The Snag Nab-It Revisited (and a Give-away) UPDATE

Snag Nab-Its

Back before Thanksgiving I mentioned the Snag Nab-It which is used to pull stray thread tails back to the rear of a canvas.  This is essentially a long needle with a pointed end and a roughed up end that is supposed to pull a stray thread to the back side of your canvas.  You insert the pointed needle in the hole that has a thread tail sticking out, then gently pull the Snag Nab-It through.  The rough end catches the thread and pulls it to the back side along with the needle.
http://www.123stitch.com/item/Dritz-Snag-Nab-It/DRITZ-618

When I wrote that post I heard from Jane B. that her local JoAnn's Fabrics carries them in three separate sizes.  I had no idea that they varied in diameter, but this is important since the Fiber Talk podcast just mentioned that a Snag Nab-it can tear your ground fabric if you are not careful.  This is less likely to be a problem with needlepoint canvas than linen but you still want to be careful.  I managed to find two different lengths of the Snag Nab-It pictured online here.
https://www.shop.com/Crafts/dritz+snag+nab+it

Jane sent me an assortment of Snag Nab-Its in three diameters.  They are all about the same length but you can easily see that some of the needles are thicker than others.  With her help and encouragement I am offering one of the Snag Nab-Its as a giveaway.   Post a comment here (or email me at chilly hollow at hot mail dot com if Google won't let you use Comments) and I will do a random drawing in a week's time, on February 28.  The winner will need to mail me a stamped, self-addressed envelope and will receive the single Snag Nab-It in the package in the photo above as a present from Jane.

Thanks for all your help, Jane!

UPDATE:  The contest is over and Jane's about to draw the winner, to be announced on March 1st.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 7, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Do You Use Thread Organizers?

Cross stitchers use lots and lots of different colors in many of their pieces, so floss organization is always an issue for them. A lot of people use what are called floss sticks or floss organizers.  Like these which are the length of office folders and meant to hang in a desk drawer on hanging file bars until needed.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/571371780/embroidery-threadfloss-organizer-bars?ref=shop_home_active_1

These are the drawer frames.  They come in two sizes, letter sized and legal sized.  Of course you don't have to use the floss organizer bars this way.
https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/767881/Smead-Hanging-Folder-Frames-Letter-Size/

Herrschners sells a shorter variety with a magnet for your needles.  The folks at Needlepoint Nation say that these have 20 holes, not 22 as the blurb says.
https://www.herrschners.com/product/floss+sticks%2C+set+of+2.do?sortby=newArrivals&refType&from=Search

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 22, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Just in the Nick of Time: A Review

New from Carole Lake:  Just in the Nick of Time

The incredible Carole Lake has a new book out and I just got my hands on a copy.    Like the Desert Island Stitches series Carole wrote with Michael Boren, Just in the Nick of Time is a small spiral-bound book that will fit in a suitcase, briefcase or stitching tote quite easily.   What makes this book special and why you will want to buy it is laid out in the introduction.   Let me quote Carole here--"Do you ever look at your painted canvas and wonder what on earth to put in a particular spot?  Just in the nick of time, here is a book of suggestions."

And that's exactly what this book is, a response to your SOS when you get stuck on a section of that painted canvas driving you nuts.

Carole continues in the introduction, explaining that there is no index, just an alphabetical list of stitches she uses that she hopes will inspire you the next time you go blank on what stitch to use.  She recommends you switch threads, colors and even look at the stitch diagrams with the book turned this way and that, looking for just the right angle, all ways to make the stitch uniquely yours and perfect for your canvas.

A Glimpse Inside

The front and back cover are plastic coated cardboard for durability.  The book has 35 pages of stitches, usually one on each side of the paper, so you have nearly 70 stitches diagrammed for you inside. Plus there is an introduction and an explanation of tent stitch, continental stitch and basketweave.  Each stitch in the "Stitches" section is diagrammed at the top of the page in a gray scale diagram, perfect for those who have vision problems.  All the stitches are numbered so you can follow the steps involved, and a few have two diagrams to further explain the stitch.

The true value of the book is in the text under each stitch diagram.    Carole talks about the best path to take to create the stitch, the threads she thinks work especially well for that particular stitch, explains where she has used it, and often reveals variations that will make the stitch extra special.    I'm sure most of us have used Mosaic Stitch at one time or another.  But Carole explains that stitching Mosaic Stitch in diagonal row is the easiest way to get an even tension and helps you figure out compensation.  She talks about using Mosaic to shade and how it lends itself to architectural stitches.  All great information, and this is just one stitch of many.

If you are new to embellishing painted canvases, this book is going to be your new Best Friend.  It is jammed full of great ideas that are not going to be hard to execute.  I suggest that you read this several times, letting all the great information sink in, then carry it around to pull out whenever you get stuck.  A quick flip through the diagrams is sure to find something that will work, whether you are trying to find a perfect stitch for fur, windows, water, clothing, backgrounds or anything else you will find on a painted canvas.  A really experienced stitcher will probably know most of what Carole talks about, but most of us are regular stitchers, not experts, and if you don't have someone like Carole in your stitching group, this little book is going to come to your rescue again and again, just In The Nick of Time.

And if you are an expert stitcher, Carole has come up with a few things I've never heard of.  It's a cozy little book to settle down with and read, just for fun.  I'm betting whatever your level of needlepoint expertise, you'll want to revisit this little book again and again for inspiration.

Great job, Carole!

Full disclosure:  Carole sent me a copy of this for review.    I really really like it!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 17, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Mystery with a Twist Comes with Flowers

Ruth Schmuff has announced the next Mystery with a Twist class, Annie O'Brien Gonzales' "Let's Fall in Love," which will start in April 2018.  You are probably familiar with mystery classes—they are available at Ruth's shop or via mail order over a few months.  But the Mystery with a Twist class is a long-term project, spread out over 2-4 years with a class arriving via mail order only about every six months.  It's for the relaxed stitcher who is happy to have plenty of time between lessons.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2018/01/lets-fall-in-love.html

If you are interested, you can sign up via Ruth's website.  Stay tuned!  As photos from the current lessons are posted on Ruth's blog, I'll update this article….

UPDATE: Ruth starts with the background areas, all in yummy threads and stitches.
https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2018/07/lets-fall-in-love/?mc_cid=733d7795fc&mc_eid=c05eb4bd3b

Now Ruth adds the tablecloth and the cut glass vase.
https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2020/03/stitching-crystal/

The final step is creating all those flowers and leaves.  If you ever wanted a master class in making ribbon petals and embroidery leaves, this is it.

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2024/01/holiday-miracle/

Final Update:  Here it is framed.  Magnificent!

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2024/06/glorious-frame/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 20, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Needlepoint Tips from Louise's Needlework

Louise's Needlework has started a new page on their website with links to their very useful tips they post in their newsletters. Here's the link. Visit often as they add more information.
https://www.louisesneedlework.com/hints-and-tips-for-needlepoint.htm

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright September 6, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.