Nuts about Needlepoint » guild

CyberPointers Is Here!

Janet Perry — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 14:49:51 +0000

Originally posted 2008-11-01 16:07:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The new Internet chapter. CyberPointers, of the Americaan Needlepoint Guild opened for business today.

It’s been a long time coming.

This chapter is designed to do everything other guild chapters do, but do them over the Internet. We’ll chat, we’ll learn, we’ll share ideas, and we’ll have programs and workshops.

In fact, the first workshop is scheduled for March and will feature Jim Wurth’s lovely Minerva.

We also have a contest to design our logo and a call for original designs for our first fundraising book starting now, so there is lots going on.

If you are an ANG member at large (MAL), live too far from a chapter to participate, live in another country, or just love needlepoint, CyberPointers is for you.

Our first meeting will be November 6-10 over the Internet. Check us out, join and be a part of the needlepoint revolution.

The Great Kool-aid Dyeing Experiment

Janet Perry — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:01:14 +0000

Dyeing with Kool-aid was the subject of May’s CyberPointers meeting. While I Have dyed with Kool-aid before, I hadn’t tried making variegated threads, so Julie L Baumler Heiner’s method was new to me. Dyeing animal protein yarns (wool, silk & wool/silk blends) with Kool-aid is easy, fun, and safe.

Unlike other kinds of dyes, most of which are toxic. Kool-aid is food and so it can be dyed using your regular household microwave, soaked in a mixing bowl, and even heated in a pasta bowl (although I bought one from the thrift shop for this.

The pictures throughout the article are some of the yarns I dyed. When wet, the color I liked the least (orange/green), muted and blended into something wonderful, autumnal, and muted when dry.

Colors in Kool-aid are not pure hues, so there are undertones in many of the colors that give unexpected results. The blue is a blue-green and mixed wonderfully with the bright green to create yarns that were vibrant in all values. Orange and a red when dyed together made the red really pop.

Dyeing on lightly colored yarns seemed to work better to get subtle colors. Kool-aid is not subtle. Dyeing straight from the package is not exact. Combine the two and you get inexact, bright results. Dye on a pastel yarn and the colors smooth out.

I know several people who dye commercially with Kool-aid and food dyes. This yarn, while it delights me, is definitely not ready for prime time. That will take more practice.

Change in Education Needed

Janet Perry — Thu, 13 May 2010 14:54:37 +0000

Needlepoint stitched by Janet Perry

One thing has stayed consistent in to 40 years I’ve been doing needlepoint. And it’s not the canvas. It’s that needlepoint education sucks.

Originally I thought that I was the problem. My mom’s an artist and a tinkerer, and so we always figured out how to do it ourselves. So I took that into needlepoint and bought books and played. I didn’t take a class until I’d been stitching for a decade or more.

But I was always dissatisfied, both with the books and, mostly, with the classes I took. The books never seemed to tell me what I wanted to know and the classes, while the projects might be lovely rarely taught me the techniques I wanted at the price I could afford.

Even with the Internet this hasn’t changed much. If we want needlepoint to grow, be popular, and change the world, we need to embrace the Internet and change what we do and teach. I’ve come up with some guiding principles for needlepoint education.

First, needlepoint education needs to be targeted. It needs to teach you something specific you can go out and use on another project. A project-based class is fine for a treat, but if you learn many things you can use, that’s even better.

Second, needlepoint education needs to be achievable. The most exciting project in the world isn’t worth it if it doesn’t get done. The project should be small enough that I can both learn and see my progress. If I can use it, that’s even better.

Third, needlepoint education needs to be affordable. The materials shouldn’t cost the moon, the canvas should be inexpensive. I know that point differs for everyone, but what is your point? I rarely take classes that are more than $30, unless I adore the piece. And my DH keeps me from going to expensive classes. But what are you willing to pay? If the class fee is $30, how much is too much for materials?

Fourth, needlepoint education needs to explain things. When we aren’t face to face, the teacher has to be willing to explain things different ways. That can be hard to do, but if the student can do it, with the extra explanation, that’s worth it.

Finally, needlepoint education needs to be fun. The project should look like something fun to stitch, you should be able to pick things you like and go for it.

I’m struggling with defining what I see and what seems to be lacking. I’m trying to design a class right now and can’t find the proper balance. So I’d like to know what you think. What do you want? How much are you willing to pay? How do you want it delivered? What’s been good and bad in the classes you’ve taken? Let me know, no names please, and have at it. If you want to express your opinion privately, send me an email.

