September

I know it's not September yet but we are only two days away. If you go to an office supply store, it's packed these days because everyone is getting ready for school.

At the store, we are getting ready for the fall season. We have decorated the walls with wonderful canvases of fall subjects or colors. Gretchen and Gail worked all day doing this. It looks fantastic.

We are putting together our fall classes and I have to update the web site. Cathryn starts the next Section of Stars of the Millenium. Helen will be teaching David McCaskill's Potting Shed on four Sundays in October and November.

Gretchen is ready to start teaching Carole Lake's straight stitches (we're just putting together the details now.) The Background Sampler is being offered again and Sally is putting together on class on Bargello. And of course, Deborah Wilson will be teaching her Tussie Mussie in October and her Jacobean Fruits and Flowers in November.

We hope you will be in soon to see the new canvases or to take our classes.

New York City Scenes

Recently, we've had a lot of interest in New York City scenes. Today the large Amanda Lawford New York Scene (20"x20") arrived. As soon as we unrolled the canvas, we all stopped and stood around to admire this beautiful canvas. I would really love to do this as a canvas embellishment workshop over a period of time (the same way we did the Rockefeller Center Stocking). The canvas is just stunning with beautiful colors and incredible opportunities for great stitches. You can see this fabulous canvas by going to her web site. We'll try to get a picture up soon!

There is also a great Maggie New York City -- it's a little less traditional. Needlepoint Broad also has a wonderful canvas of the George Washington bridge with the cars going up toward it. And of course, there is the bell pull by Trubey and the Rockefeller Center Stocking and panel (also know as Midtown Manhattan stocking).

Labor Day Weekend

We will be open on saturday, August 31 from 10am to 4pm.

The End of Summer/Start of the the School Year

I can't believe that today is August 28th. I always know the summer is waning to an end when I see the farm stands advertising chrysanthmums at 4 for $10.99. But it you are in the mood for fall flowers, we have two beautiful Sunflowers to choose from. We also have some beautiful realistic flowers from Lani. Finally, we received some fun pink flowers from Fleur de Paris.

Lots of customers are back from vacation and getting their kids ready for school. It's fun to see people we haven't seen for a while. We do have lots of new things for you to look at.

I should be updating the web site this week. In the next few weeks, we will be finalizing our fall schedule. We have Deborah Wilson coming for two classes. Helen Haydon will be teaching. I'm ready to do another background sampler and Rockefeller Center Christmas Stocking.

Gretchen is ready to teach the Carole Lake Straight Stitch class.

New Canvases Arriving Daily

As many of you know, I've been away from the store a lot this summer. So it was a delight to come back and browse through the new drawer. (Alright, I know I ordered them but when you order so many, you forget what you ordered until they arrive.)

Some of my favorites is the Fenway Park Needlepoint Belt featuring the green wall. I also love Dede's Herb Garden and Maggie's canvas of a women's legs and her dog!

Ebbet's Field is going to be available in #13 mesh for those of you who asked.

The customers have reserved some lovely canvases from Canvasworks Traditions line. They are beautiful and traditional flowers that were designed by Betty Smith. I'll try to get some pictures for the web site.

Newsletter #1-Get to the Point

I have copied the text of our first newsletter. I'm not sure how to get the pictures in, too. But at least you can read it!

If we have your email, you should have received a newsletter by email. If you didn't get one, you can go to our website and sign up to be a subscriber. We plan to send our more timely information through email and newsletters now that we have an effective mechanism.

I want to thank Amy Burger for her excellent work on this project.
August 2008 Vol 1, Issue 1



...get to the point!





National Needlepoint Teachers Coming Soon


Deborah Wilson will be back- twice! October 19th & 20th "Summer Tussie Mussie", very colorful with a variety of stitching techniques and threads, including couching, padded satin stitches and Silken Ribbons. When she returns Nov. 9th and 10th, the project is "Jacobean Fruits and Flowers", which combines gold work with crewel stitches - quite elegant. Call the shop for more details , 201-612-7770.
David McAskill will be returning in the spring of 2009. Several people have already signed up for his class!
Keep checking for information on other national teachers.
In This Issue
National Needlepoint Teachers
Road Trip
Coming Soon...
Quick Links
our website
our blog
email us
Join our Mailing List!


Road Trip
ROAD TRIP!! On Saturday April 5th Eileen and Helen traveled 250 miles north to attend an Embroidery Guild of America workshop at Thistle Needleworks in Glastonbury, CT led by Carole Lake, the nationally known needlepoint artist and teacher. The topic was "How to Write Your Own Stitch Guide" and women from five states came together to learn from Carole during six hours of instruction and not a lick of stitching! Carole teaches other types of classes and continues to design new needlepoint projects. She is currently involved in the Shining Needle Society.com, a cyberspace interactive class that involves other national teachers and designers. Ridgewood Needlepoint customers are already benefiting from Eileen's and Helen's newly gained expertise.
Come September, Eileen and Amy will be attending the ANG National Seminar in Indian Wells, California.




Coming Soon

Beginners (and others who are interested) class for learning the basics of the continental and basket weave stitches, how to stitch "curved" lines and compensate, and how to stitch leftie.
And look for the Old World Santa class. Eileen fell in love with this Kelly Clark canvas and stitch guide. Check with us for further information.
Would you be interested in devoting a Stitch & Chat to a particular project/class you started and have not finished? We have several customers who are interested in a class for the Background Sampler. Any other suggestions?





Please note--
After September 1st, Ridgewood Needlepoint will no longer accept returns for threads.
Dye lots change for every thread. We have observed significant variations of the same colors with different dye lots. When we have threads returned from discontinued dye lots, customers will be unable to buy what they need.
This is even more of an issue with threads that have no dye lot printed on the label. When we intermingle new and returned threads, we are selling them from different dye lots.
We have also received threads that have been used and returned in poor condition.
We realize this is a change in policy so we want to give you as much notice as we can.

We hope you've enjoyed our first newsletter.

Eileen Aird
201-612-7770

Stitching Blogs

If you are a regular reader, you know that I'm not as consistent a blogger as some. It just takes more time than I think it will.

We are still working on our newsletter. We had technical difficulties. We created it in Publisher and then realized that many people don't have Publisher. But we are planning on sending it out this week with a new email program. So if we don't have your email or if you are not sure, please signup for now. Also, make sure your internet provider won't block emails from: stitches@ridgewoodneedlepoint.com

Occasionally, I take time to look at other people's blogs. Recently,two customers started their own blog. Check it out at:nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com.

Both Denise and Linda have already signed up for David McCaskill's class in April! There is a picture of the piece that Denise did with David.

The Dog Days of Summer

I've always thought it would be fun to have a window on the Dog Days of Summer. Of course, given the fact that I love dogs, I planned on having a window filled with dog canvases. Of course, another option would be to have a window filled with baseball canvases.

