Needlepoint Blog - Just One More Stitch, Just One More Row

Patterns of the Orient - FINI!

2011-04-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

This is the most challenging piece I have ever attempted. Some of it was fun, some of it was hard, some of it...well you don't want to hear the language that came out of my mouth.

Patterns of the Orient - Getting There

2011-03-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

This morning I finished stitching the gold gingko leaves in the last major stitching area of Patterns of the Orient.

I still have to apply the Grecian twist, wire bullion, purl perl and tidy up a few things, but the worst/best is over.

Lily of the Valley

2011-02-18T10:25:00.000-08:00

This is is such a pretty piece! The photo doesn't do it justice.

It's done in a Watercolours of greens and pinks, pink Ribbon Floss Shimmer, a pink Metallic Ribbon Floss, several Perle Cottons and pearl beads. I love these floral collage designs from Laura J. Perin because they have small areas with fun stitches, just enough sparkle to make them pretty, and an easy to do background.

The lily of the valley is the flower for May and has many traditions associated with it. According to Wikipedia, in the "language of flowers", the lily of the valley signifies the return of happiness. Legend tells of the affection of a lily of the valley for a nightingale that did not come back to the woods until the flower bloomed in May.

Rhodes Heart

2011-02-10T08:42:00.000-08:00

It's almost Valentine's Day and the perfect time to show you one of my favorite stitches: the Rhodes Heart. In truth, there are many versions of this, but here's the simplest one.

Caroline's Stocking - DONE!

2010-10-25T05:55:00.000-07:00

It took about twice as long as I had planned, but the stitching on Caroline's stocking is finally done! Yeah!

It took lots of different fibers: Silk and Ivory, Vineyard Silk, Splendor, Silk Lame', Kreinik metallics, Neon Rays +, Flair, Frosty Rays, Appleton crewel wool, Paternayan wool, Fancy Fur, Santa's Beard and Suit, overdyed floss, cotton floss, Watercolours and a few others.

I spent a lot of time on the faces, the eyes were particularly challenging. Santa's beard is a simple packed outline. His coat is a staircase variation. My favorite is the dotted Swiss on the lavender dress. Santa's bag is something called Virginia's stitch. The cradle and angel's dress are burden stitches. When doing the big lavender gift box, I misread the stitch diagram for offset Scotch and ended up with something I like--I just don't know what it is. The only frequently used stitch that wasn't fun was the "frog" stitch.

Sign

2010-08-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

A sweet little angel in Wayne, PA will soon have this sign hanging above her bed. I bet you can guess who she is!

Frog Stitch

2010-07-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

Everyone makes a mistake now and then, even the most experienced stitcher. That's when the "Frog Stitch" is invoked to "rip it, rip it."

The most important thing to keep in mind is to avoid cutting the canvas when you're ripping out a mistake. If you can't remove the mistake by "unstitching" with a needle in the reverse sequence they were stitched, you'll have to cut the stitches.

Using a bent tip scissors lifts the stitches up and away from the canvas, thereby reducing the chance you'll cut the canvas.

Once the stitches are cut, pull them out with a pair of tweezers. The kind you use to tweeze your eyebrows works pretty well. A tool called "Uncle Bill's" tweezers, available at your LNS and outdoor sporting shops, is also very good. The points are sharp and you can lift stitches with them without cutting the canvas.

In any case, relax, take your time, and look forward to getting it right the next time.

Patterns of the Orient Goes on Vacation

2010-07-19T07:29:00.000-07:00

Just finished the tiedowns on the lower right quadrant that has gold and blue trellising on top of red silk. Not as hard as I had expected. However, there were many anxious moments when I wasn't sure there would be enough blue Soie Perlee for the tiedowns. It all worked out, though, as there is about a yard left and there are no more areas in the piece that call for it. Whew! Dodged a bullet there.

But, Patterns has to go on hold for a while as I want to work on this stocking for our grand-daughter. Isn't it the cutest thing??? Santa will be very busy making those dolls, their house, the cradle
and tea set. I wonder what's in the unopened boxes.

