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Friday, December 31, 2021

2021 Year in Review - 12/31/21

December 31, 2021--During another year of ups and downs with COVID, I managed to complete the stitching on 10 needlepoint projects.  Here they are from most recent (December) to oldest (January).

Many have not yet been finished into ornaments, framed, etc.--I'm waiting to stitch all the projects in the collections before working them up into ornaments (e.g., Janet Zickler Casey's santa collection, Susan Portra's holiday ornament collection).

Also included in this list are the projects stitched in prior years that have been finished into pillows, ornaments, etc. in 2021.

Hope you enjoy looking at these pictures and walking down memory lane with me.  Click on the photo's caption to see more information about each project.


Friendship Circles Framed



Bargello Rose Framed



Holiday Ornament Red Light Completed


Cashmere Santa Completed

Gilded Cabochons Framed

Blue Diamond Ornament



North Wind Santa Completed



Brocaded Elegance Stocking Finished



Candles Bright Completed


Projects that were stitched in prior years, but "finished" in 2021:

Let the Good Times Roll Purse

My Vintage Heart Finished

Delicate Flowers Stocking Finished

A Star in the Meadow Stocking Finished






Sunday, December 26, 2021

SOTM 2021 Stratigraphy - Updated 12/26/21

December 26, 2021--This fun project is now framed and hanging in my guest bath.  Looks wonderful--the colors are spot on.

SOTM 2021 Stratigraphy Framed

 

December 5, 2021--The last lesson, published this month, is done and this project is now ready for framing.   All that had to be done is a Slanted Gobelin stitch over two threads all around the piece as a border using the last color labeled as D6.  The lesson also called for stitching the blue sky on top in a Nobuko stitch which I had completed last April.  


Below is a photo of the completed project along with information about what threads I used and in what month.  If you are thinking about doing the 2021 Stitch of the Month, hopefully this additional information will be helpful in figuring out what colors were used and when.


All in all, a fun project to work on

SOTM 2021 Stratigraphy Lesson 12 December and Completed



Thread List


Threads Used Each Month

SOTM 2021 Thread Choices


November 8, 2021--I may now be finished stitching this project.  The lesson for November covered the rest of the layers or rows (9 of them this month) for a total of 42 layers, so that's done.  I believe the only thing to cover in December is the top or sky area, which I've already stitched.   

The thread colors in the photos below look different, dependent on the lighting available to me.  I apologize for that since this makes it hard to figure out exactly what colors I've used.  Also, we weren't given the number of skeins/cards needed for each color, so when I put my threads together from stash, I did run out of a few colors and, rather than ripping out previous stitching, just went with a different thread, but with a similar color.  Hope it's not too noticeable.

Below are two concerns about the November lesson:  

1) So far, I have not used the last thread identified as "D6" in the January suggested thread list.  Since this is identified as a black thread, I'm wondering if it's used as a border around the project.

2) The last layer, a Slanted Gobelin stitch, is worked over 2 threads except under the second column.  There we are instructed to work the stitch over 5 threads.  I believe she meant to say over 4 threads.

SOTM 2021 Stratigraphy Lesson 11 November


October 7, 2021--The October lesson consisting of 7 layers is now done.  Coming into the home stretch with darker colors becoming prominent.

SOTM 2021 Stratigraphy Lesson 10 October


September 6, 2021--Here is Stratigraphy stitched through the 9th lesson in September.  We're now over halfway through the design layers and it's starting to look interesting.

SOTM 2021 Stratigraphy Lesson 9 September

 August 7, 2021--The August lesson is stitched and there are now 22 layers or rows.  I'm working up this project using threads from my stash and learned I don't have enough of a few colors, so had to reorder more.  Unfortunately, dye lots have changed, so some of the layers look a little different than earlier stitched ones.  Oh well, it's not enough to make me start over or rip out previous layers.  

SOTM 2021 Stratigraphy Lesson 8 August

July 3, 2021--This piece is moving along nicely.  Here's a photo with 7 months of lessons done.  I know this is less than half of the project, so I suspect we'll get really busy in the next 5 months (August through December).  


SOTM 2021 Stratigraphy Lesson 7 July


June 3, 2021--June's lesson consisted of only two layers, so it was stitched in hours.   It's beginning to look interesting.