I didn't know where the saying came from. Today, I learned that the phrase comes from the ancient Romans who believed that the rising of Sirius, the Dog Star in Canis Major, contributed to the sun's heat, thus making the dogs hot and stagnant. It refers to the rising of Sirius, the Dog Star in Canis Major.
the rising of Sirius, the Dog Star in Canis Major. The Romans thought that
Sirius, the brightest star in the heavens, contributed to the suns heat
making the dog days hot and stagnant.

I've spent much of my time off working on stitch samples. I had planned to get much more stitching done but I have enjoyed my time off.

I'm back at the store full-time on Tuesday. I might still sneak two long weekends at Shelter Island but my summer is coming to an end.

Where Has the Summer Gone?

I can't believe it's July 29th! I thought I would get so much stitching done while I was away last week but sadly, my aunt died. I spent a lot of time traveling back and forth to the wake and the funeral and then I was too exhausted to stitch.

This week I should be able to stitch. I have my Rockefeller Center Stocking with me. (Yes, I will be ready to start a new class in the fall. I'm aiming for October since I'm at the ANG seminar for a week in September and then I have Parent's weekend at Alfred University.) I am also working on my Kansas Rooftops for my NAN certification class.

At the store, we are starting to plan for our fall classes. We have Deborah Wilson coming for two classes(Oct. 19-20th and again November 9th & 10th). Helen will be back from the shore and is ready to teach David McCaskill's Gardening Shed.

We have a group of small projects out if you need to find a perfect travel project. There is still time to get your canvases finished before the Christmas finishing deadlines.

Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium

I spent last night with my cousins who are big Mets Fans. They travel all over to see the Mets play.

But they explained to me (a non Fan) that they follow baseball, not just a team. So if you have a baseball follower or have baseball follower's in your life, look at doing a stadium. We either have or can get you the stadium canvas for the following teams:
Orioles-Camden Yards, White Sox- Kominsky Park, Chicao Cubs - Wrigley Field, San Diego Padres-Petco Park, Red Sox -Fenway Park. For the baseball historians, there is also a canvas of Ebbetts Field, the Brooklyn Stadium that the Dodgers played in.

We also have some adorable ornaments for baseball teams.

Think about doing the Sehea the Shea Stadium or Yankee Stadium canvase in the Stadiums final seaons. The all-star game was played in Yankee Stadium this past week and Billy Joel gave the last concert at Shea Stadium.

New Threads

I promised I would be communicate more this month. But I just looked at my last blog, and it was over two weeks ago!

We just received our new silk threads - Baroque Silk. These are beautiful silk threads that are meant for #13 mesh although stranded down they can be sued for #18. Currently, there are 91 beautiful colors. I'm sure we will be using these threads.

Stitching Away

I've been away from the store for a week and have spent much of my downtime stitching. I am working on my Kansas City Rooftops which is part of my NAN Certification. I've learned some new stitches and also feel much more comfortable changing the design as I go along.

It's fun to see something you designed come together. Imagine how Melissa Shirley must feel with so many designs to her name!

I'll be at the store most of this week and hope to get more done on this project. Needless to say, part of the assignment is due July 15th - I need to have stitch samples done for all the stitches. I've only completed about half of those.

I promise to blog more this month!

Threads & More Threads

This month at the TNNA show, I got to see the new Threadworx threads. They are lovely. In addition, there is a new silk for 13/14 mesh canvas that doesn't require stranding. I also ordered all the new colors of Silk Lame - for when you want just a little sparkle. So in order to make room for the new, we have put some of our other threads on sale. We have the following threads at 50% off: Trio, Sparkle Braid, Felicity's Garden, Ultrasprinkles, Shepherd's Silk. At this point, we still have a good selection but not all colors. We are also selling the Gutterman Beads at 50%. We are more than willing to do mail order so let us know what you need.

I know that once they are gone, I will miss some of these threads -- but there just isn't enough room for everything.

Summer Stitching

Although I'm way beyond school age, I can't help being excited about the prospect of summer. Of course, I do have to work most weeks but somehow there is the promise of extra time. I'm planning on catching up on my stitching. This past week, I've spent several evenings working on Bruce's Rockefeller Center Stocking. Tonight I finished the white of the skating rink. One of my summer goals is to finish the stocking before the end of summer.

I'm also working on two projects for my NAN certification. Consequently, I did lots of doodle stitching this weekend to determine what stitches I really want to use. Sometimes, although I think a stitch will work, it really doesn't.

If you are traveling this summer, you can take small projects with you. The Painted Pony trunk show has lots of choices.

Another option would be to work on the Old World Santa. We will be stitching the basket and the shawl as a class early this fall.

The Ridgewood Needlepoint Paper Doll Outfit

I am so close to completing the Ridgewood Needlepoint Paper Doll Outfit. The doll is carrying a purse. Following Kelly Clark's lead, I've stitched the bag using dimensional stitching. The bag is now 3 dimensional and can actually hold things!
I'll try to do a picture when I have finally finished it. I just have one or two more things to finish and it's done.

We are now working on selecting the paper doll outfits for the next year.

Teresa's Finished Pieces

Teresa finished both Neptune's Sentry and Siren's Refuge Mermaid kit. On the seahorse, the bargello background was a real challenge for some of us but she managed to finish both. I've included pictures of the finished needlepoints for you to enjoy.

Toilet Tissue Covers

We are so excited about the toilet tissue holders. Karen is going to stitch the tiger for the store bathroom but Gretchen did the stitch guide. They were picking great threads and stitches. I can't wait to see it finished.

Newsletter Update

We are in the final stages of our long promised newsletter. We will post it on our web site and also send it to our email list.

Final Report on TNNA

I have already talked about some great classes and canvases. Melissa Shirley, as always, had some wonderful designs. She actually used her purse model -- a red bag with a canvas of apples. It was stunning. I know you will enjoy her trunk show in October.

I forget to mention that on Sunday night, I went out with several people to Martini's. It's a well know restaurant in Columbus. I had dinner with Evan of Evertite fame, Amy Bunger, Robin who works with Amy, Emily of Chandall, Susan who works with Melissa Shirley and Melissa Shirley. It was a really fun evening.

The Needlepoint group of TNNA is going to be setting up a website as a public service for the public. It always takes so much effort to get these types of projects off the ground but so far, they've done a great job.

I also saw Beth Robertson and Suzanne Howren who did the stitch guide for the October paper doll and Cynthia Thomas who did the stitch guide for the December paper doll. At the market, they taught a great class on using Kreinik for embellishment.

Elizabeth took classes with June McKnight. Many of you may have read some of her wonderful little (size) needlepoint books. In the past year, she published a new bargello book with color pictures and a small book on bargello medallions. The latter make great Christmas decorations. Amy Burger at Ridgewood Needlepoint was very excited about these ornaments. We should have a busy teaching schedule for the fall.

I also started to schedule trunk shows into 2010!

Painted Pony Trunk Show

We are so excited. The Painted Pony trunk show arrived today. Gail and Suzanne were checking in all the canvases and didn't finish by the end of the day. Gail loved the various ornaments and was having trouble deciding which ones she wanted.

Painted Pony is a great collection of mostly small canvases. These include the travel angels plus hundreds of Christmas and Halloween themed canvases.

