stitching life Archive

Originally posted 2011-02-22 07:47:54. Republished by Blog Post PromoterDo you love Bargello? Are you looking for a source of new Bargello Needlepoint designs and quick projects? Do you want explore different threads for Bargello and try new color combinations? Are you intrigued to fill templates using Bargello? Look no further, beginning April 1, 2011, I will be launching Little Bargello Treasures, a monthly Bargello Club. The first of each month club members will receive: 13 or 18 mesh deluxe mono canvas with template outlined new Bargello pattern with color picture of the model color picture of the model stitching tips and supplemental information All this for only $7.50 per month when shipped to US addresses (if you are outside the US, contact me to get pricing). This club is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time and you’ll be so delighted with the possibilities for quick and

Read More...

Originally posted 2008-09-08 05:54:04. Republished by Blog Post PromoterThe first of my eBooks to be published (out late this month) will be a collection of 50 quilt blocks charted for either cross stitch or needlepoint. The blocks are charted simply and range in size from 15×15 to 24×24. You can stitch them just as they are or substitute other stitches for each square of the chart. To inspire your creativity and to show you just how flexible these blocks can be, I let the modelstitchers loose on them, giving them no instruction, no colors, and asking them to do what they liked. One of them, Jan Sprague, just posted two of her blocks on her blog. They are really cool. The top one, Alaska Homestead, is pretty much stitched as charted, with one Tent Stitch per square on the chart. I just love the way she used overdyes on this.

Read More...

If you surveyed 100 people at the ANG Seminar later this summer and asked them why they stitched, you’d get lots of answers. People would tell you about how it engages their creativity, how it relaxes them, how it’s a companion, how it’s a comfort. But one word you are unlikely to hear any of them say is “work.” Even people who make their living at needlepoint probably wouldn’t call it work, because we stitch because we love it not because we make a living at it. At those times when I’m overwhelmed with deadlines, the actual stitching isn’t work — it’s a joy. And it’s those same things you say it is. So how come book after book has in its instructions these words “Work the stitch . . .”? Take note, over and over again in books, magazines, and instructions you see “work.” You don’t see “make” very

Read More...

Originally posted 2009-11-05 07:01:29. Republished by Blog Post PromoterOne thing which has always intrigued me is the idea of making boxes out of needlepoint. I find the idea of using needlepoint for the sides of the box completely intriguing. There are several painted canvas designers who do too. Kathy Schenkel makes cube ornaments (I just bought Kathy’s Lighthouse Cube at an ANG Auction). Needlepoint of Back Bay has purses shaped like Chinese take-out boxes. Last but not least, Julia’s Needleworks has her lovely hinged boxes in a variety of shapes. I’ve ventured out a couple of times into this direction with a plastic canvas box tassel ornament and with a needlepoint shopping bag ornament. But what if you want to venture out and make your own box design. Paper and More has published a page of free box template patterns. These could be used as outlines for needlepoint. If you

Read More...

Let me tell you a secret. I simply love needlepoint. It takes all my will power not to buy every canvas I see even though I can’t finish what’s already in my stash. The reason is simple, I can’t help but start to plan a canvas whenever I see one, writing stitch guides in my mind. I’m lucky because I write stitch guides but for too many of use stitchers we’re tied to guides that are either expensive, inadequate, or not to our tastes. You probably think the alternative is to commission a stitch guide, possibly with a cost running into hundreds of dollars. And if you already own the canvas and maybe even the threads even your options for this are limited. You could summon your bravery and plunge into creating your own guide. But there doesn’t seem to be anywhere to find out how the professionals do it,

Read More...

Originally posted 2011-01-01 07:12:01. Republished by Blog Post PromoterI am NOT going to make any needlepoint resolutions for 2011. Last year I resolved to work on using my stash and that went very well. I try with resolutions not to make them again if they have become habits. Since using up the stash is now firmly ingrained, I’m not going to make that one again. I also resolve every year to finish some UFO’s. And I am going to work on doing that as well. I make this resolution every year and most of the time I manage to finish three or so, but some years I finish none, so clearly this one isn’t a habit yet. Sometimes I also resolve to learn something new. This year I think I’m going to work on two areas where I’m not very good — reading charts and adding embellishments. So, although I’m

Read More...

Although my Grandmother taught me the basic needlepoint stitch, I owe my passion for needlepoint to my Mom (pictured here). My mom’s an artist, and she will try just about anything. When I was really little she designed and painted a fire truck for my brother’s bedroom. I remember her doing mixed media collage at one point in the 60′s I think. An oil of lovely apples hung in our living room. When I was in Junior High she took up portraiture for awhile with me, in all my teenage anger, as the subject. Let’s just say that faces weren’t her strong suit. Growing up we’d do crafts, Thanks to her I tried paper mache, copper enameling, and a host of other things. She taught me from childhood to love, appreciate, and understand art. The one thing we didn’t do was needlework. She couldn’t teach me successfully was to draw.

Read More...

