Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Or Nué Star Lily with Brenda Kocher
We met some wonderful people, had a great time, learned a new technique, shared interesting information, and made good progress on the piece during the class, Or Nué Star Lily with Brenda Kocher (http://www.brendakocherdesigns.net/).
Many thanks to Brenda for teaching us this technique and sharing her knowledge, our extra pattern, the magnet, and the drawing for one of her patterns. Nancy & Lori won the drawings (canvas patterns I donated). And, several folks took some sampler patterns that I had gotten from grab bags at In Stitches Needlework.
I took a couple of photos yesterday. I generally don’t put people on my blog nor mention last names. So, class photos only went to our attendees. I did ask Linda & Lisa if I could blog their pieces because I wanted to compare 2 couching threads to 3 and how this looked on black compared to white.
This is mine done with 2 threads on white. I can’t see well enough on dark canvas even with the best light to enjoy stitching any project. And, I can’t stitch as fast with a laying tool. So, I went with the 2 threads. And, I like that the appearance shows off the couching aspect of the technique.
Lisa’s 2 threads on black.
And, Linda’s 3 threads on black:
Carol T’s suggestion to lasso the thread was wonderful. I had to have Rosanne show me how to do that again. I had the picture Carol provided for how do do that but stuff is so much easier to see when shown in person.
My allergy attack finally ended with the rain last night. What a difference that made. I stitched some more last night!
Lastly I want to share Linda’s stand – look at the magnet (along bottom edge) that holds all those needles – it attaches to the Evertite frames and Karen had a small magnet plate placed between the canvas and her thinner bars. Excellent for all those needles!
Back to my piece. I like that it is small enough project – I might be able to get it done on this rather dreary day.
I can see now why this is a wonderful way to use your stash of threads.
At our last meeting, I exposed my ANG Main Line chapter (outside Philadelphia in Devon, PA) to the world of Fiber Arts by sharing the work of this artist, http://ingejacobsen-inge.blogspot.com/search/label/Sewing (thanks to Linda from ANG Yahoo group who shared this link a year ago for http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/hand-stitched-vogue-covers).
I thought it would be fun to have our members give this art form a try. So, I bought New American Paintings, a catalog of the fourteenth open studios competition, a juried exhibition from Feb 1998 at a flea market. The pictures were interesting, different, and colorful.
In advance of the meeting, I started stitching one to show them what it would look like in person. And, the one I selected is this fruit basket piece. I contacted the artist of the Fruit Basket, Stacy Thomas-Vickory (you can find anyone and anything with google if you try), and explained what I was doing & included a photo of the half stitched piece. I told her I’d like to blog about it with a photo of the finished piece but I wanted to be sure she’d be ok with that. I don’t want to violate any copyright issue. And Stacy, a professor at a College of Art, agreed saying, “I would be thrilled to have you make a needlework piece from my painting. If possible could you send me a large size jpg of the finished work, so I can have it for my records. The project with your guild sounds like a great contemporary twist on such an old form. I liked Inge Jacobson’s work as well. Thank you for opening my eyes to this direction in needlework.”
So, I’ll send Stacey the jpg & a link to my blog. Thanks again Stacey – I love your painting! And, next month when Mary Smull visits to talk about the Society for the Prevention of Unfinished Needlepoint (SPUN), we should have several examples of this fun fiber art form to share with Mary!!
As I told my chapter members, you could do this to any photo & it might really impress your kids & grandkids especially if you stitched some photo of them. I think the heavier weight paper makes it easier to handle. I didn’t block it. and I used a fine thread – you can do any stitch you want – no rules!! All I did was couching of a copper color metallic filament thread, Accentuate (228). I think it turned out great.
And, a close-up:
I am not thrilled with the analogous colors I selected for this project. They looked ok together before I stitched but didn’t come together as I expected. Oh well, back to the color wheel for another spin! I’m looking forward to seeing how my chapter members made out with theirs.
It should not reflect badly on the design which I tried to shrink to fit into a 3″ x 3″ space. The bottom left corner turned out the best. But, this will not be getting a mate for another set of bookends.
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter
Main Line Stitchers (PA):
On April 8, we’ll be sharing our progress on Color Effects, practice stitching the h in hope, and selecting a piece for our Fiber Arts project. This project will remain a mystery until you arrive at class.
