Filed under: All That Simmers by Sundance Beads, ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter
I’m glad I worked on All That Shimmers at my ANG Main Line Stitchers Saturday Stitch-in because Kristen was there. She’s already stitched it.
Underneath the purple flowers, I just couldn’t use the magenta overdyed thread. Kristen helped me pick DMC floss 327 to be the shadow underneath the flowers. Much better.
Once home, I pulled out the raffia and thought it was plastic! But Kristen used it on hers, and it looked nice. I also googled it and found out it is from the leaves of a raffia palm tree. Luckily, as I threaded the needle, it ripped down the center, which thinned it, and I like. It’s a very stiff thread, but I was able to anchor it in the stitching underneath the flower.
The raffia opens up to 1.25 inches wide and is very thin. So, I actually only ripped off 0.25 inches.
I’ll throw it into my stash, but I can’t say I’ll be seeking out more of it.
In order to get the 15 mm wide ribbon (BE Ribbon-Retro Avocado) threaded for the leaves, I needed an 18 Tapestry needle. I enlarged the hole and still had to work to pull it through (left long ends). I didn’t want to rip the canvas. I only ran it under the yellow Frosty Rays. Then, I did the veins and secured the ends of the ribbon with that thread.
Lastly, I tent stitched the red in the center and covered the gold ends.
We’re letting folks catch up, and the red center flower will be discussed at our November meeting. It’s looking good!
We’re using a stitch guide by Sundance Beads.
Filed under: Books in My Library, Desert Island Stitches, Volume 1 - Ideas for Small Spaces, Desert Island Stitches, Volume 2 - Ideas for Creative Borders, Needlepoint Books, Painted Canvas Embellishment: An Idea Book by Carol Lake and Michael Boren
These books by Carole H Lake and Michael Boren are intended to aid stitchers of painted canvases. But, they are stitch books, making them relevant and useful for selecting stitches for any project.
Painted Canvas Embellishment: An Idea Book
There is an excellent 5-page introduction of general thoughts, including choosing threads and stitches.
The pages on thread characteristics are not exciting, but I have skimmed them at least once. I underlined “chainette” in 8 places (2 are noted as discontinued – maybe more than that by now). It would make a good reference if you’re threading up an old project that calls for discontinued threads so you know better what to substitute.
Stitches cover faces, fur, clothing, foliage, snow, wings (good for my butterfly that I’m working on but not posting about until the big reveal for my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter), stars, motifs, small areas, medium areas, very large areas, backgrounds, borders, lines, shading, combinations, and beading.
Desert Island Stitches, Volume 1 – Ideas for Small Spaces
It covers tent stitches in the first 2 pages. Can you think of 12 patterns? They did! Then, they go into diagonal stitches, oblique stitches, straight stitches, and cross stitches.
Desert Island Stitches, Volume 2 – Ideas for Creative Borders
These borders are arranged in 6 sections: continuous borders, mitered corners, center miters, log cabin borders, corner motif borders, and center motif borders. I love the reminder to combine several narrow borders to make a wider border. That makes me think of Autumn 3-Ways by Toni Gerdes and 5 Vases with Curly Bamboo by Sharon G.
The center Rhodes diagrammed by Lorene Salt was not preferred by at least one of her testers and a second option was provided. Since both options interfered with the north, east, south, and west spokes, I created my own.
Next I worked on the color-matched areas that I had started in class because they seemed the trickiest. Finding the matched lengths actually was harder than the stitching but worth it! That took a few hours during class. I had made a knot at the end of the thread where I wanted to anchor in order to start each large crescent and end up with a match when stitched. That made picking up where I left off easy.
Finishing the last of the borders allows another anchoring area. Very smart of Lorene to work these into the design.
Did you notice my coordinated needle minder?! I made this one in a class with Michelle Arsenault. The heart needle minder accompanying Heart Swirls was one I made from Michelle’s class, too.
Hmmm. Where to go next? I made a mistake by adding up the number of different motifs that are coming up. There are 508 Smyrnas, 90 partial eyelets, 49 Jessicas, 40 tied sheafs, 26 crescents, 4 Sprats Heads, and some 4-way Continental. Whew!
How would you proceed? All of each stitch? A quarter at a time?
Filed under: ANG Seminar 2024
During ANG’s Seminar, there is always Expo! night and I forgot to post about my purchases. Knowing that I was going home with 3 new projects, I couldn’t buy more. But, I can always use a magnet and a stitch book.
