Nuts about Needlepoint » tnna preview

New Products for Needlepoint – May 2009

Janet Perry — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:59:52 +0000

First off, Squigee Designs, maker of simply wonderful painted canvases, as well as the popular cross stitch designer Shepherd’s Bush are now being distributed by Dream House Ventures. They have a whole new range of small whimsical canvases which will be seen for the first time at the June Market. Squigee joins their other well-known designers including Mindy, Bongo, and The Cricket Collection.

River Silks has a charming new picture of pansies available as a kit using their lovely silk ribbons. Leigh Designs is introducing two stunning new collections One is her small ornaments, with eight in the collection, all based on Swedish themes. They are painted on 18 mesh Victorian Green canvas and are named for a past Swedish monarch. The second also has eight canvases and explores the colors and images of Mexican street festivals.

Alice Vantrease has three lovely shorebirds done as centers with wide black on white geometric borders for a fresh interpretation of traditional style. The Caron Collection has 9 new painted canvas designs, most inspired by quilts.

The Gentle Art has four new Simply Shaker colors (sunflower, raspberry frost, autumn leaves, and chives) and two new limited edition colors (water’s edge and driftwood).

Finca, the makers of Presencia cottons, has come out with a line of metallic. There are 12 colors available in 1 and 2 ply. Crescent Colours is releasing three new colors of cotton floss; Mauvelous, Sea Shell, and Mint Julep. They are also adding 3 new colors of Belle Soie and #5 perle. Kreinik has added 10 new colors to their Japan #5 line.

The Elizabeth Turner Collection has charming magnetized holders for your needles, called needle buddies which look like little rhinestone pins. FA Edmunds has a new floor stand, the Stitch Master, which will hold scroll frames, quilting hoops, stretcher bars and rachet frames. Tamsco has introduced a new line of precision scissors made from recycled steel called Greenline. Yarn Tree has a cool new easel with swirl ends made from black iron. It’s perfect for displaying framed needlepoint on a table.

Handblessings has some new charts available, including a lovely spring wreath. Custom House has a new Finger Step design on painted canvas of five delightful and colorful fish. Needle Delights has a new counted canvas design all in greens called Emerald. DebBee’s Designs has a great new counted canvas design using my favorite Watercolours, called Tahiti Triangles. It has lots of textured stitches in bright colors.

The Caron Collection has add 12 new shades in both Watercolours and Wildflowers and 10 new Waterlilies. I’ll let you know once I have the list. Brown paper packages just added three shades to their Watery Blue family. These threads are turquoise and are simply lovely. Lizbeth is a new thread company to me, they have a fine size 20 thread (usually used for tatting or crochet) made from Egyptian cotton. There are 76 colors including some lovely variegated ones.

Napa Needlepoint at Columbus TNNA

Janet Perry — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:17:54 +0000

Just to give you a listing of where you can find my books and stitch guides at TNNA.

Bargello Revisited will be a featured book at Rainbow Gallery’s booth (728). They will be taking orders for autographed copies.

The book will also be available at Unicorn Books (323) and Nordic Needle (1852).

Needlepoint Trade Secrets is also available from these companies.

Needledeeva (1436) will have the models (so far) of her small nativity as well as copies of all my stitch guides. If you’re thinking about a club or a Christmas in July offering, you can’t got far wrong with this little nativity. The pieces are small, easy to stitch and the stitch guide covers the complete set and is coordinated to go together.

Kelly Clark (1900) will have all my stitch guides for her, including the two new Nordic Santas.

Raymond Crawford (1525) will have the delightful and popular canvas, Wicked, which has a stitch guide that has some great (and pretty easy) effects, along with some of my coaster sets.

Melissa Shirley (1625) will have our latest guide, Home Sweet Home, which is a glorious canvas and tons of fun to stitch.

You can also find my guides at CBK (713), Dream House Ventures (1701), GailVail (1438), and the Point of It All (1912).

Although I won’t be there, I’ll be thinking of you this weekend.

Nordic Joy and Nordic Love Santa – Sneak Peek

Janet Perry — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:26:09 +0000

These are my latest stitch guides, Nordic Joy and Nordic Love Santas from Kelly Clark Needlepoint.

I just love them. They have such pretty, quiet colors, but they aren’t boring at all. I like the charming cat and dog. It’s so hard to make animals, especially cats, look realistic and still whimsical, so I think they’re great.

The metallic on the robes was a real challenge. I wanted to imitate those elaborate metallic thread frog and embroidery closures you often see on folk embroidery. It was done in the easiest way. Begin by stitching Continental between the wider areas. Then add a Continental Stitch at the outside of each frog. Make the frog by weaving your needle in and out in a figure 8 between the Continentals.