SOTM 2021 Stratigraphy Lesson 6 June



May 5, 2021--There were six layers to stitch for May's lesson, so now a total of 12 layers have been done.  There are a lot of greens in this group and I'm hoping to see more color variety in the upcoming lessons.  

It took me two days of occasional stitching to work up the six layers for this month, not bad.

SOTM 2021 Stratigraphy Lesson 5 May

April 6, 2021--The fourth lesson published April 1st has been stitched.  I decided to also stitch the "sky area" since there was so little to do with this month's lesson.  I could see from the project photo that the sky consisted of the Nobuko stitch which is easy enough to do.  I chose a very light blue which wouldn't fight with my beige, blue/green and gray colors of the stratigraphic layers.  So far, so good.

SOTM 2021 Stratigraphy Lesson 4 April plus Sky

March 3, 2021--Completed the third lesson published March 1st on the ANG website for its members.  

I'm wondering why we had only one row to stitch--at this rate, there will be many, many rows to stich during the last months of the year.  I also wanted to stitch more rows to see how my colors look together before going too far. 

I'm also wondering why her M1 thread in February is darker than the M2 thread used in March as shown in her project photo.  Oh well, here's my three months worth....

SOTM 2021 Stratigraphy Lesson 3 March

 February 1, 2021--The lesson for February was fast and easy, especially now that I have my colors picked out.  Here's the result to date with three rows stitched:

SOTM 2021 through February Lesson 2

January 11, 2021--I love working on ANG's Stitch of the Month projects.  They usually require a few days of time each month and by the end of the year, you have a very nice project that was fun to work on all year long.  This year is no different.  It is designed by Jennifer Riefenberg and called Stratigraphy.  I love the two folded columns, one moving forward, the other back.  

I'm including a picture of the threads I plan to use taken from my stash (tans--4 threads, blue/greens--4 threads, silver greys--6 threads).  They aren't exactly what the designer called for, but they'll work perfectly in the room where this project will be placed (I hope 🤞).

Here's a photo of the January lesson which covered canvas types, threads, information about the design background, and the first row or layer of stitching.    I'm working this on Congress Cloth.

SOTM 2021 January Lesson
SOTM 2021 Thread Choices



  1. I'm using a similar looking palette, at least when I compare my mental picture of my threads to your actual picture! I'm going to do mine on 18 count, because I have very little congress cloth in my stash.


Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Woodlawn 59th Annual Needlework Exhibit for 2022

 December 15, 2021--Registration is now open for the 59th Annual Woodlawn 2022 Needlework Exhibit in Alexandria, VA.  This is the largest exhibition in the Mid-Atlantic region and much anticipated by exhibitors and viewers alike.

This year the show will run from March 2nd through the 31st in 2022.  The online registration process couldn't be easier and makes deliveries and pick-up more efficient.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's projects there.




Thursday, November 18, 2021

Friendship Circles - Updated 9/29/22

September 29, 2022--Won 3rd Place Ribbon for Canvaswork/Needlepoint category at Rehoboth Beach Museum's 10th Annual Needlework Exhibition in Rehoboth Beach, DE.  So pleased.

November 18, 2021--This delightful project (scroll down for details) is now framed (done by Michael's Arts & Crafts in Rehoboth Beach, DE) and is hanging in my craft room (second photo below) with other needlepoint related items.  BTW the large "N", information about which can be found here, stands for Needlepoint (so say I).

Thanks Checkerspot Stitchers of ANG for choosing such a fun project to celebrate your chapter's anniversary.






Top to Bottom:  Friendship Circles, Needlepoint Studio, Letter "N", Spools


June 10, 2011--Finished the decorative stitches a lot faster than anticipated and this project is now ready for the framer.   The bump in the middle is caused by the golden needle placed in between the heart openings in the center "diamond".  Hopefully it isn't disturbing the canvas enough to cause problems with framing.  I'll place a heavy weight on it to try and flatten it out a bit.  All in all a totally enjoyable piece to work on.  Thanks Debbie L. of ANG Checkerspot Stitchers Chapter for great notes.

 

Friendship Circles Completed

June 9, 2021--The stitches inside the circles (through number 8) are done as well as the background.  The next step is to place the needlepoint related decorative stitches inside the diamond shaped areas. 