Originally posted 2006-10-22 07:34:55. Republished by Blog Post PromoterHave you ever had the feeling while you were stitching that this is too tiring to be fun? That was just happening to me, and I wanted to share with you some questions to ask and some solutions for the question of needlepoint and fatigue. Is the light good? For many people, especially as we get older, light is a big issue. No matter whether you stitch in natural light, under a stitching lamp, or just with the lights in your home, be sure there is enough. Dim light could be making your stitching less fun. Is there not enough contrast between your clothing and the canvas? Sometimes this can make it impossible to stitch (try using black canvas when wearing black clothes! Get what my friend Michelle calls a “lap dog” – a piece of white (or black) canvas you put

Read More...

Originally posted 2008-04-30 07:08:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter Even as we read, my new book, Bargello Revisited, is being printed. It will be available to shops later this month. As regular readers of this blog know, Bargello is one of my great loves in needlepoint. I’ve been stitching it since the early 70′s and I’ve been thinking about this book for about 20 years. I’ve tried to put everything I’ve learned about Bargello into it. Inside you’ll learn: How to stitch Bargello. How to solve the common problems with Bargello, something unique to this book. How to use templates to create shapes to fill with Bargello How to find your own templates. How to develop color schemes based on clothing, home decor, and even paint schemes. How to make over 30 different projects ranging from a cell phone or iPod case to stitcher’s accessories. Every project is pictured, along

Read More...

Bold or subtle, colorful or neutral, with this notebook class you’ll be seeing stripes. The upcoming 25 stitches class begins June 1, 2013 and focuses on these surprising useful stitches. In the class you’ll have a chance to try out stripes large and small. Some of these stitches are small enough to add distinction to even the smallest area, while others make great backgrounds for larger pieces. Plus you’ll learn about creating your own striped patterns, how stripes can solve dyelot problems, and tons of tips for using these stitches in your needlepoint. All for only $25 (sign up with button near the end of this post). Because this is a notebook class you can stitch it your way, using your scraps of canvas and leftover threads.ecause this is an email class you can take it on your time, when it works for you and your schedule. You can sign

Read More...

Originally posted 2009-07-04 07:12:25. Republished by Blog Post PromoterJust a quick note before I spend my day learning to make sushi (more about this in a second). There is a short interview/article about me in the blog sewingbusiness.com. You can read it at: http://sewingbusiness.com/2009/07/03/interview-with-janet-perry-of-napa-needlepoint.aspx If you know me, you are probably saying Janet Perry & raw fish?NO WAY! BUt sushi is the vinegared rice, not the fish. I got a cool book about sushi for my DH for Father’s Day and we are going to try to make some using vegetables and cooked meat. I’m also hoping to get some stitching done with two projects coming along nicely

Read More...

Art Needlepoint had this fantastic quote from a customer on Facebook recently. “I love to needlepoint because it is very soothing – filling in an area, keeping it firm and even, is a lot like meditating. It is fun to create something from nothing – a near-blank hole-y fabric becomes a cushion-y image on fabric. And it can easily be made very personal with thoughtful embellishments or stitch choice. Or thoughtless choice, if that is your mood! ” I know this expresses my feelings. Most of all I love it when I don’t have an urgent deadline hanging over my head or it’s a Sunday so I can pick a needlepoint that soothes my soul and relaxes me. Be sure to stitch today (and every day)!

Read More...

Lately I’ve been suffering more than I would like from aches and pains while I stitch. One area where we often have pain is in our hands and fingers. This knitting blog post has five great stretches for your hands. Print it out and keep it by your stitching chair!

Read More...

Originally posted 2009-01-14 06:12:25. Republished by Blog Post PromoterEvery year I make some New Year’s Resolutions about needlepoint. Sometimes they are vague, like this year’s one to reduce the thread stash. Sometimes they are very concrete, like the year I wanted to do 100 needlepoint projects. Most of the time I fail. Sometimes miserably, like the year I was supposed to finish 3 UFOs and finish none. Sometimes only by a hair, like the year I did 96 needlepoints instead of 100. But making resolutions is fun, it gives us goals, it can direct our stitching, and sometimes it can be materially rewarding as many guilds have annual challenges. In any case, what’s your needlepoint resolution? Is there a project you intend to finish? A technique you want to learn? An organization goal? I’ve come clean with mine – to reduce the thread stash by 10-25%, but leave a comment

Read More...

Originally posted 2010-03-09 07:15:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter Making the transition from stitching your first needlepoint sampler to doing canvases can be a hard one. The projects should be good-looking, appealing enough that even an experienced stitcher will want to stitch them. They should be small, so that the stitcher has a sense of accomplishment when it’s done. And they should always increase the stitcher’s needlepoint knowledge. Why is this important? Think about two different crafts, beading has been very successful at moving beginners to more complex projects, knitting has been less successful at this. With beading, people make that first necklace, bracelet, or pair of earrings and makes a bunch more. When ready for the next step there are many websites, more complex beads and lots of tutorials to let you make something lovely that is just a little bit harder but uses material you have used and

Read More...