Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Vases with Curly Bamboo by Sharon G
Vases by SharonG began in 2012 with my Mainline Chapter from a Saturday summer class which 7 of us took at Nimble Needle in NJ from Sharon. We all voted on what canvas to stitch so that we could work through the stitch guide during the 1-day class. For me, this came too close after the other SharonG class I had taken & too soon before the 2012 seminar in Philly to permit me any time to work on it. But, I absolutely love the canvas. And, since I want to stitch on painted canvases this year, I started working on it again. I can’t believe it has been almost 5 years since the class.
Sharon’s stitch guide allows canvas to show through. It’s a beautiful canvas so I am glad the shading of the painting will be seen too. It was a lot of diamond rays to stitch on Vase 1 or the Green vase but it turned out nicely. The painted shading was enhanced by Gloriana that had some color change in the thread but not too much. And, I love working with Bijoux, my new favorite thread. The feathers took a couple of attempts before I felt like they were realistic.
The weather wasn’t as warm as we’d have liked it but my husband & I were limited on weekends we could get to Woodlawn this year. Bill & I headed out Friday just after the snow ended (roads were fine). We took a break at a restaurant/bar my husband wanted to visit in the Washington, DC area & then made it to Old Town Alexandria in time for dinner at one of our favorites places.
Since it was colder, we didn’t walk as much around Old Town on Saturday. Instead we headed over to Woodlawn in the late morning. Attendance looked good but there were fewer pieces (463) than in some past years. I didn’t count them – you get a listing and a booklet. Tickets went up to $15 this year but they made several wonderful changes. The biggest improvement is that you can get up close to the pieces within each room. There are no ropes stopping you from walking around. And, they are offering several “events”: http://www.woodlawnpopeleighey.org/needleworkevents/ (also mentioned in the entry form). Since I hadn’t thought to look on the website & didn’t enter anything this year, I didn’t have the opportunity do attend/participate in them. But, I will definitely look at these next year. I would like to walk around the exhibit with a retired ANG judge to hear what issues they deal with. But, that only happens on Wednesdays. This is the 2nd year that some pieces are for sale (at the request of the stitcher & priced by the stitcher with a commission applied).
Winners of ribbons are listed on the website now too: http://www.woodlawnpopeleighey.org/annualneedleworkshow/ . And, that brings me to my review of select pieces. And, I will comment mostly in order by entry number (in parens). And, if the entrant is a designer that I know has his/her first & last name on the web or is listed as an award winner on Woodlawn’s website, I’ll cite both; otherwise, I cite full first name and last name initial letter only.
Catherine Jordan got ribbons for each of her 3 pieces (1-3) including a Director’s Award for her Sharing Secrets book cover. They are in the ‘jewelry’ room which we almost missed had it not been for Bill asking where are Catherine Jordan’s pieces!
That room had a pair of unique original designs (embroidery/crewel) by Catherine Hicks (14 and 15) of Hillary Clinton as a young girl which was quite flattering and one of Donald Trump that was not flattering. Look under his protruding hair and see what is stitched on his forehead! These 2 each which won 2nd place ribbons are for sale at $1257 and $1600, respectively.
Kirdy Biggs got ribbons for her 3 geometric pieces (18-20).
Linda Cole (26) deserved her First Place award for the reversible sampler!! Amazing.
Caroline Hayes (119) not only deserved her First Place award for the map of The Real Counties of Britain but also the Eleanor Custis Lewis Award, Best in Show and a Judge’s Choice award. If my husband has his way, it’ll also get the People’s Choice award. Interesting that my husband & I were most impressed with similar pieces this year. Each of 86 counties have a different blackwork pattern identified in the margin and is stitched in the actual location within the map. We both loved it.
I love seeing pieces I’ve stitched. This year I found Amy G (160) submitted Diane Hermann’s Walking the Water’s Edge.
Two different people, Anne W (182) and William K (275), stitched the same eagle in cross stitch. Interesting to see them framed differently.
The finishing on the cross-stitched golfer by Sherri B (186) was perfect! The mat was artificial turf and the frame had raised band of rounded areas like golf balls.
Donna LaBranche (221-224) got ribbons for all 4 pieces including a Second Place award for her adaptation of a Needle Pointer’s magazine cover that featured the ANG name badge (September 2013) and the Pope-Leighey Award, Outstanding Miniature for a 40-count miniature piece (in the sampler room on a table).
I had to vote for S Ayles, Jr , a senior, who stitched a 4 foot by 8 foot wall hanging of a geometric/floral design done in all basketweave on 18-count (228). Great colors & we both agreed we don’t understand how you work on a piece that big. What an effort!! I ended up voting for this one. This was a close second for Bill’s vote.