And, on May 13, Mary Smull will join us and add to our understanding of “Fiber Arts”. Mary is a fiber artist and educator from Philadelphia, works with needlepoint as a Conceptual art form, gave the keynote speaker address at the ANG 2012 Philadelphia Seminar Welcome Banquet, and founded SPUN, the Society of the Prevention of Unfinished Needlework.
All meetings will be held at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, on the second Monday of the month at 7:15 pm. GPS: 203 North Valley Forge Road, Devon, PA
MainLineStitchersChapter@needlepoint.org
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Or Nué Star Lily with Brenda Kocher
Please join Main Line Stitchers on Saturday May 18, 2013 from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm for:
Or Nué Star Lily with Brenda Kocher
Brenda Kocher is a needlepoint designer and teacher (http://www.brendakocherdesigns.net/). Brenda participated in The Hand Dyed Fibers Needlework Exhibit in June 2011, showed new designs in The Online Needlework Show in April 2012, and is exhibiting through February at Half Moon Handwerks.
You’ll find that Or Nué can be quite addictive and is a wonderful way to use your stash of threads. The Star Lily is a quilt pattern with beautiful splashes of color. Gold threads are covered with couching threads which create the design (2” x 2”).
Proficiency Level: Beginner/Intermediate Skill Level; Pre-stitching Required: None
Guild Membership: Not required to be a member of ANG or the ANG Main Line Chapter
Class Fee/Details: Class cost is $70 which includes the instructions, threads, and 18-count canvas (choice of black or white) and covers the cost of the room, the teaching fee, and travel expenses. This is non-refundable unless the class is cancelled. If you can’t attend, you will still get your kit (a $25 value) or you may find your own substitute to take your place in the class.
Please note: Once 14 students enroll, the cost will drop to $60. And, if we reach the maximum class size of 20 students, the cost will be $50. You will get a cash refund at the class. This is on a first-come-first-serve basis. So, register now to learn this technique!
Register Now: Please give me your phone number, email address, and indicate whether you want a black or white canvas. The model is stitched on black but white will be easier to work on.
Make your check out to Melita Glavin and mail it to: 4331 I Street, Philadelphia, PA 19124.
Please note: Students must supply their own stretcher bars (6” x 6”), regular stitching supplies, and lighting if desired. A stand or frame weight will help keep your hands free. You’ll be using several needles threaded in different colors that you will park on the sides of the canvas when you aren’t using them. So, magnets may be good to have too. You should bring a bag lunch. Iced tea (regular and diet) will be provided.
Location: St. Luke’s Lutheran Church. GPS: 203 North Valley Forge Road, Devon, PA; Free parking
Questions: Please contact Melita Glavin at glav257@yahoo.com
On behalf of ANG MLS Board, we look forward to seeing you in May!
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, General comments | Tags: needlework
Something different today for my 300th posting since I started blogging. I came across a website with various needlepoint quotes (http://www.quotegarden.com/needlework.html) that I want to share.
The reason I went looking for quotes was to find one to use in thank you notes that I am preparing for an upcoming class our ANG Mainline chapter is offering. More on the class in a future blog.
I think of one of our members, Patrick, when I substitute wife for husband because he says he is constantly losing needles (I have had my fair share go missing despite trying to use magnet holders):
My husband is a human pincushion. ~Author Unknown
Most of us can relate to this one (I have a 5&1/2′ x 3′ cabinet, 4 files drawers (20″ deep x 15″ wide), 10-12′ of books on shelves), and still have a couple free-standing bags of projects):
Sewing fills my days, not to mention the living room, bedroom, and closets. ~Author Unknown
As you can see, I agree with this quote:
Sewing: A creative mess is better than tidy idleness. ~Author Unknown
And, who doesn’t agree:
Any day spent sewing, is a good day. ~Author Unknown
When you have time, read more on the website for some wonderful quotes. Which one makes you smile?
Join us on February 11, we’ll be “Talking Color” as we begin Color Effects by Joni Stevenson, from the 2011 ANG Chapter Project Book (http://www.needlepoint.org/CPB/images/Color-Effects.jpg). Then, bring the stash you selected and a canvas on March 11 for “Playing with Paint”. You will paint a canvas as we continue with Color Effects. We’ll supply the paint and brushes. Cover or provide accents to your canvas to enhance your stitched piece!
