Melitastitches4fun's Blog

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MelitaStitches4Fun is a place where I can post my needlepoint & connect with other stitchers. 

At the end of this profile are links to various references in my Profile if you want to investigate them further. 

My first stitching was technically sewing cards! And I’ve been needlepointing since I was a young girl. My grandmother taught me crewel and embroidery when I was a young girl and my mother got me started with cross stitching.

I didn’t do any needlework during college. Once I graduated from Duquesne University School of Pharmacy in Pittsburgh, I moved to Philadelphia, met my husband, worked in a retail drugstore, and got back to stitching. I left retail after 10 years and joined GlaxoSmithKline for the next 20 years working in the Medical Information Department and the Labeling Department on various products with a focus on vaccines.

After we got a computer (iMac in Teal), I discovered the American Needlepoint Guild (ANG) & learned 30 stitches from my first correspondence course with Nanette Costa in 2003. I was on my way! I’ve been designing my own needlepoint since then. My second and third correspondence courses were with Mary Shipp on Design and Color.

For the longest time, I was active only in my primary chapter, ANG Main Line Stitchers outside Philadelphia in Frazer, PA. I’m the current VP of Projects and Internet Rep and also served as President. I have been writing their newsletter since 2010! I joined the ANG Cyberpointers, an online chapter, in 2009. 

My first ANG Seminar in 2010 in Columbus, OH was quite amazing. I submitted 6 pieces to the exhibit (an original design in 3 colorways, 2 adaptations, and a painted canvas with stitch guide from David McCaskill). I was thrilled and shocked to win the Princess Grace Award for an adaptation, Beautiful Ohio. Bill from the start took an interest in the exhibit and remains my strongest supporter. I met many new people but none more special than Josie and her husband Tony who became Bill’s golf partner. I was convinced to volunteer for the Hospitality Table Chairman for the ANG 2012 Seminar. Never take a half-day class at your first Seminar. Janet Zickler Casey had my head spinning with Santacicle! I did finish it by April of 2011. 

My second ANG Seminar in 2012 in Philadelphia, PA was just as amazing. I stitched Poppy Field based on what I’d learned from Lois Kershner’s Landscape class from Seminar in 2010 and again was thrilled and shocked to win the State Award. I submitted Celebrate Love, an original design, to celebrate ANG’s 40th anniversary and it became my first published original design making the cover of the March 2013 issue of Needle Pointers. I made gifts for Hospitality Table volunteers and held a daily drawing to give one away to them daily. Linda M came into my life at that Seminar and became a very special friend. Ruby Beauty with Catherine Jordan was finished during her 2-day class and Tar River Trail with Gail Stafford was not finished until 2024! This time, they convinced me to become the ANG Correspondence Coordinator which I did for 4 years. I’m glad I did! During that time, I met and learned so much from our national teachers. So much goes into offering a project to our members. 

I continued to win First, Second, Third, or Honorable Mention Awards at ANG exhibits in most years since 2014 but it wasn’t until 2022 that I won the President’s Award from Janice G for Crescent Journey.  Thanks to Linda M who encouraged me to create a second colorway, proofed the instructions, and stitched a third colorway, because Crescent Journey went on to become the ANG 2023 Stitch of the Month. It’s such an honor to be selected for the SOTM. 

I have contributed to the annual Woodlawn Needlework Exhibit and won Second, Third, or Honorable Mention Awards over the years since 2011. 

Shortly before I retired in 2017, I reached out within the Tri-State area and joined the Embroiderers Guild of America (EGA) Brandywine Chapter in Delaware. Later I joined the ANG New Jersey Needle Artists Chapter and then the ANG Central Jersey Chapter. And, I am one of the original members of the Needlework and Fiber Guild of Media. I was a member of the Keystone Garden Chapter in PA for 7 years until driving at night was not as easy. 

I was approached for several national roles within ANG but they just weren’t right. Finally, a call for help with the ANG magazine, Needle Pointers, included an offer to teach diagramming by Marilyn O using Adobe tools. That was exactly what I wanted. I had been designing larger original pieces and Excel was not working as well as I needed. I work on at least one stitching project in each issue. I am also the author of the Needle Pointers’ Timeless Treasures articles. 

My design, Overdyed Spools, is free to members in the ANG 2017 Chapter Project Book and as an EGA Petite Project. I’ve been published twice in Needlepoint Now (Sept/Oct 2021 and Mar/Apr 2022) and ten times in ANG’s Needle Pointers magazine with four of my designs Celebrate Love, Festive Fireworks, Tahitian Treat, and Diamond Bargello Flags making the cover (Mar/Apr 2013, Jul/Aug 2017, Mar/Apr 2021, and Jul/Aug 2023, respectively).

I earned Master Craftsman in Canvas Embroidery from EGA. It involved 6 challenging steps which was exactly what I needed during covid. 

The latest groups I’ve joined are the EGA Friends of Fiber Forum and National Academy of Needlearts. We’ll have to wait and see where they take me! 

I’ve enjoyed blogging since 2010 & look forward to many more needlepoint adventures. Thanks for coming along with me!

To commemorate my profession, I stitched a Pharmacy Sampler.

One year for Christmas, I made 8 sets of these cross stitch Christmas Banners.

My first ANG Correspondence Courses were fantastic: First Steps, Understanding Design, and Understanding Color.

You can read all about my first ANG Seminar in Columbus, Ohio: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/ang-seminar-2010/

And, there is lots to tell from my second ANG Seminar that was in Philadelphia, PA: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/ang-seminar-2012/

What started out as a class with one of my favorite teachers, Orna Willis, Crescent Journey has taken me on quite needlepoint journey: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/melitas-designs/crescent-journey/

I am so fortunate that the Woodlawn Needlework Exhibit is within driving distance of my home and we can attend each year: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/general-comments/woodlawn-needlework-exhibition/

My years with the ANG Keystone chapter were fun: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/ang-keystone-garden-chapter/

I’ve done a lot with my EGA Brandywine Chapter: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/embroidery-guild-of-america/brandywine-chapter/

There have been some fun projects with the ANG New Jersey Needle Artists Chapter, and I was thrilled when members elected to stitch Crescent Journey for the Stitch of the Month: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/ang-new-jersey-needle-artists-chapter/

The ANG Central Jersey Chapter stitched several of my designs and I’ve enjoyed the times I join them on a Saturday: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/ang-central-jersey-chapter/

It’s a varied group of ladies that meet and share at the monthly Needlework and Fiber Guild of Media meetings: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/needlework-and-textile-guild-of-media/

It is an honor to contribute to Needle Pointer’s not only with my designs but by helping others to see their work displayed for our membership: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/ang-needle-pointers-article/

I love going through old issues of Needle Pointers for interesting topics to share in an ongoing series: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/ang-needle-pointers-article/timeless-treasures-from-the-archives/

I am fortunate that Overdyed Spools can be stitched by ANG (https://www.needlepoint.org/page/OverdyedSpools) and EGA (https://egausa.org/new-petite-project-overdyed-spools/) members for free.

The EGA Master Craftsman was challenging but fun: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/embroidery-guild-of-america/canvas-master-craftsman-program/

For now, I attend lectures and meeting of as a Friend of EGA’s Fiber Forum: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/embroidery-guild-of-america/fiber-forum/

I will be returning for a second year at the National Academy of Needle Arts: https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/national-academy-of-needlearts-nan/

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