Patterns of the Orient - Still a WIP

2010-07-01T06:56:00.000-07:00

Another area done but more to go. Some day this project will be finished and I'll be able to work on the umpteen other things in my stash.

Currently working in the lower right hand quadrant on the area with red topped with blue and gold trellis. Tony said the tie downs were trickier than they look. He was right! But, I found a way to do them that makes it work.

Patterns of the Orient

2010-04-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

This piece gets more and more beautiful with each completed area.

I finished all but the goldwork touches on the upper lefthand border. It's a very pretty pattern based on a vase pattern used on Chinese sleeve bands.

Now working on the lower righthand border, a pattern from a Korean blouse. I'm on step 10 of the 12 step process!!!

Diagonal Brick/Byzantine Variation/Condensed Byzantine

2010-04-07T12:54:00.000-07:00

This versatile stitch works well for almost everything!

It's a diagonal stitch, but the overall effect is non-directional. It can be done over two or more diagonal intersections in one, two or more colors.

I've used it for bells, toys, clothing, furniture, architectural features, animals, plants, and even fur on Santa's coat.

Patterns of the Orient - Continued

2010-02-27T11:59:00.000-08:00

Well, the leaves are done, even if they do look dorky. Piercing congress cloth while doing ombre' shading is HARD! I just have to stitch the veins, stems and background in this area. YEAH!!! It's the last area that was covered in the first two-day session. Next weekend we'll learn how to do the rest. I wonder what challenges face us then.

This piece gives meaning to the phrase "blood, sweat and tears." I've sweat bullets doing the leaves and shed tears when I pricked my finger with a chenille needle and a drop of blood fell on a completed leaf.

Patterns of the Orient

2010-01-25T15:24:00.000-08:00

This is a glorious, though challenging, piece from Tony Minieri. It's a study in Chinese, Japanese and Korean textiles. Each area represents a different pattern used in contemporary and ancient fabrics. I think I'm enjoying it ... some days it's way over my head.

Ways to Improve Your Stitching

2009-10-26T14:18:00.000-07:00

Here are a few simple suggestions for improving your stitching. More to come in the days ahead.

Use a new needle for each project. The plating on tapestry needles wears off amazingly fast. If the plating is gone, the needle may leave a black mark when you stitch. Metallics and other rough fibers can nick the needle eye. If this happens, it will rough up your threads and will contribute to pilling.
Use the correct size needle for your canvas. In general, use a size 20 for 13 mesh, 22 for 18 mesh, and 24 for Congress cloth. A slightly larger needle can be used when stitching vertical and horizontal decorative stitches.
Work from light to dark colors. Fuzzy threads like wool pick up fibers from existing stitches. So, if you've stitched red and then stitch around it in white, the white may pick up little bits of the red, leaving a pink smudge.
Clip the threads close to your stitching on the back so you don't "pick them up" when you stitch the next area.
For best results, stitch on a frame. Stretcher bars and scroll bars keep the canvas taut so the stitches don't distort the shape of the canvas.
Work with clean hands.
Protect your work from animals, spills, and other accidents.
Work in the best light you can manage.
Choose to stitch only things you're crazy about. There's nothing worse than dreading a project because you don't like the design.
Try something new. Take classes. Try new threads, new stitches, new techniques. If you always stitch painted canvas, try a charted design. If you always stitch from charts, try a painted canvas. Try blackwork, Japanese embroidery, bargello, goldwork, stumpwork.

Almost Done!

2009-09-07T14:26:00.001-07:00

IT'S DONE and off to the finisher! Whew! Still worried about the beard being too fluffy. But, Lila won't care ... Santa will be very generous this year, to be sure.

Ribbons of Hope

2009-08-23T14:57:00.001-07:00

This piece by Laura Perrin is a beauty! The foundation color is a new Watercolours called Primrose. Complementing this is a selection of Perle cottons, Neon Rays +, Petite Treasure Ribbon and gold beads. I'm planning to teach it in October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness month. A donation toward breast cancer research will be made for each student taking the class. Note the "pink" ribbons in the three large ribbons.

IT'S FINISHED!