All meetings will be held at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, on the second Monday of the month at 7:15 pm. GPS: 203 North Valley Forge Road, Devon, PA
MainLineStitchersChapter@needlepoint.org
The last of the quartet ornaments is finished.
I used the same threads as before but back to using 2 strands of Pebbly Perle (P66) because now that is running low. Stayed with 2 strands of DMC Perle #8 (3071) because I had plenty of that left (and still do). And, I did go back to the solid light purple Kreinik #8 braid Color 023. This will also be for a set of bookends.
Another particularly good tip for me from CyberPointer’s Chris L for the double upright crosses was to do the full pattern before attempting the outside edges. That allowed me to get the hang of crossing in the proper direction before doing the partial crosses which are required as part of compensating. I have tended to think that compensating should not be necessary if the design is layed out purposefully. But, as I stitched this, I decided that it can serve as a border while maintaining the continuity of the design. And, in a sense, it makes the piece expand beyond the edge. How do you feel about compensating stitches around the edge?
I have one more set of bookends to make for a gift. Now, I have to pick different threads because the Pebbly Perle and Kreinik stash is depleted and because I want to work with something else! And, I need to find a pattern.
Another of the quartet, the Bargello Ornament, reached completion and worked up quicker than the first two. I stayed with the same threads but used them differently. I didn’t unstrand the Pebbly Perle (P66). I thought it would like nice to be round and match the roundness of the Kreinik thread (271). Now, I am almost out of that Kreinik, the one with the slight green and purple coloring. So, if the last ornament calls for Kreinik, I’ll have to use the solid color again. And, I ran out of DMC floss 3041, the contrasting purple color floss. But, I had plenty of the DMC Perle #8. So, I used that for the border and corner motif. Looks great. I have since replenished that floss.
I am so glad to have Chris L. from CyberPointers’s notes – her tip about following the chart carefully where you turn the corners on the border was fantastic. You get into the rhythm of going over 4 threads and can easily miss that it is over 3. I did much less restitching than I likely would have without the tip!
The Pattern Couching Ornament is now done as well. It is on the same light green canvas & I used Perle Cotton #8 Color 3041, DMC Floss Color 3041, Pebbly Perle P66, and Kreinik #8 braid Color 023. But, I added DMC Floss Color 3042 between the darker rows of the inner corners because I didn’t want a solid mass of dark color as Marilyn describes on page 2:6. And, I didn’t want to leave it blank. So, the next shade lighter worked out well. And, instead of a contrasting #12 braid for the center pattern couching, I used a #16 braid Kreinik Color 271 that has a hint of green throughout it and matches the other Kreinik nicely. I do not have a single #12 Kreinik in my stash! But, #16 worked fine.
I have chosen this one (after consulting with my husband) to accompany the already completed String Art Ornament as an insert for a pair of bookends. I am thinking about using mylar to place behind each insert because there is enough canvas showing through that it might look good. Thoughts? Has anyone used this? And, does anyone know who/what type of store sells mylar? I have not taken time to google and search that out yet.
I found a nice deal on the bookends at Kmart and thought instantly of using these designs as singles for the inserts. They are Joe Boxer Frame Bookends measuring 5.5″ x 5.5″ x 3.15″ with the insert area measuring 4″ x 4″. I always keep my eyes open for different ways to display needlepoint! I especially like these because they don’t need to go to the finisher and will make a nice gift without costing a lot of money!
The Nun’s Stitch Finishing stitch works perfect and I found polyester sewing thread with my basting threads! It is thin and so it didn’t add any bulk to the edges. I thought I was careful when cutting but apparently had not pulled as tight as I should have for one stitch and it got snipped when I cut along the channel. I decided to go back and reinforce with 2 stitches on each side of the snip just to be on the safe side.
As a reminder, both ANG CyberPointers and ANG Mainline Chapter decided to do the Ornament Quartet by Marilyn Owens from the 2011 Chapter Handbook (http://www.needlepoint.org/CPB/images/Ornament-Quartet-Composite.jpg).
On to the next ornaments in the quartet! I am pleased with how the first 2 came out and want to see the next couple.
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