Filed under: ANG Delaware's Seashore Chapter, ANG Seminar 2012, Stitches in Sterling by Nancy Cucci, Tar River Trail by Gail Stafford
Back in April, I got Stitches in Sterling by Nancy Cucci framed by Jim at Repenning Fine Art. And, Tar River River Trail by Gail Stafford was been framed by Jim too. They were my two oldest unfinished pieces (12+ years ago) that I finished this year. I began Stitches in Sterling in October 2011 and Tar River Trail in August 2012. Neither one was as difficult as I thought they’d be this many years later.
Looking at my new oldest projects list of unfinished counted projects begun in a class setting, I see:
- Rozashi – Patterns in Blue and Green with Margaret Kinsey (Aug 2016)
- Fire and Ice with Toni Gerdes (Feb 2017)
- A Toast to Tiffany with Kay Stanis (Aug 2019)
- Byzantium with Lorene Salt (Sept 2024)
- Treasures of the Great Lakes with Dawn Donnelly (Sept 2024)
Finished two and added two to the list but these are all under 10 years old.
You may have thought I got lost on the Tar River Trail by Gail Stafford since it’s been a month since I posted on this.
It took a lot of sessions because the trees have about a dozen different colors spread throughout done in French Knots except for the leaves on the right side. Gail’s two maps were fantastic by indicating where to focus the different threads. I used all of several skeins. The finishing touches added even more to the depth in the scene.
I thought I was done until I set it across the room and realized that Gail’s stitched piece definitely had less sky showing than mine.
Although it looked good to me at this point, I added more threads concentrating them in the center.
Then, more along the top.
That led me to add more on the left until it was almost as full as Gail’s. This is now one of my husband’s favorite pieces. Mine, too. We do love the fall season. I also love that it’s done! I started it 12 years ago at Seminar. It was my second seminar, and it was tough for me then. Now, I have more experience, and with Gail’s Landscape class earlier this summer, I had no problems except deciding when to stop!
Since there were so many threads in the kit, the second thing I did (first was place on Evertites) was divide threads by area. Gail Stafford does a great write-up for placement. Besides the finished photo, she also provides 2 different color coded maps for general thread placement.
The third thing was to clean up the spaghetti threads that had been left on there since class. I had a clump of away waste knots that I thought were badly done French Knots!
Then, I wandered between the background areas and along the path. Once that was done, I was able to add the trees on the left side during the Central Jersey Chapter Meeting and Stitch-in on Saturday and the rest were done mostly during the British Open (golf) the following day. A few more very thin tree limbs get added as part of the finishing touches.
My oldest unfinished ANG Seminar piece is from another Gail Stafford class from 2012, Tar River Trail. It is a lovely autumnal scene.
The pre-class letter says only a few stitches are used with a variety of threads. The 18 count canvas was supplied as a line drawing with some areas painted for reference. The kit has 9 Weeks Dye Works skeins of floss, 1 skein of Waterlilies, 3 skeins of Watercolours, 15 skeins of DMC Floss, 4 skeins of The Gentle Art Sampler and Simply Shaker Threads, and 3 skeins of ThreadworX floss. That’s a lot of threads.
So, this is my starting point. I left my spaghetti threads from class all this time. It still looks challenging! But I am confident that I can do it.
My first task was to transfer the canvas from the very thin bars to Evertites. Then, I reread the instructions, and now I am excited to see the scene develop.
Filed under: ANG Seminar 2012, Ruby Keepsake Box, Tar River Trail by Gail Stafford
Going back 4 years (where did the time go?), I see I never blogged after seminar about the classes I took.
I typically take a notebook class in order to learn & not have too many unfinished pieces following seminar. My first class was with Sharon G (Garmize) who talked about an “Anatomy of A Stitch Guide” including concepts regarding color, texture, scale, and perspective using some pieces students were willing to share.
Then, I took a 2-day class with Catherine Jordan for the Ruby Beauty – A Keepsake Box. It was a blast working with paint. We painted the canvas and box. The 3 bumps are pieces of Tyvek that were placed under a hairdryer to shape them that we then cut out to whatever shape we wanted and painted. We stitched it into place & then stitched around it. It was all “finished” by the end of day 2!!
Lastly, “Tar River Trail” which is a landscape piece from Gail Stafford but remains no further since class ended. I thought it was a great class & have meant to get back to it but time has flown by!
