Ruler for Needlepoint

No, I've not crowned myself Queen of the NP World. I'm talking about a ruler, a measuring stick that Orna Willis found that allows you to measure your piece and learn the number of stitches along a side. It's a real wonder! Here are the details on the E-Z Count Needlepoint-Ruler.
http://ornadesign.blogspot.com/2011/10/why-wasnt-i-told.html

You can buy one from Orna's website and at other places, too.
http://ornadesign.com/v2/shop/notions/


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

Nominate Your Favorite Halloween Canvas

Whether we actually stitch Halloween themed needlepoint or not, we all have seen them everywhere. I know there's a canvas you secretly love, find hilarious, memorable, or just dream of stitching One Day.  I thought it would be fun to nominate our favorite Halloween canvases. Lots easier and quicker than actually stitching them!  Let me start with a nomination for the oddest Halloween canvas I've ever seen--the Yoga Witch from Bongo.
http://rittenhouseneedlepoint.com/index.php/canvas/holiday/halloween/yoga-witch.html

I find the Dashing Devil from Needle Deeva hilariously smug.  This is the full figure, not the candy corn shaped ornament in the Creeps series.
http://rittenhouseneedlepoint.com/index.php/canvas/holiday/halloween/dashing-devil.html


Melissa Shirley's "Pumpkin Pie" in her vintage postcard series for Halloween is a sweet and sentimental approach to the holiday.  All of the little girls in the series are darling but this one is my favorite.
http://rittenhouseneedlepoint.com/index.php/canvas/holiday/halloween/pumpkin-pie.html


If you like more modern, clean designs (and have teenagers or are one at heart), you'll love Stella and Dot from Mile High Princess.
http://bestitchedneedlepoint.com/news-and-updates/things-we-love/

Well, enough about me.  What Halloween canvases have caught your eye?


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

Kamikaze Girls

Beloved and I are big movie watchers and recently stumbled across a cult film from Japan in which embroidery is central to the plot. It's called Kamikaze Girls in the United States and is subtitled. I can highly recommend it for both stitching and non-stitching audiences.  We rented the DVD through Netflix but you might find it via Amazon's movie offerings or other places.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416220/

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

Threadaholics Alert!

Ridgewood Needlepoint has just announced a thread sale.  Skeins are $1.00 each.  No pushing or shoving necessary, just check their website to see what threads are available.
http://www.ridgewoodneedlepoint.com/thread-240.htm

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

Backgrounds in Blackwork

Janet Perry just posted about using blackwork patterns for backgrounds on her blog. 
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/blackwork-as-backgrounds

Both blackwork and darning patterns make nice backgrounds but be careful.  Not every thread is suited for this, so you have to choose not only the right color but the right weight/diameter of the thread.  You also have to be very careful to anchor your threads well and use long lengths to stitch with so that you don't find yourself having to end/begin a thread in the middle of a long row.

I've also found it difficult to work a blackwork pattern on top of tent stitches.  Perhaps it is just me, but counting out a pattern on top of tent stitches is much harder than counting out a pattern on bare needlepoint canvas.  I'm not saying don't use these patterns;  I'm just saying they are not like regular background stitches.

Joan Thomasson uses a lot of blackwork-type patterns on the dresses of her angel ornaments.  She recommends using less thread for the tent stitch base under the patterns and that seems to work well for me.  If you are not familiar with Joan's angels, you can see a great many of them on her website.
http://www.stitchinstuff.com/ProductCategories.aspx


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