The Ridgewood Stable

Our exclusive Ridgewood Ornament will no longer be sold after Saturday, June 30th. We have one in stock and will accept orders only through Saturday.

The ornament is a view of the snow-covered Stable at Christmas. You can see the picture at www.ridgewoodneedlepoint.com. Then select kits.

Paper Doll Club

I'm placing the order for the paper dolls this week. So if you've been hesitating but want to join the club, this is the time to let us know. It's interesting. The most popular dolls have been Roz and Liz.

I'm waiting for one potential embellishment to come in before I start stitching the first outfit of the club - November. Your doll will be wearing autumn colors as she brings the roasted turkey to the table.

Candy Village, Cording and Doug Kreinik

We had our last Candy Village class yesterday. We spend most of the morning learning how to create our own cording. It was a lot of fun and much less intimidating than I thought!

When Doug Kreinik comes on Sunday, September 30th, he will be including cording in his sessions. Cording is a great embellishment on certain canvases. It can really give an item a very finished look when you create your own cording based on the threads you used.

New Gingher Scissors

Just in time for July 4, Gingher has released their new pattern in their designer series. It is a red, white and blue scissors. It's perfect for stitching and celebrating the holiday.

New Silk & Ivory Colors

We just received the new silk and ivory colors. They are beautiful. Two of these colors belong to the pink cocktail colors. One is called Singapore Sling and the other is Sangria.
The next color is clover and it is a bright light green. Ann of Brown Paper Packages says it belongs between Killarney and Kelly.

Finally, there is a new flesh tone called Porcelain. It is lovely. I can't wait to use it.

Deborah Wilson's Classes at Ridgewood Needlepoint

I've confirmed with Deborah Wilson and Beau Geste her teaching schedule for Ridgewood Needlepoint. Her first class will be the Gilded Hydrangea. It will meet on Friday and Saturday, October 26th & 27th. The second class will be Neptune's Sentry. It will meet on Sunday, October 28th & Monday, October 29th. Finally, on Tuesday, October 30th, she will teach her beautiful butterfly.

We should be receiving the models soon. I can't wait.

Kelly Clark Trunk Show

If you haven't been in to see the Kelly Clark Trunk Show, you can view her designs on her web site:www.kellyclarkneedlepoint.com. They are wonderful. I particularly love some of the vintage Santas and the mini socks! I'm having trouble deciding which ones I want to stitch. I'm already working on the Santa and Farm Friends. But I love the Nordic mini stocking and its matching mittens!

During the trunk show, all her designs are 10% off our normal price. So check out her website.

Of course, they are even more fantastic in color.

Phoebe

The newest paper doll is Phoebe. Her picture is posted below. In addition to the outfits shown in our newsletter, there is now a "jammies" and a Chanakuh outfit. More will be coming. What outfit do you think the paper dolls need?

Kelly Clark Trunk Show

The Kelly Clark trunk show finally arrived today. We plan on getting it up tomorrow so by Friday, everything should be out.

Her designs are delightful. As you know, we don't let canvases out until the end of the trunk show so that you can see the full range of the designer's work. We take reservations on the canvases and order duplicates. The person who reserves first gets the trunk show canvas. We do order the duplicate canvases immediately but there is still a little delay.

Kelly has some lovely small projects that are perfect for summer traveling.

Deborah Wilson of Beau Geste Designs

Deborah Wilson and Beau Geste Designs weren't at the TNNA show this time. But fortunately for me, several of our customers took classes with her at other locations. Nancy raved about the hydrangea class. In addition, Deborah showed her a beautiful butterfly that Deborah had just finished stitching.

I followed up with Deborah to see if we could teach these two classes in addition to Neptune's Sentry. Ridgewood Needlepoint will have Deborah Wilson teaching at our shop for five days in October instead of 4. In addition to Neptune's Sentry, she will teach the butterfly (an intensive one day class) and the hydrangea!

Deborah shares with many of us a love of hydrangeas. Her grandmother had a house on the Jersey Shore that had hydrangeas. (My grandparents had handrangeas in their garden in Queens.)Wait until you see this beautiful piece. I can't wait to stitch it.


Deborah will be here from October 26-29th. She will either be adding October 25th or October 30th! I'll let you know as soon as I know.

Just to let you know. We've already have several people signed up for Neptune's Sentry.

Kelly Clark Trunk Show

I was so disappointed today. We didn't receive the Kelly Clark trunk show yet. I'm hoping that it will arrive on Monday since it's supposed to start on Tuesday! I got Mike, our UPS guy to agree to call me if there are any packages for me on Monday.

Her designs are just wonderful. I know some of you loved the Santa and Farm Friends that I took at TNNA in January.

Her designs frequently come in #18 and #13 mesh so customers can get the size they want. I'll let you know when it arrives!

Amanda Lawford

Amanda Lawford didn't have a booth at Columbus. Instead, she focused on her website which is now operational. It's a great website. We hope to have the link up soon but in the meantime, you can just go to: www.amandalawford.com There you can see her designs plus the wonderful pet designs of Constance Coleman.

Kelly Clark Trunk Show

We are waiting anxiously for the Kelly Clark Trunk Show to arrive. Of course, Kelly had to pack it up after she returned from Columbus. With luck, we'll get it tomorrow but to be safe, I'm predicting that we'll be getting it up on Tuesday. Kelly has some wonderful vintage Santa Designs. She also has great topiaries. Come and see these wonderful canvases.