I just realized that I had yet to blog about the classes I took at Seminar in Philadelphia (2012). When I finished the 2-day class taught by Catherine Jordan, I’d finished the small box below! And, I’d learned about painting with Jacquard Textile paints (applied to fabric) and another type of acrylic paint for applying to the box, using Tyvek for building a textured landscape, and stitching some dimensional stitches. Then, we added cording and mounted our landscape to the top of the box! I was very pleased with how it turned out and that I have these wonderful paints to use now – which I just used last night & will be the subject of my next blog.
I didn’t make as good progress on the other class (not sure where that work in progress is just now to blog about it anyway).
This is so exciting! I couldn’t say anything until now but I am published! What I didn’t know was that it would be on the cover of Needle Pointers!! I worked with Pam G. who took my hand drawings and turned them into beautiful diagrams. And, she really helped with describing how to execute the stitches from what I had provided. So, I hope you can stitch it without a problem. But, if you do have questions, I’ll be here to help. I just can’t get over how wonderful it turned out.
March 2013, Volume XLI, Number 2
Filed under: ANG Seminar 2012
We had an interesting visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art thanks to the docent that escorted us around to see various tapestries, rugs, and a few samplers. She demonstrated with a wooden loom about warf, weft, and how threads are tied on. Rugs can have 90-250 threads tied per inch. And, I thought making french knots were tedious! I also found out Persian rugs made for kings would be huge – half of one rug (28 feet by 56 feet) was on display. And, there would be two rugs along each long side that would be used exclusively by servants as they ran up and down them – thus, were called runners.
Then, we went to the Fabric Workshop and Museum where we were taken upstairs to the workroom. They brought out several examples of past projects – very interesting. The one I was quite taken with was a knitted suit made from multicolored monofilaments (http://www.fabricworkshopandmuseum.org/Exhibitions/ExhibitionDetail.aspx?ExhibitionId=3f7286f4-1702-475e-9ee1-ace1abfc1b51). The form-fitting knitted suit had to be cut along the side to remove the sculpture that had been used to knit around. Then, it was sewed up again and suspended to represent his feeling of dislocation from his homeland.
The gift shop had excellent hand-made examples of their silk screening which had also been demonstrated in the work area (without the actual paint). I got a set of napkins designed by Italo Scanga (who has exhibited at the museum) and are pictured here:
I am very pleased to say that this won a 2nd place ribbon in the Original Design category. I didn’t ask for a critique for this piece but every entry is given a numerical report (no charge beyond your entry fee). I got 24 out of 25 for design characteristics, 23 of 25 for color, 19 of 20 for workmanship/technique, 19 of 20 for suitability, and 10 of 10 for finishing. I am particularly thrilled with the finishing score. I did it myself. It is lined with a pretty red print. And, I sewed the lining into the edging which was something I had not done on my first scissors sheath band sampler from our chapter project (https://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/category/ang-main-line-stitchers-chapter/scissors-sheath-band-sampler/). The red heart-shaped scissors was a great find as was the display stand (intended for a doll).
Here’s my artist statement for ‘Celebrate Love’.
With ANG’s 40th Anniversary Coming to Philadelphia in 2012, I decided to donate something unique to the auction. However, I fell in love with the scissor sheath & wanted it as my commemorative remembrance of the Seminar. So, I donated something else that I designed. Then, I decided to enter this scissor sheath in the Original Category after realizing that it qualified for “Small Masterpiece” AND “President’s Choice Award”!
And, what inspired this piece? The love of Philadelphia, ANG, and needlepoint! Obviously, the design had to include the ANG logo, 40, and 2012. Every day I walk through LOVE Park (& see the LOVE sculpture) on my way to work in the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia. And, nothing says Philadelphia more than the Liberty Bell. So, with what little space I had left, I managed to fit in the American Flag and a few stars.
Welcome greetings are sent out to all ANG members as you join me ‘Today’ in Philadelphia to celebrate our love of needlepoint from all of the ‘Yesterdays’ and as we look forward to all of the ‘Tomorrows’.
Filed under: ANG Seminar 2012, Melita's Adaptations, Monet's Poppy Field
“An Adventure into a Poppy Field” was entered in 2012’s ANG 40th Seminar in the Adaptation category and it won the State Art Award Ribbon. There were about 2 dozen pieces from Pennsylvania. I was shocked and thrilled! I didn’t even know that “State Art Award” was ribbon category. I am glad I am not a judge – too many beautiful pieces to choose from.
