I looked through a half dozen books and settled on the Balloon Stitch from Sharon G’s Simply Essential Needlepoint Stitch Explanations for the background. Perhaps I was influenced by her saying it has a bit of an Oriental flare to it and suggested it for a kimono. Several Lantern stitches from Keys to Canvas Embellishment by Julia Snyder were nice options too.
It’s a dark blue thread, Impressions, which makes seeing the pattern a little difficult in the photo (used 1 thread). The black collar, cuffs, and hem are just a Satin stitch using 4 strands of Splendor.
Interestingly, one of the stitch guides recommended a lovely open composite stitch. It looks really nice but since it is for a background, I wonder if it might distract the eye from the focal point. So, I selectd a completely filled in pattern that will certainly remain unobtrusive.
Filed under: The Thistle
The Thistle by Carole Lake and Michael Boren is a free project from my ANG Keystone Garden Chapter. We got an antique blue canvas (8″ x 8″) and similar colored threads from what’s listed in the instructions from Needle Pointers magazine (Sept 2014).
The thistle was stitched first and I made the green leaves bigger than I realized. So, I had to make the border a little longer causing the side gold areas to be adjusted to fit the open area. Turned out fine. The design is not large-only 3″ x 4&1/2″.
I switched the navy DMC floss to the navy Impressions 7011 mainly because I didn’t want to lay the two borders of backstitch. And, I’m very happy that I did because it made wrapping the backstitch borders so easy and gives a very uniform appearance.
And, instead of the muted lavender blue overdyed Watercolour 162 provided or the baby blue white overdyed Thread Gatherer Silken Pearl 15/3 SP5 081 recommended, I used Thread Gatherer Sheep’s Silk Lilac SPS075 for a more imposing realistic appearance.
The chapter encourages participation in projects by awarding points toward a gift certificate. The more completed, the more money. This is my first completion for one point this year (June 2018). Larger projects are worth 2 points. And, showing up for our meeting during the busy month of December gets you one point.
It took me until June 2022 to frame it as a gift for our friend Debbie. Hopefully, a flower will perk her up after losing her 18-year old dog, Ollie.
My ANG Main Line Chapter got canvases, threads, and a stitch guide from Fireside Stitchery and one from Amy Bunger for 4 canvases. Three of us, Buff, Linda, and myself, selected Lotus Kimono by Lee (SPM 279). I selected a second canvas but it will have to wait. I didn’t get the other 2 canvases because I don’t have time to do every project (bummer).
Linda and Buff are going to bring the threads and stitch guides they got to a couple of meetings and discuss the differences or similarities. It’s an excellent learning experience even for people not stitching the piece.
Today at Rittenhouse Needlepoint with input from Linda and Buff, I picked my threads. We had a great time looking at all the threads. Thanks again to both!
I’ve got Splendor S801 for the trim; Elegance E801 for the black seam lines; Kreinik #4 and #8 Braids 002V for gold; Gloriana 185, Gloriana 048, and Silk ‘n Colors 1068 for the trumpet flowers; Gloriana 288, 096, and 117 for the lily pads; Chameleon Shades of Africa Two Oceans (Au Ver a Soie) for blue lotus flower; Needlepoint Inc Silk 877, 571, 501A, and 501 for the salmon lotus flower; and Impressions 7011 for the navy background.
Apologies to the staff at Rittenhouse because I had a dozen combinations of greens out before I settled with what I have now. They didn’t want me to put the threads back! I’m so fortunate I had that many options.
I’ve been looking over my books tonight to select stitches. I’ll be doing the background first. Does anyone want to make a suggestion? I have 2 in mind but would love to know what you’d select!
Filed under: Dare to Design With Orna Willis
Most of the stitches worked up well except for the Nobuko Stitch (green thread under the purple beads). They seemed to blend together too much. So, I made fewer of them.
It’s been an interesting learning experience.
I’m already excited to turn another watercolor picture into a stitched design. I’ve got plenty of threads still. This class isn’t over until July.
