cajun Days of Christmas totally makes up for the lack.
http://www.spicyneedlepoint.com/Christmas_Halloween/default.htm

Finally, Julia's Needleworks has six pages of new designs.  Howl at the Moon Diva will capture some folks' eye while others will be totally charmed by the 3-D prairie dog needlepoint.  There is a Nativity set, a series of fashion plate ladies, Toby jug canvases, and an elephant on a flying carpet.  Fans of Peter Ashe will enjoy looking at his small round Nutcracker ornaments.
http://needleworks.ehclients.com/index.php/private-tradeshow/

Unique New Zealand has some wonderful geometrics and a line of hilarious Keep Calm signs.
http://www.uniquenzdesigns.com/newneedlepoint.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com