There were 9 bags of montees, pears, seed beads, rocailles, and bicones in the Nautilus kit by Kay Stanis. This didn’t get done in one sitting because working with 2 strands of invisible thread (supplied by Kay) was not easy either. This took alot of beads!
Kay doesn’t say what brand of invisible thread she supplied but it knotted up several times (maybe because it was wound up on a small metal spool) and I needed mine for one last area. I am done and thrilled with it. The clear seed beads allow the underlying aqua to show through just enough. And, I really like how it becomes more aqua near the top.
Here you can see the depth better.
There are still beads leftover. They would make a lovely name tag! I have plenty of alphabet books. For now, I will enjoy my last finish of 2025 and completing Goal #20.
This church ornament by Cross My Heart, Inc was a destashed item from Sally that I took out to have a small piece to work on periodically. The company is still online at EverythingCrossStitch(.com) but this kit is from 1992 and no longer available.
Having not done a cross stitch kit in years, I had forgotten that the threads come all together. It took some time because the greens are quite close but I separated them onto a couple of floss organizers.
I made a copy before marking it up further and enlarged it. Only the outlining in backstitch remains.
You can see how the outline helps define the shapes. While the overall design was evident, now it pops. Very easy finishing. After attaching the ribbon, some E6000 around the back edge adhered it to the metal tart tin. Cute idea!
Filed under: Books in My Library, Needlepoint Books, Stitchery Under Southern Skies by Mary Anderson and Debbie Deem
I know I read several of Debbie Deem’s article s from old issues of ANG Needle Pointers for an Archives article on design. This booklet, Stitchery Under Southern Skies by Mary Anderson and Debbie Deem, must have been mentioned but I can’t remember why. Again, I found it online a few months ago, Bill put it away when it arrived, and I forgot about it.
It’s technically not a “needlepoint book” as you can see from the Table of Contents because it has 11 projects. But, I gleaned some interesting things from it. Ruth Cameron explains how to use one color of stranded threads to create depth and contrast. Mary Anderson diagrams Smyrna Cross Variations. Susan Porter created an interesting Mosaic Border with a Running Stitch Accent. That’s what popped out on the first pass through the booklet.
It ends with 18 tips. One was using a #16 or #13 needle to make eyelet holes consistent. And, the couching procedures are interesting. Couching over a thread is common enough but into the sides and down the center of a thread offers some variety.
Filed under: Florentine Fancywork by Toni McKelley, Other People's Designs
Florentine Fancywork by Toni McKelley was an ANG Correspondence Course years ago but I didn’t get it and regretted it. So, I put a saved search on Ebay quite some time ago and forgot about. Back in June, I got notified that the instructions had been posted and I bought it. When it arrived, I asked my husband to put it away for Christmas. Again, I forgot about it! What a wonderful surprise to open it today. That’s definitely going to be on my must stitch list for counted pieces in 2026!
Toni used Rainbow Gallery Overture which she calls a space-dyed thread! Haven’t seen that term before. It’s what I call overdyed. And, it calls for V114 Victoriana that has been discontinued! Of course. Toni uses segments of it in the border but not everywhere. Apparently, it has greens, yellows, and peaches according to the text and photos. I have one card of Overture that isn’t V114. But, the separated strands are slightly thinner than strands of Watercolours. Since I have lots of skeins of Watercolours and coverage will be better, I will switch to one or two skeins of Watercolours.
There is also Rainbow Tweed RT66 Leaf Green which is still available but I think I’ll stay with Watercolours.
First, I will pull the solids. Flair, Mandarin Floss, Neon Rays, and 3 Splendors are all available at Fireside Stitchery which I can pick up on Saturday January 3rd at our rescheduled December Stitch-in. That leaves Gold Rush 14, WG53C, Violet Blush that is not available at Fireside Stitchery but is still available elsewhere. I do have Gold Rush 14, WG86C, Lilac that is a bit darker but might work just fine. Once I obtain the solids and decide on the Watercolours, I will decide on the Gold Rush.
Very pretty design combining the various bargello patterns together.
As a reminder, these natural, hand-faceted, rondelle gemstones in small (around 400), medium (around 100), and large (24) in each of these colors: Royal Blue Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Ruby, and Emerald were obtained at the Bead Expo in 2011. It took me awhile to find a bead cord that would work with them.
The teardrop ones I made (https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/jewelry/gemstone-earrings/) used about 140 small gemstones (5 columns), these used about 100 (4 rows), and there are still about 70 left! And, I haven’t used the medium or large ones yet at all although I have experimented with some options!
This pair of earrings used the Royal Blue Sapphire beads on Perlseide blue #2 bead cord (natural silk thread with a needle attached from Blue Santa Beads) on a silver round bead frame (from Michael’s).
These were my hand made gift to Linda for Christmas. She was very happy with them.
And, I am thrilled with the ByAnnie Travel Essentials Organizer in a fabric that matches the Bowl Me Over Bag from 2023 that Linda made for me.
It’s great and is perfect for storing my cords and fabrics for finishing. The A Place for Everything ByAnnie bag was filled to the max! So, now I have them in here with the duplicate cords in the other bag. I love it!
I enjoyed getting organized since I have several pieces to finish – hopefully, I can find time this weekend or next week.
Filed under: Susan Portra, The Cabochons, Peace
Tiara by Rainbow Gallery is next on my list of threads that I don’t like!