Learning Needlepoint at a Seminar or Retreat

Janet Perry — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:30:13 +0000

Most of the time we stitch by ourselves or in small groups. But nothing is as much fun as attending a seminar or stitching retreat with lots of other stitchers. Not only do you have the fun of learning and stitching, you get inspired by the exhibits and can stock up on wonderful books and stitchy things at the shops.

There are four big events I want to tell you about.
First is the National Academy of Needlearts Assembly, held each Spring in Kansas City. It happened this year March 3-9, but you can read about what was offered and make plans to attend. NAN certifies teachers and so one of the highlights of the assembly is the chance to see outstanding needlework of all kinds.

EGA’s National Seminar is in early September and will be held in San Francisco (my home town) this year. EGA covers more than needlepoint and among the classes I saw stumpwork classes by Jan Nichols and crewel by Phillipa Turnbull.

ANG’s Seminar is in early October this year, in Columbus, Ohio. I always enjoy going to Seminar, not the least because I can marvel at amazing needlepoint in the Exhibit and at the Auction. Both ANG and EGA move the locations of their seminars each year, so that they are convenient for stitchers all over the country.

Then, next January is Callaway Garden’s Stitcher’s Retreat. It’s from the 9-19 at Callway in Georgia. It’s one of the most prestigious needlework events and many great teachers attend. The schedule for the 2011 retreat is now available.

Publicize your Guild & Promote Needlepoint

Janet Perry — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:20:24 +0000

Originally posted 2008-09-13 06:46:25. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The success of the recent Stitch in Public Day has gotten me thinking about ways to promote needlework.

Here are some ideas, which are easy to do:

Make sure your guild’s meeting are listed on the events page in your local papers and at your meeting location
Make an 8.5″x11″ poster, so anyone can print it, and hang it on any community event board you know of, such as in the library
Does a library, civic building, or school have free exhibit space for non-profits, have your chapter put one together.
Stitch in Public yourself. I have a friend who does her needlepoint on the ferry on her way to work. She has gotten several other commuters interested in needlepoint.
Make a bookmark about your meetings and put it in local crafts and needlework shops. Maybe expand this and go to knitting shops, bead stores and other crafts stores.
Where do your local moms hang out while they wait for their kids, offer a free needlepoint lesson to them in conjunction with the tutoring center or program
Lead a stitching lesson for a local Girl Scout troop or 4-H club.
Get involved with demonstrating at your local county or town fair
Wear and use your needlepoint items daily.

If you’ve have some good ideas, add them to the comments.

Want to Learn (or Learn More) about Needlepoint? Try CyberPointers

Janet Perry — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:00:15 +0000

I am almost as much a needlepoint technique junkie as I am a thread junkie. So this year’s President’s Challenge for CyberPointers is right up my alley. Each moth a different technique is going to be highlighted. The different techniques have all kinds of support existing and planned for them, including SIGs (Special Interest Groups), web pages, projects, instruction, and galleries of inspiring needlework.

Each group has a leader and each group is full of people who are either experienced with the technique or who want to learn. Some of the techniques we are exploring include: Hilton Stitches, Hardanger, Surface Embroidery on Canvas and Bargello.

While ultimately there will be public information on our website about each technique, right now all the fun is in the members-only SIGs.

I’ll talk about Bargello, since I’m leading that group. It started with some of our members posting pictures of their finished Bargello. One project, Wild Rose from ANG’s Chapter Project Book, caught everyone’s eye, and we will be doing it as a group project starting in April. CPB projects are available only to chapter members as a project or program, so this is a perfect excuse to do this rare project. In the meantime, we will be doing Pat Mazu’s charming Bargello heart which was in Needlepointers in March 2008.

The picture is my colors for the heart. One of Pat’s goals for the project is to get people using colors they don’t normally use. These days my color palette tends to be bright, so I’m excited about how the muted colors pictured above will work out, I can’t wait to get started.

We will be stitching these projects together, sharing ideas and colors, and learning from each other.

If you have been wanting to explore any of these techniques, join CyberPointers and become part of them today.

Finishing the UFO’s

Janet Perry — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:40:24 +0000

Originally posted 2008-01-01 08:58:58. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

My ANG chapter, Wine Country ANG, has a President’s Challenge every year. Our chapter President challenges us to do a particular task and complete it before the end of the year.

For 2008, our challenge is to finish at least three projects which were begun before January 1. This is a wonderful task and a great New Year’s Resolution for all of us stitchers. If you’re like me, the problem is what to choose.

So I decided to write down many of the things in progress around the house. This is a mixture of projects which will be stitch guides (poinsettia wreath), projects for books (bargello checkbook), original projects (ginko leaves), and projects for me (Amish star pillow).

