Filed under: 2022 Christmas in Williamsburg, Golf, Melita's Other Completed Pieces, Needleworkers Delight
I started Bill’s golf eyeglass case at Christmas in Williamsburg. The Mini Block Golf design comes from Hinzelt kit. I created the B and I to stitch BILL on the opposite side of GOLF. It came with 4 charms that I attached with invisible thread. By the time the weekend was over, I had stitched the letters on both sides and started the background. I couldn’t stitch on the case exclusively or else Bill would have wondered what I’d done for 4 days – he does pay attention!!
Each half used almost a whole skein of Vineyard Silk Merino for the background. So, unbeknownst to Bill, he ran into Rittenhouse Needlepoint for another skein of thread so I could stitch the basketweave background of the second half. It took a couple of late nights but I finished stitching Bill’s golf eyeglass case before Christmas.
I did have to “finish” it after Christmas by adding a lining. And, the challenge was that his sunglasses are so much bigger than his eyeglasses that his eyeglasses will fall out easily. So, I stitched 2 magnets in place along the upper edge (one each side and then covered the inside with ultrasuede).
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, ANG Seminar 2021, Finishing, General comments, Interpreting Color Theory for Needlework with Susan Hoekstra, Seashells, Snail Shell
Thanks to stitch suggestions from Susan Hoekstra in a Seminar Color class in 2019 and a thread from Rosie at NJ Needle Fest in 2021, I finished stitching this Seashell ornament. Fast forward to 2022 when I won fabric pieces as a door prize at Linda’s Quilt Guild Show. There are 19 pieces 5&1/2″ squares all different but coordinated. I narrowed the choices for the backing down to 6 and let my husband pick the fabric to coordinate with the seashell.
I did my cutting and ironing of the fabric and fusing web onto Skirtex as previously described.
On the canvas, I see areas that appear raised and want to accentuate them. So, I spent time cutting and tacking felt into the vertical areas along the bottom left and the larger upper right area. One layer of felt on the outer 2 vertical areas, two in center 2 vertical areas, and two in the upper right area.
Then, I attached the padded canvas to another piece of Skirtex in the unpadded areas to make the padded areas raised.
I tacked the edging back using invisible thread (not the lacing technique).
I didn’t have any cording I liked. So, I went into my stash and found Vineyard Silk Shimmer S-515 Toffee which is brown to match the back, frames the seashell nicely, and has a little gold sparkle. The skein was already cut into 38.5″ lengths. So, I thought I’d need 11″ without a hanger. The instructions for the Kreinik Custom Corder say to start with 3x what you need. Tension can vary ending length.
By tying together 2 lengths for one large loop and 2 for the other, I got 16″ final twisted cord which even allows for a hanging loop. Between the Kreinik written instructions and YouTube video, I made the cord and hopefully I got enough twist.
With more invisible thread and Wonder Clips to hold the back and front together, I attached the twisted cord between the two layers.
Plenty of time to clean up the dining room table before Christmas!
There was some thread left over from the Floche Star Ornament and I had this small photo ornament (opening of 1 & 3/4″ diameter) just waiting for something.
I drew a circle on the canvas as large as the paper with the fake photo that came in the face of the ornament.
Sandra Arthur’s Shapes of Needlepoint, Series I, includes stitches for circles and the Milanese Pinwheel stitch is the largest at 22 x 22 canvas threads.
For the red background, I intentionally rotated the canvas to stitch acute triangles of basketweave using DMC Perle Cotton #5 (321) in different directions to add some interest. I learned that is called directional rotation from teacher/designer Diane Hermann.
Using a frame ornament like this, you can’t have thick thread near the edges or fold back the edges to secure them because it won’t close completely. So, I used 4 strands of Kreinik Silk Mori (1114) a Diagonal Weave stitch (see Painted Canvas Embellishment: An Idea Book by Carole Lake and Michael Boren.
I cut close up to where I had stitched without cutting the stitching. The ornament is not going to get opened up often to worry about finishing the edges any better. That made finishing really easy and inexpensive (it’s a $3 frame ornament from Big Lots).
Filed under: ANG Keystone Garden Chapter, Christmas Ornaments, Floche Star Ornament, Melita's Other Completed Pieces
I didn’t see the stitches over 5 canvas threads in the top and bottom of the centers until I’d stitched 2 diamonds!
I’m not sure where I got the design but I apparently used Watercolours Cinnabar, an overdye without a lot of variation. A few years ago at an ANG Main Line meeting, I made a cord using the Kumihimo Japanese braiding technique to finish the ornament but never did attach the cord and can’t find it now. So, I cut around the design to fit this silver ornament. It beveled up just a little for a perfect fit.