We will be spending most of tomorrow putting it up. But come by to see them -- they make perfect travel projects. And you can have them done before the finishing deadline for this Christmas.

TNNA Show - The Best Thing

I did enjoy The National Needlearts Association Trade Show. On the last day, I revisited some of the booths to place orders, and to look again. At JP, Janelle showed me Julie's new idea -- a Toilet Tissue Holder. It was great. Unlike the ones done in plastic canvas 30 years ago, these are elegant. You can stitch it in cheetah, zebra, tiger or if you prefer - Fleur de Lis or Napoleonic Bees! In addition to the area around the toilet tissue, there is a top. The tiger one has a tiger face. What great fun! At the store we were thinking that it could also be used to put your jewelry in or on a man's bureau for his change.

To me it was the best thing at the market! I'm going to try to get a picture of the finished one. Of course, we hope to have one in the store bathroom soon!

Final Day of the National Needlearts Association Trade Show

I'm almost packed and ready to go back to the show for the last day.

Yesterday, I took a class on personalized plaids. What a great technique! It makes it so easy to personalize gifts. It wasn't that hard. We'll be setting up a class for the fall.

Today I had the opportunity to take a class on Turkey work. I learned several new ways to do. In addition, Amy Bunger showed us how to work the punchneedle vertically. It makes it so much easier.

My sister took two classes on bargello for me so with her notes, we'll be able to do it at the store.

I have ordered some great new ornaments from Ruth Schmuff. Amanda Lawford has a great NYC design that will be coming to Ridgewood Needlepoint soon. I've fallen in love with Charlie Harper's designs all over again -- but this time in needlepoint.

I ordered a silk thread for #13 count and the #24 Kreinik braid.

I can't wait to get back to the shop to show you all what I learned and to tell you what I saw.

The National Needlework Show

I spent the morning in a class with Amy Bunger on Padding. It was fantastic! As many of you know, I like adding dimension to the designs so I came away with even more ways to pad!

The rest of the day, I walked the show. There were so great designs. Barbara Elmore had added a new chandelier to her Mermaid Chandelier. It's for Halloween and is fantastic. I would say it's a must have for the Halloween obsessed.

Trubey has some great vertical city scenes-NYC, San Francisco, London and Washington, DC. I know some of you will want London while others will prefer NYC.

Danji is bringing out some designs that are line drawing done by Janice. Jill has updated the stitch guides to take advantage of today's threads.

Sharon G is displaying her designs based on Denise W's house in Italy. The canvases are lovely.

I loved Kelly Clark's dimensional baskets. Needlepoint Broad has some wonderful shorebirds including egrets, an osprey and an oystercatcher.

I've been intrigued by some new threads -- a silk thread for #13 count in 91 colors.

There is a new company that has licensed the letters of Greek societies. They have belts, bracelets and other designs. Since the societies and fraternities use the proceeds to fun their charities, purchasing these designs also benefits them.

I have found some new children's kits. In addition, Kreinik has directions for a glitzy friendhship bracelet..

I'll try to update tomorrow.

Sample It -TNNA

Tonight, there was an event called Sample It. It's an opportunity for the retailers to purchase some items that we can take home. I managed to get some readers in 4.0 and 4.5 magnification. I'm hoping to get some 5 magnifications, too.
In addition, I got some more micro mini stockings from Associated Talents (They are Suzanne's favorites.) I also bought 4 Christmas ornaments from Danji- two are mini-stockings and two are round ornaments. Finally, I got six wonderful canvases from Kelly Clark and belt buckles. So I managed to secure some great items to bring back.

Classes at The National Needlework Association

The show hasn't actually started yet. But I've spend the last two days in class. I spent a day with Kelly Clark, the designer of the fabulous Old World Santa. In fact, she has a whole series of canvases with interesting baskets. The class I took involved a different basket but used the same technique. It really gives the canvas a three dimensional look. The whole trick is getting the weaving down pat. After such struggling, I think I'm ready!

I also took a fabulous class with Amy Bunger of the Amy's Cookbook Series and the DVD's How'd You Do That? The class involved an adorable blue vase from Melissa Shirley. We embellished the canvas with various stitches/techniques that could be used for so many different applications! Amy is a fabulous teacher. I'm so fortunate that I am taking her for the next three days.

We also saw segments from her next DVD which incorporates many of these techniques.

I'm looking forward to finishing and teaching his piece. It was just fun!

Tomorrow the trade show opens.

Coat Ladies/City Snow

The Coat Ladies/City Snow met for the second time. The plaids are coming along and some stitchers were introduced to a laying tool. Once again, I love seeing the same canvas put together with different color selections.

This class will meet again on Sunday, September 21.

Think about taking this class in the fall. Nancy thinks its one of the most fun classes she's taken.

Classes -Rockefeller Center

Today, a small group of the Rockefeller Center group met. It was a good session. The most fantastic part was Gretchen's Chrysler Building. She totally ignored the way the building was painted and replicated the way the Chrysler Building looks. What a great job?

She also dealt very successfully with the orange star shaped area above the angels.

If you are interested in being in next group to tackle this wonderful stocking, please let us know. I have several people who are interested.

TNNA

The National Needlework Association's Trade Show starts officially on Saturday. I'm scheduled for classes starting on Thursday. I'm taking lots of classes -- dimensional stitching with Kelly Clark, Bargello with June McKnight, Classes with Amy Bunger.

I'm particularly psyched about the show since I missed January's. It's exciting to see what's new - canvases, accessories, threads etc.

I'll try to blog from the show floor again to let you know what I've seen.

So Little time and so much to stitch

I am in the midst of several project -- pretty normal for me. Unfortunately, a couple of them have due dates which means I really need to be stitching. Somehow, my other commitments don't seem to notice that I am already committed!

I am about half way through the Ridgewood Exclusive outfit for the Paper Doll Club. I think I even created a stitch accidentally. I'm hoping to finish this in the next two weeks.

I am also working on my assignments for my NAN Certification. I'm almost done with the paper work for the items that are due before June 15 and hope to get stitching soon.

finally, I really need to finish my Rockefeller Christmas Stocking. I have finished the moon and really need to start work on the toe!

Errors in Charge Processing Corrected

Today, I received a call from Maureen to ask if we had billed her twice on Saturday. I checked our retail system and our charges. We hadn't billed her twice.

But then we discovered that we received a double deposit for Saturday. So although we didn't duplicate bill anyone, it turns out that our credit card processing company did all the credit card batches twice! All duplicate charges should have been reversed by yesterday. If you used your credit card or debit card at Ridgewood Needlepoint on Saturday, May 10, you should see the original charge plus a duplicate. In addition, the second charge should be reversed. Please check your bill to make sure you received the credit.

I do apologize that this happened. Unfortunately, it happened to the entire system so thousands of transactions were processed twice.

Emails

Are you having trouble getting your emails to us? If so, please send the rejection notice to steve@fixmypc2.com. We are trying to resolve the problem but we do not understand why it is happening.

