Melitastitches4fun's Blog

I was worried about asking a framer to handle this, and so I contacted Meghan from my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter, who is a professional framer and now also a teacher. She gave me great guidance discussing lacing and pinning to foam board.

This shadow box frame was perfect at 11″ x 8.5″ and grey to pick up the color of the stones. Once it arrived (from Amazon in 2 days), I only had one option. There was no way to fit a second foam board in the frame or another layer of anything because the back is a foam board with a soft white felt back attached to the back. So, I attached the needlepoint to the foam board with small nails every 1/4″ piercing Congress Cloth threads as much as possible around each inner edge. I used three white pearl push pins they sent to hold it in place after I centered it. I was tempted to leave one in place near the large stone so it wouldn’t sag from the weight of the stone but I think the weight of the stone is dispersed across enough of the Congress Cloth that it won’t be an issue.

Then, I cut the Congress Cloth at the outer edge, which is about 2-3 threads from the nails. The pressure of the fasteners on each side is applying pressure as well.

The shadow box came with tempered glass which does have some glare depending on the lighting. Meghan did suggest that I could get a framer to order museum glass to fit this frame. But, where I have it hanging, there is no glare and I even got a decent photo.

Thanks, Meghan. I am thrilled with how it turned out!

One of Dawn Donnelly’s comments in her Treasures of the Great Lakes class was, “know when to say when with embellishments.”

I have enough stones, seaglass, driftwood, and shells to make another one!

But, this one has enough treasures. I did use all the beads. Each of the 7 threads was used as well. It only took about 4 more hours to add the finishing touches (the rest of the beads, long armed French knots, French knots, and feather stitches), and yet it’s kind of hard to tell the difference from the last photo.

It measures 8.5″ x 5.5″. I was asked if it needs to be finished flat. No. I can turn it over, and nothing falls. During the stitching, a couple came loose, and I had to reinforce them. I don’t plan on shaking it, though.

Goal #6 for 2025 is complete! That’s the third and final ANG Seminar class from September 2024. Yeah!! I’m very happy. I sent a photo to Dawn, who appreciated seeing it.

It was fun, I love it, and I am glad I did it, but I am looking forward to my counted pieces. The ort boxes need my attention. And, I haven’t touched the two pieces from National Academy of Needlearts.

Back to Treasures of the Great Lakes by Dawn Donnelly, one of my ANG 2024 Seminar classes.

The ribbed Spider seashell uses Watercolours 001 Sandstone but the length in my kit had no color variation.

So, I purchased a new skein and am much, much happier.

With Dawn’s piece, Blue Hills, from my ANG 2022 Seminar class, we were supposed to include a fake bullion across the whole design which was 6″ (requiring 72″).  I elected to use an alternative thread, Woolly Whites. This time, the bullion only had to be 3-4″. So, I added it. DMC Pearl Cotton #5 is tacked down which required about 38″ to create the coil.

This will not get done before my next class with Dawn Donnelly. Oh, well but I am happy with how it’s progressing.

The third class from the ANG 2024 Seminar in Kansas City, MO was Treasures of the Great Lakes by Dawn Donnelly.

I want to finish this piece before heading to the National Academy of Needlearts in mid-March, where I am taking 2 classes.

The eyelets, for bubbles in the waters edge (top), were tricky because the thread carry couldn’t pass behind an open hole. I did finally get the swing of it. I can’t see much of a difference between the #8 (towards the bottom) and #12 threads (towards the top), but I am happy, especially  with my random placement.

The Pulled Stepped Backstitch for the bubbles on the sand (bottom) was more difficult, probably because the areas were so small, and it has to follow a pattern going 2 different directions. Again, the thread can’t pass behind the holes.

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.

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!