2009-08-10T08:05:00.001-07:00

July was a productive month! I FINALLY, FINALLY finished stitching this piece taught by Tony Minieri at a Chicago ANG workshop three years ago. Still not happy with the clouds, but they're the best I could do.

In July I also finished the Heart-to-Heart design of the four red and gold dresses on black Congress cloth, a Christmas ornament, and put the finishing touches on two other projects.

Now I can get busy on a new piece called Ribbons of Hope, finish an ornament that's been in the works for a few months, and look for new projects. I'm declaring some UFO's NTBD's (never to be dones), which eases the guilt over what's left.

Heart to Heart

2009-07-08T13:25:00.001-07:00

IT'S FINISHED!!!!

At long, long last this project can be moved from UFO status to Completed Projects. It was one of the most challenging pieces I have ever done.

Working on black Congress cloth wasn't as bad as it sounds. Probably the hardest part was the pattern couching on the waistbands. Whew!

Stocking Update

2009-05-11T06:45:00.000-07:00

Slowly but surely Lila's stocking is getting done...although mostly more slowly than surely.

I'm really happy with the ribbons at the top. Diagonal Victorian Step going in different directions is very effective to create a sense of movement.

Now working on Santa's sack. Tedious but worth the trouble. I'm not sure what the name of the stitch is...I think it's something like basketweave on top or linen.

Santa's mustache and beard are next.

Stocking for Lila

2009-03-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

I'm having such fun stitching this stocking for our granddaughter. Well, actually, I've done a lot of "unstitching" too, which isn't fun.

The stockings hanging on the mantel were particularly challenging. Getting the heels to turn about drove me crazy!

Right now I'm working on the fur on Santa's coat. It's done with Peluche, which looks great when it's fluffed.

Christmas 2008

2009-01-12T09:55:00.000-08:00

I try to stitch a Christmas ornament each year, and some years I'm able to do more! For Christmas 2008 I did this Santa from Princess and Me called Bellringer Santa. Isn't his coat gorgeous?

You can see all of the ornaments I've done in the album on the right titled "Christmas Ornaments." There's also a picture of a special little grandbaby.

Red Dress Event for Women's Heart Health

2008-10-28T06:40:00.000-07:00

This piece, called "Heart-to-Heart," was designed and taught by Tony Minieri and Judy Souliotis to raise awareness and funding for Red Dress, a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease.

Done on black congress cloth using silks, Japan gold metals, and overdyed fibers, this was quite a challenge and I'm finished as far as I can go! There are supposed to be gold beads and Swarovski crystals in the open areas in the corners, but the crystals are still on back order.

2008-08-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

There's a special addition to our family! Here's the stitched canvas that will become a sign for her door.

Lilac Collage

2008-04-10T05:34:00.000-07:00

You can almost smell the lilacs in this collage of ribbons with a floral center. For this design by Laura Perrins, I used a combination of Watercolours, Perle cotton, FyreWorks, Shimmer, Ribbon Floss, and cotton floss on sage green canvas.

Tulip Collage

2007-12-02T07:42:00.000-08:00

Another project to share: Laura Perin's Tulip Collage. Tulips are my favorite flower and pink is my favorite color, so this might be my favorite project.

This picture doesn't do it justice, though. There's just enough sparkle and beading to make it pretty without being fussy.

Frame Weight

2007-10-28T07:10:00.000-07:00

With the weight restrictions now placed by airlines on luggage, it's a challenge to pack everything one needs for stitching classes and getaways. By the time I get all of my clothes, toiletries and stitching equipment packed, it easily exceeds the 50 lb. limit.

The heaviest item is the floor or table stand. In addition to their weight, they take up a lot of room. I find frame weights work well in a classroom, but a decent one weighs several pounds.

So, I tried to figure out what to use instead. I thought about buying a bag of rice, or beans, or foodstuff from a convenience store when I got to the class city. Then I came up with another inexpensive and completely disposable alternative: a bag of pebbles. I packed a couple of gallon size plastic freezer bags and a flannel bag similar to the ones on heating pads. When I got to the hotel, I went for a walk, picked up pebbles to fill the bag, sealed the bag, put it in another plastic bag and then in the flannel out bag. Presto! A very user friendly frame weight. When class was over, I dumped the pebbles and packed the bags in my suitcase.

