Ridgewood Explores Brick Stitch for New Stitch Monday

Ridgewood Needlepoint is exploring brick stitch as part of their New Stitch Monday series.

https://ridgewoodneedlepoint.com/new-stitch-monday-189/

https://ridgewoodneedlepoint.com/new-stitch-monday-190/

Now Ridgewood looks at fancier variations on brick stitch.

https://ridgewoodneedlepoint.com/new-stitch-monday-191/

Instructions for brick stitch beading are included.  Be warned, though.  Depending on the size of your canvas and beads, the beading thread and the underlying canvas may show.  That can provide some interesting shading effects or contrasts if you experiment with colors a bit.

https://ridgewoodneedlepoint.com/new-stitch-monday-194/

Brick stitch is quite versatile.  You can add a bead to the stitch after your needle comes up from the back and it will settle in the middle hole.  You can work brick stitch in vertical columns, which is particularly useful if you are doing the stitch on black or dark navy where it is hard to see where to put your needle.  You can also work brick stitch over threads laid in the ditch between threads which gives a fun effect if you use two colors or add a metallic as the laid thread.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright November 24, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Cure for Wonky Frames

Needle Point Breeze just posted a photo of the colorful FrameLok tools.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1308938587688595&set=a.585985413317253

What is a FrameLok?  It's a set of four gadgets you insert in the inside corners of those old stretcher bars you've had for eons that aren't tight any more.  Just add thumb tacks and the stretcher bars are no longer wonky, but stay straight.

https://poppypointe.com/products/frame-lok

This video demonstrates the process.  Note that these are regular sized stretcher bars, not the minis.  I suspect they'll hang over the side a bit if you are using mini stretcher bars but I think they'll still work.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oKDlGzuJps

They come four to a package and you'll need thumbtacks to secure them.  You can read the heartwarming story of how they were invented here.

https://framelok.biz/Welcome-to-FrameLok_b_1.html

Here are shops that carry FrameLoks if your favorite store doesn't.

https://framelok.biz/where-to-buy-framelok.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 13, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Stitching a House?

Stitching a house?   M's Canvashouse has some darling brass embellishments for doors.  It's hard to tell from the photo but I think most can be sewn on.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1494050982286514&set=a.608804764144478

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright November 22, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

How to Change a Stitch's Direction: The Movie

Lori at Waste Knot shows how easily you can make a stitch diagram change direction to fit your design.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1927363554831656

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright November 20, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Dots Upon Dots: Winter 2025 Mystery

Ruth Schmuff has announced her Winter 2025 Mystery class--Barbara Basso's "Dots Upon Dots." It 's whimsical and fun and as always, it'll be interesting to see what Ruth does with this design.  I don't usually post about upcoming classes but Ruth shows off her progress photos, making this something you'll want to keep an eye on.  You'll get plenty of good ideas for your canvases, especially if they have polka dots, cats or elegant ladies.

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2025/11/whats-next-dots-upon-dots/

The first lesson of "Dots Upon Dots" has Ruth wearing dots and creating a dotty background.  Interestingly, she does one side of each dot row bottom up to the top, then does the other side top to bottom to complete the row.  She also added a border at the bottom of the design and gave the flowers stems.

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2026/02/getting-our-dots-in-a-row-literally/

The second lesson has given Dottie a face, hair and most of an amazing dress.

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2026/02/dottie-in-the-spotlight/

The third and last lesson gives the cat a face, body and stitches the flowers.

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2026/03/and-then-there-was-the-cat/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright November 17, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.