I also love the Christmas trees in each canvas. The charming method was developed by Kelly. It uses French Knots on a stick in four different colors of green. You can even (and should) use threads from your stash for this. It creates a great texture.

The canvases have easy embellishments and lots of great techniques.

If you’re going to TNNA, the models and stitch guide covers will be in Kelly’s booth.

Great New Needlepoint at TNNA January 2008

Janet Perry — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:54:57 +0000

Nuts about Needlepoint
Volume 11, Issue 1
January 2008 – ISSN: 1520-9369

I’m back and pretty much caught up, so I’m sending along the roundup of the show. There are plenty of new designs, some exciting new threads, and some welcome trends in needlepoint.

I’m sure you’ll find plenty to delight you in the next few months at your local shop.

TNNA WINTER MARKET ROUNDUP

TRENDS
The biggest trend I see in needlepoint these days is that it is experiencing a resurgence in interest, fueled by younger shopowners. As a result, the designs are getting more interesting and I’m seeing lots of designers with their own individual style.

There is very little needlepoint out there which is staid and uninteresting. This trend has been developing for awhile, but it has really come to the fore in this market. Almost every booth I visited had exciting new pieces and interesting ways to use needlepoint.

While I saw several great new threads, and additional colors were added to many lines, the explosion in threads seems to be over. Today there is a great variety of threads which will allow you, as a stitcher, to create great new effects. Thread manufacturers are showing wonderful new ways to use their threads.

Rainbow Gallery had a great new thread, Silk Lame, which is a combination of silk & metallic in 17 colors. They have also come out with 7 variegated shades of Mandarin Floss. Conjoined Creations has their lovely, grayed, Shades & Tone Collection, which will be great for a softer-looking pieces. Kreinik has responded to the increased interest in 13 mesh canvas with 12 more colors in Canvas (#24) braid. TreadworX, a maker of overdyed floss pearl, and specialty threads debuted at this show. Dream House introduced the most marvelous silk at the Market, Baroque Silk. You’ll love it.

Another trend is the movement towards needlepoint which is fast and easy to stitch, this is coming out in smaller designs from many companies. AMH Designs has expanded their popular notebook line with notebooks with small perforated paper areas built into the cover. One I saw had a small area just perfect for an initial. The covers around the needlework have such pretty patterns on them that I had to look closely to see what was stitched and what was printed. At The Point of It All I saw a fantastic series of small houses done on ecru canvas I could hardly resist. Rebecca Wood has some wonderful small ornaments. for Halloween and Christmas which were finished on button forms. Unique NZ Designs also has a real winner in their series of six brooches. This tiny canvases are on 18 mesh, painted, and wouldn’t take long to stitch, You return them to your shop for finishing with the included setting.

There is also a growing interest in Bargello. Not only does June McKnight have a great new book out about Bargello, Rainbow Gallery’s series of free designs for 2008 is all Bargello. Ask about them at your local shop.

A trend from knitting and quilting I’m happy to see adopted to stitchery is cause-related stitching. Funk & Weber Designs has their “Stitch for Literacy” project which makes bookmarks for literacy programs at libraries. Ruth Schmuff has two adorable breast cancer awareness canvases: Purr for the Cure (with a cat) and Sit. Stay, Heal. (with a dog). I’m hoping this method of support is something we’ll see more at future shows.

Is there an artist you love? Perhaps you are crazy about the birthday card you got. Or maybe you collect great notecards. One of the biggest trends I saw is the adaptation of artwork to needlepoint. Many artists and many designers have lovely artwork. My absolute favorites were the Copper Oaks needlepoint canvases of a charming alphabet from Warren Kimble. I just loved the “T” with it’s marvelous Arts & Crafts style tree.

NEEDLEPOINT FOR CHRISTMAS
Lovers of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol will love The Artist’s Collections set of Victorian Christmas figures. With the matching tree, they would look great on a tabletop.

Bella Donna has a series of small Christopher Radko adaptations of his Rainbow Bright ornaments. If you aren’t familiar with them, these are new versions of classic striped ornaments from the 50’s and 60’s. They also have Christmas pillows with great contemporary style.

If you want to needlepoint a stocking, but that seems like too much work — why not stitch the cuff only. The Elizabeth Turner Collection has lovely cuffs, on 13 mesh canvas, for every taste. I really liked them.

For a different twist on the 12 Days of Christmas, Kathy Schenkel has one with dogs and one with cats. Kelly Clark has made her 12 Days into full-size stockings to go with her wonderful Santa stockings.