Usual Stitching Supplies

2007-10-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I attended a class and was embarrassed that I hadn't brought something the instructor expected one to have in their "usual stitching supplies". Here's a list of things I'll take next time. Now all I need is a steamer trunk to put them in! Let me know if I've missed something important.

Category 1 – Absolute Essentials

Good embroidery scissors
Tapestry Needle

Category 2 – Intermediate Needs

#18, 20, 22, 24, 26 Tapestry Needles
Tweezers
Needle Threader
Scissors for Metallics
Laying tool/Tekobari/Trolley Needle
Thimble
Binding tape
Stretcher Bars or Scroll Frame
Tacks or Staple Gun
Magnets
Everyday scissors

Category 3 – Specialty Items

Chenille needles
Curved Needles
Sharps
Bouillon Needles
Milliners Needles
Stitch Fixer/Do It Tooly/Snag Repair Tool
Awl
Bunka Brush
Boo Boo Brush
Tape Measure
Small Hammer
Needle Nose Pliers
Dental Floss

Category 4 – Beading Supplies

Thread Wax/Conditioner
Beading Needles
Beading Needle Threader

Category 5 – Metal/Goldwork Supplies

Mellore
Chipping Box

Category 6 – Writing/Marking Tools

Pen/Pencil for Note taking
Note Paper
Pigma Marker
White Acrylic Paint and Brushes
Ruler
Scotch Tape
Sticky Notes
HB 4 Pencils
White Pencil
Gum Eraser
Fabric Eraser
Glue Stick
Colored Pencils/Pens
Graph Paper
Tracing Paper

Category 7 – Just in Case

Bottle of Water
Energy Bar
Mints
Aspirin
Eyedrops
Hand Conditioner

Category 7 – Lighting and Magnification

Good light
Magnifier, if necessary

Category 8 - Nice to Have

Telescoping wand with magnet on end
Baby Toothbrush
Thread drops/Floss-aways

Tapestry Needle Eye

2007-10-09T05:03:00.000-07:00

The eye of a tapestry needle has a convex side (kind of like the inside of a funnel) and a concave side (like the outside of a glass). Threading a needle from the convex side is a little easier because the threads are "funnelled" through the eye.

2007-07-30T15:02:00.001-07:00

Can it be????? This September, my husband and I will celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary! Seems like only yesterday ....

I finished stitching the background on this while enjoying 11 hours! of music at the Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival last weekend at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL. What a show! Stitching while listening to amazingly talented musicians was a real treat.

The background is done in a cashmere variation in Vineyard Silk, a wonderful fiber.

Windy City Santa

2007-07-09T06:21:00.001-07:00

What a cutie and what a great stitching project. Libby Sturdy's design is full of interesting and challenging techniques. It's well worth the time and effort. Anyone with ties to Chicago will certainly enjoy displaying this piece at Christmastime.

Hot Stuff In Cool Colors

2007-05-06T14:32:00.000-07:00

I just finished a wonderful piece designed by Debbie Rowley for DebBee's Designs. It's called "Hot Stuff." I changed the colors to lavenders, blues and greens for a "cooler" palette. If you're looking for a new challenge, try this design!

The piece is done in Splendor, Needle Necessities overdyed floss, HiLites, cotton floss, perle cotton, Patina, and Watercolours, overdyed and regular metallics, and Neon Rays.

Needlebugs

2007-02-23T11:07:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I like this stitch because of its name or because it works so well for so many things! It's especially good for clothing. Use floss or some other flat fiber for the white stitches then fill in the black with metallic for a snazzy coat.

2007-01-24T06:51:00.000-08:00

Support the fight against heart disease in Women. February is American Heart Month.

Stitch something red -- like these Patchwork Hearts from Kick Back and Stitch.

Write with red pens.

Eat red apples.

Visit www.goredforwomen.org to learn how you can take better care of your heart and the hearts of those you love.

