Thanks to my ANG Keystone Garden Chapter who wanted to stitch this for a project, I restitched it using different threads.
I can’t remember where I found this stitch for the grass but it worked well. The shades of green Watercolours Wasabi 271 provided most of the grass. The slightly dark grass is from Watercolours Guacamole 206. I wanted the shading to look like sun making certain areas lighter. I think I added too much grass. So, I may have the mat cover some of the right grass area.
And, the wild flowers are either Diamond Eyelet from Stitches by Effect by Suzanne Howden and Beth Robertson or Diamond Eyelet Variation from Plants & Animals by June McNight. To avoid a streaky effect from Watercolours Autumn Frost 143, I didn’t always complete each eyelet. Rather, I would start a second or third in order to get to a new color along the overdyed thread.
This one doesn’t have the threads showing under the crescents but it seems to lack the contrast that the first one had. I forgot to check the gray values of the threads. Others are still working on the project.
Filed under: Blue Bonnet Stitching Retreat 2017, Bronze Purse, Time For Needlepoint
Thanks to Andrea and Pam for a lovely weekend (first weekend in Nov)! We had a beading lesson, mini display of our stitched projects, 3 vendors, and Sunday brunch. Pam’s beading lesson on Saturday night sure was timely because I used one of the 3 methods for attaching the bugle beads which made it a lot easier.
And, Pam gave us a blank canvas, directions, and 2 skeins of DMC floss that could be stitched into a crazy quilt base for applying some lovely ribbon work. She’s offering a 2-day ribbon class at The Edwardian Needle in January. I sure hope the weather cooperates because Linda and I’ve been wanting a ribbon class. This will be perfect.
There were door prizes and Linda, Buff, and I won canvases!! Isn’t this cute.
I was almost able to finish the Bronze Purse on Sunday but was too tired to apply the final medallion and fill in another area when I got home. Monday was running errands. So, I finished it last Tuesday. I usually wait until after my ANG meetings to post a new finish but I’m getting behind on my blog postings! The Main Line Chapter meets tonight & we are loving our new Starbucks location in Wayne, PA.
I set up our itinerary to stop at 4 stores on our way to The Edwardian Needle and the Time For Needlepoint Retreat. Friday we took off from our meeting place in Wayne with Linda behind the wheel, I was navigator, and Buff was wing woman (& luckily more familiar with that part of NJ). They are great travel buddies!!
In just under an hour we got to Knit One Stitch Two in Pennington, NJ. As their name implies, knitting is their main focus bit they had enough of threads and canvases to be an enjoyable stop and good local resource. I picked up another Bead Buddy because mine must be tucked away with a WIP.
Only 15 minutes away from there was Pins and Needles in Princeton, NJ. They had a lot more canvases including a Scott Church trunk show. And, more thread lines; some knitting supplies.
About 35 minutes later we found Needleworkers Delight in its new location on the second floor (almost didn’t find it – there is an elevator) and it is huge!! Look at all the supplies (the selection of needlepoint fabric and canvas has to be the largest)!! Can you find Buff & Linda busy shopping? I picked up a couple of Quaker Sleds for EGA’s ornament charity project. Linda found Finca and swapped out pink for blues in a project.
Our final stop, another 35 minute ride, was Beyond Knits and Needles which Buff & I had stopped at before (also tough to find as the entrance is on the side street and the store is upstairs – there is no elevator). Lovely store with 3 rooms (photos in my 2016 road trip blog)!! I added “Decorative Backgrounds”, a June McKnight book to my collection. And, I saw the painted Patchwork For Piece 14 count canvas. But, I want to stitch it on 18 count.
From here, we were just 20 minutes to our hotel in Parsippany. Saturday was The Edwardian Needle and Sunday was the Time For Needlepoint Retreat (more about this in a second blog posting to come).
Melitastitches4fun's Blog 
Filed under: General comments, Needles, Threads
A tip from Doug Kreinik has proved useful with Bijoux thread and can be used with blending filament.
I’ve used a Larks Head Knot to lock a thread on the canvas when I need to stitch with 2 stands. For this, you lock in the center of the thread. But, you can also use this knot to lock the thread onto a needle to prevent it from falling out of the eye. And, you can stitch with just one thread by locking it near one end of the thread.
First, put a loop through the eye of the needle.
Second, put the point of the needle through the loop.
Lastly, pull both threads to make it taut. Now, thread will stay in place as you stitch!