Finished Yarmulke

Karen finished this beautiful yarmulke for a friend. We were so pleased with the finishing. It seems to be so much more pliable than other finished ones. We also thought it was a beautiful design.

What to Stitch

Like most of you, I always have a group of projects. Of course, there are those that I am dying to stitch and those that I must stitch. Right now, my list of things that must be stitched is growing.

I have the Ridgewoood Needlepoint outfit to stitch. It would be fun and it's not that much work. I have to start my design that is part of the NAN Teacher Certification. And I need to finish the Old World Santa. Finally, I would really like to finish Bruce's Rockefeller Center Stocking.

Waiting in the wings, I have the Autumn Girl and a large Harlequin Great Dane. Not to mention all the canvases started but not completed that are in yellow bags throughout my house.

I am also about 5 hours from finishing my jean jacket. So I'm off to stitch and to plan.

Mother's Day

I hope all stitchers are having a relaxing Mother's Day -- filled with stitching.

New Canvases & Trunk Show in Time for Mother's Day

This has been an exciting couple of days. Our new trunk show arrived today. We don't have it up yet but we did check the items in. NM Arts has a lovely line with some wonderful folk art type canvases. There are wonderfully large scenes that look fabulous on a bench. (We know because some of our customers have stitched them in the past).

There are Christmas stockings and ornaments, too. I loved one stocking in particular. A little girl is looking up at a Christmas tree filled with angels.

In addition, we received canvas from Mary Ann Murphy from Pawley's Island. There is a wonderful canvas of three women fishing. Again, a primitive style that lends itself to needlepoint!

Tomorrow we are also getting in some additional scissors fobs. We received pretty frame weights and we also have quilted bags for your System 4 stands. So send your shoppers to us for your Mother's Day presents!

Mother's Day Gifts

We all know that on Mother's Days we sometimes receive at item we might never use. If the people in your life ask what you would like, you can request a gift certificate from Ridgewood Needlepoint. We have some other ideas.

We have great canvas bags that have a place to put a canvas. We have some wonderful books to add to your needlepoint library. I particularly like the Amy's Cookbook for Stitcher because you can purchase it by the chapter. It's the perfect suggestion for a child to give.
Another idea would be a scissors fob. We are expecting them in tomorrow. We are also getting some frame weights and some wonderful accessories just in time for Mother's Day gifts.

Elaine's Tale -Be Careful with Magnifiers!

Elaine brought a wonderful jukebox from Robyn's Nest for David's suggestions. It's a great canvas. Elaine is going to give it to her grandson. With David's suggestions, and Elaine's stitching, he should treasure it forever.

But Elaine couldn't figure out what had happened to a canvas she had almost finished. The canvas looked like it had a burn mark. She said some of the stitched threads had disappeared and the paint color had changed. Elaine thought that perhaps the cleaning lady had spilled some chemical on it. But I asked if she had her magnifier on the canvas and she had. The sun's rays hitting the uncovered magnifier caused the canvas to burn

Elaine is the second customer who has burned a canvas because the magnifier was left uncovered.

She also shared a saying "Don't cry over things that can't cry over me." But please don't leave your magnifier uncovered by a window. It's very dangerous. YOu could lose more than a canvas.

David McCaskill's class

On the last day of his visit, David worked on some wonderful canvases. He gave Nancy some more ideas for the Yankee Stadium canvas which she will share with the class. In addition, Susan asked him for suggestions for Rockefeller Center. He had some great suggestions for the angels and the Star and the ice.

He gave Martha some suggestions for the fabulous Melissa Shirley Chinese monkey. It's a huge canvas but he had wonderful suggestions. We used so many threads we have to restock!

He promises to return next year so let us know if you are interested.

Melissa Shirley's Stitchers

I have always loved Melissa Shirley's stitchers. Wouldn't that make a great class. I would suggest different stitches and fibers and the result is that each person's piece would be different. Let me know if you would be interested. I'm interested in teaching it in the fall or winter. I'll get a picture up but it's on her web page under Just for Fun = The Stitching Club.

David McCaskill classes

Today is the last day with David McCaskill. Jill will be returning for her second day while Nancy, Marianne and Susan will be here for their third day! It's always interesting to see what David suggests for a wide variety of classes. For Judy and Karen, he suggested wonderful flowers and foliage for the Vogue Lady in the Garden from Needlepoint Broad. I've seen it done before with stitches suggested by David and it is one of the most beautiful pieces I've seen!

Nancy is working on a whimsical view of Central Park. David used lots of boucle to get the foliage. Although none of us can figure out what the pink square is.

Susan and David worked on a a Rebecca Woods piece. The mountains were so effective done in a brick stitch with snow!

Janet worked on a Sharon G piece of a New Orleans door. The canvas itself has so many subtle color changes. Janet was amazed to see how David's suggestions let the color come through.

Nancy worked on a Nan Hempel piece and L'hiver from Birds of a Feather. THe pine trees are looking fantastic.

Linda and David worked on a Melissa Shirley piece of a group of women stitchers. Linda loved David's suggestions for the hair.

I got stitches and threads for L'Autumne Girl and hope to get a few for the no long distributed Harlequin Great Dane by Constance Coleman (distributed by Amanda Lawford). He has such incredible personality.

I'm exhausted and I wasn't teaching or stitching! I can't wait to see what people are bringing today.

A day with David is a great experience.

August Paper Doll

Today, Sally and I spent most of our day getting the August paper dolls on their way. By the end of today, almost all the dolls have been sent out. It was a great one to do.

I'm not mulling over how to handle the Ridgewood Exclusive outfit. I have some great ideas that I can't wait to try.1

David's Visit

I picked up David at the airport late this afternoon. He's looking forward to this weekend. I can't wait to see the canvases people have chosen. I know that there will be some surprises. It's always interesting to see what people choose to work on.

Some of the best canvases I've seen have resulted from a session with David.

David McCaskill Will Be Here This Weekend

We are all looking forward to David McCaskill's visit this weekend. Customers are picking out their canvases and having them put on stretcher bars so they can be ready. We are totally full for Sunday but still have one or two openings for Saturday or Monday. It's a great opportunity to learn some new embellishment techniques.

I'm thinking of doing the Autumn Girl myself and a wonderful discontinued canvas of a Great Dane.

Last season at Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium

I know it's probably heresy to note that both the Yankees and Mets are leaving their long time homes in the same season. But as I was listening to the radio in my travels, I know that both are moving to new stadiums next year. I also know that lots of stitchers like to stitch while listening/watching baseball.

So for those who are Mets or Yankee fans or those who have them in their families, wouldn't it be perfect to be stitching Yankee Stadium or Shea Stadium this year? We have both canvases at the store. And there's still time to join the Stadium class that has its first meeting this Sunday.

We have one Mets Stadium in stock and could get another one here by Sunday if we knew today or tomorrow. We also have a Yankee Stadium in stock.

Just think of all those hours of baseball ahead!

Carole Lake's Fabulous Class

Helen and I took Carole Lake's Class "How to Write a Stitch guide" on Saturday. It was a great class. We learned a lot and came away with another stitch book that will be very valuable. She also had wonderful suggestions for faces and hair.

