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

Coaster RG Mystical Stairs - 4/26/19

April 26, 2019--Finished stitching the RG Mystical Stairs project started while at the Checkerspot Stitchers Ocean City, MD Retreat.  The leather bound coaster and blank canvas were given to us by Jane B. and we had the fun of looking online for easy 3" x 3" designs to stitch, then insert into the coaster.  Below is a photo of the result.  Love it.

Coaster RG Mystical Stairs Finished

 S

Coaster RG Mystical Stairs Finished Side View

Ocean City, MD Stitching Retreat with Checkerspot Stitchers - 4/18/19

April 18, 2019--Recently returned from a 3 day stitching retreat at the Dunes Manor Hotel in Ocean City, MD organized by the ANG Checkerspot Stitchers Chapter of Silver Spring, MD (of which I am a member).  This is my third year attending this wonderful event and, as in the past, enjoyed it tremendously.

Dunes Manor Hotel, Ocean City, MD

Arrived on Saturday morning to a room dedicated to stitching for the retreat's duration, and already filled with members working on a myriad of projects--some new, some WIPS.

One of the members, Jane B., gifted us with a leather, corked backed, coaster to insert a 3" x 3" piece of needlepoint (she gave us the canvas to stitch our own design).  I chose the navy blue color thinking it would work nice with the (Oliver Twist) teal, navy, green threads I brought with me from my stash. I found a free, easy to stitch square on the Rainbow Gallery website called Mystical Stairs and have already completed one-quarter of the design.  Debbie F. also found an RG bargello design which looks like hearts, and was able to finish her project.  It looks great in her red coaster.

Navy Leather Coaster with Cork Backing (Blank)

Oliver Twist Threads

RG Mystical Stairs Free Pattern One-Quarter Completed

The weather in Ocean City, for the most part, was all fog, fog, fog.  Didn't see the Ocean for 2 days.  On Sunday night, in the wee morning hours, a horrifying storm came through the Eastern Seaboard causing tornado warnings to hit our cell phones.  I must admit to being quite frightened and found myself sitting in the bathroom during the storm's worst winds (to be away from windows).  I swear I felt the hotel sway.

But with the daylight came beautiful views of the Atlantic.  Still lots of wind, but the day turned out balmy and sunny.

Thank you Barbara E. for organizing this wonderful retreat.  Looking forward to attending next year.

Checkerspot Stitchers Name Tag

Stitching Retreat in Ocean City, MD - 4/17/18

April 17, 2018--Just returned from a four day stitching retreat in Ocean City, MD put on by the ANG Checkerspot Chapter of Silver Spring, MD.  This is my second year in attendance and, as I did last year, had a wonderful time.  We stayed at the Dunes Manor Hotel, an old but well maintained and renovated charming spot in the heart of Ocean City.   The package included two breakfasts and one night's dinner in the dining room, and the food was delicious!  Our stitching room was bright, large and comfortable with a view of the sea.

Dunes Manor Hotel in Ocean City, MD

The weather, though cold, rainy and VERY windy, enhanced our delight at being able to stay in and stitch, stitch, stitch.  Barbara E. surprised us with three little projects.  The first consisted of two button forms sold by Toni Gerdes.  The buttons come with 64 pre-drilled holes you fill in with needlepoint.  Here's what I came up with though I may redo them later with fancier threads.

Button Forms by Toni Gerdes

The second project was a bookmark.  Barbara had the cutest designs and I chose the Scandinavian looking one.  Didn't have the right threads to stich it while at the retreat, so took a few hours this morning to whip it up.  Think I'll remove the canvas from the green felt and turn it into a luggage tag or a label.

Bookmark Closeup

Bookmark

The third project is my favorite and one that I will teach to my local ANG chapter if they'd like to learn how to do it.  It's a tassel that has 3 beads at the end of each loop taught to us by Debbie L.  Easy to do and the results are beautiful.  This is the first time I've every made a tassel, and now that I know how, I see lots of tassels in my future.   The thread and beads were also supplied by Barbara.  She thought of everything.

Tassel with Beaded Ends Side View

Tassel with Beaded Ends Top View

I did manage to work on a large project I took with me, but didn't finish it as I had hoped.   But the time spent on these fun surprises, stitching and talking with wonderful fellow chapter mates, and in a very nice environment means I'll be there again next year for sure.  Thank you Barbara E. and Checkerspot for hosting this event.

Fire and Ice Class - 2/26/18

February 26, 2018--Just finished taking a 2-day class called Fire & Ice taught by Toni Gerdes and hosted by the ANG Checkerspot Chapter of Silver Spring, MD.  Had a wonderful time learning new stitches and starting to "build" this wonderful project.  Toni designed this piece by selecting threads, colors and shapes based upon the Museum at Prairiefire in Overland Park, KS.

Have lots of "thread spaghetti" to untangle when I get back to this project--and it is calling to me.

Museum at Prairiefire, Overland Park, KS

Toni Gerdes, Teacher and Designer of Fire & Ice

Fire & Ice at Class End