Filed under: Uncategorized
I returned to the Treasures of the Great Lakes by Dawn Donnelly, one of my ANG 2024 Seminar classes, a challenging piece.
First up was adding buttonhole rings made from the Watercolours. They were fun once I got the hang of it.
One is scrunched in between the seaglass and a stone. The large one is above that in the sea bubbles. Two small ones are in the upper right area.
The seashells are added, some small beads, the driftwood is attached. I stitched buttonhole wheels, eyelets, ribbed spider, lazy daisy, twisted dribble, feather stitch, long stem French Knots, and French Knots.
I still have a few more finishing touches to go.
Filed under: ANG Central Jersey Chapter, ANG Chapter Book Projects, ANG CyberPointer's Chapter, ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Orchid Lady by Mary Knapp, Starburst by Patricia Hartman, Summer Fireworks by Ann-Marie Anderson-Mayes
I realize I never posted Starburst by Patricia Hartman (from the 2013 Chapter Project Book that was an ANG Main Line Stitchers project) or Orchid Lady by Mary Knapp (an ANG Cyberpointers project from 2021) after they were framed at Repenning Fine Arts.
Both are counted projects completed with the same thread line called Beautiful Stitches from Ann-Marie Anderson-Mayes in Australia.
The ANG Central Jersey Chapter is doing Summer Fireworks by Ann-Marie Anderson-Mayes this year as one project, and I had enough threads left to complete it and match these other 2 pieces.
I didn’t use museum glass, and that makes photos difficult. Both were stitched on a black Congress Cloth and have a light gray frame.
Summer Fireworks by Ann-Marie Anderson-Mayes was done on white Congress Cloth and placed in a 5″ x 11″ black frame (by me). I laced it to magazine board. Foam core would have been too thick. It came with plexiglass. I used it and still got a decent photo. The stitches are slightly raised but don’t look like they are getting squished.
Since the photos are not showing the color on the first 2 as well, here they are before framing. Stitching on black makes a totally different look.
Goal #10 for 2025 is completed and framed.
I have a recent EGA Brandywine Guild project that is easy, portable, and would be perfect for the leftover threads! Ann-Marie also has a companion piece, Autumn Fireworks (also free instructions). That sounds like I am adding another project to the 2025 goals which is something that I was trying to avoid. We’ll see what happens.
Filed under: ANG Central Jersey Chapter, Summer Fireworks by Ann-Marie Anderson-Mayes
I finished the top square and the center square crescents while enjoying a pre-meeting stitching session with Sue and Rosie.
Later, during the ANG New Jersey Needle Artists Chapter monthly meeting, I started on the bottom square. The following day, after I got home while watching the Phillies, I finished the bottom square.
The center Double Fan Doubled (DVD) looked tough, and it was. It was fully demonstrated in a video. There are detailed instructions and several diagrams. So, I needed quiet and concentration. The TV was off and it still took three tries over several hours, getting threads to lay flat, going under, over, under over. When I was done the first time, I realized one arm was off! Can you find it? It’s glaringly wrong to me. Oh, well. I cut it out in no time.
The second time was wrong after two rounds (no photo). The third time was the charm and a thing of beauty. The threads are laid flatter, too.
The last of the yellow in the center went in the next day because the DFD did me in!
Goal #10 for 2025 is completed.
My ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter is stitching the Folding Ort Box (OB) and the Ort Box with a Twist (OBT) both designed by Marilyn Owen. I stitched the Folding Ort Box years ago on 14 count interlock canvas and was never happy with it because it is too big and floppy. I was happy with the blackwork but that small area is about as much blackwork as I need in my life. The path needed to take is tricky – reminds me of organic chemistry in college – you have to see where you’re going too many steps in advance. I didn’t need organic chemistry in the pharmacy and I don’t need blackwork in my life!
I am stitching both now on 18 count interlock. Because I save everything, I have my extra detailed blackwork map that I created years ago. Maybe it’ll be easier this time.
There are 7 members stitching the OB and 6 stitching the OBT. I am leading both pieces. Last month we covered colorways and basting. It took me 3 tries to get the basting on the OBT and Patrick found a mistake on my OB basting but that was easily fixed.
The error in this photo is pretty evident (stop laughing MO!). You’d have to count to find the one error (56 basted but should have been 66) and the other is marking the inner area.
Finally, I got it correct. Had I drawn lines instead of basting, the canvas would have been a mess!
