Judy of JR Designs is the creative designer of the popular Stiick and Chick stick figures for needlepoint. I first got to know Stick a few years ago when he premiered at the TNNA Market. His outdoors lifestyle (skiing, fishing, etc) fits well with Judy’s delightful style. Last year, Chick, his girlfriend, premiered. This year Stick and Chick are getting married and there is also a new Christmas stocking (picutred above). These, along with lots of new sayings and 3″ round Halloween ornaments, all by Judy, will be at GalVail’s TNNA booth (booths 1713 & 1715). But that’s not all. Judy also has great bookmark canvases, from Whimsy & grace, for readers of Westerns, history, SciFi, Romance & others. In addition there are also inserts for Lee Needle Arts bags which double as box tops. Whimsy & grace is distributed by Point of It All Designs (booths 2109, 2011, 2013,
Monthly Archive:: December 2007
I’ve heard from several Thread manufacturers about new products appearing at TNNA. Custom House (booths 1608, 1610, & 1612) distributes the lovely Gumnuts Yarns from Australia. They will be showing a new range of colors in all the yarns. It’s a soft orange. Ity will be availabel in Stars (silk floss), Buds (silk perle), Poppies (silk/wool blend), Tulips (mohair), Daisies (fine wool), and Blossoms (wool). Some of these colors, but not all, had been available in some of the lines. Conjoined Creations (booths 953, 955, & 957) makes a lovely thread made from soy, called Soysilk. It’s hand-dyed in wonderful colors, in several almost solid and overdyed ranges. They are adding a fifth collection of colors to their stitchery threads, Shades & Tones. This line “provides deeper hues for shading.” Sixty color from their original line were chosen to deepen for this collection. They are also in the midst of
Needledeeva has expanded their nativity set to include seven more figures. My stitch guide, O Holy Night, now includes the entire set of three angels, three kings, mary & Jesus, Joseph, a lamb, a goat, two camels and an elephant. And it includes a stable backdrop. The cover is reproduced above. I love nativities and I’ve wanted a needlepoint one for a long time, and I have (and am) having such fun stitching this one. Right now I’m working on the elephant (I started it last night) and the shepherd with geese. You’ll be able to see the first group, all finished, as well as the new figures I’m stitching at Needledeeva’s booth at TNNA. The stitch guide makes it so easy to stitch the entire group to make a lovely decoration. Thew backgrounds and borders are all the same. I use the same threads throughout so that there is
Beginning January 11, 2008 and continuing through January 13, The National Needlework Association will be having their Winter Market in Long Beach, CA. And Nuts about Needlepoint will be the place to come to get a special sneak preview of what to expect at the show. There will be blog entries about new products from Napa Needlepoint and from other designers in all arreas of needlework. You’ll find out about classes, find links to other blogs and websites and get great ideas for stitching. If you’re a shopowner this will help you in your pre-show planning. If you are a stitcher, this is the place to see the newest and best. You can even call your shop to order some of these items. All the posts will be categorized under TNNA Preview
I’ve been doing needlepoint longer than I’ve known my husband (and I’ve known him 34 years), so he is used to it and to the attendant stuff around my projects. But he rarely buys me a needlepoint-related gift. Over the summer, on our road trip, we stopped at Firside Stitchery in Eastern Pennsylvania. One of the things I got there was a back issue of Canvas Quarterly their magazine for painted canvas lovers. It’s a great magzine, with wonderful ideas for stitches, great information about threads, and tremendous profiles of needlepoint designers. Well he got me a subscription to it for Christmas. I’m so happy!
Merry Christmas everyone! Now that she’s gotten the present, the secret can be told. You know those flame Bargello coasters? They were a Christmas present for my eldest daughter. I get so deighted with the joy when I give some needlepoint to someone who really loves it. Although she picked those colors of wool for a set of pillows, my workload intervened and she got coasters instead. Something both useful and beautiful instead of just beautiful. Hope you and yours are having a great day!
I had to share with you my latest technical editing project, a stitch guide for ABS Designs. Not only is this a bright and fun design, it also uses simple stitches and easy-to-use threads, so it’s perfect for a beginner’s project. I also think it would be a great accent for a kid’s room. I love the Rainbow colors, it makes ther gloomy winter weather outside seem much brighter. You can read a profile of the designer, Anne Stradel, here