Amanda Lawford has lots of new Santas in the popular 12” size, including a Viking Santa, a Texas Santa, and a USA Santa. Like all of her Santas, these are full of detail.

NEEDLEPOINT TO WEAR
One thing I loved at the show were the companies who are making coordinated painted canvases for accessories. Ruth Schmuff has coordinated sets in three color schemes of geometric designs. There is a tote bag and pieces for several Lee leather pieces.

Kelly Clark has a wonderful paisley design (in five color schemes) and a great dot pattern (in four color schemes) which are available as shoes,a belt, round ornaments,a purse flap, and a glasses case.

Patti Paints has coordinating canvases and fantastic new totes with printed ribbon handles. I want the black and white striped one which goes with some great lady bugs. Julia’s Needlework has triangular canvases which are designed to be inserted into sandals as well as a new mule, ballet mules.

Julie Pischke has a new bag shape, a hobo, in several of her popular patterns. Judi & Co also had some great new purses. Dream House also had a new round purse shape from Mindy which comes with the handles.

FUN, GAMES & FOOD IN NEEDLEPOINT
Games were also a big theme. Sew Much Fun has a wonderful pillow with poker chips and cards on a background the color of green felt. Painted Pony has their smaller size angels for gamers including ones for poker, chess, and other games.

Needlepoint Broad has two great backgammon boards, one with Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower, and one with the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings. Both have a rich blue background.

Little Shoppe has needlepoint chocolate covered strawberries. They also can “feed” your needlepoint desires with a gingerbread man of the month series. Whimsy & grace has added new pieces to their popular Fred & Ginger gingerbread people.

MORE GREAT CANVASES
Ann Wheat Pace had a lovely series of 5” blocks with geometric patterns, which would go great in one of the many tote bags I saw. Red Thread is now making many of the Terry Enflield canvases which were only available on black available on sandstone canvas. They had a canvas shown on both and it was lovely. They will also be bringing out more stitch guides, mostly by Brenda Hart.

JP Needlepoint had a lovely series of women in French traditional costumes. These charming canvases would look great as a set. I was particularly interested in Lani’s canvases which were variations on the Fleur de Lis, some of them were traditional while some were contemporary.

If you’ve been looking unsuccessfully for needlepoint with sorority and fraternity symbols on them, Betsy B has the answer. These designs are stitch painted and include shields, ornaments, belts, and so much more. I loved these designs. She is planning on providing the same items for all the branches of the military.

All about Stitching has two new series which come kitted with everything but the threads, including a clear project bag. Choose from several designs for memo pads or dishtowel toppers. Sundance has a clever series of “Icons of Everyday Things” with clever subjects like “Our Lady of Junk Food.” Each comes with a prayer.

Sharon G has some glorious new landscapes, doorways, and triptychs. One of the landscapes shows a sea wall in Postiano, and one of the doorways is from the same town. She has also brought back her “eye” canvases. Rainbow Gallery’s new packaging of eye colored Spendors is perfect thread for these.

SELF-FINISHING ITEMS
Lee Needle Arts has brought out three new jewel boxes,made for holding canvases. There are two rectangular ones and a square one with a round opening.

A new company, Stirling, has some glorious leather bags to hold needlepoint. There is a tool tote (about the size of a trade paperback) and a tote. They are lined and come in five colors. I saw one at a class and had to get it. My tools will ride in style now!

NEEDLEPOINT FOR KIDS
DeElda has a new series of kits for kids, which are fantastic! They include the painted canvas, Persian wool, and instructions. The designs, while simple, are sophisticated and appealing.

If you know someone who loves Beth Russell’s glorious designs but wants (or needs) something simpler, her new series of miniatures is just perfect. There are six in all, printed on 12 mesh canvas and including all the threads. Each has a flower and a “critter,” including a snail, a grasshopper, and more. There is also a rug version.

TNNA Preview – CBK Needlepoint Collections

Janet Perry — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 23:56:54 +0000

CBK Needlepoint Collections has designs frm several designers, including Edie & Ginger, and Bettie Ray. For the TNNA show, and licenses and adapts for needlepoint several others, like Amy Coe and Janis J Maddox. They have added two new designers this year: They write: “We are adding three new artists this year. One has been painting in the past but two are new to the industry. Cecilia is a graphic artist from British Columbia and her cats with sunglasses are great. . . We are also in the process of painting the designs of Ciao Bella greeting cards.” Expect to see Cecilia’s designs on their website soon and the Caio Bella designs after that. Related posts: TNNA Preview — JR Designs TNNA Preview – Happy Heart Winter Wreath TNNA Preview – MAP Designs TNNA Preview – Needledeeva TNNA Preview – Keri Designs Related posts:

TNNA Preview – Unique NZ Designs

Janet Perry — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 18:12:55 +0000

Here’s a preview of what Unique NZ Designs has new for TNNA:

1. New range of kits we are importing from Wales. These are from Millennia
Designs and there is both needlepoint and cross stitch. They are all
inspired by historical tiles and textiles. Needlepointand cross stitch are both available.

