Filed under: ANG CyberPointer's Chapter, ANG New Jersey Needle Artists Chapter, Tumbling Stripes by Marilyn Owen
A few years ago, ANG Cyberpointers offered Tumbling Stripes by Marilyn Owen and has remained in my To Do pile since. Well, ANG New Jersey Needle Artists decided to kick off 2024 with that project. Several folks stitched different coloways, and we got to see them in person at yesterday’s Holiday Luncheon at The Grain House in Mendham, NJ. Jacqui will be leading us over the next few months.
Although the event lasted until 3:30 pm, Show & Tell and business was conducted in between courses so several people could leave a little early and beat the worst of the weather. Bill came up with me and hung out at the Library where the chapter meets (he’s familiar with the place) and got lunch across the street. We did encounter snow on leaving but then as we neared Philly, it turned to rain.
I especially enjoyed seeing that several folks finished Crescent Journey and a few more are getting them framed. I really am happy that so many NJNA members participated. We had 3 round tables of 10 per table. Very good to see and talk with everyone.
Our assignment for Tumbling Stripes is to gather threads and baste. The first thing that I did was review the Cyberpointers’ notes and their photos. I saw Gretchen from Cyberpointers stitched one as an ornament without the borders, which would be 86 canvas threads or almost 5″ on 18 count or 3.5″ on 24 count Congress Cloth. So, I went to my canvas stash and what should appear on the top of the pile, but a small piece of Congress Cloth just begging to be used. It measures 6.25″ x 7.25″. Away to my bars, I flew in a flash to find 8″ x 8″ Evertites awaiting a project. [My Christmas decorations are inspiring me!] You might think that’s not going to work, but you lose 1/2″ across the sides where you attach the canvas with tacks on Evertites. So, one side was fine. I don’t have 7″ Evertites and am not going to buy them. But, I can lace one side. That was something I learned from Kay Stanis in A Toast To Tiffany (an unfinished project). I didn’t note what thread to lace with. So, I doubled Londonderry Linen 80/3 which worked great.
Despite my references to the Jolly Old Elf, I didn’t want more Christmas ornaments. I wanted to think spring. I wanted to use yellow because Jacqui is leading this. She gave a great Zoom talk on the value of using yellow in designs.
So, I went dashing over to my threads. In a wink of an eye, I had pulled my coloway! Actually, that was more involved because:
1. I had to sort through a pile of threads. I wish I could be completely organized but it’s never going to happen.
2. I don’t have a lot of yellow threads. So, I am borrowing the yellow Splendor from the Christmas Colors Designer Collection. And, I have to use DMC Floche, a cotton thread. That’s good a good sheen to it.
3. I needed 3 values of blue and found that in a bunch of threads called Pearsall’s by Tristan Brooks. It’s a discontinued line of silk threads. There are 3 values of Azuline Blue, although the light and medium are very close. The last time I used Pearsall’s, I found it difficult to handle. I’ll have to thin out the Silk Lame Braid in order to use it on Congress Cloth, but the color is great.
Pulling threads from stash is usually challenging, which makes spending time organizing them a waste of time – right! ? ! Do you find stash useful or a hindrance?
Filed under: General comments
Thanks once again for your interest in my needlepoint. It’s always fun to look back at what I stitched and framed or finished myself, what classes I took, and what road trips I took. As I look back over 2023, I surpassed 1,000 posts since I started in 2010.
My main accomplishments this past year included:
- finishing the six steps of the EGA Master Craftsman in Canvas (Step 5, Night Owl, was awarded 2nd Place at Woodlawn; Step 6, Fireside Sampler will go there in March 2024)
- beginning a series of articles dubbed Timeless Treasures from the Archives in Needle Pointers (started with the July/Aug 2023 issue). I am really enjoying going back through old issues of Needle Pointers looking for interesting articles that remain relevant today.
