Good Canvases for Beginners

 
 


Just before I left for Arizona, we received some great canvases for Beginners. One is of tomatoes on the vine (perhaps, I was just fantasizing about NJ tomatoes when I bought it). The other is of a house and fields. Both these canvases are on #13 mesh and would be good for the beginner stitcher. There's an opportunity to use some stitches and I'm sure there we can find the right colors in Silk & Ivory and Planet Earth Threads. It's hard to find good canvases for beginners so I was really pleased when these came in. (I know I ordered them but it's hard to remember what you ordered after the show!)

Nancy's Book Weight

 


As a store owner, I get to see lots of painted canvases. Realistically, I don't get to see them all finished. This past week, Nancy's book weight came back from the finisher. It's the first one I've seen finished and it is absolutely charming with its library scene.

Choosing a Canvas

 
 


David McCaskill is coming to the store in lesson than a month. I might actually get to take the class this time. If I am so lucky, I am torn about what canvas to choose. I love the dog and cake canvas -- as you know if you've been reading the blog. I just love the canvas.

The other canvas I'm thinking about is the fabulous Tapestry Tent tulips. We had it at the trunk show. I just love the colors and I am challenged about how to make wonderful painted canvas a great stitched piece.

If you haven't signed up for one of David's embellishment classes, there is still room. We have one or two openings on each day. I'd recommend signing up quickly so you get to come!

What would David Suggest?

 


David McCaskill will be doing his wonderful canvas embellishment classes in less than one month. (He is at the store from Saturday, May 22 through May 24.) As I was looking at the various canvases, I wondered what stitches and threads David would recommend.

I think this canvas by Melissa Shirley is beautiful but it's hard to know how to stitch it. Of course, it would be beautiful in a basketweave but I would like to see it embellished.

What David would recommend for this canvas? I hope someone chooses if for the canvas embellisment class.

Christine's Rug

 


This past summer, Christine, our superb letterer, designed a stunning rug. The rug is quite large and we laughingly told her it would take her the rest of her life. This week, she came in with 1/3 of the rug finished! I am amazed that someone can stitch so much and so fast. Christine's rug is an example of the absolute beauty of the basketweave stitch. It's the right stitch for a functional item like a rug -- and it is lovely.

I thought I had managed to capture Christine in the photo but someone I didn't get her face. So you will just have to admire her rug.

Fraternity and Sorority Mini-stocking

 

We just started to carry the Betsey B. Originals Line. They have lots of canvases with the Greek letters from national sororities and fraternities. Pictured is a mini-stocking but there are belts and bracelets and lots of other canvases. The canvases are licensed so the organizations also benefit. There's still time to order a mini stocking and do it before Christmas!

New Canvases

 

We've been getting in some of our show orders this past week. I love this adorable reindeer. It's the perfect canvas for a beginner or someone who wants to experiment with new stitches or threads. It's not too big and it's on a larger mesh canvas!

St. Basil's in 2011

 

We had a wonderful weekend with Carole Lake last week. Carole and I talked quite a bit about doing St. Basil's - I've wanted to do this canvas for quite a while. So we agreed that Carole would return to Ridgewood Needlepoint from Friday, March 25 through Monday, March 28th, 2011. She will be doing a One day Canvas Embellishment class on the 25th and then a three-day St. Basil's class from Saturday, March 26 through Monday, March 28th. We are still working out the pricing but I know that many of you were also wait-listed for the class. So if you are interested, let us know. We have 10 spots and 5 of them are gone already!

A Lucky Grandchild

 


Susan makes a Christmas ornament for her grandchild every year. She's been doing a series of the Painted Pony angels. Above we have a picture of three of the ornaments that have been finished for her grandchild.

If you are thinking of doing ornaments for this Christmas, you should start working on them now. Christmas deadlines come early -- although Christmas seems far away.

New Threads

 

It's always exciting when new threads come in. Today we received Threadworx's overdyed Vineyard Silks. The colors are just luscious. I can't wait to use them!

Of course, one of the challenges of new threads is where to put them. Fortunately for you, we are making room through our sale threads. It's a great opportunity to buy great threads that we just don't have the room for.

Fireplace Screen

 


This beautiful canvas was sent to a finisher who specializes in wood boxes, footstools etc. This customer wanted his canvas to be a fireplace screen. This is the result. We thought it was quite stunning. In fact, we were delighted to keep it for several days so it could be admired.

Advanced Beginner Piece

 

I've been promising the people in the Beginner's classes that I would work on a piece for the Advanced Beginner Class. Although I haven't finished it, I've stitched enough that there is something to show.

The canvas is based on the same outline from the first class. But participants will be able to choose an initial or do a trellis pattern in the center. This piece also includes stranding and laying threads plus doing stitches using two threads. It's also includes Kreinik thread and possibly a Rhodes stitch. It's been fun to stitch and I'm pretty satisfied with the results so far.

Great News-Linda Coriossi books

At the Carole Lake Classes, she talked about her favorite books. Both classes included extensive bibliographies.

As some of you know, I also love needlepoint books although the store's and my own personal collections pale next to the list of Carole's books. But one of the authors I have really started to enjoy more recently is Linda Coriossi. Just as I started to recommend two of her books (Canvas Embellishment Elegant Stitches Made Simple and Canvas Embellishment the Sequel, they went out of print. I was disappointed to learn that her printer had gone out of business and the master discs had been lost.

