Happy Thanksgiving Stitching

Nothing is cuter than the turkey stand up collection Sue has posted for us today.
http://sudukc.wordpress.com/2013/11/27/thanksgiving-2/

Or the turkey Ridgewood has on display.
http://ridgewoodneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2013/11/blog-post_27.html

Or the turkey pillow from Tapestry Fair.
http://tapestryfair.blogspot.com/2013/11/a-thanksgiving-surprise.html

Hope you are having a Thanksgiving full of fun and family and food.  If you aren't, remember that those who are envy you the peace and quiet and time to stitch.  And you belong to the family of stitchers, even if you have no blood ties.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Up To No Good, Obviously UPDATED

I love reading needlepoint blogs--I keep up with what everyone's up to that way! Naturally they are all up to no good.... 

First of all,  Linda of Stitching Sisters went to Memphis.  What's in Memphis, you say?  That's where Amy's Golden Strand is located  Linda was there on a Rent Amy Bunger visit and she had a BLAST!
http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/2013/11/what-has-linda-been-doing.html

Sandy Arthur is busy plotting how her first mystery class will work.  She is getting shops together to help people without a local needlepoint emporium find their supplies.  What fun!  It's not only a mystery class, but a scavenger hunt for supplies!  This is the sort of class I love as I enjoy scrounging around for supplies in my ample stash, substituting interesting threads and finding things I want to do a little differently.
http://sandyarthur.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-mystery-of-yolanda-more-and-more-of.html

Ruth Schmuff is a veteran of mystery classes and owns Bedecked and Beadazzled in the Baltimore suburbs, so her class mailings come with everything.    If you really need Fun-In-A-Box, this is the class for you.  Ruth is currently working on a Birdy Christmas.  If you like whimsical with bright colors and embellishments, this is the class for you.

http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2013/11/too-much-fun.html

UPDATES:  Here are the latest touches to Ruth's Birdy Christmas.  Who knew that something so silly and fun was also a tutorial on how to make parts of a canvas come forward and recede?!
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2013/12/santa-bird.html

http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2013/12/what-surprise.html

http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/01/the-bluebird-of-christmas.html

http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/02/big-bird-is-here.html

So, what have YOU been up to lately?  Don't blog?  Just tell us in the Comments below (or email me at chilly hollowat hotmaildotcom and I'll post for you).

By the way, HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY!
http://needlepointland.com/2013/11/25/basting-the-turkey/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

All I Can Say Is WOW

I usually try to have something special for holidays to share, so this morning I'm introducing you to Nerdbroidery and her "Shadows of the Apt" embroidery and stump work.  I've never heard of Adrian Tchiakovsky and his series.  Anyone read them?  Actually, it doesn't matter if you have because we certainly will understand the skill and work put into the piece she stitched based on images and themes from the book, even if the characters are unknown to us.
http://nerdbroidery.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/bugs-and-the-shadows-of-the-apt/#more-51

Enjoy!  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

New Santas Just in Time for Christmas UPDATED

Just in time for Christmas, Leigh Designs has released four new designs, from a planned series of eight Russian Santas.   Each Santa is about six inches high on 18 count ecru canvas.  They are small enough for ornaments but will make lovely stand ups for a table or mantalpiece.  Here they are--
http://www.leighdesigns.com/Grp833x.html

I'm going to stitch one right here on Blog.  I'll post every stitch diagram and thread selection, so you can follow along, then make all the information up into a stitch guide for the shops later.  Which one do you think I picked?  Which one do you hope I choose?

Once my Russian Santa arrives, I'll get started.   I need to go rummage in my stash for threads and beads and crystals and felt.

Or maybe velvet....

In the meantime,  С Рождеством.

(That's Merry Christmas in Russian for all my Russian friends!)

UPDATE:  Enriched Stitch is planning a club for the first four Russian Santas starting in March 2014.
http://astheneedleturns.com/russian-santas-club/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Tips and Tricks From the Clever Needlepointer

There are a lot of smart stitchers Out There and many of them blog. Today I have a collection of smart ideas from all over that may come in handy in your stitching life. First up is Mary Agnes in Vero Beach, whose staff came up with a clever way to deal with running out of thread for a stocking. (By the way, the singing turkey link she mentions is hilarious!)
http://needlenicely.blogspot.com/2013/11/saving-ones-bacon-stitching-wise.html

Diane has a very clever way of making sure both sides of a coat or other stitched clothing match.  And no, I hadn't figured this out!  By the way, notice that the Holy Family have a golden yellow background while the Wise Men all have a blue background.  This is a very clever way of making the central figures of the Nativity stand out.  Kudos to Diane!
http://www.dianestakingtimeouttoneedlepoint.com/2013/11/nativity-update.html

Linda demonstrates an easy way of using cording to outline areas of your canvas.  She is making rings for her Shelly (I think) Twelve Days of Christmas piece #5.
http://splittheneedles.blogspot.com/2013/11/rings-on-her-fingers.html

Got any clever tips?  Either blog about them or share them in the Comments below, please!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.