I spoke with Carole about doing St. Basil's at Ridgewood Needlepoint. She's interested but I need to make sure you are since it is a four day class. Of course, it would be great to have her also teach the "How to Write a Stitch Guide".

I always feel so fortunate that I am able to take classes with such great teachers. Carole is one of the best.

Stars Canvas

Sandra H. has completed her Stars project and is just waiting to take it to the framer.
We will be posting the picture of Royalty on our web site in the near future. As our students complete the other colors, we'll post them too.

Threadworx

We just got in our first shipment of Threadworx, the company that has a conversion chart from Needle Necessities. I ordered colors that were good for landscapes. Some of them are really beautiful.

Finished Pillows

At the store, we see a lot of finished items. Some of them are done at our more expensive finisher. She does a fabulous job selecting fabrics and trimmings for items. But of course, that takes time.

Other pillows do not require such fancy finishing. But sometimes, a customer wants a very decorative pillow but doesn't want to spend as much as the top end finishers cost.

This weekend, we had several wonderful examples of pillows that were finished by our regular finisher. She did her normally great job of finishing the pillows. But the end product was definitely enhanced by the customer's outstanding choice fabric and trim.

I thought you would enjoy seeing two of these pillows. One was done by Ellen. I don't have the other customer's name here at home. Both pillows are outstanding!

Tussie Mussie

I just caught up with Terry this week. She took the Tussie Mussie class at Deborah Wilson's Cabin Fever. She said it was a really fun piece and very doable in two days.

So let us know if you are interested. We are taking registrations now for the class being held on Sunday and Monday, October 26 & 27th.

Melissa Shirley's Web Site

Melissa Shirley just emailed me the link to her website: /www.melissashirleydesigns.com/

Remember I missed the show, so it was fun to look at the just released designs in addition to those from January. I love the egret designs from the winter show.

For those of you who love butterflies, there are some beautiful ones.

Melissa went crazy for gardens this spring. She has bird houses, butterflies and formal gardens in addition to just wonderful garden scenes. I also loved some of the flowers.

Take a peak. We'll be glad to get you what you want.

I Hate Being Sick

I'm still home with the flu but I was able to spend a little more time on work related items. I've ordered some Threadworx, the new company whose threads are replacements for Needle Necessities. I'm looking forward to getting these threads in.

I'm planning on doing some stitching tonight and hope to be at the store tomorrow.

People are definitely planning what canvases they are bringing to David McCaskill. I've ordered the Autumn Girl and have a discontinued Great Dane that I want to do for my daughter Emma.

Upcoming classes

It's not too late to sign up for the City Snow class (or as we call it, the Coat Ladies. I need to order the canvases by April 1 so if you haven't registered and want to join us, call the store. The class is being held on three Sunday afternoons. It's the perfect class to use some of your stash up if you choose. I will also have a kit available if you want to replicate what I did.

Cathryn is teaching David McCaskill's Stitcher's Purse over 3 sessions. They will be held on Sunday mornings. I have 6 people registered so there is still room for one more.

Finally, the Stadium class in also scheduled for three times on Sunday afternoon. I think one date is being changed but it will start on April 13. You can see pictures and more information on our web site.

OOPs, I forgot. There may be one or two openings for David McCaskill on Saturday, April 26th. Call if you want to save that place. 201-612-7770

We are really excited about these classes!

My last blog didn't post

I do try to keep current with the blog. Sometimes, I'm better at it than others. But this weekend, I posted a blog that somehow never made it the the blog page itself.

I was thinking that this Easter we did so few eggs. It's hard to know if it was because Easter was so early this year. But it means we can get back into the egg swing next year.

I've been home with the flu so I don't know exactly what's going on at the store. I've been trying to work on my designs for the Design for Embroidery class with Mary Shipp and my next design for the NAN certification program.

In between, I have done a little stitching on the Old World Stitching Santa. Kelly Clark outdid herself with this piece.

Easter in early March

Fortunately, Easter is rarely this early. In fact, only those 95 and over have ever observed an Easter this early and the next one this early won't be for over 100 years.

In the store, we did far fewer Easter eggs. Somehow, no one seemed to realize that it was this early until it was too late! I'm working on the Old World Stitching Santa and it doesn't seem out of season yet.

Of course, I am enjoying the forsythia we bought. I love the bright and cheery flowers -- they seem to promised that spring is coming. I was thinking that I haven't seen a canvas of forsythia although it would make a great canvas for embellishment.

I also had a chance to look at the classes for The National Needlework Trade Show in June. There are some great technique classes that I am looking forward to taking. Sign-up is tomorrow so I'll be waiting at 10 AM.

Calendar

We are trying a new calendar. We had one once before but you couldn't see what was written.

Go to the events sections. There is a trial version of the calendar. Dates with an event will be highlighted. You bring your mouse over the date and it gives you the information about the class.

Let me know what you think.

Stitching the Old World Stitching Santa

I've been enjoying stitching the Old World Stitching Santa. I love seeing it take life. For those of you who want to take a mini class in it, I think it would be best to just do the plaid shawl and the basket in a class. So far, most of the other stitches are familiar. The complicated part is the shawl and the basket.

I'm Back

I got back from the National Academy of Needlearts Seminar late Tuesday night. I planned on posting from there but I had limited access to the internet there so it just didn't happen.

I have now completed my Teacher Certification year in Nan. Helen has almost finished her year, too. We will both be embarking on Level I of Teacher Certification. We both have a lot of stitching ahead!

The NAN exhibit of needlepoint was lovely. I felt quite honored to have the Right Facing Camel get an honorable mention award.

Traveling

I'm in Tucson right now and have managed to get to two of the local stores. I love to go to different stores to see what I might have overlooked at market.

I always manage to find something that I think is intriguing. I've been looking at some new books to add to our offereings. There is a small project book that could be useful to take along. In addition, there is another new book by June McKnight on Bargello and one by Sue Higgons (Higginbottom?) focusing on just 52 stitches. I plan to order these as soon as possible.

New Clases and a New Judaic Trunk Show

I just wanted to make sure that you've checked the new classes list. All new classes currently scheduled on listed. We are missing a couple of pictures but I will fix that when I am back from Tucson and Kansas City.

Our Judaic Trunk Show should be set up this coming week. It's a great opportunity to see the designs of a number of designers on the same theme. Come and take a look.

New Brick Covers

It's always great when a customer has seen something I don't know about. It's an opportunity for a search.

Last week, a new customer asked about a log or lake house brick cover. Although I couldn't find one while she was in the store, I managed to find it.

There are several of these wonderful brick covers! There's a great one of a New Orleans House and a lake house. I can't wait to see them in person.

Hydrangea Sampler Class

On Sunday, the current Hydrangea Sampler Class met for the last time. It was great to see again how just changing the colors change how a piece looks. Nancy was particularly brave -- she even changed the mesh size. I'm including a copy of the works in progress. Only Mary's is missing.