Good news is that laying the long lengths of pearl in advance of couching was not difficult except for the thread. Tiara separated at the ends and was catching. I’m not getting a break with nasty threads.
I worked on the background during a Zoom call, during football games, and a movie. It’s interesting to see Susan’s choice to do the denser tent stitches on the sides and skipping every other for the more open pattern on the top and bottom.
The cabochons went on easy enough.
It’s now added to my finishing pile. And, I won’t allow myself to start the next cabochon until this one is finished. So, I’ve got to find time!!
Filed under: ANG Needle Pointer's Article, ANG New Jersey Needle Artists Chapter, Festival of Trees
After joining the Central Jersey Chapter today (or hanging out at the library), Bill and I enjoyed the 47th Annual Festival of Trees. They have some great trees decorated by community groups and individuals that are on display through December 29. Check days/hours open at
https://www.somersetcountyparks.org/environmental-education-center . It’s at 190 Lord Stirling Road in Basking Ridge, NJ.
The New Jersey Needle Artists (NJNA) tree theme this year is “Stitched with Love”. Lots of lovely ornaments!
I was thrilled to see the 6th of Susan Portra’s Cabochon series, Faith. I do have the instructions but haven’t gotten to stitch it yet and am curious to see which member did. Just found out it’s Jacqui C’s. Lovely!
There are some silly trees.
And, elegant ones.
There are some wonderful crafts on display.
A very enjoyable day!
By the time I got to this point, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Once I filled in along the top right, I went back and added pink and darker aqua highlights. Then, the outline of the large swirl was accomplished using La Lame #14 Braid Rainbow to nicely pick up the various colors in a sparkly metallic thread.
On to the jewel embellishment phase with lots of beads!!
Filed under: ANG Central Jersey Chapter, ANG Seminar 2025, Christmas Ball Canvas
The ANG Streetcar Chapter had at table at Expo this summer and I picked up this little ornament. It’s marked CB6 (maybe CBK Needlepoint Collections). I have to work ‘in the well’ because the canvas measures 4.5″x5″. I could lace it to larger size bars but this should be fine.
Needing a small piece to work on at the ANG Central Jersey Chapter meeting on Saturday, I pulled threads from my stash including 2 sparkly threads and 2 non-sparkly threads for contrast. I’ll pull a gold for outling later.
Then, I went to my Sandy Arthur book for a parallelogram stitch that would work. Most were for larger areas but Nobuko should work in all the areas and will compensate easily.
Looks like a good project for Saturday!
Melitastitches4fun's Blog 
Filed under: General comments
It’s that time of year to review what I accomplished over the year and reflect on what’s lies ahead in my needlepoint journey. This year I am thanking you for being one of the 11,300 interested visitors of my blog. That’s quite a jump from previous years.
Last year I wrote about my 2025 goals and that is where I will start my review of this year. Happily, I accomplished most of them. I won’t repeat all that here but I did update last year’s post with links to those goals that were completed. Check them out at https://melitastitches4fun.com/2025/01/01/2024-year-in-review-a-look-forward/
The 30th goal was not to get any more goals which was/is/will always be impossible. But, of the 29 doable ones, I only did not do:
Only Project Runway is important to me at this point and I have made good progress. That will be my January priority since it must be done by March.
There are a few projects that I will be doing/want to do in 2026 including Razzle Dazzle by Ann Strite-Kurz which our chapter starts in March, Florentine Fancywork by Toni McKelley, Golden Candles by Toni Gerdes, and the rest of the Cabochons.
I’m also planning to go to 3 seminars (NAN, ANG, and EGA). I know I have 2 classes at NAN (National Academy of Needlearts): Exploring Needlelace with Diane Clark and Magical Color with Jennifer Riefenberg in Warm and Cool colorways. At EGA, I hope to get in Laura Smith’s Going Places: Hands-On Design and Color. I’m waiting to see the Jan/Feb issue of ANG Needle Pointer’s to decide on those classes.
The ribbon class at Fireside Stitchery in April with Tamara Abdee should be interesting. She does lovely work and am curious about her and learning her techniques.
Ideally, I would like to finish a few of my oldest unfinished counted projects begun in a class setting:
There is no way that I’ll say all those are goals! They are options. Paths along my journey. Along with some finishing, it’ll be a busy 2026.
But, I haven’t finished reviewing 2025 yet. I addition to the goals I did accomplish, I also led/spoke about:
Other projects that I hadn’t plan on but stitched included:
I visited two needlepoint stores new to me:
I was busy participating in my EGA chapter projects including a cross stitch needle book, Zokin, porcupine quill, chatelaine, and pin cushion.
The Needlework and Fiber Guild of Media covered a variety of topics but the icicles were the most fun.
I used a few stitched designs to adorn tissue boxes this year. In the September-October 2022 issue of Needle Pointers, I stitched two Bargello Samplers designed by Gail Stafford once in stranded threads and again in sparkly threads. I added a binding stitch border as I attached a black felt backing (with a piece of magazine board for stiffness) and attached it with strips of a double stick archival tape. It went as a 2-sided tissue box for a Christmas gift for my brother John and sister-in-law Sher. Eventually, they may get something in browns and golds for the other two sides so they can rotate it periodically.
I think that about covers the highlights of 2026 and shares most of what’s ahead in 2026.
What’s ahead for you?
Happy New Year and enjoy your stitching time!