Filed under: Tudor and Stuart Gold Master Class
Over the past weekend, I enjoyed an afternoon at the Winterthur. The tram took us on a tour of the grounds of the DuPont estate. There are some colors from flowers but the various green plantings are in abundance. The attention to details is amazing. For example, the lights along the walkway (left photo) are functional & ornamental. The reflecting pond (right photo) was originally a pool & the first in the US to be heated. At the far end (right photo), those 3 round grates are covering 3 huge speakers through which the guests could enjoy music as the lounge about the pool!
Moving indoors, nice small groups of 10 were given an hour tour of several rooms in the mansion. Then, we were free to walk the property, through the galleries & browse the Campbell Soup tureen collection. Their textiles are extensive, including samplers, needlepoint wall hangings, quilts, drapes, bathroom towels, chair covers, book covers, table cloths. Tailor-made tours are available at an extra charge.
chair and quilt (above)
sampler and table cloth (above)
And, of course, the Plimoth Jacket. It is stunning in person. Kept behind a plexiglass but in the middle of the floor so you can walk all around it. There is a brief video about the making of the jacket. Quite interesting. They even sewed over the seams – such attention to detail.
FYI: Winterthur didn’t mind pictures being taken of anything.
Filed under: Tea Time
This is a small piece I did for my mother. It is Brazilian Embroidery, an Interwoven Cast-On Stitch using four threads & five needles taught by Mendie Cannon. I took 3 classes in 2 days from her at the Stitching Jubilee a couple of years ago. I still have to finish those class projects. But, I’d wanted to practice this stitch & then decided it would fit this little teapot nicely.
Filed under: Matilda the Moose
It’s been a year already since we went to Alaska. It was beautiful. We did 10 days, including 7 with the Alaskan Railroad. Our last day was spent with the family that owns & operates Indian Valley Mine outside Anchorage. They were so kind & went out of their way for us, making us a wonderful salmon lunch on Memorial Day. The youngest even went around trying to collect more moose turds for my husband. He wanted a jar full because a dozen wasn’t enough! While they are quite hard & don’t smell, I was quite happy when the little girl returned with just 3 more placed in a small gift box such that they looked like 2 eyes & a nose with a smile drawn on a piece of cotton. It was so cute!!
So, when I returned from Alaska, I needlepointed this piece & mailed it to them as a thank you. Yes, what’s what you think it is depicted in brown on the ground behind the moose!! I used the outline of a moose pin my husband bought for me. The moose is done in a Byzantine stitch (I think) with Gold Rush 14 Variegated, 202C. I threw in some background mountain straight stitches & was done.
I used a 14 count vinyl canvas with DMC Perle #5. The canvas is available from www.crafterspride.com (under Fabrics). And, I shouldn’t tell you but this but the frame is a dollar store frame! I paid one dollar for it.
Filed under: Tudor and Stuart Gold Master Class
Filed under: Sun Flower with David McCaskill at Fireside Stitchery
The canvas is available on Fireside Stitchery’s website. They called it Daisy (PM3605). It is from Dream House Ventures, Inc. It measures 11.75 w x 11.75 h inches. Search by PM3605 & only that one piece will come up in the results.
Filed under: Sun Flower with David McCaskill at Fireside Stitchery
The whites on the sunflower are done. And, I have about half of the green surrounding them done & that stitch isn’t difficult but is more time-consuming. Sometimes is a good idea not to do all the fun stuff first. The abstract area is a tad more difficult because the canvas is dark & the threads are dark. Even with a good light, I prefer working on a lighter canvas. And, I’m working with an overdyed thread that I’m matching to the canvas as much as possible. So, I’m saving the toughest for last.
I just noticed my butterfly magnet in the upper right corner. It is not only pretty but it is a strong magnet. I got it at the Stitching Jubilee a year ago when it was at Valley Forge but not sure which seller.
Filed under: ANG Stitch of the Month, 2010
Last month when the heart-shaped stitch was so bulky, I should have really stopped to double & triple check. I just couldn’t see it then but now realize I used Vineyard Silk instead of the DMC floche that I’d planned on using. Oh well. I’m just glad I had enough to do this month’s stitch with the Vineyard Silk. Now, I’m back on track.
Filed under: Early Needlepoint
I can’t believe that I found the kit for the Pansies I did as a young girl on eBay!! And, I must have been at least 15 years old when I did it. A little older that I thought. It is a vintage “Pink Pansy Barrel” needlepoint kit by Needlepointers Sunset Designs dated 1975. It was designed by Randall Elwood. Kit includes printed design on 100% cotton canvas, 100% wool yarns, needle, mounting board, full color print and complete instructions Fits standard 5″ x 5″ frame. The kit has never been used. Bottom of bag has been opened but all contents are intact.
Filed under: Flower Basket
This Flower Basket is a “Pinsations” original design & stitch selection. The pin is added to the piece so that the pin can be removed, worn, & replaced. I never developed this into a series even though I have more flower pins – I must have started going into a different direction after I got done with it.
I have no idea what stitch I did for the flowers. The basket is Criss-Cross Hungarian (same as Basket 1 & 4). Obviously, I really like that stitch for the weave & shading (mix of DMC floche). The background green is a leaf stitch.
Books used:
- Stitches To Go by Suzanne Howren and Beth Robertson.
- The Needlepoint Book by Jo Ippolito Christensen.
Filed under: A Basket of Flowers for Good Wishes
Our ANG chapter selected this David McCaskill design for a project in 2008. David supplied the handout & we supplied our own threads. So, we had the option to use his colors or our own. I went pretty much with his colors but may have used different thread selections. The yellow flowers manipulated Neon Rays. A very interesting technique.
It is a lovely basket & flowers. There is a nice variety of flowers both in color & type. So, your eye roams around the piece & is entertained. Yet, there is balance. And, if I didn’t know before doing David’s basket, I sure knew afterwards that I had better keep my day job! However, I am sure I learned from the project & so will continue to attempt my own designs. I just have too many things on my plate to attempt another basket right now – but someday I will.
This is one of a series (not all flower baskets) from “The Brides Tree Ornament Series”.

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