This was a great class. Helen will be repeating it soon.

Snow Day

Today was the perfect day to stay home and stitch. I'd like to tell you that was what I did but unfortunately, I'm still putting the last minute touches on my requirements for the National Academy of Needle Arts. The assembly meets a week from Wednesday and I need to send out my design books etc. But I am planning on stitching tonight and tomorrow!

Last night I did finish the August outfit for the Paper doll. It does look great and involves a slightly different thread and stitch.

I haven't been able to stitch on Rockefeller Center in a while. But I'm planning on it tonight.

I leave on Tuesday for Tucson and have to make sure I have enough stitching to do. I'm planning on taking the Ridgewood Exclusive outfit for the Paper Doll Club and also the Old World Stitching Santa. It would be great to have something almost done.

Old World Santa

I got my Old World Santa this week. I can't wait to start stitching him.

I don't always like to use someone else's stitch guide but this one is just fabulous. I'm including a picture since the painted canvas pales in comparison. We have ordered all the threads so you can replicate it exactly.

Old World Stitching Santa & Classic Stitching Santa

We just received the fabulous stitch guide from Kelly Clark for her Old World Stitching Santa! What a great piece and what wonderful stitches. I've ordered one for me and hope to teach it as a class this summer. The picture is just of the canvas. The finished piece has a three dimensional plaid cape and a three dimensional basket.


There is also a new Stitching Santa called Classic Stitching Santa. Obviously, this Santa has been to some of our stashes. He's carrying lots of either finished or unfinished canvases.


I may have to have both. Check out the pictures!

Westminister Dog Show

Do you have a favorite breed? I am partial to several and love to see them at the Westminster Dog Show.

But if the Standard Poodle who won the Best of Breed last night wins, his owner will be wearing a custom Poodle Cumberbund. It was fabulous looking but I forgot to take a picture. But if you're watching, look for someone wearing a poodle cumberbund.

Stitcher's Purse

Cathryn has confirmed that the first Stitcher's Purse class will be held one Sunday morning a month. The dates are Sunday April 13th, May 18 and June 8th. The kit will cost $90 which includes the canvas, the threads and stretcher bars. The three classes will be $100. (In the event that a fourth class is needed, there would be an additional charge of $25.) The purse can be stitched with two different overdyes -either a rose or a turquoise.

We will need a minimum of 5 students to hold the class. We need to have your commitment no later than the end of February in order to get the canvases.

Cooper Oaks Trunk Show

Helen managed to hang most of the Cooper Oaks Trunk show today. I haven't seen it all together for a while. In looking at the canvas, it's remarkable how many are a manageable travel size. For those of you going away in February, you might be able to find the perfect travel project.

They have some great designs. There is a new series of letters that are just charming. They belong in a child's room but aren't babyish.

I had forgotten that Cooper Oaks also has some fun signs. One group of canvases is obviously influenced by country french patterns and themes.

Although many of the beach scenes are on 18 mesh, most of the flowers, signs etc are on 13 mesh.

Come see them soon. As always, there is 10% off on Cooper Oak during the trunk show. It will be up the whole month.

Cooper Oaks Trunk Show

I don't know if the groundhog saw its shadow but with the lovely weather this weekend, the beach is calling me. Come see the Cooper Oaks Trunk Show at the store. This wonderful company has some fabulous beach scenes --in fact, beach scenes from all seasons. I love the flowers in the bag canvas bags and the dogs looking at the waves. In the past, we've been able to modify the canvas so the dogs can look like various breeds.

A Busy Week

Sometimes, we just don't get the things done we have meant to do. I had great plans for this past week but it just didn't happen. So many tasks to finish! I'm almost finished with the August Paper Doll outfit and just have to put the finishing touches on the May outfit. It should go out this week!

I did manage to get my NAN Teacher Preparation Project in and on time this week.

Our class schedule is still being worked on. The stadium class will be starting on April 13th.

Cathryn Curia will be starting The Stitcher's Purse on Sunday, March 9. The costs and specific times and dates are coming soon.

Judaic Trunk

We are still in the process of setting up the Judaic Trunk show for March. Fleur de Paris has a new designer that will be included in the show. I'm looking forward to having designs from Julia's, S & S, Susan Roberts, Rishfield Designs, Fleur de Paris (the new designer plus Once in a Blue Moon), Lani, Aviva and hopefully some others. It should be a great opportunity to see what's out there!

Superbowl Sunday & Beyond

We will be having a Superbowl Sunday Stitch & Chat this Sunday. I'm looking forward to just stitching. It's been a busy week and I haven't stitched enough.

Come join us on Sunday from 1pm to who knows when. I'll have coffee and some snacks.

It should be relaxing.

David McCaskill Returns Etc.

I'm so excited. I heard from David that one of his last contracts had cancelled - and he offered Ridgewood Needlepoint the spot! I've already made his plane reservations.

He will be at Ridgewood Needlepoint from Saturday, April 26-April 28th. We are still discussing classes but it will be at least two days of canvas embellishment. One day could be a project class like the Potting Shed or the third day could be another canvas embellishment class.

We will be posting our late winter-early Spring classes this week. We are just finalzing the details.

Cathryn Curia will be teaching David's stitcher's purse over four Sundays spread over four months. The first class is Sunday, March 9.

Those details will also be on our web site this week.

The TNNA Show-What I missed

I missed the The National Needlework Association Show this year. I was very disappointed but felt I needed to be home while Emma was preparing for her first mid-term exams. But I have been fervently reading the notices from the different designers.

I'm looking forward to seeing Amanda Lawford's new Christmas Tree pillow. I received Melissa Shirley's photos and they are fantastic. The new items are on the web site now.

Needlepoint Broad has some fun cityscapes under the postcard section. There's one of the George Washington Bridge with the traffic coming from the West Side Highway. In addition, there's a generic traffic jam.

At our request, there is a Jersey Girl belt! I have one coming in but call if you want me to special order it for you.

Sharon G has done some smaller doors set in scenery. They are both 10x12. She also has a new butterfly and a Big Cat tail canvas plus one called 8 Flying Jewels. She brought back two lines - her window line and her eye series. They should be on her web site soon.

Kelly Clark has added some Christmas stockings. Needle Deeva also has added stockings to her line.

Class Schedule is in the Works

At the store, we are planning the late Winter-Spring classes. We are looking at City Snow (the women in the winter coats), A Stadium class, Stars and probably David McCaskill's Stitcher's Purse.

The Stadium Class will be perfect for all those Yankee, Mets or Giants Fans although it will be open to anyone stitching one of the stadium series. (Yes, one of the teachers, Sally actually stitched Fenway Park. We're anticipating a start date close to Opening Day. Of course, we still need to decide whose opening day!

It's Cold. Looking at Classes for 2008

Today seemed like the perfect day to stay home at stitch. I've been working on the August Paper Doll Outfit - it's a beach cover-up. I just wish it were true. I've had some fun using a thread and stitch to give the fabric more depth. As planned, the paint color comes through but looks totally different.

