Filed under: Uncategorized
The sandals/canvas are designed by Birds of a Feather (BF413). They are size 39 European or an 8 in US. I did the stitching and have donated them to the auction for this year’s ANG Seminar in Chicago. They will be available at the silent auction. So, if you are a size 8 OR are looking for a gift idea for a friend or family member – start asking now who wears size 8 & make these a birthday or Christmas gift. I hope you take a look for this item at the silent auction!!
And, Rittenhouse Needlepoint donated the finishing – didn’t they do a fantastic job! Thanks again to them!!
This stitched design used both blues. It works! But, I must say, it happened again. I had a heck of a time following my own pattern. It didn’t help that my color markers were random. But, I finally decided it was better to work the dark red rows along the middle then do the light red above it before tackling the blues.
Liz provided great insights into Bargello. This was a fun project & the booklet will remain a great resource.
I finished the last of the two sections, 3 and 8, to place them in bookends. I enjoyed the project although I did find following the patterns more difficult than I expected probably because I was too distracted by work and by watching TV when I stitched. But, they turned out fine. It certainly wasn’t the instructions from Liz Morrow – they were clear and very detailed. It is a great resource on Bargello. And, I have been inspired to try my own small design now! That’s as much my goal for doing a project – learn & grow.
The pattern had either an M or a W depending on which way I inserted the design. Since I gave these to my husband, Bill aka William, it appears as follows:
I like the collage type frames & decided that these individual pieces would look great in one. And, it saves me a ton of money. Framers do excellent work but they are so expensive.
I still have 2 more square designs to stitch & they will fit in bookends! Yes, I still have more of them (I couldn’t resist the sale).
Sections 1 and 5 worked up quickly. Although again, I zoned out on Section 5 when I didn’t make the stitches of row 1 and row 2 the same stitch. But, the pattern is still staggered as it is supposed to be.
Filed under: ANG Keystone Garden Chapter, Color Delights by Kathy Rees, Melita's Other Completed Pieces
The ANG Keystone chapter in Buckingham, PA that I joined this year has 2 fantastic Program coordinators, Trish & Candy. They stitched models of each program by the start of the year. There are 7 projects for the monthly meetings, 3 Saturday projects, and a couple of “finishing” classes! I’m tired just thinking about getting all that ready. People sign up in advance. This is a very active group! Although I doubt anyone does all the projects.
This month is the first project I signed up for because it was designed to help you pick threads for a particular overdyed thread with 2 complimentary colors. Kathy Rees has several small projects at $10 that makes them great for a quick small project at 4″x 4″.
I don’t have many overdyed flosses & wanted to use my stash. So, I used the first one I came across. As you can see, I manipulated the ThreadworX overdyed floss 1138 by cutting out the aqua blue. Then, I only had a purple Neon Rays N99 and Kreinik #8 in purple 012HL. They were supposed to be contrasting colors but I think it looks great. I selected DMC #5 in dark green 500 and light green 502 to contrast with DMC #5 in medium dark purple. The solid floss was DMC floss 550 dark purple and beige 613.
Not only is it important to pick contrasting colors but also a variety of values (light, medium, dark) for contrast. Now, what to do with it? Maybe I have a box with a 4″ x 4″ opening.
A couple of interesting things happened with this section. Liz’s booklet is very detailed and has great information to help you design. But apparently, I am just not in the right frame of mind to be following written instructions because I just realized that this was to teach a mirror image pattern. I read these directions when I started the section 2 weeks ago but once I got to the right side and read, “Feel free to do your own thing here!” – I sure did. It couldn’t be further from a mirror image.
And, when I filled the center diamond, I thought this pattern was fine.
I was stitching is horizontally & it seemed ok.
But, when I rotated it left as it is supposed to be displayed, it looked terrible! The white stripe just popped right out & it became all I could see.
So, I had to carefully remove the white in the center diamonds. But, I liked the white, single stitch. Then, I replaced it with the darker thread used on the top & bottom stitch of the center diamond. And, now I am happier.
While I didn’t capture the spirit of the “mirror” image, I do like pattern on the right. I find it interesting that I do like this patter because I usually prefer symmetrical patterns but this is not symmetrical.
And, I’m not sure why but I think I like it better horizontally than vertically. What do you think?
I just thought that maybe this is linked to something I haven’t read about yet. So, I just flipped through the remaining chapters. I see that Section 5 is about staggered patterns and Section 8 is about overlapping patterns. I am quite sure this is an example of overlapping patterns. It has three parts unless the very top counts as a fourth. Even though the top has some denser red, it doesn’t seem heavier than the bottom probably because of the very top white area.
Thanks to Jury Duty today, I finished the red background on the coin purse! It feels great to be stitching again. But, it is back to reality tomorrow. If I worked 24/7 for a week on various obligations (work & non-work), I might get caught up. However, I will make sure I get some stitching in every day – I’m not going 3 weeks without that relaxation again!
I will have to get this lined. It makes a great project to throw in my purse & stitch without much concentration. I still have the larger matching clutch to work on.
Filed under: A Berlin Work Cardinal with Susan Hoekstra, ANG Correspondence Courses, Bargello Techniques by Liz Morrow, New Jersey Needle Festival
I can’t believe it has been 3 weeks since I stitched enough to blog about it! I put work & all obligations aside today to go to Susan Hoekstra’s New Jersey Needle Fest and had a great time. Thanks to Rona & Mary for asking to put at the same table with me – nice to sit with them again this year.
I had begun my Crescent River there last year & that is finished now. So, I took that & got lots of nice compliments on it. And, Susan showed off the Berlin Cardinal (her design) which I had stitched and had the Nimble Needle finisher do as a pillow. That is the pilot class our chapter did for her so she could be ready to teach it at seminar.
Bargello Techniques was a great project to take because it is a small project & worked in hand (the way I am doing it, section by section) – no need for a stand, etc. ! I had started it before I got there & when I wasn’t walking around looking at all the wonderful projects (another sold out event & that is 120 people), I was stitching this section. Vendors had some pretty things but I have so many WIP or ones I want to start that I resisted buying anything.
When I got home, I kept stitching & finished it (slightly bleary eyed). But, I am thrilled to be able to share Section 2 (adjusted to fit my space). Thanks Liz for saying, “If you don’t come out exactly the same, that’s OK! Just continue your pattern & fill in to the bottom.”
You’ll also see a needle in this picture because Mary gave me one her new favorite needles – an edmar gold-eyed needle – that is smoother to the touch than other needles and slides through the canvas. Very nice needles. But, you may not find any because Mary & especially Rona must have bought the store out! Thanks again for sharing them!
I am using Hyla’s High Cotton thread for the Stitch N’ Zip purse and card case set. I am not separating the threads using the thread as it comes (all 5 threads). I am quite sure I’ll have to line the inside (or get someone to line it).
As you can see, only the white & black parts gone done over our recent 10-day cruise. There was a group of quilters working in a conference room who got a lot done but I wanted to sit outside & it was a tad to breezy – so, I did some stitching but I finally finished a book that I’ve been trying to read.
While in San Juan, we stopped at El Convento for dinner (converted convent into restaurant and hotel) & I saw the only piece of needlepoint on the trip! Interestingly, the wreck of Columbus’s Santa Maria is off the first island we stopped at which was Haiti. So, this was a rather appropriate design for the trip. I enjoyed our BOSS Underwater Adventure (google it!) while at St Thomas which made this stop one of the best. St. Maarten was interesting because they have a Dutch and French side of the country. No needlepoint stores on any island but lots of souvenir and jewelry stores! Here is the large wall tapestry hanging in El Convento in San Juan.
