Originally posted 2007-03-05 22:31:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter Another incomparable finishing job from Susan, this scissors case is another project from the Bargello book. This project shows how dynamic a great thread can be. The overdyed thread is Miani Deco from Gloriana. I paired it with a matching metallic from Kreinik and used a very simple Bargello pattern, called Twisting Ribbons. The effect is striking. I had the thread sitting in my stash for years, I love the color, but didn’t have a canvas for it. Bargello is the perfect way to use threads like this,
Monthly Archive:: October 2010
Yesterday we talked about picking a canvas for a scrap bag project. Today I’d like to give you an idea of how different stitchers use their own stashes to interpret the same canvas differently. Patt Large (the designer) and I have both stitched her Star Ornament #1 (Patt’s is pictured below). While Patt wrote the stitch guide based on her ornament, I followed it mostly in stitching mine. Patt says about her selection “For the star series, I knew I was just going to use DMC Floss so I was not concerned with the variable of thread textures playing in the mix. It is not like stitching a kimono where you could be influenced by the fabric of a true kimono. Geometrics are up to you. “To begin, I just picked a color. Since the star had 4 similar sections, I think picked a different color but of the same
Originally posted 2008-04-10 21:18:39. Republished by Blog Post PromoterStash Enhancement Alert! If you liked the Bargello address book in this entry. There is one in white moire available at Susan Portra’s needlepoint resale site. Since the one I had was vintage gotten from an ANG Auction, they are no longer made. Happy Shopping!
While many of us use charted designs or do our own thing to make Scrap Bag Needlepoint Projects, many of us prefer to stitch on painted and printed canvases. I almost always have one canvas in my rotation that is a scrap bag project and I always have me eyes open for others to add to my stash. But, all too often, I’m stymied because I can’t see what the piece will look like when applied to my own stash. So I thought I’d provide you with the guidelines I use when buying canvases for my Scrap Bag Projects (today’s post) and show you how two stitchers (Patt and me) stitched the same canvas (tomorrow’s post), reflecting our own stashes. Picking Canvases for Scrap Bag Needlepoint These canvases need to have discrete areas of color. This is the most important thing. Because you are using up your scraps, the chances
Originally posted 2009-06-11 05:31:25. Republished by Blog Post PromoterI’m a lefty. If you think this shouldn’t make much difference in how you live your life, you are almost certainly right-handed and don’t live with lefties. It does. I’ve mostly conquered the stitching thing by working on frames. When you work on a frame, it’s your dominant hand which is on the bottom, so stitches are made the same way. Even so, I rarely know if I make a stitch properly, because I make it how it makes sense to me, which, being a lefty, means it might be wrong. But one thing I cannot overcome, no matter what I do is my Basketweave problem. Unless I have stitches adjacent to each other, I can change the direction and start doing Reverse Basketweave. Three stitches away (so the existing stitches are right in front of me), a inch, or the other
Here’s a portrait of the average needlepointer: You make about 13 projects per year About 1/3 of your projects use materials from your stash You spend between $600 and $800 on materials for all your projects, about 30% more than cross stitchers and knitters, and about twice ass much as crocheters You spend about $100 less on needlepoint than you did three years ago You spend about $500 on classes and education The projects your prefer to make are pillows, Christmas items, ornaments or stockings (listed in order of popularity 2/3 of your purchases come from specialty needlework stores (on-line and off) 30% of your spending is for threads and another 30% for canvas (I assume this includes painted canvases) Needlepointers spend a slightly higher percentage of their purchases on finishing than cross stitchers and significantly more than knitters (who don’t spend money here and crocheters, who spend little Only
I admit it, I have a problem. I have a serious thread addiction and a year of hard work at using the threads in my stash has only made a small dent in the huge amount of thread in my studio. If you have been following this blog I have been keeping track of my thread credits as a way to encourage me to use what I have. And I’ve used lots of thread. Virtually every project I’ve stitched has used stash threads. Virtually every model I’ve sent out has included stash threads. And I’ve given away threads to friends. And done even more. But the stash is still here and is still huge. In the process I’ve learned some things about myself and about using your stash that I’d like to share with you. 1. No matter what anybody says, all threads have dye lots. This means that if
Back in the 1970′s there were several companies, Jiffy and Sunset most notably but lots of others too, that made delightful small needlepoint kits. You could buy them everywhere from department stores to needlepoint shops. Many people, myself included, learned to stitch on these kits, and they still often show up on eBay. In addition, there are still companies making these small kits today. They are a fun, retro way to create needlepoint. But . . . Although the quality of the thread is good and the designs are great, they often have poor quality canvas with designs that aren’t printed straight. I got a question recently from Jeanne who asked about this problem and how to solve it. She has allowed me to share my answer with you. These canvases are screen printed, and because canvas is not always straight, especially the inexpensive canvas used in these kits, they
This weekend is the On-line Needlework Show and I wanted to alert you to some great new needlepoint finds. Brenda E. Kocher has four new designs, including a small Or Nue project, at the show. One of them, as yet unnamed has a contest to find a name for it. From Nancy’s Needle is at the show, with pictures of all four of her new barn series. Cooper Oaks has expanded their lucite collection. Among the cool things I saw were stands mirrors in two sizes and neat eyeglass holder, and a box for two rings. Images Stitchery now has some lap frames specifically for stitching perforated paper. JAR Designs has two learn-a-stitch ornaments that use multi-colored threads and colored canvas to great effect. Needlepoint, Inc. has a page featuring their needlepoint shopping bags, When I saw these at the shop I HAD to buy one right away. Northern Pine
Originally posted 2008-12-23 19:11:10. Republished by Blog Post PromoterMy friend, Anne Stradal, has posted some pictures of two of her delightful Eggs for All Seasons in Christmas colors on her blog, The Cape Stitcher. I wanted to share this eye candy with you. If you want to see more of this delightful series, pictures of all of them are on her website. If you haven’t been there for awhile, there are some new ones. I’m thinking maybe these would be a fund monthly series for next year!
Originally posted 2006-06-18 08:42:09. Republished by Blog Post PromoterWelcome! Three reports on what was new at TNNA from shopowners and designers. I hope it is as exciting to you as it is to me. I’m intchy to stitch. Dragon Fire Designs is a designer of both cross stitch and needlepoint. Their site is: http://www.dragonfiredesigns.net. Homestead Needle Arts is a great shop in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Their site is http:// www.homesteadneedlearts.com. The Needle Nest is in Indian, they can be contacted at: 866-272-8080 (toll-free) or harshjw@needlenestltd.com (email.). REPORT ON INDIANAPOLIS TNNA MARKET – DRAGON FIRE DESIGNS This year the TNNA summer show was in Indianapolis instead of Columbus. Next year it will return to Columbus. The exhibit hall was actually 2 rooms so the show floor formed a “L”. This did make walking the show a bit different. Trends I noticed in needlepoint. The colors were bolder- more jewel tones and
UPDATE: Direct link now added. Do you have a Kindle? Would you like to get this blog automatically uploaded to you eReader so you can take it with you and read it on the go? I’m delighted to announce that Nuts about Needlepoint is now available by subscription to Kindle owners. You begin your subscription with a 14-day free trial. To get your subscription, go to the Kindle store and click on blogs it will be one of the new releases. Or you can subscribe directly through this link. I’m so excited!