Filed under: Busy Lizzy, Floral Fantasy, Needlepoint Shops, Other People's Pieces, Threads, Threads and Beads
I finally joined Cleo of Busy Lizzy for one of her First Tuesday sessions at her shop behind her house. It’s not large but Cleo has a good selection of painted canvases, threads, and miscellany including books. The table and chairs still allow enough room to walk around looking at everything. Eight of us fit comfortably around the table. Lively conversation made the time fly and before I knew it, it was 2:30 pm which was 30 minutes past the time I was planning to leave (just over an hour to and from Chadds Ford for me). Two others from ANG Main Line Stitchers, Gloriann and Stacie, were there. My travel SMASTA (tool case) was a smash hit! A very enjoyable day.
I found one book there that I couldn’t find anywhere online!! But, that will be the topic of another post.
The piece I’m working on is a small (4″ square) 14 count canvas with designer initials of BTB or BT8. I have no idea where I got it from but it looked like an easy piece to stitch at a Stitch-in. If anyone recognizes the designer, please leave a comment. I named it Floral Fantasy for lack of the proper title.
I selected basketweave for the white flower outlines, a 4×4 Norwich Stitch for the white center of the red flower, and 2 upright waffle stitches for the white center of the pink flowers using ThreadworX Expressions (200, white). These areas were finished the day before.
The green is Boucle (170) done with Checkerboard Cross which are alternating cross stitches and upright crosses each over 2 canvas threads. I wanted a random looking grassy texture. I began this area to make sure the thread worked. Since it is 14 count, the Boucle works ok. I finished this today and found out Pepper Pot Silk would not cover on 14 count at least for the stitch I wanted to use.
It was a perfect time to try the new thread Line at Cleo’s that I haven’t seen anywhere else. It is from Gloriana Threads and is Duchess Silk, a hand-dyed thread. Some colors have more subtle changes in the skein. I had brought along another canvas and selected other skeins of Duchess Silk but that too will be the subject of another post.
This Rose Violet (232) has more variations than many of the other colors in the line. You can see I got the upper right corner started using the stitch, Pointing Fingers. There is nice variation of color. It’s taking some time to “see” the pattern and compensation isn’t easy yet. Hopefully, I’ll get it once I start stitching in the larger area.
Also in the upper right corner are 2 small clusters of 5 beads each. I have accumulated (mostly from Trish who was unloading her stash before moving south) a slew of beads including a large tube of pink beads that are calling to me, “Use us!” I don’t know what kind they are so I hope I have enough for both pink flowers. If not, then I will improvise. The differences in texture are pleasing me most about this piece. I have no idea what to do with it when I finish it. Any suggestions?
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, General comments, Threads, Threads and Beads
Two new threads for me are Vineyard Jewels and Colonial Persian.
I learned about them from a Rittenhouse Needlepoint’s newsletter:
- Vineyard Jewels is Wiltex’s new line of metallic thread. The 100% polyester thread comes on 8yd cards. The colors are as bright as Vineyard silk but think metallic braid. The thread size is between a Kreinik #8 and #12 so one strand would be good on 18 count (but also lighter coverage on 14 count) canvas. We currently have the entire line available so make sure to add some “Jewels” to your stash!
- If you haven’t tried using 100% wool thread because you think the colors aren’t vibrant enough, I have two words for you — “Colonial Persian”. This is not your mother’s wool thread. We now carry the entire 258 colors in the line and they are gorgeous! The virgin wool combined with the experience and talent of the dyer equals colors that really pop! Each card is 8 yards but since it’s 3-ply you’re really getting 24 yards if you stitch on 18 mesh canvas. So check out this new line for belts or bags where its strength and durability will be especially useful!
I also read more about them on Janet Perry’s Nut About Needlepoint blog:
- https://nuts-about-needlepoint.com/vineyard-jewels-thread-review/
- https://nuts-about-needlepoint.com/colonial-persian-yarn-thread-review/
I picked up a skein of each at Rittenhouse to test them for myself and to share results with my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter. Unfortunately, I didn’t care for either. The Vineyard Jewels doesn’t feel or lay as nicely as Kreinik. The thread size is closer to #12 or slightly larger. Coverage wasn’t that great even on the diagonal. And, Colonial Persian wears and is too “hairy” for me although would be good for certain projects where that effect is desirable. Coverage with one strand (of the 3-plys) on the diagonal is good but not vertically. And, using 2 plys vertically would be too bulky for 18 count.
Join us tomorrow Monday, March 11 at 7 PM in the conference room at Starbucks in Wayne (218 Lancaster Ave).
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, General comments, Threads, Threads and Beads
When I saw Karen at Nimble Needle had a Silk Luster Leaf Exercise Kit at the 2018 New Jersey Needle Festival, I didn’t know why I needed it but now I do. This works right in with a thread project that I started in October for my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter.
Access Commodities has an instructional booklet on their website to go with the kit. The kit contains Trebizond TRA734, Soie d’Alger 2125, Soie de Paris SDP2125, Soie Gobelins SGS2125, Au Ver A Soie 100/3 SMS325, and Soie Perlee SPS325. Threads are all green. First, I made the outline using my “Purple Pen” with disappearing ink. I had carefully cut out the stem and the veins from a paper copy and used it like a stencil. That looked good. So, I used my ZIG Fabricolor green marker that I got in a previous class. Easy! The threads are green and I’ll be sure to cover the lines anyway.
Both the slipperier the thread and the more strands needed (3 or 4) for proper coverage made it harder to lay the threads. Working with Soie d’ Alger was the easiest. I’ll probably finish the leaf on a long wrapped wire and place in a bowl of artificial flowers.
Join us Monday, February 11 at 7 PM in the conference room at Starbucks in Wayne (218 Lancaster Ave). I’ll be sharing 2 new threads.
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