Filed under: General comments
One of the benefits of attending an event like New Jersey Needle Festival is that we see people’s projects and their tools. Lori had a great rechargeable, clamp on light. It opens just wide enough for Evertite Stretcher bars and fits the interlocking wide bars easily. The brightest level of 3 is very good. It lights up the 12″ x 12″ canvas and especially the center 6″ x 6″ area where I’m stitching. It would last 4.5 hours at this level. The beam angle is 90 degrees so that it is focused and not shining in anyone’s eyes. The goose neck is flexible. It’s small and light weight. And, the bulb didn’t get a bit warm after 2 hours. I was shocked to get all this for $10.99. It recharges via a USB cord. I already had the USB wall plug portion that came with my phone.
On Amazon, search “LE Dimmable Desk Lamp, Rechargeable Clip LED Desk Lamp, 14 LEDs Gooseneck LED Portable Reading Book light, 3 Dimming Level, Touch Sensitive Table Lamp”.
We can’t bring plug in lights to ANG Seminars starting with Washington later this year. Because it only lasts 4.5 hours, it wouldn’t last a full day class. So, I’ll use the charger we bought for phone emergencies on trips. We got myCharge and a USB cable (sold separately) for approximately $25. In Amazon, search “myCharge RazorPlus 3000mAh Portable Charger With USB Port“. The USB cord that came with the light is compatible with the charger.
Now, after class, I just have to remember to recharge everything!
Filed under: 2018, Dare to Design With Orna Willis, General comments, New Jersey Needle Festival
After I found Desert Island Stitches, Volume 2 regarding borders and this interesting kit (with threads that I have not used ever before) from Karen at Nimble Needle’s table, I settled down to stitch on my Dare to Design piece. By the end of the day, I had the center completed. However, the green stitch was bothering me. More on that later.
Throughout the day, I wandered around the vendors and looked at other people’s projects. It’s so fun to see what everyone is stitching. The ladies with New Jersey Needle Artists are doing another fascinating piece, Lorene Salt’s Autumn Kaleidoscope, in various colorways. Love them all!
Everyone was buying something from Trish all day long. I finally picked up this scissors case because it can hold more than scissors. And, her fabrics are gorgeous. This one reminds me of spring!
I forgot to get a group photo this year but we had a full table. Besides myself, I enjoyed the company of Buff, Kristen (first timer), Patrick, Linda from West Chester NY (first timer), Lisa, Lori, and Linda.
More on the green area. I’ve discarded Pepper Pot Silk Olive 095 because it was too heavy (not pictured) and Soie Perlee olive green 274 because it was getting lost in the canvas (see double motif upper left side next to red/oranges). In fact, all the double motifs appear to become one blob. Maybe adding beads in the center of each would help define each unit but the beads I selected are way too big. I contemplated using Planet Earth 6 ply silk Shrub V 1058 (the two right on the upper row and the second from the left on the bottom row) because it matches bugle beads I plan on adding. But, it too disappears into the canvas. In previewing the bugle bead, I also realize how a single bead isn’t as bright when it sits alone. The Au Ver A Soie light green 325 works best in the double motif (left on top row) but gets lost singly (left bottom row).
So, it took me all night but I’m doing a single motif in the Needlepoint Inc SilkLeaf Green Range 256 (bottom row right). The double motif seems blobby still (center bottom below the red/oranges. You can see the single clearly. However, I need new beads. I wish I had know this while I was at Edwardian Needle. Oh well! Beads will go on last. I’ll figure that out later. I could always do French Knots. It’s been an interesting learning experience to see how slightly different threads appear differently. No wonder Orna says she rips a lot out as she designs.
I got to show off my finished crazy quilt to Pam and others at Edwardian Needle today. Everyone loved it. I had added some ribbon French Knots, strung some beads, placed some lazy daisy stitches along the bottom, and spun a cob web which are typical to crazy quilts as they represent good luck. And, I had excellent luck finding more ribbons and beads to make a second piece. It’s actually not luck because Pam has such an excellent selection. I’ll show my Main Line Stitchers Chapter some of what I learned about beaded and ribbon flowers probably in June. It’ll help reinforce what I learned.
I helped a woman pick an easy, less expensive canvas and Linda helped her pick threads. She never stitched anything and I couldn’t resist helping her (or is enabling the correct word?). As we left, she was being shown how to stitch basketweave. Welcome to our world!
