For the 2024 ANG Seminar exhibit in the Original Design category, I sent in my Fireside Sampler created for Step 6 of the EGA Master Craftsman in Canvas. But the ANG judges moved it to from the Original Design category to the Adaptation category because my artist statement included a photo and description of how I revised my 20-year old design. The second one is considered an adaptation of the first one. Had the original design not been mentioned, it would have remained in the Original Design category.
It is my second year being in the professional category. It did not get a ribbon from the ANG Seminar judges (it had gotten a 3rd place ribbon from Woodlawn judges). It scored well enough.
The score that is particularly confusing is for Workmanship/Technique because I lost 6 points while the critique has no negative comments regarding this area. It states: “The brick work in the fireplace surround shows immaculate thread control. This indicates a full understanding of the stitches chosen, thread pull while working each area, and control of stitch tension. The inner fireplace bricks and andirons are also finely worked, and the satin stitches creating the logs are even in both tension and thread twist maintenance. The long stitches used for mortar between individual bricks are well controlled. There are no loose or sagging stitches in this area.” So, why did I lose 6 points? It makes no sense.
There was no comment on why Finishing/Presentation lost 2 points. I’m just curious.
I can agree that the size ratio of the mirror is small compared to the size of the candles. I’ll also agree that the flames are very intense and a slight change in temperature of the flames would have added a more realistic appearance to the design. However, I can’t see that because the bottom flame row is very symmetrical, it detracts from the effort taken to add interest in the top row.
I was really pleased to see the judge felt it was a well-written artist’s statement and helped them understand just how much thought went into improving upon the original work and the efforts taken to create depth perspective on a flat surface.
And, I was happy to read, “I commend your thread blending efforts on the rug . . the result is worth the time and effort. Well done.” Again, a positive for Workmanship/Technique.
Once again, here is my Fireside Sampler.
Lynn from Fireside Stitchery has asked to display this in her store. She wanted a fireplace in her store! I just hope nobody wants instructions. It would take a lot of effort. I left it at the store after I discussed this at our Main Line Stitchers chapter meeting.
Heart Swirls by Janet Zickler Casey was a half-day class (8:30-11:30 am). In such a short time, we only got about 1 strand done per area. I heard it takes 30 minutes to teach a stitch and that’s about what we got through. We did spend extra time on the second and third areas (moving left to right). So, we didn’t stitch in the 6th or 7th area.
Once home, I found stitching the Alternating Reverse Gobelin Rectangles in the 2nd area was easier moving vertically rather than horizontally. Once I got the rhythm of the stitch, I moved horizontally on the bottom half.
Compensation was a little tricky in a few spots, especially in the 5th area. But, in several other areas, it seemed like I picked the perfect spot to start because the compensation worked out great.
The 7th area called for a Woven Scotch Variation with long laid threads moving diagonally from NW to SE, but in such a skinny area, I didn’t like it. So, I selected the Mosaic Stripe, which usually uses 2 different threads, but I used the same 3 threads that were used in the first area. Once I got stitching, I realized the right side needed to be higher by 2 canvas threads to match the left side. The over 2 stitches in the Mosaic were with Very Velvet, and the over 1 stitched was done with Neon Rays+ stitched twice because it sunk down, disappearing between the thicker Very Velvet stitches. I filled in with the gold Fyre Werks but not stitched twice because they appear sunken in the first area. I’m very happy with the substitute stitch.
Most of this was finished during the National and American League Division Series games. It is with a heavy heart (pun intended) that we watched our Phillies lose. They had a great first half, mediocre second half, and a disastrous finish. You’ve got to be red hot like this heart in September, not June.
The Kansas City ANG Seminar heart magnet was also perfect to use with this piece. I had a couple of needles working, and so both magnets were helpful.
FYI: I found my KC clip magnet in a pocket of my purse. Now I can’t find a felt bookmark I made for myself. But I found the gold sequins for my butterfly in the cushion of my chair as I recovered a needle threader for the umpteenth time, which is now connected to a beaded fob, so I don’t lose it again. Only one needle went missing during this project. The saying should be, “You find some, you lose some.”