I’ve enjoyed my classes and amazing teachers including:
- Learn to Weave with Daryl Lancaster (sponsored by Jockey Hollow Weavers Guild)
- Finishing with Kelly Starke (sponsored by ANG NJNA)
- Pomegranate Heart with Melissa Sebring (EGA Seminar)
- Draw & Paint with Laura Smith (EGA Correspondence Course)
- Shading with Crewel with Judy Jerow (EGA Mid-Atlantic Region THaP)
The pieces that I finished and framed (either by myself, Frames Plus, or Repenning Fine Arts) were:
- Dawn by Textured Treasures
- Autumn 3-Ways by Toni Gerdes
- Finnegan by Melita
- Lady Sybil by Melita (won a 2nd place at EGA Seminar)
I finished stitching these in 2022 but the finishing was done in 2023:
- Blue Hills by Dawn Donnelly (framed)
- Mesa Triangle by Kath Rees (framed)
- JP canvases, Bird of Paradise with Bamboo and Orchid with Bamboo (pillows)
This year I embraced “finishing” in a big way by doing these (I got my finishing supplies organized, improved efficiency, and no longer dread it):
- 24 bulbs for a Christmas Lights Garland
- 4 Gold n Cross Stitch ornaments (no actual finishing required)
- 3 Or Nue Flag Magnets (I designed it for the Needlework and Fiber Guild of Media but the ANG Central Jersey Chapter also enjoyed doing it.)
- 2 Chottie’s Plaid bookmarks
- 2 Bargello Flag ornaments (published in the July/August 2023 issue of Needle Pointers)
- 1 each of these into ornaments (except the last one):
- Amadeus motif (from 2011 SOTM)
- Chilly Hollow motif (from 2011 SOTM)
- Waffle motif (from 2011 SOTM)
- Bells of Scotch (I designed this – watch for it coming to Needle Pointers in 2024)
- 50th Anniversary Round (from Sundance Beads)
- Dawn motif (from Textured Treasures)
- Crewel Wreath (from EGA Petite Projects)
- Circles (made into a basket lid; from 2008 SOTM)
Next year, new projects I have plans to stitch include:
- Landscape Features with Gail Stafford (ANG Cyberpointers Workshop)
- Byzantium with Lorene Salt and Treasures from the Great Lakes with Dawn Donnelly (at ANG’s Seminar in Kansas City, MO; registration opens March 4 for ANG members, March 18 for non-members, and closes May 17, 2024; Seminar runs from August 30 – September 6, 2024)
- Rainbow Butterfly, a Laurel Burch design by Danji (with Kristen for ANG Main Line Stitchers)
- Fibonaci by Olivia Hartshorn (March/April 2022 issue of Needle Pointers with ANG Main Line Stitchers)
- Ort Box with a Twist by Marilyn Owen (with ANG Main Line Stitchers)
The current projects that I will continue to work on include:
- Imperial Topaz by Sue Reed
- Amanda Lawford’s Christmas Angel
- A Spring Sampler in Cinnamon
- Medusa Sea Jelly
- Mary Maxim Quilt Magic Kit of a Poinsettia
The oldest 2 projects that I have high hopes of finishing include:
- Stitches in Sterling by Nancy Cucci (began in Oct 2011)
- Tar River Trail by Gail Stafford (began in Aug 2012; hoping more years of experience and the Landscape Features Workshop will allow me to finish it)
Last but not least, I look forward to leading A Stash Sampler for the ANG Cyberpointers May 2-6, 2024 meeting program (registration is April 15 – May 6).
Read all about it at: Cyberpointers & A Stash Sampler.
Hope everyone has a healthy and happy New Year!
My sister gave me this darning Loom for me to have fun with. It’s similar to the one that I have, but the long metal piece with the hook on the end is quite a mystery. It is called a loom pick tool. But that’s as far as I got on YouTube and the internet. Why is the metal sticking out near the middle? The needle is nice and long. It’s very handy as I don’t have one anywhere near as long as that one. Between readers of my blog and folks at the Needlework and Textile Guild of Media, I am sure I’ll get some help. I think the loom brand is Quirzx Darning Loom Speedweve Type Weave Tool.
The New Jersey Needle Artists (NJNA) chapter decided to do a birthday plaid as a name tag, but I made a reversible bookmark for Bill and I. Not only did I finish stitching Bill’s Birthday Plaid, but I was able to finish them while Bill was out golfing – all before Christmas!
I carefully cut windows out of 2 pieces of ultrasuede for each bookmark. Then, I glued them together. It’s not easy to cut even with a sharp blade on my x-acto knife.
Mine has one white side and one black side.
Bill’s is beige on both sides.
