I redid the design I gave to my sister & have donated the design to the 2017 Chapter Project Book. You can see it at Seminar in the Distance Learning Program area. It is intended to teach how to manipulate an overdyed thread. This uses the same overdyed thread, Watercolours Lilac (039) as I had used for my sister.
New piece:
Original piece:
I was happy to help Marilyn Owen by proofing her instructions for the Chapter Project Book piece called Herringbone Happening. And, I am pleased to announce that I received an Honorable Mention ribbon for this at Seminar this year! Marilyn’s is on display as well and is stunning.
The threads and beads came from my stash. I used Spendor (Aqua S-880 and Bronze Porcelains S-974, S-1085, S-1131), Vineyard Silk (Butter Cream C-184), Trebizond (Aquamarine TRA701), and Kreinik #8 Braid (Antique Gold 221 and Citrine 3280).
Filed under: ANG Seminar 2017
What do you think? Are these French Knots?? Don’t worry, I won’t post all my diagrams!!!
Filed under: ANG Seminar 2017
Kudos to Cynthia Thomas for teaching 14 people how to create diagrams using Excel in just a few hours! I’m so happy it’s easy to learn. But, it will be time consuming to create my own “library” of stitches. Good thing I am retired now!!
This is another “challenge” piece intended to explore a single stitch. I selected the Scotch Stitch. And, I’m happy to say that it received a third place ribbon in origin design, non-professional category! My artist’s statement follows:
In researching Scotch Stitches, I learned that Box Stitches are described as a “series of diagonal stitches that form squares or boxes” from Jo Ippolito Christensen in The Needlepoint Book. The Mosaic Stitch is the smallest of the Box Stitches, Cashmere is a rectangular Mosaic Stitch, and Scotch Stitch is an expanded Mosaic Stitch. I found Scotch Stitch variations in The Needlepoint Book, Amy Bunger’s Keeping Me In Stitches, and SuZy’s Portable Stitches app. However, I found the Scotch Stitch variations in Scotch Stitch by Stitch by Kathleen Rake the most inspirational and educational by learning how to vary stitches with size, direction, color, and threads to create endless variations.
After having just stitched Designing with Stitches by Julie Goetsch (http://needlepoint.org/Archives/00-01/Design.php – originally published in NeedlePointers, Volume X, Number 1, Spring 1982) with my ANG chapter, I stitched the frame using the Cashmere and Mosaic Stitches instead of the Oblong Cross Stitches as Julie had done. The frame is comprised of numerous 4 by 2 units and 4 corners that are 2 by 2. This created the appropriate negative spaces: 25 areas that are 8 by 8 and 16 areas that are 4 by 4.
There are 10 variations of the Scotch Stitch in the 25 larger negative spaces (8 by 8 areas; A-G), 3 variations in the smaller negative spaces (4 by 4 areas; a-c), and 6 variations (6 by 6 areas) repeating to form the outermost border. There’s lots more variations that could be cooked up using more Scotch variations, more threads, or both!
Filed under: ANG Seminar 2017
ANG Seminar is just about to get underway. People are heading west to Anaheim this year. Weather looks to be sunny and warm. Bill will be golfing with Harvey, whose wife Rita is also attending. And, I’m ready to pack our suitcases. Lots to bring!
I have to take my computer for Monday’s class with Cynthia Thomas. We’re going to learn how to make charts/diagrams using Microsoft Excel. Looking forward to that. I do some designing but have not invested in a program. I have relied on others for getting my hand drawn diagrams into something presentable. Hopefully, this will be sufficient for my needs.
In fact, the whole week I will be with Cynthia! For the following 4 days, I will work on 2 canvases in her Painted Canvas Embellishment Class. I sent her photos of 2 related canvases and she returned a suggested thread list (general enough to allow flexibility based on availability). Linda and I spent a great afternoon at Rittenhouse Needlepoint picking out threads. The canvases (13 count) are ones I bought on previous road trips. One is JP Bird of Paradise & Bamboo and the corresponding JP Orange Orchid & Bamboo; each are pictured with the threads I selected. Can’t wait to see what Cynthia has in mind for these and start stitching. No doubt certain sections will repeat in both canvases which is why she graciously agreed to these as my project. I believe that I’ll be focusing on the flowers during class. I will be finishing these as pillows.
Filed under: Festive Fireworks
How exciting to see Festive Fireworks on the cover of the July 2017 issue of Needle Pointers!! I knew it was getting published but not that it would be on the cover. I worked with Pam G. again to create the final charts and diagrams. I gave her my hand written charts, diagrams, and instructions to transform them and she did a great job!
This piece started with a group who encourage each other to design a piece based on a particular theme & this was to be something that “expressed a celebration”. And, being from Philadelphia, I immediately thought of all the wonderful fireworks especially the ones for the 4th of July. And, I’ve often thought that stitch patterns in Jean Hilton’s books remind me of fireworks and I used Stimulating Stitches and Needlepoint Stitches for most of the stitches. Since we have fireworks several times during the year, I created a main motif of the center star surrounded by a border of Symrna stitches and corner crescents while the smaller side motifs are different in each of the designs resembling a variety of fireworks. When I found the red, white, and blue Silk Lamé Braid, I literally jumped for joy! The 5 points of the center star are intended to serve as a guide for counting throughout the piece. Stitches used are: Crescents, Smyrna stitches, Jessica stitches, Wrapped coils, Double Fans, Plaited Ray, and Wrapped Sheaf. Everything was diagrammed before stitching. Since there is exposed canvas, I took care so that threads do not show through.
I was too shocked to jump for joy when I saw the blue ribbon! First place in non-professional original design at the 2016 ANG Seminar! We were allowed to get photos after the exhibit closed & as long as no other piece could be seen. Another benefit of volunteering – behind the scenes access. The First Place and special award ribbons are beautifully hand stitched and this one was done by Elena L. from the local New Orleans chapter. Thanks to all the volunteers for your efforts – the seminar was fantastic.
I stitched the stars as 3 separate pieces (as seen on the cover) but then framed them as a single vertical set.
It measures approximately 11″ x 23″, is stitched on 18 count monocanvas, and used Fyre Werks, Silk Lamé Braid For 18 count, Kreinik #4 Braid, Crystal Braid, Soie Cristale, and Dinky Dyes.
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