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Sunday, July 27, 2014

Marsha's Wonderful Needlepoint 7/27/14

July 27, 2014--Last weekend I reconnected with a dear friend.  We haven't seen one another in over 15 years, having lost touch after many moves, me from Maryland to Virginia, then to Delaware; she from Maryland to Pennsylvania.  It turns out she loves needlepoint as much as I do and her work is beautiful.  Many pieces are original designs and she will often write her own stitch guides for painted canvases.  The pictures below are examples of her stitching and she has approved posting them on this blog.  Thanks Marsha Connolly.

I especially love the borders she's added to many of her pieces.

An original design by Marsha of her loved dog, Zoe, in Maine

Artic Santa Tapenstry Tent

Melissa Shirley Design

Melissa Shirley Design


Melissa Shirley Design

Melissa Shirley Design

Joyce Petschek Design

Anna Pearson Design

Joyce Petschek Design
Anna Pearson Star Wars






Monday, June 30, 2014

For Grace Updated 10/13/14

October 13, 2014--For Grace has been framed and is hanging in my friend's kitchen.  The frame and matting are perfect.



June 30, 2014--Have completed this project and delivered it to my friend and neighbor.  She loves it and it looks wonderful with her wall color and decor.  I'm so glad.

For Grace Completed

For Grace Border Closeup
June 25, 2014--Wasn't happy with the Frosty Rays color I chose to use in Block 3--it took on a greenish tone in bright light and since this is to be a gift, it has to be perfect (which means--no green).  So did some frogging last night and replaced the Frosty Rays with Impressions.  Am much happier since it is balanced by the Impressions used in Block 1.   Now on to the border flowers and leaves to finish.



For Grace Block 3 Revised

For Grace Through Block 3 Revised
June 8, 2014--The fourth quadrant called Wild Rose Block is finished and am now ready to work on the borders.  Will be done soon.  This has been an absolute pleasure to stitch.

For Grace Block 4 Closeup

For Grace through Block 4

April 18, 2014--The third quadrant called Lily Block is done.  Need to work on other things for now, so probably won't finish this in April as hoped.  It'll call to me in June.

For Grace Block 3 Closeup

For Grace Through Block 3
April 6, 2014--The second quadrant called Dogwood Block is done.   I'm going to try to finish this piece this month.

For Grace Block 2 Closeup

For Grace through Block 2


April 2, 2014--Finished the first quadrant called the Tulip Block.  It's so pretty and Pam Gardner's instructions are very clear.  Each block has a list of threads used and since I wasn't using Pam's color choices and alternates, I nearly missed the far right column which lists the number of strands to be used for each color and the length to cut.  So glad I caught that and it's very helpful to know how much thread to use for each section.  Thanks Pam for adding this to the Thread Usage List.

For Grace 1st Quadrant called Tulip Block

For Grace Through 1st Quadrant


February 24, 2014--While in Pennsylvania last weekend visiting Longwood Gardens, I took the opportunity to shop at Fireside Stitchery in Frazer to purchase the threads needed for this project.  With the help of Tony, we pulled the threads recommended for the blue-purple colorway, then he left me on my own to choose colors to match my friend's paint and fabric samples.  Had a wonderful time and the best part is that the shop had all the thread brands I wanted.  In fact, there isn't much they don't have.   The picture below shows the colors chosen and how well they match the paint and fabric samples.

For Grace Project Threads


December 13, 2013--Have enrolled in ANG's Cyberworkshop by Pam Gardner called "For Grace".  The online class runs from March 1, 2014 through July 1, 2014.  When completed, this will be given as a gift to my dear friend and neighbor for her to hang in her kitchen,  but she will need to frame it herself. She is aware of this project and I have her fabric and paint samples to use for thread matching.  I can't wait to begin.  Please click on the above tab called In Process Projects to see a picture of the designer's finished piece.


Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Westward Bound

I'm currently traveling by car with DH to the mountain states from our home in DE. What a beautiful country we live in!  I did take some needlepoint with me--the Stitches for Effect Classes offered by SNS, and have completed the Sky's The Limit class. My wonderful neighbor made a tool travel kit for me which uses metal measuring tape lengths to open and close the bag. What a nifty (do people still say nifty?) idea.

View from one of our hotel rooms.


Travel kit. 

Finished class. 


Thursday, May 1, 2014

Throw Back Thursday (TBT)

May 1, 2014--I love the idea of TBT.  Facebookers are having a great time with it and I thought it would be fun to do a little of it here.  My TBT contribution goes back to the late 1970's, early 1980's.  Back then I did very little needlepoint--worked full time and then some, and was a participating member of professional organizations.  I was also sewing my own garments--loved that.  Anyway, below are pictures of 7 "rooms" stitched around 1980.  They were painted canvases with stitch guides.  Unfortunately I have no other information.  If anyone knows who designed/distributed these kits, please let me know.