Here’s my list:

Shepherd with Geese – Needledeeva
King’s Elephnt – Needledeeva
Patchwork mini-sock – holiday colors – original design
Patchwork mini-sock – teal & pink – original design
Poinsettia Wreath – Happy Heart Designs
Bargello Checkbook Cover – original project
Ginko Leaves – original projects
February Hearts – 2006 Needlepoint Calendar project
Flanders Field – original project
Musical mini-sock – The Studio
Amish Star patchwork pillow – Susan Roberts
Double Wedding Ring pillow – Susan Roberts
Needlepoint Ball Ornament – unknown
Back East mini-sock – In Good Company
Halloween CRZY PL8 – Sandy Grossman-Morris
Bargello Tile Mini-sock – original project
Botswana Angel – Painted Pony

In addition, while I was up in my studio before Christmas, I found some stitched mini-socks which had fabric lining and backing cut out, but which hadn’t been sewn. So I am also going to challenge myself to actually finish and get out into the world at least five needlepoint items in mt stash. If I manage to do that, not only will I be able to feed the mini-sock madness which overcomes my house at Christmas, but I will also have some lovely Christmas gifts ready for next year.

You’ll be able to follow my progress (I’ll post pictures as I finish) by clicking on the topic “President’s Challenge”

Resolutions to Learn Needlepoint

Janet Perry — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:42:21 +0000

Another type of resolution improves our stitching skills. Here are some ideas: Want to learn more new stitches? Make a sampler. Divide it up into 12 or 24 squares and pick a stitch dictionary to use. Go to your stash and pull threads. Once a month or once every two weeks pick a stitch that is new to you and put it in one square. Once you’ve learned it, look for places to use it. Want to learn a new technique?Look for programs at guilds and on-line that cover the technique. Look for magazine articles. Start a project, do it long enough to learn the technique, but don’t worry about finishing it. The learning is what’s important. Want to get better at needlepoint in general? Join your local or on-line guild and do every project that is offered. You will be astonished at how much you learn. Want more time to stitch? Stitch for 15 minutes every day. This will help you create the habit of stitching. By the end of the year, there’s a whole new stitching you! Related posts:Want to Learn (or Learn More) about Needlepoint? Try CyberPointers Learn Bargello – Virtual Book Tour Stop Use 2010 to [...] Related posts:

Another Quilt-based Ornament

Janet Perry — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:50:22 +0000

I finished my second ornament for the CyberPointers book yesterday and its pictured above.

It uses an expanded Scotch Stitch, designed by Jenny Morrow, as well as Half Scotches. In three shades of Watercolours and one of Silk & Ivory.

It’s a needlepoint version of a quilt I found in a magazine which was done in bright colors as a wallhanging for a child’s room.

Isn’t it fun?

Watch this space for information about how you can get the book once it’s published.

The Surprise Project

Janet Perry — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:36:42 +0000

Since I led it yesterday at my ANG Chapter meeting, I can finally tell you about it. My surprise project was Autumn Haze one of Laura Perin’s free designs. You’ll find it near the bottom of the page.

My one is shown at the top of this entry. The idea behind the project is to break out of your color rut and do something unexpected. Here’s how:

Pick an overdyed color at random. This piece will work better if you pick a shade which has several colors in it. Most of us have shades of these threads, Watercolours in my case, which we got but aren’t our normal colors.

In my case, I used Burning Ember. While the deep blue-violets are one of my favorite colors, orange is not, so this is outside my color comfort zone.

Pick the other threads based on your overdye. They fall into two families, make sure one of the color families is a color you wouldn’t normally use (orange in my case). Use your stash as much as possible for these threads.

Stitch away.

This was a fun challenge because I discovered some interesting things about color and color schemes.

Overdyes have transitional areas between the main colors. These can be long or short and vary from color to color and even from skein to skein. They may not be apparent in the uncut skein. I thought the main colors in this skein were orange and deep blue-violet. In addition there are two other main colors, gold and teal. Also the transitional areas are longer in this skein. As a result, the areas stitched with the overdye are more muted than I thought they would be. The gold and orange really are accents.

You can change the balance of colors in the piece by picking a different thread. In the “arrow” border the three center stitches were supposed to be the orange metallic flanked by a stitch in the orange pearl cotton. By this time, I had stitched the bottom of the arrows and found that I really liked the orange as “flashes” of color, so I wanted to have them be less prominent. So I substituted a deep blue-violet linen for the orange pearl cotton. This color seems to melt into the overdye and lets the orange metallic stand out.

The end result is something which, while outside my color comfort zone (it does still have orange in it), looks like something I would stitch.

It was a fun challenge and one of these days I’m going to do it again, probably with another orange thread.