Filed under: ANG Stitch of the Month Mystery Project
We’re starting this year’s mystery project at my ANG Keystone Garden Chapter.
Color A and B can be contrasting or light/dark. You’ll have to wait to find out what direction I’m going! This is on a light blue canvas.
It’s fun seeing the various colors people pick & watching everyone’s piece develop.
Filed under: Canvas Connection Golf Bag, Melita's Other Completed Pieces
During my trip to Woodlawn this year with Linda and Ginny, I picked up a Canvas Connection Golf Bag (3″ x 4″) (GB-556) from Waste Knot (4502 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA) to stitch for Bill. I love the little clubs!!!
I stitched some while he was out golfing this summer and finished it while I was on my way to and from Seminar in New Orleans this year. Since he didn’t come along this year (too hot to golf), this is a surprise gift for Christmas! I’m so happy with the finishing – Karen at Nimble Needle in NJ has a fantastic finisher.
Santa also dropped off a book for me – Sandra Arthur’s Shapes of Needlepoint Series Volume I. I am looking forward to getting time to read it once the Christmas turkey is in the oven. Merry Christmas!
Filed under: ANG Keystone Garden Chapter, ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Christmas Ornaments, Christmas Ornaments, Melita's Other Completed Pieces, Santacicle
Here’s Santa’s row – they are so cute together hanging in the hallway. The one on the left is my Santacicle by Janet Casey Ziegler from a class at my first ANG seminar.
Linda’s Snow Globe Santa by Janet Casey Ziegler is in the center.
Peg Dunayer’s Triangle Santa ornament from Needlepoint Now (Nov/Dec 2007) was finished through Nimble Needle and I absolutely love it! The sparkles just make it a little more special. My ANG Keystone Garden Chapter stitched as a project in 2014 and when I got it back I forgot to post it too – been slipping on my blog.
Wishing one and all a happy holiday and a healthy New Year!!
Filed under: ANG Keystone Garden Chapter, Christmas Ornaments, Melita's Other Completed Pieces, Other People's Pieces, Santacicle, Snow Globe Santa, Triangle Santa Ornament by Peg Dunayer
This Snow Globe Santa by Janet Casey Ziegler was stitched by Linda from my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter. I was thrilled when she gave it to me last Christmas but I forgot to place it on my blog. So, here it is for posting this Christmas!
And, I was just as happy to get a Christmas Basket this year from Linda. Yes, she’s also a beautiful sewer.
I did make pillowcases for a charity, Ryan’s Cases for Smiles, earlier this year. Linda helped me with them too because it had been 40 years since I’d used a sewing machine. The two we made are in the upper left corner of the picture. Then, I made 2 more at our Community Day at work using a regular machine and a surger. It was fun. One of the women in my group enjoyed the event so much that she is getting a sewing machine for Christmas. Linda kept her eyes open for sales & found a great deal from Steve’s in King of Prussia, the Anna model, half off for just $200 and a great machine for a beginner. It almost makes me want to take up sewing!!
But, I have tons of needlepoint projects started and ideas of my own that I want to work on and 3 big events with classes coming in 2017. Linda and I are both attending Blue Bonnet for Toni Gerdes’ classes Fire & Ice and Bronze Purse in February and Nashville Needleworks in April with Laura Taylor for Embracing Horses. Then, I will take a 4-day canvas embellishment class at ANG Seminar in Anaheim with Cynthia Thomas after taking her Creating Diagrams and Stitch Guides using Microsoft Office class. I didn’t forget about my husband, Bill. We’re extending each trip to take in local sites. And, we have a non-needlepoint train trip across Canada planned for July-August (actually, I will stitch but no classes). We’ll be married 30 years in Oct 2017 – lots of fun times ahead!
Filed under: ANG Keystone Garden Chapter, ANG Stitch of the Month Mystery Project
By adding the 2 outer rows as final borders, we are almost done with the mystery project at my ANG Keystone Garden Chapter. But, there is something mysterious that will “be revealed” next month before we finish. Hmmmm.
Wednesday night at our meeting, I got the first border done and last night I added the outermost border. And, thanks to the longest 9-inning post-season game in major league baseball history, I added beads in the 2 large diamonds. They were optional but I liked that they made the top bluer and the bottom greener than the threads alone. I was worried about the top having more beads than the bottom and being top heavy. But, the bottom green ones are larger Mill Hill Beads and the top blue ones are smaller seed beads from Beads By Blanche (via Trish V who purged her stash last year). Of course, I could always turn it upside down had it been top heavy. I think it is looking great!
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