Almost there.


Friendship Circles Through Stitch 8


March 18, 2021--Worked two stitches this month--3 and 4.  Wanted to finish two of the circles before putting this away for next month.  This is a very challenging project.  The sections have complex, compound stitches that require lots of compensation.
Friendship Circles Through Stitches 3 and 4


February 20, 2021--This month's installment, Stitch 2, is completed and this project will be put away until next month.  A large project such as this one seems much less daunting when divided into 12 month segments.  


Friendship Circles Through Stitch 2


January 22, 2021--I've just completed Stitch 1 placed in two areas of the interlocking circles and decided to do one stitch each month which will take me through August (there are eight different stitches used).  Then I'll work on the five decorative logos to be placed in the circle centers, then the background.  That should take me through December.  The stitches for the interlocking circles are very complex with lots of compensation along the edges.  But a fun challenge non the less.

Friendship Circles Through Stitch 1

January13, 2021--To celebrate a recent anniversary, the Maryland Checkerspot Chapter of ANG (of which I am a member) is stitching Friendship Circles taken from the ANG 2019 Chapter Project Book (CPB).  It's a lovely project designed by Carol Algie Higginbotham with needlepoint related logos stitched in the areas between the interlocked circles.  When finished, I'll have it framed and hang it in my craft room.  This is my progress to date....

Friendship Circles progress to date


Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Bargello Rose - Updated 11/16/21

November 16, 2021--Just picked up this project from Michael's Arts & Crafts in Rehoboth Beach, DE and love it.  The mats coordinate perfectly with the rose and stem while the frame picks up a bit of copper in the border stitches.    

Bargello Rose Framed


Bargello Rose - Updated 7/14/21ly 14, 2021--The stitching on this beautiful rose is finished and the project is ready for framing.  Learned a number of new things and am proud to have gotten through some of the more difficult segments.  Love the border stitch and it has a surprise of shiny color along the upper and lower edges which doesn't show in the photo.  We students had the option of using Chinese characters in the "chop" block or our initials and date.  I opted for the latter.  Now for an oriental styled frame and mat.  Stay tuned.

Bargello Rose Completed


July 5, 2021--Happy Independence Day Holiday.

Had some time yesterday to begin working on a new project offered by ANG's CyberPointer Chapter called Bargello Rose designed by Wendy Moore.  The lessons are offered over five days during the chapter's online July meeting and are wonderful supplements to the instruction manual received with the kit (canvas and threads).   It's a huge piece--the canvas measures 18" x 11" and when framed, will be quite large.  

Finally got it through my thick skull on how to work the direction of bargello stitches--if you're going up the canvas, the stitches are done in a downward direction (from top to bottom).  If you're going down the canvas, the stitches are worked in an upward direction (from bottom to top).  Then, of course, I need to remember to make a tacking stitch to change direction.  

Here is the rose worked through most of Lesson 2.

Bargello Rose Lesson 2 Partial - Closeup


Bargello Rose Lesson 2 Partial


2 comments:

  1. VERY NICE, i NEED TO START MINE.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love the canvas your using and the bargello so far is beautiful ! Can't wait to see more !

    ReplyDelete

Saturday, November 13, 2021

Holiday Ornament Red Light - Updated 11/13/21

November 13, 2021--I've redone the tip of this red light ornament by removing the french knots and putting in straight stitches.  Did not like how the french knots came out--they looked too jammed in and appeared crooked.  I'm much happier with my "redo".  Here it is:


Ornament Holiday Light Red Completed - Revised


August 21, 2021--Here's my 11th stitched Holiday Ornament designed by Susan Portra with instructions published in Needlepoint Now Magazine, 2014 Vol XVI, No. 6.  This one is a red light bulb ornament and, for the most part, I love it.  However, the french knots on the light's bottom stitched with RG Flair make me cringe when I look at them--just too uneven and too many crammed into a small space.  Hopefully it won't look so bad when "finished" with cording and a pretty ribbon bow.   For a list of Holiday Ornaments published in Needlepoint Now Magazine, click here.

Ornament Holiday Light Red Completed



Ornament Holiday Light Red Completed
 Side View