Originally posted 2000-01-04 06:13:13. Republished by Blog Post Promoter Every year I set myself up with some needlepoint goals. They can be really well defined (the year I stitch and finished 100 projects) or vague (this year’s reduce the thread stash goal), but I always do it. Most years I achieve my goal, some years I fail miserably. Such as the year I wanted to finish 3 UFO’s and finished none. Yep, zip. I did not make my 100 needlepoint pieces goal, that was in 200 when I was still doing About.com and lots of the projects were small and for the site. But I did finish 95 (I’ve kept the list). Many guilds have challenges with a specific goal on them. Sometimes they can be small, to start and finish one project during one year. Sometimes they are big, the person with the oldest or most UFO’s finished gets
Monthly Archive:: April 2010
Originally posted 2009-01-18 15:41:31. Republished by Blog Post PromoterSometimes we get stuck in a rut with our stitching. Learning a new stitch or new technique can help with that. Today I want to point out to you two year-long series which will help you get new ideas for stitches and stitching. The first is from Sharon B and is her monthly Stitch Explorer series. Each month on the 15th she will have an article on her blog exploring a new technique or stitch. This month it’s Chicken Scratch, a technique which uses gingham fabric as a background and guide for your stitching. Not only does she explain the technique, but she makes suggestions for taking it further and exploring it. Well worth checking out! Summer Truswell will be blogging about a different stitch each week. Her first one is about Cross Stitch. I’m looking forward to this, it would be
Diane Bosworth, author of Beards I have Known, was recently profiled in the Cleborne, Texas Times-Review. Diane is a well-known stitcher, teacher and former needlepoint shop owner. She has stitched over 150 Petei Santas, which served as her inspiration for her book. The book looks at different ways to stitch beards. The short article gives the reader a delightful feel for Diane, her life, and the joy she takes in stitching. As a bonus there are pictures of some of her work, including the lovely nativity pictured here
To hear it said by people outside North America, we, as stitchers, are far, far too concerned about our backsides. No, not those backsides, but the backsides of our needlepoint. Susan Battle, from The Point of It All, mused on this subject and how her backs look. Practically I’m with her, I rarely worry about my backs and generally they are on the messy side. But, in all fairness, your backs do matter. The needlepoint police won’t come and snatch you away if your backs are messy but understanding why they are important can make your needlepoint look better. In needlepoint the thickness of the back of the stitching is important. Most importantly, you’re making a fabric with needlepoint and this means there needs to be structure. Without the fuller backs on the stitch, the structure is not as strong. This is less important when you stitch on fabric because
Originally posted 2008-03-25 06:00:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter These two witches are best friends and you’re getting an early look at them. They are my newest stitch guide, with the canvas by Needledeeva. This is a sneak peek at the class I will be teaching at the Destination Dallas in a couple of weeks. The canvas is exclusive until April 2009 or those shops who take the class. If you are interested, email me to let me know and I’ll let you know which shops have the canvas after I get back (April 9). If you live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area you have an opportunity to tae the class. I’ll be teaching it at The French Knot in Ft. Worth on Saturday, April 4. I’ll be there all day and I’ll also be signing books and answering questions. So if you are in the area, stop by and
Originally posted 2008-03-05 08:28:56. Republished by Blog Post PromoterIn Iceland a remarkable cooperative needlework project is happening. It’s called The Friendship Tapestry and it welcomes contributions from stitchers all over the world. In the 261 patches (so far) 23 countries are represented and you can find just about every needlework technique in one or more blocks. All the blocks are pictured on-line at their site. Some of the needlepoint blocks I’ve seen include: A combination of Bargello and Tent Stitchfrom Arizona. This charming block from New Zealand with textured stitches inset in an embroidered fabric border. The patches are all knotted together with friendship knots. Individuals guild chapters, and groups of all kinds have contributed. It’s so inspiring to go through the site and look at all the lovely pieces. It is also great for learning about national forms of needlework. I’d love to see more of those wonderful woven
Originally posted 2009-03-15 06:14:12. Republished by Blog Post PromoterSometimes you realize you have started just too many projects. The lure of the newest challenge, the new color of thread or that great color combination is just too great and so you start another project. That’s been me lately. As a result, I haven’t been good about finishing what I’ve begun awhile ago. So yesterday I decided that this week will be needlepoint catch up week. I’m going to: finish the Stitch your Stash around the World sampler finish the Needledeeva nativity figure on the stretcher bars (there may even be two) finish the Maple Leaf Rag bargello sampler get the center and borders of the Winter Stars design done I may only finish one or two of these this week, but I am going to feel so good when it’s done
If you look over in the far right column, you will see a new link under the search box. I have installed a new (and better) search engine for the blog. If you just fill in something into the box, the search works the way it always has, it searches all the entries on the blog. But click on advanced and you can refine your search and make it smaller. The search I just did was for “bargello,” dumb I know but easy to remember. Then when I clicked on advanced I added the tag “free” and restricted my category to virtual book tour. I just got those entries. I hope you like the added capabilities
Originally posted 2006-03-18 07:32:47. Republished by Blog Post PromoterTapis-tree (http://www.tapis-tree.com), Carolyn Barrani’s needlework company, has created one of the most innovative ideas I’ve seen in self-finishing. Carolyn makes velvet bags, boots, and Christmas stockings, with ribbon trim which can hold finished needlepoint. The velvet items are sold with hand-painted canvases to match. Stitch the canvas, block and trim. Insert it into the opening, blindstitch the edges and your are done. There are two small bags, square and rectangular, four sizes of tote bags, along with stockings and boots for Christmas. The array of canvases available for the bags and totes includes a variety of stained glass designs, mosaic initials, single flowers (very cool) and mosaic vegetables. All are painted beautifully and are easy to stitch. If you are looking for a scrap bag project, the mosaic designs feature a background which can be done in several threads in the same
Originally posted 2005-03-17 06:35:12. Republished by Blog Post PromoterStitch Elegance came out with this new 100% cotton thread at TNNA in January. It is so incredibly soft I had to try it. Snipits are multi-colored threads, similar in weight to pearl cotton #5. The threads are mercerized which gives them incredible softness. In fact they are almost the softest cotton threads I’ve ever used. But they are still very strong. All 21 colors are hand-dyed. They range from semi-solids like Indigo Sea (rich tropical blue) or Tulip (a cheery red) to vivid multi-colors like Marigold (all shades of orange with accents of violet and green). More colors are due out soon. Snipits come in single strand skeins of 10 yards. It’s easiest to use if one end of the skein is cut before it is unwrapped (cut at the knot), this gives perfect stitching lengths. If you untwist before cutting,
Kreinik just announced that the holographic colors are now available in #4 braid. It’s perfect for blending with other threads and for cross stitch. #4 joins #8, #12, blending filament, and 1/16″ ribbon in this popular line. I’m working on today’s Scrap Bag Needlepoint, which will post later this morning
Are you looking for a way to get staggered beads, but with a more full look than beading every other Tent Stitch? Try using Brick Stitch and beading each stitch. You can see this technique stitched on the pumpkin above, from a post on Needlepoint Study Hall. Beaded Brick is explained clearly and with large diagrams. There are several things I find appealing about this stitch. I like the look where the beads are offset, but there is still some space, so they don’t look crowded. Another thing I love is that by using straight stitches, you don’t end up with the problems of slant you get when you bead with Tent Stitches. It’s such a clever idea, I want to try it soon
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