Bedroom

Dining Room

Kitchen

Library

Living Room

Parlor

Salle de Bain

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Asian Journey

March 15, 2014--Recently signed up to take Judy Souliotis' online class through Shining Needle Society called Asian Journey.  Class will run April 15 through July 31, 2014.  It's a beautiful piece on congress cloth and I chose the blue colorway.  Am not sure if I will stitch the sedans throughout the piece or chose the alternate design (both shown below).
Asian Journey Project Photo

Asian Journal Alternate Project Photo

Monday, March 10, 2014

Harvest Time Updated 3/10/14

March 10, 2014--Presented this grape design to our friends at their winery in Delaplane, VA this weekend.  They love it so much they fear it may be stolen if they hang it up in the winery, so may place it in their beautiful home located on the property.    I would like to do another wine related project some day for them--there are so many wonderful projects out there.

Harvest Time Framed

November 9, 2013--Fini!  Now to get it framed and present it to our dear friends at their winery.

Harvest Time Completed

November 3, 2013--Now working on Lesson 4 and am on the homestretch.   The instructions call for padding under the leaves, but I found it difficult to know exactly where to place the padding.  So I outlined the area where the actual leaves are stitched to see their shape, then placed the padding inside the basting.  Now that's done (see both pictures below), I'm ready to finish the leaves and stems (love the varigated large grapes in the center diamond).  Final pictures will be posted soon.

Harvest Time Outline for Leaves

Harvest Time Padding for Leaves


November 1, 2013--Lesson 3 done.  Love how this is beginning to look like a stained glass window.  Pushing ahead now to get this finished.  One more lesson to go!

Harvest Time Through Lesson 3


October 29, 2013--Lesson 2 done.   In this lesson we completed the lattice work and small grape clusters with leaves.  The instructions called for a finer thread for the lattice and grape clusters in the inner square which seems to make them recede.  I like the effect.

Harvest Time Through Lesson 2
October 24, 2013--Whew, finished with Lesson 1.  The borders are gorgeous with enough difference to be very interesting.  Laura explains in her lesson that she liked the design with only the inner border, but when she added the second, outer border, everything popped.  I agree.  Now on to Lesson 2 covering lattice work and small grape clusters.  BTW, to anyone else who may be working on this project--pay attention to the slant of the stitches.  The graph left border has some stitches going in the wrong direction.


Harvest Time Through Lesson 1


October 14, 2013--Have begun stitching Laura Perin's design called Harvest Time.  This is an online LJP Cyber Class which began October 1 and has four lessons.  I'm nearly finished the first lesson--just need to complete the outside borders, then on to Lesson 2.  When this is complete, it will be given to friends who own a winery in Delaplane, VA.  They have a beautiful site with an old farmhouse which they've converted to tasting rooms on the first floor and administrative offices on the second.  There are many acres of vineyards and a lovely new Tuscan style home siting on a hill overlooking the property. It's definitely a piece of heaven on earth--and the wine is good to drink too.




Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Spirit by Sue Reed Updated 3/5/14

March 5, 2014--Just picked this up from the framer.    It will be lovely hanging in my guest room.

Spirit Framed
September 24, 2013--Spirit is now complete and am very happy with the results.   In the class given by Sue Reed at the ANG Seminar in 2012, she gave wonderful details on how to color match the overdyed Gloriana silk, when to take advantage of a favored color and how to make a lesser desired color recede. The results make the border appear to change as if light were moving accross the threads.  This is somewhat visible in the photo immedately following the text.  The nap of the threads also appear darker, depending on the light's angle.  The second photo is a more subdued version of the project and the thread variations are somewhat flattened.   Now to talk with my framer on how to best highlight the work.

Variations in colors picked up by lighting and thread nap



September 18, 2013--Moving along nicely.  Section F is complete.  Sue Reed's instructions did not call for beads, but I wasn't happy about the blank 2x2 thread square areas, so I embellished them with the prettiest green beads having gold irridescents throughout.

Spirit through Section F



September 16, 2013--Section E is totally done and I can now see how beautiful this project will be.

Spirit Through Section 3
September 6, 2013—All the thread spaghetti has been cleaned up and the center portion completely stitched.  Re-read Sue’s instructions on how to manage color placement of the overdyed Gloriana.  She has some very helpful tips.


I’m excited about completing this project—love the sumptuous silk threads and the stitches which give this piece depth.


September 1, 2013--Pulled out Sue Reed's Spirit project begun at the 2012 Seminar in Philadelphia and found lots of thread spaghetti.  Over the next few days, want to get re-acquainted with the instructions and begin stitching on this beautiful piece.