One of the first pieces we saw that wowed us was an original design of a dog by Susan MacRae (8). It won a First Place award and the Woodlawn Award, Outstanding Original Design. It was just the face but what an incredible face. The eye and nose were so realistic that it looked like a picture.
Speaking of dogs, Bill had a wonderful conversation with Lee Hanley, daughter of Hope Hanley. I totally missed that connection as I was studying the needlepoint in the geometric room upstairs while he talked with her. Bill found out that the piece she was demonstrating that day was a piece Hope had designed by the Royal School of Needlepoint in England. It has about 2 dozen dogs of different breeds in alphabetic order (like a sampler of dogs) on a large (4 foot by 4 foot) canvas. Bill found out from Lee that her mother traveled so much that she never had time to finish it. Lee hopes one day someone will finish it and donate to the dog museum in St. Louis Missouri. The other demonstration on the first floor was by a teacher of Japanese Embroidery, Karen Bouton. A draft would blow a single strand of the silk away – it’s so fine. And, she explained that they twist strands together to get certain effects. Beautiful work. Every day they have different demonstrations going on both floors. It’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase a technique.
Both Cathryn C (230) and Linda M (238) stitched Tony Minieri’s The Wright Friends – a lovely piece & one I’d still like to do.
Congrats to Sue Chadwick (236) for getting Second Place award for Jennifer Riefenberg’s Color Play.
And, Rosie L (237 and 241) had a great geometric piece with tons of shifts in color as it progressed outward. And, her puffins were adorable!
Linda M stitched Karen Garinger’s Thank You Jean and placed it in a mother of pearl frame (239). Stunning!
Barbara Levy (307) did a lovely Gordian Knot designed by Rachel Atkinson and got a Third Place award.
Rozelle Hirschfelt got awards for bother pieces (315 and 316) – the goldwork piece with red Or Nue in the flower was stunning!
Norma Hiller (319) stitched another piece I’d like to do – maybe someday I’ll take the leap & stitch Liz Morrow’s Leaping Stag from May 2014 Needle Pointers magazine (or for sale on her website (lizartneedlepoint under the Counted Needlepoint tab). Norma also stitched a piece (320) for a First Place award of a piece I’ve seen but can’t remember the name or designer (greens and purples). I have been told it’s Serengeti by Terry Dryden.
Cleo Robbins did a lovely Christmas stocking (324) and a large silk ribbon embroidery piece that won a Second Place award. Cleo has been to our Main Line Chapter & taught us a few basic stitches with ribbons. Glad we learned from her. Congrats to Cleo!
And, our own Patrick B had an adorable Gingerbread House (328). It’s a wonderful 3-dimensional piece with candy all over it. Great use of ’embellishment trim’ by Sundance Designs. Bill spotted his piece first. It’s in the Holiday room upstairs.
Theresa Baird got a First Place award for her original design celebrating locations of Cincinnati, OH (331). It’s a wonderful tribute to her home town.
A First Place award and Judge’s Choice award went to Kate Costello for a beautiful necklace (336). What was so unique about it was the offset silver/grey flower (on the right as displayed) with a different effect on each side of the flower. On the left were beads woven into the threads and only the threads on the right side.
I’ve got to get back to Sister’s by Nancy Cucci after seeing Dorothy B’s (373) piece. We were in the pilot class together last year.
Chandra Jonkman took 11 years to complete a quilt (about the size of a queen size bed) with 142 stitched bible verses and numerous hearts (386). Her daughter stitched a few heart motifs. And, the quilting was done by a third person consisted of concentric hearts.
Tara R stitched the front of a house adorned with 3-D wreaths (414). The window treatment was interesting. It looked like a fine gauze was placed over the window making it look like a sheer drape.
Two pieces of lovely jewelry were done by Dana C (415 and 416). I see Dana will be demonstrating beading downstairs on Mar 30. Nice!! I met Dana at Nancy Cucci’s Sisters pilot class in Rehoboth last year.
The 7 dwarfs and Snow White done by Shirley B were adorable and at $240 would be fantastic to decorate a child’s room (417-424).
I couldn’t find both of Margaret O’s pieces (434 and 435) but the one I did find had a deer under a tree on an interesting stand display.
Once again Nelly’s Needlers did a fantastic job! I picked up the wooden thread minder with numbered holes to help organize threads as you stitch. And, the ginger cookies were delicious! Thanks to all the contributors and volunteers for a wonderful exhibit.
We’re starting this year’s mystery project at my ANG Keystone Garden Chapter.
Color A and B can be contrasting or light/dark. You’ll have to wait to find out what direction I’m going! This is on a light blue canvas.
It’s fun seeing the various colors people pick & watching everyone’s piece develop.