The Complete Needlepoint Guide

I've had this book for several months but didn't get around to really reviewing it until this week. I bought it because a friend at The National Needlework Association recommended it.

The book is by Susan Sturgeon-Roberts. It's organized alphabetically not by stitch type. The book assumes that you will be using Paternayan wool and tells you how many strands to use. Each stitch description tells how durable the stitch is. I love to use decorative stitches so it's good to know that some are relatively durable! It even includes instructions on how to stitch on a piece of mirror or a bead.

We still have some in stock. Take a look when you come into the store. I think it's a good edition to my personal library.

Amy's Cookbook for Stitchers

I received the final two chapers in Amy's Cookbook for Stitchers for Christmas. As some of you know, I really love Amy's Cookbooks. I use it when I'm not sure what I want to do and just browse through the different chapters.

The last two chapters are great. One is on Laid Fillings and the other is on borders. Both are useful chapters. If you haven't gotten Amy's Cookbook yet, take a look the next day you're in the store. The stitch diagrams are wonderful and the descriptions are very good too.

Worth the Wait

Both Marie and Maureen waited a longtime for their stand-ups to be finished. But the end product was certainly worth the wait.



Sometimes, it's hard to explain why finishing takes so long. The finisher has items coming from many different stores. Some items are much easier to finish. The finish may also do like items together to be more efficient. And some items require the master's touch herself.

Obviously these table tops were worth the wait!

School Snowman

Kappy had three graduations this year. So she did one snowman for each of the school's. These are the first ones we've gotten back finished. They can also be done as School Santas.

It's never too early to be planning for next Christmas!

Where had December gone?

Fortunately, we are only waiting for a few more finished items. We are still waiting for some toppers to come back (they've been shipped) and for one more pillow. I wish I was in as good shape at home! It's almost as if everyday is Christmas at the store when we open the finished ornaments.

The tree has its lights but no ornaments. We have the boxes of decorations ready to go up but haven't done that yet. And we still haven't taken a Christmas picture. I'm not sure that it really helps to have an extra week between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It gave me a false sense of security!

At the store, I keep looking at the DJ Trunk Show. There are several that I just love. Having the trunk show there has inspired me to work on the Rockefeller Center Christmas Stocking. I've got two more buildings almost finished and I've stitched the Radio City lettering. I've been sticking with my theory that less is more.

I have promised to post some pictures of finished items so I will try to get that done today.

Leopard Coat-January Paper Doll

The leopard coat is back from the finisher. It's really fun looking and it was fun to stitch. I'm posting a picture so you can enjoy it, too.

If you haven't joined the paper doll club yet, you can still sign-up. We will be working on the May outfit next.

Wish List

If there are certain canvases or books that you want for Christmas, you can add it to our store wish list. In addition to books, canvases etc we have some brand new scissors and chatelaines that make perfect stocking stuffers.

Amy's Cookbook is a great choice for your kids to get you. Each chapter is $12. They've just issued two more chapters so there are now 24 chapters available.

We'll be happy to help your significant other shop for you -- and you can let us know what you want.

We also do gift certificates so they don't have to know what you spent!

It's Almost Christmas

I've been back from Italy for over a week but I am still catching up. It was a great trip but I felt as if I needed a vacation after my vacation. We saw many museums and churches. We loved both Rome and Florence. The people were lovely.

I was so tired after sightseeing all day that I didn't stitch at night! The fact that the TV was in Italian may have had something to do with it. I particularly loved some of the angels. I also realized that I like the medieval religious art -- perhaps because it is really folk art.

At the store, we are doing lots of things. We sent back the HP trunk show and are waiting for the next one. We are in the process of sending out the leopard coat outfit to the Paper Doll Club members. The ones without threads are going out first since we are just waiting for one thread that I expect early next week!I must say that I love the way the coat came out. I'll post a picture soon.

Christmas finishing is coming back every day. Yesterday we received a fabulous stand up. Our finisher did a wonderful job turning Maria's beautiful canvas into a gorgeous standup. Another stand-up came back today. It is also spectacular.

A couple of people at the store indicated that they would like us to do Twister. I need to know if you are interested. We are also planning the classes for 2008.

I know it's a busy season for everyone but do stop in to see us. Of course, you'll want to see the next trunk show- DJ Designs of the fantastic Midtown Manhattan Stocking. (We call it the Rockefeller Center Christmas stocking.) We are expecting that trunk show early next week.)

Bath Time

Karen B. did a great job on this canvas and the framing just enhances it. It was great to see Karen work on this and to take such pleasure in finishing it!

I know she can't wait to pick it up.

The Armchair Chef

Before going to Italy, I had to leave my daughter the recipe for stuffing since Alison is preparing dinner. So since I had to review the recipe, I've submitted it to the www.thearmchairchef.com. The site is also going to be publishing lots of pumpkin pie recipes so you can try different ones and try your samples.

So look for my stuffing recipe...

HP Show

The Hp Trunk Show is continuing. Lots of the canvases have been reserved. But since we try to keep them during the trunk show, you'll still get to see the full line.

Hope to see you soon. Actually, I won't be at the store until the Friday after Thanksgiving. Bruce and I are going to Italy for a week. I'm so excited it's hard to concentrate on anything else.

Barbara Jackson

The Barbara Jackson class was great. I loved working with her new Heathway wool. It's not available yet but I can't wait for it to be. THere were be 9 shades in each color family. It seems to me that it will be the perfect replacement for medici.

Prior to the class, Barbara and I drove to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the Tapestry Exhibit. It's amazing. Some of the colors are just wonderful. And the size of the tapestries is unbelievable.

Finished Items

We are definitely beginning to see the Christmas items being returned. Suzanne is monitoring all the outstanding items so that you will have them for Christmas if the item was in before the finishing date.

Today, we picked up two fabulous items. Jane's chair for her grandson came back. It is so sweet.


In addition, Suzanne's rug has been finished into a custom bench. It is just beautiful.

HP Trunk Show

The HP trunk show arrived at the end of the day yesterday. We spend most of today organizing it. What a wonderful selection of canvases! This line has such variety. The florals are beautiful. Some are perfect for shadow stitching. Others would be great for long and short stitches for shading.

The geometrics are great. The colors are superb. And the whimsical canvases are really fun. It was hard to decide what canvases to put up!

Come in early so you get first choice! Of course, we try to keep the whole show in the store so that you can see the whole line. Then, if several people want a certain canvas, we just order them.

Helen did a great job of hanging them.

We have to send the trunk show back on Tuesday, November 27th. And remember we are closed the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving. So make plans to see these fabulous canvases.

Deborah Wilson Classes

Deborah Wilson was here for five fabulous days. We stitched her Gilded Hydrangea - I love the way the petals are done of the flowers. In addition, the stitch she used/created for the pot was terrific. I can't wait to get back to work on that one

She also taught Neptune's Sentry. It's an adorable canvas with lots of stitches. I've almost finished the background so with a little more work I could be done!

The third class was the Gilded Butterfly. The actual piece is just gorgeous.