The fine folks in Kansas City with Hearts for Hospice had a table and had newly printed booklets for sale. It’s called 13 Hearts . . . over 50 stitches. Their fantastic story is inside. They started by providing a dozen hearts a month to one hospice to donating over 60 hearts a month to 3 local hospice centers. They have distributed over 5,000 hearts across 26 states and 4 countries. Very commendable.
Their suggestion to treat the hearts as a stitch sampler is excellent. Stitch, take notes, photograph, and send it to them for finishing. Some stitches you will like better than others but don’t rip, send it to Hearts for Hospice.
There are some interesting Nobuko variations and a dozen Cashmere variations. There is a Rhodes Heart and a very clever butterfly.
I’m sure you can order the booklets from heartsforhospiceofficial@gmail.com – great gifts.
Now, what did I do with that magnet? I look forward to finding it . . . one day when I am looking for something else!
Filed under: ANG Needle Pointer's Timeless Treasures From the Archives
The ANG Pine Tree Chapter (Maine) sponsored a series of three Zoom lectures by Susan Hoekstra in support of a non-profit heating assistance program by Penquis in Maine. The three lectures were:
April 10, 2024 The Elements of Design
May 8, 2024 The Principles of Design
June 5, 2024 Using Color Theory to Your Advantage
At the May lecture, I decided to see how well optical color mixing or pointallism would work with needlepoint.
So, I decided on a simple sunset scene (yes, I coordinated my needle minder magnet). You can easily see the red DMC #5 Perle 666 and yellow 973 have combined to create orange just as Susan explained. I am using skip tent basketweave.
As I was in the middle of stitching this, I was reading 8 articles on color and design written by Gene Wright. The 5th article mentions achieving optical blending through needle blending. The left side in my sample below uses 4 strands, and the right side uses 2 strands.
Join American Needlepoint Guild (ANG) to get access to more about this topic in the Timeless Treasures from the Archives article in the current issue of Needle Pointers (September/October 2024) and all the issues since the 1980s. Read about all the ANG member benefits at: Click here.
Filed under: General comments, Needlework and Textile Guild of Media, Technique Issues
I gave a talk about picking stitches to the members of The Needlework and Fiber Guild of Media earlier this month and here are my takeaway thoughts. I covered a lot in 40 minutes, but since then, I added a couple of more thoughts. I want to know where to find these when I need them and will be adding to this periodically as I come across any gems.
The non-stitchers in the guild (they do all sorts of various crafts such as needle felting, sewing, knitting, quilting, spinning wool, bookbinding, etc) were asking if we’re going to do a group project based on what they learned! I think a simple landscape would work well. This is a very creative group without the types of classes I’ve taken. So, I did stress technique is important although without a desire to become a Master Craftsman or plans to enter into a juried exhibit, it really is about enjoying what you do. If people want to work needlepoint in hand (I used to until I found out about bars), that is entirely fine with me. I’ve told them why I don’t. Some of this is applicable regardless of the medium.
Key Tips and Technique Issues (in no particular order):
• Basketweave area allows for a place for your eyes to rest.
• Color of thread: Light threads appear further away compared to dark threads that appear closer.
• Size of stitches: Small stitches appear further away compared to large stitches that appear closer.
• Odd rule is that odd numbered motifs (1, 3, 5, etc) in a design are more pleasing to the eye.
• Different stitches and threads can create varied texture (bumpy, ridged, smooth, etc).
• Direction of a stitch creates a different effect (water on a lake is typically horizontal; river flowing down a hill with a gradual slope probably has stitches at angles of 30° or less; a waterfall with a steep slope probably has vertical stitches or are 60° or more).
• Area should allow for repeats of 3 units or more (6 wide allows for mosaic and cashmere stitches but not Scotch).
• Companion stitches help create depth by using a smaller stitch such as Serendipity for further away areas, Criss Cross Hungarian for middle ground, and the larger Woven Trellis Variation for the closest areas.
• Composite stitches combine different types of stitches such as straight and cross stitches.
• If a stitch is fancy, use a simple thread; if a thread is fancy, use a simple stitch.
• Stitch diagonal stitches first if they will be next to straight stitches.
• Stitches are worked opposite of the direction you are moving (to get the proper pull). If a diagonal stitch is worked bottom left to upper right, then work towards the left. If a diagonal stitch is worked bottom right to upper left, then work towards the right.
• The direction of a stitch can be changed. In one color, the front of the canvas will look the same but done in two different colors or an overdyed thread, there will be differences.
Did you know there are two ways to stitch Alternating Continental?