What a wonderful store, owner, employees, and such welcoming patrons. There are even 5 tables for sitting and stitching. Today, 4 of the 5 tables quite full. You can sign up for time with Pam and she’ll help you with your particular canvas. It’s always fun seeing what other people are doing.
Filed under: Dare to Design With Orna Willis
I got started stitching last week so that I could take this to stitch on this upcoming Saturday at New Jersey Needle Fest, a day long stitching event with 120 stitchers and 8-10 vendors. Yes, back to back stitching weekends!
Overall, it’s a 5&1/2″ square. If I hadn’t designed it myself, I would have a hard time believing that everything I have planned to stitch is going to fit! However, that’s what happens when moving from 8 count paper to 18 count canvas.
Instead of a lot of ripping, I tested the stitch and threads on a waste canvas. The #8 Kreinik worked ok for the knitting stitch bottom far left but was too thin coverage for the mosaic bottom right. I also decided that you could see the knitting stitch better with the Planet Earth. I tested Kreinik #16 upper right which happened to be in my stash but felt it was too heavy for an area that I doesn’t need attention. So, I bought #12 which looks great. I wanted to establish the border to decrease counting errors. Now, I can stitch the focal point.
Another great day at Edwardian Needle with Betty Pillsbury teaching. The class size increased by 3 today. A nice group of women. All great stitchers. Everyone’s pieces looked wonderful. I switched to a practice canvas because I didn’t have space to practice all of what we’d be going through on my stitched canvas.
I may add a background around the right flower and have it made up into a stand up piece. The center blue arrangement could get an edging stitch and become a bookmark. The left top isn’t finished so not sure what I’ll do with it. And, the beaded sample isn’t enough to do anything with.
As a reminder for me: To make a knot with ribbon, you have to place the needle through the end of the ribbon and then again 1/4″ inside before pulling the needle through the ribbon. If you do it inside to out, you won’t get a knot for anchoring on the back. I learned that firsthand.
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Filed under: Fort Hunter Exhibit, General comments
A beautiful piece of stumpwork greeted Linda and I as we entered Fort Hunter Mansion in Harrisburg, PA. Then, we enjoyed meeting and joined Judy and Joanne from Reading, members of ANG Apple Needlepointers, for a tour of the mansion by a lovely docent. We missed you Carol T! Feel better soon.
There were so many more pieces than I expected. Because some had multiple components, there had to be close to 150 items on display. They were distributed in all the rooms. We were able to get close to them. And, there were antique pieces of needlepoint throughout the mansion too!
Participating guilds include Apple Needlepoint Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild, Molly Pitcher Stitchers, Susquehanna, Nittany Valley, York White Rose and Lancaster Red Rose chapters of the Embroiderers Guild of America. The pieces represented about 2 dozen forms of needle arts including beadwork, blackwork, canvas work/needlepoint, counted cross stitch, counted thread, crewel embroidery, goldwork, hardanger, hock swedish weaving, Japanese embroidery, lacework, petit point, pulled thread, Rozashi, surface embroidery, stumpwork, thread painting with machine, and wool felt applique.
We were allowed to take photos without flash. But, there were so many and I’m only going to post a couple of the exhibited items and a couple of vintage ones.
Stumpwork
Pulled work. Notice that the right in all white is the same pattern as the one on the left stitched with colored threads. Thanks to the docent for pointing that out to us.
These are excellent stitchers and the participating guilds should be commended for putting on a stellar exhibit.
Antique firescreens
Vintage sewing box and tools. Having the spools draped across the front makes such an efficient use of space and is pretty.
And, we can’t go that far without stopping by Half Moon Handwerks. While Debbie helped Linda find fabulous fabrics for her quilt projects, I drooled over the Chameleon threads which I have only found here. Chameleon Threads are hand dyed in Africa and are wonderful. I especially love the Shades of Africa Two Oceans. But, they also have amazing colors in Perle 8, 12, 16 (not in this store but according to what I found online), Soie d’ Alger, Soie de Paris, Au Ver a Soie, and stranded cotton.