TNNA Report

I'm back home and still have much to sort-new color sheets, notes from classes etc. Ridgewood Needlepoint will be trying a new soy thread. I have a small sample to try and then will bring in some additional skeins for you to try too. It's called Conjoined Creations. The classic collars are due in September but I want you to try it first!I hear that the designers-Tony Minieri, Cynthia Thomas, David McCAskill-all like it.

I forgot to mention a great idea from Julia's Needleworks. It's pre-finished dog collars that come in different collars and sizes. They are lightweight. I can't wait to see the painted designs. I need to stitch a collar for Marlowe (my apricot standard poodle)so it will be one of these. Of course, Lily, our Norwich terrier will need a matching collar, too.

TNNA Show - Day Three

Today is the last day of the show. It's much quieter and the remaining retailers are trying to tie up loose ends before they leave.

I talked with Doug Kreinik about his visit to Ridgewood Needlepoint on Sunday, September 30th. We are thinking about two classes: one on cording and the other on threads. In fact, Doug decorated my cell phone for me. I know some of you also scrapbook. He has great ideas for that, too.

I found some new Judaic designs that should be arriving soon. In March 2008 we will host a Judaic trunk show online and at the store from different designers so you can see as many canvases as possible.

There are lots of new finishing ideas. Zecca has a six rounds that were finished as long cyclinders. She then had then wrapped in silk. The cyclinders can be used individually or as a group. It was a great looking item.

I've been looking at threads for the Paper Dolls. The new blonde doll's name is Phoebe. They promise me a picture as soon as they get home. Keep watching.

Needlepoint Broad was displaying Ebbetts Field and the Fireworks from Anytown USA. I also loved the To-Do List for the dog owner.

There are some new designers at the show. Both Clara Wells and Mary Ann Murphy have some wonderful belts. Clara even has some great designs on #13 canvas.

Lowery has a new clmap that attaches to the table using your existing clamp. It's
pretty convenient for the traveling stitcher.

Maggie Co. has a great canvas on table manners. There's now a frame that goes with it. I've placed my order and can't wait until it arrives.

I'll be back at Ridgewood Needlepoint tomorrow.

The National Needlework Association Trade Show

I'm writing from Columbus again today. Today is the first day of the actual show. I've managed to walk the whole show.

The first day I try to visit all the vendors to get an overview of what's available. Usually I manage not to buy much on the first day. Then on day two and three, I'm always afraid that I haven't gotten enough.

For the Paper Doll Club, there there is now a blonde paper doll. (I have to find out her name). Of course, paper doll club memebers can choose her. I'll get a picture up and soon as possible. New outfits now include a Chanakuh outfit and fuzzy pajamas. What would you like to see?

Lisa Krause created the dolls. Her borzoi was used by Barbara Russell as the model of a great canvas of a borzoi who's quite regal but wearing glasses. Barbara's also added more dog belts-golden retrievers, boston terriers and corgis.

Magie & Co. is now licensing Our Faithful Friends wonderfully whimsical dog and cat canvases. The're great. The belt I did for ny husband Bruce was designed by Our Faithful Friends. Bruce and our son seem to share the belt!

Ridgewood Needlepoint will have some great needlepoint bags coming in June and September. The bags are ideal for carrying those projects. I also found a great star tote with a leather pouch. It's perfect for that large project you need to carry with you.

I have to admit that I couldn'r resist a rug this time. It's by Isabel's. It's a hurge canvas with a 1940's red truck. It's wonderful. I can't wait to get it.

I've ordered more threads for the stocking - Rainbow Gallery's new panache and Kreinik's gourmet colors. People have been admiring the Rockerfeller stocking all day.

I'll try to give you more information abot other designers tomorrow.

The National Needlework Association Tradeshow

I'm writing the blog from the National Needlework Association's Trade Show in Columbus, Ohio. The show doesn't actually start until tomorrow but I've already taken some fantastic classes! I can't wait to utilize some of the new embellishment techniques I learned from Suzy Murphy(yes, that's Suzy Murphy of the Needlepoint book series i.e. Suzy's Darn Stitches, Suzy's Small Stiches, Suzy's Portable stitches). A group of shop owners and teachers shared canvases that challenged us. It was fun to share with other shopowners and teachers people who develop stitch guides daily. I got some great ideas for the Rockerfeller Center Stocking. We'll be using them at Ridgewood Needlepoint.

In the class with Suzanne Howren and Beth Robertson (yes, the authors of Stitches to Go and the Stitches for Effects series), we used some very innovative embellishment techniques. We used the materials for goldwork in a non-traditional way. I think one technique may be perfect for the angels on the Rockerfeller Center Stocking. I also got to stitch wiht a new thread by Rainbow Gallery called Panache. It's a lighter weight than Patina and comes in more vibrant colors. It may be perfect for the moon on Rockerfeller Center. In case you haven't guessed, one of my goals at the show is to get some other threads for the stocking! Of course, I'm also looking forward to using these techniques in the Paper Doll Club. I'm also looking fot some fun embellishments for the clothes.

Suzanne and Beth have a new book coming out in August on new techniques for embellishment. I got a glimpse of it and it should be great. I also saw Julia Snyder's new book on Backgrounds. It's also a must have. Amy Bunger has DVD #2 in her series. Of course, you know I love my needlepoint books, but I now need to include CD's and DVDs! Ridgewood Needlepoint will be carrying them all.

I was helping my sister set up the Needlepoint Broad booth. You know she does those great stadium canvases. She's added some new ones and we should have the Mets soon. In addition, Jersey Girls Don't Pump Gas now comes in a #13 mesh.

I got to peek at the show early because I was a helper. It's amazing to see it morph from empty booth with boxes lining the hallways to a Trade Show!

I'll try to report back tomorrow.