The Beaded Basket Contest

One of the classes Thistle Threads has done is on beaded baskets which have been found in those 17th Century embroidery and stump work caskets that are so amazing.  To raise funds for a museum, Tricia sponsored a contest on the best beaded basket creations.  Here are the winners--
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2014/02/beaded-basket-contest-announcing-winners.html

Honorable Mention--If these got Honorable ribbons, what must the first place winners be like?!!
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2014/02/honorable-mentions-beading-contest.html

Modern Interpretations--Interestingly, both winner here use water creatures.
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2014/02/modern-beaded-basket-category-winners.html

Multi-Media--
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2014/02/17th-century-beaded-basket-multi-media.html

Traditional--
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2014/02/winner-17th-century-traditional-category.html

Just WOW! Winners--these will knock your socks off!
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2014/02/just-wow-number-1.html

http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2014/02/just-wow-number-2.html

http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2014/02/just-wow-number-3.html

Runner Up--dazzling!
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-runner-up.html

The Grand Prize winner puts all the rest into the shade. You have to see this!
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-grand-prize-winner-mindblowing.html

If you want to read more about the grand prize winner, check out her blog here.
http://ladysrepositorymuseum.blogspot.com/search/label/17th%20c%20beaded%20baskets

To give you a sense of scale, here is the Thistle Threads posting about the basket kit.  These beauties can be held in one hand!
http://thistle-threads.com/teaching/projects/webprojects/nwn_082013_beadedbasket2.html

Thistle Threads is having a contest based on the Grand Prize winner.
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2014/02/how-did-rachael-do-that-contest.html

Here are the contest answers.
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2014/02/how-many-hours.html

The next time you are moaning that you have to add beads to your design, think about these lovelies and remember you are walking in the footsteps of giants and bringing a 17th Century heritage into the 21st Century.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Greetings from the 17th Century

If any stitch guide writer or needlepoint teacher is on your Christmas list, I know what to buy them.

If you have a lot of money to spend, enroll them in the Cabinet of Curiosities class from Thistle Threads so they can learn 17th Century needlelace and stumpwork techniques, all of which are totally new to me.
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2014/02/needlelace.html

Thistle Threads also has done a class on the tiny beaded baskets that often were made to go in those fabulous caskets.  Here is a taste of stumpwork for one of those baskets.
http://ladysrepositorymuseum.blogspot.com/2014/02/making-up-beaded-stumpwork-figure.html

http://ladysrepositorymuseum.blogspot.com/2014/02/beaded-stumpwork-angel-continued.html

If you have a limited budget, get this book from Jacqui Carey for them.  It covers stitches popular in the 16th and 17th Centuries.  It astounds me what our stitching ancestors have to teach us if we listen.
http://www.careycompany.com/elizabethan-stitches.html

Can you imagine what Tony Minieri would do if he got his hands on this stuff?!!?!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright Feb. 18, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Stitching Games

The Olympics aren't the only games you can watch.  Stitcherie sponsors Stitching Games, which you might have read about in your Needlepoint Now magazine recently.  All the details are here.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/01/stitching-games-2014.html

Several famous bloggers and designers are participating this year.  In alphabetical order, here's Ada Hayden of Eye Candy--
http://eyecandyneedleart.blogspot.com/2014/02/stitching-games-progress.html

http://eyecandyneedleart.blogspot.com/2014/02/stitching-games-february-clue-samba.html

Kelly Clark is playing along. Her witch canvas is shown at the bottom of this blog posting.
http://kellyclarkneedlepointhandbook.blogspot.com/2014/02/crazy-love-halloween-style.html

Sheena James is also participating.  I think at last count there were 60 folks in on the Stitching Games but there is always room for more.
http://www.sheenasstitches.com/mae-west-comes-to-town/

http://www.sheenasstitches.com/join-fun/

Alas, I am not.  My stitching time isn't my own and many of my projects are Top Secret.  So I am sitting on the sidelines, cheering everyone else on!  Go Team!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

It's Not Heavy, It's My Frame Weight

Well, actually it IS heavy because it is a frame weight.  The World in Stitches has a lovely selection of frame weight canvases that are not the more traditional frog shapes. Stitch 'em, fill 'em, use 'em anywhere!
http://twisinc.blogspot.com/2014/02/do-you-know-what-these-are.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

More New Tools From Elsewhere

I have more new tools you might find useful.  Janet Perry reviews Gail Callahan's Color Grid, created to help knitters with their colors.  The second link is to Gail's website, The Kangaroo Dyer.
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com/color-grid-product-review/

http://www.kangaroodyer.com/our_products/color-grid.html

The Stitcherista is using counting pins to mark areas on her canvas.  She doesn't specify which Etsy seller she got hers from, but it appears to be TJB Designs (second link) which also sells beaded scissor fobs, needle threaders, and stitch pickers.
http://stitcherista.blogspot.com/2014/02/progress-purchase-and-perle-cotton.html

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TJBdesigns?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright Feb. 19, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.