In order to help us all make progress, we are going to do some stitch & chats just dedicated to Deborah's classes. Helen, Karen and I need to sit down to schedule the dates. We'll probably start in December!

We also saw her Cabin Fever piece. Call the store for details!

Deborah Wilson's Classes

We just finished the Gilded Hydrangea class. It was a great class and I learned lots of new techniques. I love the way the hydrangea blossoms are made. And the overdyed ribbon is just beautiful.
Tomorrow, we will be doing Neptune's Sentry. I've already stitched a lot of this piece but I am going to use the two days to try to finish it!.

On Tuesday, we will be stitching the Gilded Butterfly. It's another beautiful piece with beautifully laid threads and gold work. Photographs just don't do these three dimensional pieces justice!

We also got to see Deborah's piece for Cabin Fever which is scheduled for March. Even if you're not taking the class, stop by at lunch time (1pm) Sunday, Monday or Tuesday to see this piece. We also have finished samples of her kits -- they are just stunning.

We probably could squeeze in one or two more for these classes. The last two days have been wonderful!

New Books

I've continued to read Janet Perry's Needlepoint Trade Secrets and have enjoyed picking up new tidbits. We now have copies in the store so pick one up when you're there. I've already re-ordered Beth Robertson's and Suzanne Howren's New Techniques in Embellishment and the new Bargello book -- Contemporary Bargello! It seems as if Bargello is coming back. June McKnight is also issuing a new book on Bargello in 2008.

Finally, our copies of A Patchwork Of Peace are on their way. This books is a favorite. The stitches are illustrated with color pictures in addition to the charts. You can really get a sense of the actual stitch.

Barbara Jackson is Coming to Ridgewood Needlepoint

I just got an email from Barbara Jackson with the picture of the class project. It's a very pretty flower completed in short and long stitches so the shading looks perfect!

Barbara will be teaching at Ridgewood Needlepoint on Sunday, November 11th from 2:30 pm -5:30pm. The cost will be $100 which includes her teaching fee, the kit and stretcher bars. I am limiting enrollment to 18 people so sign up quickly. I already have 7 or 8 people enrolled.

It should be a fun and rewarding stitching afternoon.

Needlepoint Trade Secrets

I've asked Janet Perry, of Napa Needlepoint and the author of Needlepoint Trade Secrets to join me on the blog today. Janet's book offers lots of good advice on needlepoint including planning your project, taking photos of your work, storing your work etc. But I've asked her to discuss the commom myths of needlepoint.

Busting myths in needlework

There lots of common wisdom going around in needlepoint and, while most of it has some basis in fact, it's good to know when to follow and when you can break the rules.

Here are some common ones:

1. Should I make the length of my thread shorter if I'm working on a smaller mesh?

Needlepoint is hard on threads. The canvas is rough because of the sizing which makes it stiff. Every time the needle and thread go through a hole, that roughness abrades the thread somewhat

So for a given area of canvas, a smaller mesh size will have more holes and therefore wear the thread more.

But in practice this seems to have little effect on the threads. If you choose a good stitching length of about 18" it won't wear too much. even on smaller meshes.

BUT (you knew it was coming) the delicacy of the thread can have an effect on how it will wear. Delicate threads should use shorter stitching lengths. One example of this is Trebizond. I find if my length is only about 12" I have less problem with snagging and my stitching looks smoother.

2. Does color matter in order of stitching?

If you learned to stitch back when everyone used wool, you were told always to stitch light colors before dark colors. But now that you use a wider vaiety of threads you wonder if it matters.

Yes, it does, and for many reasons.

When a thread is fuzzy, like wool, the hairs of the thread inevitably get caught in the other stitches If a bit of white thread gets caught in black, it is hardly noticeable. But if a bit of black thread gets caught in white, you see it and the stitch look dirty at best.

This was, I think the reason for the rule in the first place. But in my experience, you should still follow it even if you are using smooth threads. Do this because the dark thread passing behind the already completed light stitches will be less noticeable. You have the extra layer of stitches to keep the dark thread from showing. If you stitch the dark thread first then stitch the light thread over that passed thread, often a shadow will show on the front (I know, I've done it often.)

3. Should I always use a frame?

Many people swear by using frames for needlepoint. And they really do make your stitching easier, fatser (you can use two hands instead of one), and neater (it's easier to control stitch tension with them).
But do you have to use a frame? Unless you are doing pulled canvas, Laid work, long stitches, or other techniques where a taut canvas is needed, no you don't have to use a frame.

BUT decide before you begin to stitch whether you will use a frame or not. Don't start one way and finish another, the needlepoint won't look good.

The Designer Showhouse of New Jersey

There is a designer showcase in Saddle River, New Jersey this month through Novmeber 4th. If you come this week (starting Monday, October 15) through Sunday, October 21, Ridgewood Needlepoint has a table in the boutique area. We will be display some of our finished projects and have a few things for sale. The address is: The Designer Showhouse of New Jersey, 19 Werimus Brook Road, Saddle River, NJ.

Christmas Finishing

One of our finishers has just let us know that she can probably take stockings or pillows through the end of the month! So, if you were behind in your stitching of these items, there is still hope. But you need to hurry.

This week we received lots of Christmas items back. You know -- for the people who get things done in order to make the deadline!

BeauDonna Trunk Show

Did you know that Deborah Wilson, the designer for Beau Geste sold her needlepoint business to her daughter, Donna? The line has been renamed BeauDonna and it arrived this week at the store. The canvases are hung for you to look at. It still has lots of wonderful Christmas items.

A great feature is some fun Christmas designs on #13 canvas. I think they would be great for a beginner.

In addition, there are two lovely leaf designs. Both designs are in a circle so your pillows or framed piece can add a little variety.

And the line still contains those wonderful cars! There is a red Mercedes Benz and a red Porsche. What a great gift for the man or boy in your life!

There are still a few opening for the Deborah Wilson classes. I'm looking forward to learning some new techniques.

Where Does The Time Go?

I just realized that I haven't posted in over a week. I have been checking the recipes on www.TheArmchairchef.com. Lots of needlework designers and store owners have submitted recipes for Tink's Halloween Countdown. Not surprisingly, pumpkin seems to be a big feature.

In fact, after reading the recipes, I had to make sure we had pumpkin pie this pie week. Somehow, I ended up buying it instead of making one. I've been focused on completing the The Quilt Line for my National Academy of Needlearts teacher certification. I'm hoping to send it out tomorrow!!

My recipe is on The Armchair Chef

I wanted to check if the recipes were posted on the Armchair chef (www.armchairchef.com). I was delighted to see my recipe for plum torte. It's just a wonderful cake that you need to make quickly since those small italian or hungarian plums aren't around for long.

I also want to try the sugar cookies. The person who posted that recipe talked about class mothers!

I'm hoping someone posts a recipe for caramel apples. I love those too!

Finishing

Those stitchers who finished their Christmas ornaments early will be getting calls soon. Today we got back one of the first ornaments for 2007. It's a Melissa Shirley cracker and it's just adorable!

We also received an absolutely stunning pillow today. It was just beautiful.