Well, I started in the center, filling in around the center motif, skipping the next area, filling in the next area, skipping the next area, and stitching the Smyrna border. I made sure to start the next length of Wildflowers in the same color as where I ended in order to maintain the color flow of the skein by always cutting in a stretch of purple. I thought random colors would be better because too much color matching might actually detract from those lovely swirls and corner mock Chilly Hollow motifs.
This part was almost finished during the baseball wildcard playoff games. It really worked up quite easily once I got into the rhythm. When I did get off a couple of times, I saw it quickly. That wider area with the Jessicas is probably going to require more concentration.
I do love a good counted piece and seeing it take shape. At least so far, I prefer completing all of one stitch rather than a quarter at a time.
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 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
It was 2010, my first seminar, when I had a 1/2 day class with Janet Zickler Casey, and I didn’t keep up with the pace of a 1/2 day class. Well, it’s 2024, and I kept up, but I still felt rushed. We got bogged down by area 2 because it’s not on the true diagonal. Since it’s only a 3 hour class and we had 7 areas to cover, we didn’t stitch the 6th or 7th. But, it’s all good because I need my light and comfy chair!
Linda M and I Ubered out to KC Needlepoint after lunch. It’s a huge store, good light, all painted canvases, and nice self finishing products. No counted designs. There’s Linda before we head inside.
We found Planet Earth leather coasters. I got 2 navy, and Linda got 4 black ones.
I got another magnet, and the Watercolours Sandstone skein has more color variation in it.
There were 5 taxes listed on the receipt:
Missouri State Tax (9.475%)
Missouri State Tax (4.225%)
Jackson County Tax (1.375%)
Kansas City City Tax (3.25%)
Jackson County Kansas City Zoological District SP Tax (0.125%)
Total: 18.45% in taxes. That’s crazy!
Our return Uber driver was very nice and acted as a tour guide, pointing out various areas as we returned to the hotel.
Dinner at the KC Royals ballpark tonight. Bill got me earrings for the game made by a local artist out of wood.
Can’t ask for a better day!
Filed under: ANG Seminar 2024, Treasures from the Great Lakes - Dawn Donnelly
We started out easy with some random eyelets, which are the bubbly results of a wave. Then, we placed our Petoskey stone, beach glass, medium-sized stones, medium large stone, driftwood, 3 shells, 3-5 small stones. And, we took a photo to refer back to for placement as we progress.
I got the Petoskey stone in place shortly after lunch!
The afternoon was spent walking through the various ways to attach everything and several stitches.
The ribbed spider stitch is looking ok, but the portion of Watercolours Sandstone skein that I got has almost no variation of color in it and looks boring. I may buy another skein and redo it.
I practiced stitching a buttonhole circle on my 2 fingers. I’ll need to get to this piece asap once I get home and before I forget! Luckily, Kathy P from my chapter was in class with me, and I can ask her if needed.
Bill had the Duroc pork chops at the Golden Ox, in the Stockyard area. One of the top 3 best and largest portions ever. Too bad he couldn’t take leftovers home. I had the steak soup again (better than Anton’s).
Then, back in plenty of time for the Expo. I was happy to support the Hearts for Hospice by buying their booklet. I’m sure you can order them through heartsforhospiceofficial@gmail.com
KC Needlepoint has a table, and even though I’ll be going there tomorrow, I got a blue magnetic clip for the Kansas City Royals. We see them tomorrow, too.
Filed under: ANG Seminar 2024, Treasures from the Great Lakes - Dawn Donnelly
I’m glad I signed up for the Cork Linen because it pulls better than 18 count canvas.
We drew the lines on tracing paper, stitched over them, and pulled the paper out. Pulling the paper took time. Needed tweezers!
I had to stitch the second from the top row tonight after class to be ready for tomorrow’s class. The top basting line is just there, so we don’t stitch above it.
Good BBQ at Jack Stacks tonight, but I still think Rib Rack in Philadelphia can’t be beat. I’m beat, though!
I put in the two tent borders to be ready for our second class after dinner last night since it was still early, and I was too full to lie down. But, I must have misheard because we counted off the outer border. Oh well!
In class, I spent time color matching threads, cutting, and stitching the large swirl and corner mock Chilly Hollow stitch. Worth it!
I enjoyed Lorene Salt and am enjoying stitching this piece. I’m surprised that the stitches weren’t that complicated. You do have to count. Check and double-check.
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