Dotted Swiss Stitch

2006-12-31T07:17:00.000-08:00

Dotted Swiss is such a pretty, versatile stitch. I usually do the basketweave stitches first (those shown in gray) and then go back and do the crosses (shown in black lines). The stitch can be worked in one or two colors. If done in two colors, all the foundation stitches can be one color and the crosses in another, or all three stitches used to make the crosses can be the same color.

When my daughter was a little girl, I made her a yellow dress with a dotted Swiss fabric overlay. It was so pretty that I kept it! It reminds me of how sweet she looked in it and how she loved to twirl around to make the skirt flare out.

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

2006-12-12T07:02:00.000-08:00

Needlepoint Tips - Colors

2006-12-12T05:50:00.000-08:00

When choosing colors for your piece, here are a few things to consider:
- Complementary colors on the color wheel instensify each other. For example, yellow and purple are opposite each other. Purple will seem more intense when next to yellow, and vice versa.
- Dark colors receed, bright colors come forward. To create the feel of distance, use muddier colors for the background, clearer colors for the foreground.
- A touch of a "dead" color (dark grey, brown, etc.) makes work more realistic.
- Colors tend to darken when stitched.
- Try to repeat each color in a piece at least once unless you want the color to stand out.
- Some designers say every piece needs a touch of black. Others say every piece needs a touch of purple. Still others think every piece needs a touch of yellow.
- Black may be too intense, especially if used alone. Consider using a very dark brown instead.

Scissors

2006-12-07T05:27:00.000-08:00

Reserve your fine embroidery scissors for cutting silks, cottons, and other natural fibers. Cut metallics, rayons, and other synthetics with either scissors that have a serated edge on one blade or with an inexpesive pair of household scissors as these threads dull scissor blades quickly.

Sources

2006-11-29T05:17:00.000-08:00

Here are my favorite sources for needlepoint information.

Christensen, Jo Ippolito, The Needlepoint Book. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1999.

Corirossi, Linda, Canvas Embellishment. Palatine, IL: Self-published.

Corirossi, Linda, Canvas Embellishment - The Sequel. Palatine, IL: Self-published, 2005.

Howren, Suzanne and Robertson, Beth, Stitches To Go. Alexandria, VA: Shear Creations L.L.C., 2004.

Murphy, SuZY, SuZy's Small Stitches. Cheyenne, WY: Self-published, 1998.

Reindeer in the Lights Purse

2006-11-24T08:52:00.000-08:00

The finisher really did terrific job on my little purse! The "clasp" is made from two beads. Now to put up the tree so the reindeer can hang on it.

Oval Jessica

2006-11-22T05:14:00.000-08:00

The last few stitches of the oval Jessica, shown in yellow in the diagram, are woven under the prior stitches.

2006-11-21T17:17:00.000-08:00

An oval Jessica:

		16 /29	14 /27	12 /25	10 /23	8 /21
		18 /31						6 /19
	20 /33								4 /17
22 /35										2 /15
	24 /37								13 /40
		26 /39						11 /38
			1 /28	3 /30	5 /32	7 /34	9 /36

Starting with stitch 35-36, stitches go under previous stitches.

2006-11-20T14:36:00.000-08:00

The Gobelin is another fundamental that everyone should have in their repertoire. Unlimited uses!

2006-11-12T18:52:00.000-08:00

A hardsided eyeglass case is just the right size container to hold your scissors, thimble, extra needles, and other "usual stitching supplies."

Brick Stitch

2006-11-07T05:21:00.000-08:00

The Brick Stitch has many variations: horizontal, vertical, single, double, triple, over two, over four, etc., etc. It works in backgrounds, clothing, buildings, nature and almost anything else where a bit of texture is desired.

2006-10-24T05:28:00.001-07:00

Thread up several needles at a time when doing large areas. This speeds things up.

Basketweave Stitch

2006-10-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

Scotch Stitch

2006-10-23T15:22:00.000-07:00

2006-10-23T15:19:00.001-07:00

If you're having trouble threading a needle, use the other end of the thread and/or use the other side of the eye of the needle.