That link to ANG has changed since I diagrammed it (https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:3fba9f78-8199-4564-8b67-aec23e9a3779 and only ANG members have access to all previous Stitch of the Month projects).
Does it make a difference?
Yes. You can see the difference in carrying the thread below the hole (left) compared to not (right). Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the right side is more like how to work a blackwork pattern or a double running stitch.
Filed under: All That Simmers by Sundance Beads, ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter
The metallic leaves are reversible, so you could vary the bend in the stems. I stitched through the round ends with 2 strands of invisible Sulky thread and then went through them again.
The yellow Frosty Rays was too thick to go through the round ends more than once or twice. So, the other 2 stitches covered the round ends. They are probably a little bigger than what was painted, but I wanted to see them when viewed from a distance.
For the stamen, I used French Knots (anther) on a Stick (filament) and am relearning flower anatomy in the process!
The inner round ends will get covered by the red flower. I am ready for tonight’s ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter meeting. We’re using a stitch guide by Sundance Beads.
Filed under: ANG Seminar 2024, Byzantium - Lorene Salt, Heart Swirls - Janet Zickler Casey, Treasures from the Great Lakes - Dawn Donnelly
Classes are over for me. The Jazz Museum and Negro Baseball Museum were great as was dinner with Linda at Bristol’s Seafood. A very tasty TAMARIND SOUR with Bulleit Bourbon, tamarind, lime started off the evening. A delicious lobster bisque was followed by Hong Kong scallops. The chocolate velvet cake was amazing. Bill was next door at BRGR Kitchen and Bar for a private tasting of 3 Irish Whiskey brands that had been blending in a little cask for an Old Fashioned – he said it was delicious.
So, I’ll go back to my regular posts now on my progress on these 3 classes and my other ongoing projects:
Byzantium by Lorene Salt (nothing too complicated but will take time, although some crescents are big and work up quickly)
Treasures from the Great Lakes by Dawn Donnelly (a few tricky elements I need to work on while they are fresh in my mind; the most different from my normal stitching)
Heart Swirls by Janet Zickler Casey (small and not hard, should work up quickly)
All That Shimmers by Sundance Beads (these are broken up for monthly chapter projects with ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter; ready for Monda’s meeting and the next area)
Rainbow Butterfly by Danji (Kristen and I have this in progress for ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter discussion; only my body is done on this painted canvas; I am working without a stitch guide and am tentative about what to do next)
Fibonacci Swirls by Olivia Hartshorn on Congress Cloth and canvas (this is broken up small areas as a monthly chapter project with ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter; oops, I’m behind schedule)
How do you rotate your pieces as you work? Or, do you stitch only one at a time?
Kristen, Bill, and I go out exploring an hour north of KC with a rental car to see:
*Glore Psychiatric Museum
*Patee House Museum
*Jesse James Home
Melitastitches4fun's Blog 
Filed under: General comments, Tips
I wanted the search terms to pick up fix, repair, mend, torn, or ripped, which accounts for the title.
Katie C on Needlepoint Nation shared that one of her canvases has a small tear. She asked for any tips on how to fix this spot.
She got such good responses that I need to save them. I just hope I never need to try these.
Felice F said, “You might consider cutting a small square of canvas and placing it underneath so when you stitch the area, you stitch through both canvases.”
Michael J said, “For tiny spots like this, you can use a piece of dental floss. At least an inch away start an away knot or waste knot with the dental floss in same line that is broken. Weave in and out. Go past your affected area about 1 inch. Your dental floss will become your new thread. Finish off by burying your tail and end with waste knot that will be covered.”
Susan K P said, “Many years ago, in a class, the instructor had us cut the canvas on purpose. She then had us pull a single thread from the selvage, and weave it in about two/three threads below and above the cut…… making sure we ended up on the reverse side. Snip it with scissors and stitch. This is the same method to repair cuts on linen or other fabrics like that. It is simple, easy, and quick. No need to to cut and attach a square to your canvas or pay someone to repair it. Same thing can be done to a damaged, yet stitched, canvas or fabric. It is also the method used to repair hardanger that has been cut incorrectly.
But what ever method you do….. please don’t use glue on that expensive canvas with the expensive fibers. Unless you have access to a “restoration” type product, the chemicals in the glue can damage the canvas and can cause the fiber colors to change.”
Thanks to those who shared their knowledge. Do you have any more suggestions?
Had it been in the middle of a large area and not doing a tent stitch for a pillow, I think I probably would have selected a Smyrna, Scotch, or Rhodes to cover that one small rip.