On Friday after picking up Linda and before heading to Horseshoe Bay Resort, Linda and I shopped at The Nashville Needleworks. It’s a lovely, huge store! There are tons of threads, a nice selection of canvases, and an incredible amount of beads. No counted designs as far as I recall. And, the class or stitching room in the back is fantastic. A great size, open, bright, and lights are at each seat!
I found this adorable boot by Kelly Clark, a stitch guide to go with it, and the threads.
Filed under: Blue Bonnet Stitching Retreat 2017, Bronze Purse, Fire and Ice
I am so glad that I was able to join the 7th Blue Bonnet Stitching Retreat at Horseshoe Bay Resort in Texas this year. It was a beautiful resort. They have a pool, parrots, Zen garden, and 18 holes of natural grass putting greens (that we played as a miniature golf course twice). Good close games with Bill.
I met some wonderful ladies from Houston, friends of Linda’s from past retreats. Linda was a great table companion – good thing – we both took the same classes.
The 2 classes with Toni Gerdes were fantastic! The written and verbal instructions were clear, we worked on a line-drawn canvases, and they were well-paced classes. I’ll have no trouble finishing these at home – it’s only tough to decide which one to do first! This is my progress after 2 days of each class.
Bronze Purse
Fire and Ice
Filed under: Uncategorized
I finished Zapotec Rug designed by Toni Gerdes, a current ANG Correspondence Course. It was one I piloted but couldn’t get done until now. Since it was symmetrical, I was able to test the instructions by just stitching half.
It was fun working with the wool threads including Gloriana Lorikeet, Gumnut Poppies, Burmilana, and Felicity’s Garden.
And, I was able to finish it before I embark on two classes with Toni Gerdes. I’m going to Blue Bonnet for Bronze Purse and Fire and Ice.
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, ANG Stitch of the Month, 2012
Progress continues on the ANG 2012 Stitch of the Month. What’s also interesting about this design is each area was designed by a different person to celebrate ANG’s 40th Anniversary. And, I’ll finish stitching it in the year when Bill and celebrate our 30th anniversary!
Area 4 to the right of the heart is a tortoiseshell filling stitch. I filled in all of the octagons with vertical running stitches mainly because the area seemed too small to leave just some voided. But, by doing so, the pattern is not as evident.
Area 5 is the small heart. I really didn’t think it was large enough for the Trellis pattern. But, by centering the design, it compensated on each side uniformly as it was supposed to!
Area 6 is immediately left of the heart (& a small section at the bottom right side of the small heart). And, this is the Victorian Step. It gives an interesting pattern just discernable in this solid purple.
Yes, I was remiss in making a birth announcement for Tristan – only took me 10 years (I finished it in 2016). But, I remedied the situation! I designed this for Tristan after realizing I had stitched one for his older brother, Aiden. So, this is a little more grown-up design that a now 10-year-old boy will enjoy better than my typical bear design. He loved it!!
The letters came from the Leisure Arts Leaflet 2285 called 120 Alphabets – they looked quite appropriate for a young boy. I found an image of Lightning McQueen and the flag that I was able to replicate. And, I added the finish line to square off the design.
Filed under: General comments
I went back to FOCUS as my stitching mantra in 2016 which has worked well as a guiding principle since 2014. I don’t have to focus on the same piece every day until it is done. Rather, I look at focusing on finishing a particular section when I sit to stitch. That way I am accomplishing exactly what I want to do on a given day.
So, what did I accomplish in 2016? A lot!! It was a fantastic year and I enjoyed the company of many stitchers.
- Stitched 3 bargello designs from “A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That” by Linda Damiani (but I need to put them in something).
- Made a Temari Ball with Mindy at a Rittenhouse Needlepoint class was hung up for Christmas.
- I picked up 8 pieces from the framer (Jim the owner of Repenning Fine Arts in Audubon, NJ). I have another one there now.
- Visited needlework exhibits in Woodlawn VA, Rehoboth Museum DE, and at the ANG NOLA Seminar. I was thrilled to win my first blue ribbon at ANG in the original design category for “Festive Fireworks”!
- Visited several out of state needlepoint stores including Beyond Knits & Needles in Caldwell NJ, Edwardian Needle in Fairfield NJ, Scrim Discovery in Ocean City NJ, Stitch by Stitch in Cape May NJ, Annie & Company in NYC, Rita’s Needlepoint in NYC, and Needlepoint America in Kennebunk.
- Enjoyed a 2-day pilot class of “Sisters” with Nancy Cucci in Rehoboth Beach Delaware (not finished yet).
- Stitched and hoop-framed “Grandma’s Heart” which is being enjoyed by Rose’s granddaughter.
- Stitched and framed 2 baby announcements: Norah and another to be posted shortly.
- Struggled but completed a “beginner” tubular/circular peyote beaded needle case.
