Lorene Salt Needlearts

It's a good day for the counted canvaswork crowd--Lorene Salt has a website where you can buy her charts and drool over her teaching pieces!
http://lorenesaltneedlearts.com

This is for my counted friends.  Have fun exploring!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 5, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Star Wars Tapestry

I thought Star Wars fans would like a good look at this cross stitch version done in the style of the Bayeux Tapestry.  No matter what your passion, you can certainly stitch it somewhere somehow.  In a galaxy far, far away....
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/shortcuts/gallery/2014/feb/21/the-star-wars-tapestry-in-pictures

Many thanks to the folks who posted about this on Facebook.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 21, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Helen Stevens' New Website

Helen M. Stevens has a new website!  DO NOT miss the videos or overlook her photo gallery as she is an amazing embroiderer and an interesting teacher.  I loved the spider video with its tips.  Even though Helen is working on a different fabric than needlepointers use, you can use her techniques just by switching to a sharp needle to make it easier to place that stitch (or spider's leg) just where you want it.
http://www.helenmstevens.info

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 2, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Threadaholic Alert!

Needle in a Haystack has added new colors for several threads to their fabulous online database of threads.  They have added the newest colors for Entice, Capri, Silk Lame Braid, Soie d'Alger and Straw Silk.
http://needlestack.typepad.com/whats_new/2016/01/new-threads-for-2016.html

Here is the link to their website thread database.  Bookmark it because they have good color photos of most threads.  Ordering from them is a slow business (they only ship one day a week and it can take a while to get threads in) but their customer service is excellent and their stock outstanding.
http://www.needlestack.com/thread.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 14, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Whimsical Stitch Dances with Squares

Mary Legallet of Whimsical Stitch is doing something new on her blog--a month's worth of analysis of square stitches.   She starts off this week with variations of 4x4 squares--square stitches that cover four thread intersections high by four wide--and discusses various threads that will enhance each block of 4x4 patterns.  Mary posts on Wednesdays and occasional Sundays, so keep an eye out for more square stitches dancing around Mary's blog.
http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/1/6/silly-squares

Mary goes back to the basics with this exploration of square stitches that cover an area that is two threads wide and two high. There are a LOT of them and all are perfect for that very small space.
http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/1/10/it-takes-two

Mary's next exploration area is the much larger 5x5 square.
http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/1/13/the-true-inspiration

Then she moves to her personal favorite, the 6x6 square.
http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/1/20/devilish-squares

Then we go back to the small 3x3 squares. which are a lot more elaborate than you would think in a such a tiny space.
http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/1/24/3x3

The final dancing with squares is 9x9 combined with 3x3s.  It's a lot more interesting than boring plain 9s!
http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2016/1/27/nine-nirvana

Remember to follow the links to her Pinterest and Instagram pages to see the diagrams and stitched examples. Thanks for the fun tutorial on square stitches, Mary!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 6, 2016 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.