Mary Smull, a fiber artist and educator from Philadelphia, was the guest judge asked to select the winner of the award. Read all about her at http://www.marysmull.com/artist_statement/ Mary gave the keynote speaker address at the Welcome Banquet. She founded SPUN, the Society of the Prevention of Unfinished Needlework. Read all about SPUN at http://www.marysmull.com/portfolio/the-society-for-the-prevention-of-unfinished-needlepoint/
For this piece, the critique noted that “my journey was well documented”. So true, it is easier because I blog and keep notes. The documents and photos that I sent for the artist’s statement were taken from a previous blog (https://melitastitches4fun.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/an-adventure-into-a-poppy-field/).
I still twist the thread (a comment I got last year too) in some sections particularly in the sky on top dark area. So, I will keep working on that. And, the perspective a bit off. I had told friends that one comment I expected was that I had gotten carried away on the poppy field. It got away from me like wild flowers. Better “integration” of stitching to create the hillside was also recommended. I also got nice comments such as “truly lovely”. I would like to thank all the judges for taking time to write the critiques. As was last year’s, they are thoughtful, instructive, and encouraging! I highly recommend getting them done so that you can learn and grow.
And, I just love the double mat especially the grayish blue inner mat that was suggested by Ted (Theodore) Hartz, Custom Picture Framing, in West Chester (google will get his name and address – or call Fireside Stitchery who referred me to him).
I am very happy with the piece but will the 5th try be my last attempt? Even my husband is ready for a change in design! For now, perhaps I can photograph, enlarge, and project certain areas using the critique as a teaching tool to my local chapter. I bought a book at Ruth Kern’s bookstore (only 1 of 3 – I thought I did good to limit myself to 3) regarding photography. And, several other projects have been put aside with all this seminar activity. So, for now, I look forward the next adventure . . .
My artist’s statement was as follows (excluding photos from previous attempts which can be found on my blog as noted above):
I can’t remember where or when I fell in love with Monet’s Poppy Field in a Hollow near Giverny (1885) but, I want to capture it in needlepoint. It seems so peaceful and relaxing.
My first attempt was all about testing stitches. I really like the Whipped or Laced Running Stitch (Elegant Stitches by Judith Baker Montano) for the light blue on the right. I didn’t care for it as much for the 2 greens to the left of that area. I also liked the stitch Serendipity used in the top blue-green portion for the distant tree line and Rococo for the dark green bushes in the middle (both are from Stitches To Go by Suzanne Howren & Beth Robertson). It’s size is 4&1/2″ x 4&1/2″ and too square.
The quest continued for stitches in my second attempt. I had it in my mind that a large stitch pattern base would work for the poppies and then thought random french and colonial knots would make the flowers on the field appear random but it became too dense. I did like the Knotted Stitch on the upper left and a similar stitch with less slope for the area to the left of the center dark green bushes called Diagonal Roumanian. Then, I created a variation of Kennan for the area left of the center dark green bushes. These stitches came from Stitches To Go by Suzanne Howren & Beth Robertson. I expanded the size to 4″ x 4&1/2″.
I felt pretty good about stitches and decided in the third attempt that I better test some colors and threads. To combat the density of the poppy field, I switched to a thinner thread. It was better but it wasn’t right – it seemed flat and lifeless. So, I put it away for a long time deciding further experience was needed before I could improve the piece.
Always on the lookout for new threads, I tried a variety of threads for my fourth attempt. I also tried some different stitches. I liked this version much better, especially the poppy field because I used various shades. While I saw improvement, I wasn’t sure where to go next and decided to put it away – again.
Then, I saw the class ‘Landscapes’ was teaching design and stitching techniques just for landscapes at the 2010 ANG Seminar taught by Lois Kershner. So, I attended my first seminar to help me figure out how to do my poppy field. I left Ohio armed with knowledge from her class as taught by Pat Rusch. Working now on a full scale size (8″ x 9&1/2″), I studied the techniques in the book and reconsidered threads and stitches – again!
I hope the patches of the long grass will be as inviting as Monet’s and you and I enter into the field, sit, and relax for a while until another adventure comes along.
I met 2 of the ladies from the chapter that stitched the ribbons & now can’t remember their names or chapter. I found their names/chapter in the seminar brochure. So, thanks to the ladies in the Cape Cod Chapter and Keystone Chapter. I discovered that our state flower is the Mountain Laurel! It is a lovely ribbon.
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