Filed under: Come Design With Me by Orna Willis
This came to be named Come Dance With Me by the members of the class because of all the wonderful colors. Orna explained her process as follows, “I work with colors like a dance. I take two steps in one direction and then at least one step in the other. I like to start with strong colors and after I’ve worked with them I counter it with calming colors.”
In mine, there are a couple of unintentional differences because I counted wrong but I actually prefer less movement in the scalloped border. And, there are a couple intended differences including using only 2 threads of DMC floss 4124 for the orange French Knots so that the overlayed Bijoux would lay flatter (thanks to Linda’s suggestion – it’s always good to talk concerns over with her) and one French Knot for each middle area on the outermost border because two seemed too scrunched. I’m very happy with what I learned from Orna Willis through her thought process, the amazing threads, and stitching the design. Thanks Orna. All done and ready for her next design class!
Filed under: General comments
My husband got me Golden Friends by Toni Gerdes for Christmas this year. The design supports the Golden Needle Society of The American Needlepoint Guild (ANG) and helps the goal of preserving this art for years to come. ANG has brought me many great new friends some of whom have taught me how to make gifts for many people over the years.
Speaking of great friends, Linda did it again! First the tool tote bag earlier this year and now this. Isn’t this a lovely bag? Just look at the beautiful coordinating fabrics. It zippers shut and has pockets inside and out. Thanks Linda!! I do enjoy our times together.
I wanted to post this closer to Christmas and almost forgot! I shared the comprehensive review that Pat Mazu provided on my two submissions as part of the ANG Correspondence Course, “I Can Do It” with my ANG Main Line Chapter at a previous meeting. Pat discussed that while the center motif of the stocking was visually joined to the background with a continuity of color, the center motif would have been more emphatic if the pearl metallic and the silver metallic were switched. The pearl metallic tends to vanish into the white canvas. This makes the four, blue double cross stitches the focal point of the motif. Excellent point. Another interesting point was that I correctly allowed the shading to fade out towards the toe which is an area of the stocking, in Pat’s opinion, that should not become dominate. And, as a service to students of her courses, she offers her finishing service at very affordable rates. I took advantage of her offer and love how she finished them. Thanks again Pat for the time you took to comment on each piece and to answer my finishing questions.
The “I Can Do It” booklet is about 45 pages and will serve as a wonderful resource for additional pieces. There are templates for various shapes and she breaks down designing into very simple terms. I used exact or slightly modified stitch patterns located in the booklet. Yes, I Did Do It and You Can Do It too!!
This is the mini-stocking (4″ by 6″) and the light bulb (2″ x 5″) I designed.
Filed under: A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That by Linda Damiani
About a year ago, my ANG Main Line chapter played with “A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That” by Linda Damiani. I had so much fun choosing threads from my stash for the Florentine Star, a 4-way bargello pattern, that I decided to make enough of them to give to my Philadelphia Quartet Club shuffleboard members. And, I’ve been stitching them periodically over the year getting a good number of them done on our vacations this year. They traveled well.
I love the off center star rather than locating the star directly in the center. Each one has an overdyed thread (or two) and then one or two solid colors. No two are identical. I used fusible interfacing to cover the bottom. Then, I placed each in an acrylic trivet that can withstand temps up to 350 degrees. I got the trivets from AllStitch. We followed the Secret Santa rules which allowed people to pick a preferred color scheme. And, I was very happy that everyone loved them. Great times at the PQC!!
A few weeks ago, Doug Kreinik shared with a group of ERA & DVSHG folks what you can do with the various Kreinik threads. One of them used the cording tool.
The basics are that for the length of desired cord using 2 threads, you need 3 times as much thread to start with. If you twist 3 or more threads, add 3″ for every extra thread.
He recommended using a dark green Chenille and red Petite Facets to make a wreath. And, that was the “project” for my ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter Holiday Celebration this past Monday night. Here are my samples. Each one is about 1&1/2″ in diameter. I put one-sided adhesive felt on the back to make a small ornament. But, it could have couched onto a Christmas design or stocking too.
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