For both, I provided details as seen in this photo.
For this month, I am going to focus on the diagonal divider of the OB and the pockets of the OBT. The idea is to get less thread on the back in the dividing line. Marilyn figured out how to do that. I pretty much had to flip the canvas to catch the thread (left side of photo below) or else I wound up with a hot mess (right side of photo below).
The pockets will prevent the same type of folding on the OBT and what dividing lines there are, they are different (easier).
So, I need to finish these areas and get to next month’s areas.
Filed under: ANG Central Jersey Chapter, Summer Fireworks by Ann-Marie Anderson-Mayes
After doing the rewarding but more difficult finishing recently, I pulled out Summer Fireworks by Ann-Marie Anderson-Mayes. The Walnetto in the outer rectangles was the fun new stitch pattern for me. It was a tad challenging because it called for 2 strands, and getting them to lay flat was tricky.
It’s so light, and in this colorway, it looks more like a spring bouquet to me. So, working on it now is appropriate. We’re enjoying several spring bouquets, including a ribbonwork one, a painted one, and a fresh one.
I’m heading to NJ on Wednesday to return the 22 pieces submitted to Woodlawn Needlework Exhibit from other members from the ANG New Jersey Needle Artists (NJNA) Chapter. Jacqui C will be discussing beading as the program topic. And, I will take this to stitch on. Rosie offered to be my hostess for the trip. Looking forward to seeing everyone.
Summer Fireworks is an ANG Central Jersey Chapter project, but several members are in both chapters. The April CJC meeting was canceled due to Easter. I’ll see them in May and have been asked to demonstrate finishing a coaster. It’s so interesting to be in multiple chapters and see the differences between the chapters.
Filed under: Brandywine Chapter, Embroidery Guild of America, Strawberry Pincushion
Patrick and I volunteered to be co-Presidents for one quarter of our EGA Brandywine Chapter’s year of meetings.
For April, we had a Zoom speaker, Toni Gerdes, speak on Additions to Stitching. I heard it recently through the ANG San Bernadino Chapter and enjoyed it again. There are several threads that I haven’t seen anywhere and a couple of ideas that I will try.
We handed out the motif Patrick designed, and I diagrammed. Then, in May, we will lead people through its assembly into a strawberry pincushion. For June, we go to Blue Santa Beads to make a Chataline.
I had a piece of Lugana (28 count in an Angel Blush that is slightly pink) and stitched over one canvas thread for a small one (about 2 and 3/8″ x 2 and 3/4″). Patrick stitched over two canvas threads for a larger one (about 4″). My stash had Crescent Colours, Bing Cherry fot the motif, and I’ll use Sampler Threads from The Gentle Art, Porcelain for finishing.
It turned out great and was ready to show at my EGA Brandywine Guild Chapter Quarterly meeting yesterday.
Patrick, Karen, and I had plenty of ground fabrics in different counts (24 – 36) and colors for people to choose. People had fun selecting theirs. Tough choices!
Filed under: General comments, Needlework and Textile Guild of Media, Punch Needle, Punch Needle Demo
The Needlework and Fiber Guild of Media continues to meet monthly and have demonstrations by various members and occasionally a speaker or road trip. This month, I volunteered to show what I learned about punch needle from a class in November 2024 with Katie Kriner, Author, Fibert Artist, Shop Owner of The Bee & The Bear in Hereford, PA. I hadn’t worked on the project since then.
Meghan brought a punch needle pillow to the meeting done with chunky yarn and a big needle. She described hers, and it was probably very similar to the Oxford Punch.
I’m using the Ultra Punch needle, which seems to be the gold standard in punch needle for projects using embroidery threads. It has 12 heights to vary the length of the loops as you punch.
This design is done at level 2, which creates a higher loop than the background, which was done at level 1 and creates depth in the design. You can’t see in the photos, but you can in person and feel it.
Since I only have evenweave fabrics (weavers cloth was supplied with the kit), I cut a piece from an old sheet for me to practice on. After watching a YouTube video, I realized that I had not loaded the punch needle properly (that sample was not photographed). After that, I got the hang of it quick enough (photographed below). Following a line is tougher than you think! Once the areas get filled in, it looks smoother.
Needlepoint stitchers might find it odd that you cut ends of threads from the front. It just blends into the loops.