These were done and wrapped under the tree Christmas morning. It was a good year to get bookmarks because there were several books under the tree for both of us for the long winter hibernation! One book of mine is already done. I highly recommend A Thursday Murder Club Mystery series by Richard Osman.
Filed under: Needlework and Textile Guild of Media, Quilt Magic Poinsettia
Santa brought me Mary Maxim Quilt Magic Kit of a Poinsettia.
My sister got a more traditional pattern, a Christmas Star Quilt. Since too many miles separate us, Santa got each one our own. She couldn’t have all the fun!!
While Bill enjoyed another 9 holes of golf, I opened my no-sew, no glue wall hanging. That’s when I discovered that I have to cut 52 pieces of fabric!! I was hoping to be done before Bill got home. It seems unlikely since Step 1 took me quite some time. The mitered corners were tricky. You tuck the fabric into the foam cuts.
The gold sides went easier except they didn’t say how to cut the pieces. Pinning the pattern seemed like puckering might be a problem. So, I cut the paper and traced it with my purple pen. I’ll need a new purple pen to trace all these shapes!
With that, Bill came home. More another day.
Merry Christmas!
Buff got this kit for me from Needle Workers Delight at the 2023 NJ Needle Fest (because I drove). Such a cute wooden base made it irresistible! There were a couple of different ugly sweaters and a couple of different shapes, but this was the one I liked best. Buff got a different design with hearts and also cute. Online, Canadian Stitchery does sell the wooden base, backing, and cord, which you could use to make your own design. The red felt gets pressed against the back when done. Self finished!
Most of it was done during the Monday night’s disappointing Eagles loss, but I waited to post it today.
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Imperial Topaz by Sue Reed
Our ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter’s Stitch-in was Saturday. Several of us were all ready for Christmas and enjoyed an afternoon of stitching.
I never like to count much at a Stitch-in. So, I stitched the corners boxes in the evenings prior to the meeting.
I also stitched the large crosses and couched according to the instructions for the zigzag appearance. The zigzag is evident because Linda guided us through the thread selection. The contrast between the crosses and the top stitches was essential for the pattern to be seen.
That left the thread blending gobelin rows to fill in, which was easy to do and talk. I got 2 corners done during the Stitch-in and the other 2 last evening while watching TV.
Filed under: General comments
The Wayne Art Center in Wayne, PA, has a wood show and juried craft exhibit that was quite interesting. Linda and I enjoyed seeing the creativity of people.
My favorite ones are in the Fiber category, which you can see at https://craftforms.org/craftforms-2023-online-exhibition/craftforms-2023-fiber/
How do people come up with some of the pieces? They are divided by category, and all can be seen at https://craftforms.org/craftforms-2023-online-exhibition/
The Bowl Me Over bag that Linda made for me could have been exhibited – it is flawless! It does remind me of a bowling bag and has got a magnetic snap flap, zippered pockets, a mesh pocket inside, and 3 slip pockets inside. Her fabric choices are fantastic.
I got a lovely green trim at Joanne Fabrics to use instead of the green yarn supplied in the kit for the Christmas Lights Garland.
The last 12 bulbs are done.
And, the Garland is hanging. I’m surprised that a 6 foot trim isn’t longer when actually hanging, but that’s because of the droops.
They were fun to make. I almost picked up 7 mesh plastic canvas to make more, but I decided that other projects await me!
Then, at Fireside Stitchery, I found a skein of the DMC dark green yarn. It was being discontinued. So I got that, just in case I decide to make some another time.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Pomegranate Heart by Melissa Sherbring, the EGA Seminar class I took earlier this year, is a 3″ x 3″ heart that surrounds a pomegranate and is worked in three late 16th / early 17th century English embroidery stitches. I do love learning new, or in this case very old, stitches/techniques.
I’ve gone over this piece in detail previously at https://melitastitches4fun.com/category/embroidery-guild-of-america/seminar-2023-boston/pomegranate-heart-by-melissa-sherbring/
I did the finishing myself. There were no issues with turning the fabric back because I didn’t cut my tabs close to the design.
Bill helped with the cording, and I twisted by hand. I got a good suggestion by a professional finisher in my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter, Cleo of Busy Lizzy, that I make the loop separate and thinner than the cording that surrounds the ornament.
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