I have just learned from the distributor that the books are being released. I have an order in for the books but let us know if you are interested in them. They are organized in chapters according to the effect you are looking for: buildings etc.

Call us (201-612-7770) or email the store at stitches@ridgewoodneedlepoint.com if you are interested in getting these books.

Choosing Threads

 

Carole had the students focus on choosing the color of thread first. This picture shows the threads that were being evaluated for one canvas. At one point, we had every red in the store out.

Canvas Embellishment Participants

 

The participants were very interested in the canvases brought by other students.

A Great Weekend

 

It's been a very busy weekend. Carole Lake has been with us for the last two days teaching Canvas Embellishment and How to Write a Stitch Guide. The first class was a great way to get stitch suggestions and threads for your canvases in a small group. The class was limited to 8 people. We all sat around the table so participants could hear what Carole's suggestions were for all the canvases.

Today, it was a lecture class. This time, Carole talked about choosing canvases first based on what you love, good design elements and then choosing threads and stitch to bring out the best in the canvas. She is convinced that the individual stitcher is in the best position to choose h/her own stitches. Her suggestions were great. It was also beneficial to see what she would suggest for other canvases.

Extremely informative was her example of a poorly designed canvas.

The Baseball Season Begins

Even in the heart of Yankee and Mets territory, there are Red Sox Fans. (In fact, Sally at the store comes from a Red Sox family. I'm ordering this canvas for her!) Nancy S has a grandson who loves the Red Sox and she stitched this pillow for him.

The finishing was quite timely since the Yankees and the Red Sox start their seasons at Fenway Park tomorrow.

Of course, watching baseball work well with stitching. It's the perfect time to work on your resolution stitching.

Nancy S. decided that she would complete all her projects. This week she picked up five of them that had been made into pillows.

Eliza B FLip Flops

Of course, there should be some advantages to owning a needlepoint store. When I have shoe models made, I do them in my shoe size. These Eliza B flip flops have been sitting in the display case all winter. Yesterday, I had a pedicure and couldn't find my flip flops at home. So when I got to the store, I saw these flip flops and put them on.

I ended up wearing them all day. Of course, I've had to order a new model for the store since I can't put these back up. Boy! Are they comfortable. I'm now wearing them for the second day.

If you come in and stitch your belt quickly, you could probably have them back for at least part of the summer!

The National Needlearts Association is Interested in your opinion

Good morning all! The National Needlearts Association (TNNA) is the trade
organization for all forms of needlearts - counted embroidery, painted
needlepoint, knitting, etc. Periodically the organization contracts with an
independent research firm to survey wholesalers, retailers and consumers of
the needlearts, to see where the industry is compared to previous years.
You are invited to complete the survey:

http://www.needlearts2010.net

The survey is completely confidential and anonymous; no data is collected
about individuals, just trends. However, if you choose to, after completing
the survey, you can enter a sweepstakes for one of 5 $100 gift certificates
from TNNA members. That data is not shared with anyone, but is for the
purpose of sending you your prize if you win!

So, won't you please take a few minutes to answer some easy questions
about your stitching and stashing habits?

Joan's Rooster Pillow

 

This is Joan C-Y's finished rooster pillow. Joan stitched the pillow using a tent stitch and Paternayan wool. She picked wonderful trim and fabric for the pillow. Her work clearly demonstrates how beautiful a needlepoint can be when stitched using the traditional thread and technique!

Tapestry Tent

 
 
We have the Tapestry Tent Show at the store through Saturday, April 17. It is absolutely a fabulous show. Liz really is a wonderful artist who is able to paint a vast array of subjects beautifully. Several people have been admiring the book canvas.

Of course, we all think of her for her delightful Christmas items. Sally V. loves stitching Christmas items and came in to look. She and Gretchen were admiring the Christmas stockings in the draw. I also wanted to share a shot of our wall displaying just a few of the canvases.

Rourke

Helen also bought a DJ design of a Golden Retriever. I can safely post a picture of her finished canvas since I'm sure her husband won't be reading the blog. Anyway, she used short and long stitches very effectively to stitch the dog. She then used Vineyard Marino to do the background. She also chose to do Open Criss Cross Hungarian on the background but she used it for the top.

Helen did a really a stunning job.

Mini-stockings 6-12

Unfortunately, I can't seem to post more than 3 or 4 pictures at a time on my blogs. I will have to work on this technical issue but wanted you to see the delightful finished Tapestry Tent mini-stockings stitched by Jane Williams. You could see close up pictures of her delightful Tapestry tent mini-stockings by going to her blog.

Jane has an extensive blog with pictures of her wonderful canvases as works in progress and as finished items.  She obviously is a very talented stitcher who shares extensively on her blog!

I did include the pictures of the unstitched 8 maids a milking and the 12 drummers drumming.  I'm sure Gretchen is thinking of how to stitch them all in her dreams.

12 Days of Christmas

 
 
 
 
We've been admiring the Christmas stockings by Tapestry Tent since they arrived on Thursday. Yesterday, Gretchen pointed our Liz's series of mini-stocking for the 12 days of Christmas. These mini-stocking are really quite elegant as are the various gifts (except for the 8 maids a milking.) We just loved the colors. I, of course, loved the mini-stocking for the 8 maids. It just was a hoot and a little different than the rest.

Then Gretchen mentioned that there was a blog where the writer had completed all twelve of the mini stockings. More in the next posting.