- Stitched and donated Mello Joy Coffee design for ANG’s auction at NOLA seminar.
- Enjoyed my class at ANG Seminar, Provence Pottery Shop, with Lois Kershner and have just returned to working on it.
- Learned Rozashi (Patterns in Blue and Green – also not finished) with Margaret Kinsey at ANG Seminar. Margaret was very pleased to see I finished her “3 Leaves” goldwork class from last year’s seminar.
- Sat with about 120 stitchers of various sorts at Susan Hoekstra’s NJ NeedleFest, a 1-day event in Pluckemin NJ, and shopped a dozen vendors including Trish Vine Designs and Karen from Nimble Needle NJ. There were about a dozen of us working on Susan’s 2016 SOTM design “Feuilles d’ananas” & we got a group photo published in Needle Pointers!! Hopefully, most will return for a follow-up photo in April 2017.
- Sat with about 145 cross stitchers at a 3-day retreat in Harrisburg , PA and shopped 9 designers/vendors including Sue Hillis, Jean Farish, and Needleworker’s Delight.
- Stitched “Poinsettia Ornament” an ornament designed by DebBee’s Designs and got it finished by Nimble Needle in NJ.
- Mounted the mystery project, ANG Keystone Garden Patch, all by myself on a Rosewood box as a gift for Janice who loves it!
- Buff got my ornament from Kick Back & Stitch series by Terry Gifford at the ANG Main Line Christmas exchange – she said it is lovely (although she wanted the green/red one I stole from her)!
- Surprised Bill with Canvas Connection Golf Bag which was finished at Nimble Needle in NJ).
- Stitched Patti Mann’s November Mums which is getting finished at Fireside Stitchery as a stand up piece.
- Created a Christmas tree for the wall to hang some hand-crafted ornaments on.
- Lastly, this year’s ANG Stitch of the Month (SOTM) is “Feuilles d’ananas”, by Susan Hoekstra (aka Pineapple Leaves) is all stitched and will be going to Nimble Needle in NJ to be made into a pillow to sit next to her Berlin Cardinal pillow.
And, I have lots of fun planned for 2017 including Blue Bonnet in Feb for 2 classes with Toni Gerdes (2 days each for “Bronze Purse” left photo and “Fire & Ice” center photo), Nashville Needleworks in April for a class with Laura Taylor (3 days for “Embracing Horses” from Laurel Burch by Danji Designs right photo), and at Anaheim ANG Seminar with Cynthia Thomas for 1-day class “Creating Diagrams and Stitch Guides using Microsoft Office” and 4-day “Canvas Embellishment” class with a painted canvas of my choice (either JP Bird of Paradise & Bamboo or JP Orange Orchid & Bamboo).
I have a couple painted canvas pieces I want to get back to (Sharon G Vases and Swirling Flowers) and a couple of more that I’ll start in 2017. So, after the February classes, I plan on “FOCUS”ing on painted canvases to learn more about selecting stitches for particular areas. This year, Deb at HalfMoon Handwerks, offered to provide a word to serve as a guidepost & it is “serenity”. So, I will see what happens when I combine that with”focus”. Will focusing on stitch guides be calming? I am sure it will be educational. Looking forward to finding out. I will have to find serenity in continued postponement of other canvas projects that are in progress – some have been waiting for me since as far back as 2011:
- Stitches in Sterling (Oct 2011)
- Tar River Trail (Aug 2012)
- Color Inspirations, attempt 2 (Jun 2015)
- Sisters (May 2016)
- Zapotec Rug (May 2016)
- Rozashi – Patterns in Blue and Green (Aug 2016)
I have one original design almost ready to stitch. And, we won’t go into other projects that I’ve got in the house and would love to do – serenity NOW!!
Hope you have a fantastic year! And, thanks for reading my blog especially if you made it this far!!
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, ANG Stitch of the Month, 2016
December’s portion of Susan Hoekstra’s Feuilles d’ananas (Pineapple Leaves) was lots of couching which was all finished yesterday.
Instead of coming in and out the center hole of the daisies to place a small Mill Hill glass bead (10106), I pierced the canvas thread on the left and right of the center hole on each one. I matched the thread to the Daisy (Needlepoint Inc Silk, Scarlet, 501A), used beeswax to strengthen the thread, and went through the bead twice to secure each bead. The beads laid consistently done in this manner and it worked up quicker than I expected. Well worth the extra effort. A Happy New Year indeed!
Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to share my stitching adventures in 2016. And, thanks to designers such as Susan who share their designs at no charge. ANG Stitch of the Month (SOTM) is available to anyone with access to the Internet (needlepoint.org under the Education tab) even if you are not a member of ANG.
I am looking forward to 2017!! Hope you have a Healthy, Happy New Year too.
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