If you pull the thread, it can all come undone. Kristen suggested applying fusible fabric to the back would help prevent that. But I don’t think I’ll be touching it to have that happen.
The design is drawn on the back of the fabric (not photographed), and that’s where you punch as the design appears on the front (as seen in the photos). The overdyed green and light gray threads are Valdani balls of 3 stranded floss (worked as supplied, not stranded). Placing the thread balls in a small jar allows the thread to continuously feed through the needle and not roll away. You don’t cut the thread into multiple lengths as we do in needlepoint.
The overdyed dark gray for the background is Valdani #8 perle cotton.
I never expected to get this done before our meeting, and I didn’t get much of anything else done, but I finished the punching in 2 days.
The kit included the display hoop and a piece of felt to cover the back. I did a running stitch along the inside edge to gather the fabric, cut away the excess fabric, filled the width of the hoop with the excess fabric and batting, covered with magazine board, gathered the fabric, laced it flat, and glued a piece a felt on the back that came with the kit. I placed Aleene’s Fabric glue on the weavers cloth and simply pressed the felt down. It was dry in no time.
Thanks to the deadline of the demo, this completes Goal #8 for 2025!
I was asked if I plan to punch again. And, I would if I happened to see a cute design, but I don’t feel the desire to seek it out. The repetition of punching reminds me of basketweave. But, I prefer basketweave because of the lack of precision with punch needle. The loop height in punch needle has some variation, and getting stitches close enough is an issue, although both would probably improve with practice. There is also the concern that it could unravel.
Kristen said the tool has been used for Turkey work. Again, I would be concerned about unraveling.
All said, I will keep my punch needle!
Kathy has framed Byzantium. It looks fantastic, and we’re both happy Byzantium has a home!
Note: Gifted to Kathy in March 2025.
Back in November 2024, I posted about my A to Z books and included a photo of my River Silk Ribbon and Flair Spring Flower.
As part of my recent flurry of finishing, I purchased a mini frame at Michael’s. The 3″ square opening is a perfect size. It’s going to be a get well gift for our neighbor’s mom who lives with her. She fell and broke her pelvis last week but is already home! And, this flower has no maintenance for her daughter who has her hands full.
This is a great size for trying out stitches and threads while making a small gift. I love the vintage green canvas for these threads.
I keep a 5″ doodle canvas ready for experimentation. I don’t have more of the green canvas. So, eggshell is next up. Maybe I’ll use my markers to color the canvas.
Goal #7 was to finish Heart Swirls by Janet Zickler Casey into an ornament. The stitching has been done since October 2024.
The backing fabric is left over red fabric from my Magic Quilt Poinsettia. I used Peel n Stick Fabric Fuse along the inside edge to hold the fabric in place. Two long pieces of Peel n Stick across back kept the front and back sides together just enough, allowing me to stitch the cord in place while cinching the 2 sides together as I went. I don’t like clips placed all around the edge because they put dents in the stitching.
There are a few layers of wool felt (not craft felt) to give the front a little thickness. I tried building it up in the center, and although it’s still flat, the edges rounded really nicely.
I found a fantastic cord at Fireside Stitchery a few months ago and decided that I was ready following my success with the Silken Sonata ornament. The cord is Passementerie 3/16″, Vatican Red (PAS-31642). There are a couple of colors of that cord. I’ll be using it whenever possible. The finished size of the ornament is 4.75″ wide by 4.5″ tall without the loop.
I should have taken a picture of the loop attachment. I cut exactly the length I wanted for the loop with about an inch inside to sew/tack in place on the Craftex. Then, I cut enough length of cord to wrap around the edge. So the end of the cord doesn’t ravel, I taped around the end and cut through the center of the tape.
I aligned the long length of cord snugly up against the one side of the loop and sewed it in place by attaching it to the Craftex and the adjacent loop. Then, I sewed the cord in place with red beading thread (perfect color match to the cord) passing the needle through the center of the cord, making the stitches invisible, catching the backing fabric and the canvas. Once I got further around, I tucked the other cord end into place. I couldn’t sew that end of the cord to the Craftex, but I did secure it to the adjacent loop.
I don’t think that I have ever done exactly the same thing twice when finishing. Partly because each one reacts a little differently in the process. These last two finishes have to be my best finishes yet. I’ve even put away the threads rather than stockpiling them. Hope springs eternal! Now, back to fun stitching.
Melitastitches4fun's Blog 