2. We also have new belt buckle designs. These belt buckles have
been generating a lot of excitement. They featured in Craftrends for this
month and will be featured in the American Needlepoint Guild magazine in
February. The belt buckles can be self-finished or professionally finished.

3. We also have brooch designs which will also be featured in the guild
magazine in Feb. These are a lovely quick project and the antique style
bezel is nice and heavy and off a high quality.

TNNA Preview – Happy Heart Winter Wreath

Janet Perry — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:52:25 +0000

A combination of a great thread (Neon Rays +) and a delightful stitch (T Stitch) are coming together beautifully on my current project and stitch guide.

This is a Winter Wreath from Happy Heart Designs and it has these lush, realistic poinsettias, pine branches and three Christmas ornaments. The open stitch allows the lovely shaded painting on the canvas to show through while still beign really easy to stitch.

You can also see some of the background here. we’re using a stitch from June McKnight called Shannon’s Blizzard which could be worked as a darning pattern. Here, I’ve stitched it in diagonal lines, so it’s also easy to stitch.

Attendees at TNNA will be able to see it so far (including some areas not shown here) at Happy Heart’s booth — 1854 & 4856.

Watch for some more postings after the show to see my progress. In addition, it’s one of my President’s Challenge pieces.

TNNA Preview — Happy Heart Designs

Janet Perry — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:35:36 +0000

I think you’ll just love the new designs from Tish Watkins of Happy Heart Designs. My favorite is called “In My Garden” and they are inspired by Tish’s own garden. Not only are there delightful flowers, she has also honored the critters which live in her garden as well, with a butterfly, lady bug, snail, bird, and a frog. Don’t you just love them! Tish also has some new gingerbread people and a large geometric piece inspired by her trip to Taos, NM. Tish’s booths at TNNA are 1854 & 1856. Related posts: TNNA Preview – Happy Heart Winter Wreath TNNA Preview – Keri Designs TNNA Preview – Unique NZ Designs TNNA Preview – MAP Designs TNNA Preview — JR Designs Related posts:

TNNA Preview – Fiber Artists Trading Cards

Janet Perry — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 17:58:56 +0000

Of all the classes I’m taking at TNNA, I’m most excited about the Fiber Artist Trading Cards class on Saturday morning. These cards (tha same size as a baseball card) have been groweing in popularlty among artists of all kinds in the past several years. You can leanr more about their history on Wikipedia. Making trading cards for fiber artists is a relatively new idea and four artists came together to hold a class at Combus and it is being held again at Long Beach. The description from the show guide ” Creating and collecting are passions of needleworkers. Fiber Artist Trading Cards fulfill both urges. The small size and “anything goes” nature of the project appeal to young and old, experts and beginners in needlepoint, cross-stitch and any fiber craft. This class will be taught by Jen Funk Weber, Heather Holland-Daly, Kat Rocha, Sharon Crescent and Jenny Hart ” sounds so exciting I can hardly wait. I’ll share my results here. Related posts: TNNA Preview – CBK Needlepoint Collections TNNA Preview – MAP Designs TNNA Preview — JR Designs TNNA Preview – Needledeeva TNNA Preview – Keri Designs Related posts:

TNNA Preview – Keri Designs

Janet Perry — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 16:48:16 +0000

Keri Duke is a fantastic designer of Hawaiian quilts. I’m not a quilter but I love quilts. I especially love the bold and complex style of these quilts. I remember the first time I saw her lovely designs based on her own Hawaiian quilts I was so excited.

The “sampler” quilt needlepoint pictured above is her newest design, distributed by Treglown Designs. Keri, who is also a talented needlepointer, stitched the model which is pictured. I’m particularly fond of the background which is stitched using overdyed threads and has a wonderful vintage feel.

If you want to try something smaller she has individual quilt blocks which are the perfect size for ornaments

She has developed designs for Quilting, Cross Stitch and Needlepoint based on Hawaiian Flora that fit within the style recently labeled Contemporary Hawaiian. In addition she has translated her Hawaiian Quilt designs into needlepoint. The sample above is stitched on 14 mesh using Weeks Dye Works threads and River Silk Ribbons. Canvas is stitch painted and is available on 14 or 18 mesh with a stitch guide. Available through Treglown Designs (booths 1400, 1402, 1404, 1406, & 1408).