Beginning the Intro to Needlepoint/Bargello Project

We've been having dreary weather here in San Francisco....at least out by the ocean where I live.  The weather forecast every day says "fog in the morning but will burn off around noon".  Not here....just damp and cool.  We ignored the weather today and got out in the back yard anyway to weed and just generally spruce things up a bit.  Always feels good to do that!  Now....next week the front yard. 

Back inside now and getting ready to mount the canvas for the beginning needlepoint/bargello design I've been slowly working on for the last few months.....along with two other designs.  The design is far enough along I can transfer the outline to the canvas and the color palette is firm enough to start stitching.  The design will just be 6" X 6" and stitched on 13 count mono canvas. 

I was thinking about "current" colors to use when the Joggles  Sunday newsletter showed pictures of a new paper collection and several new Kaffe Fassett fabric collections.  They were all similar and reminded me of a clipping I had in my design file.  I tend to clip pictures of new sheet collections and the like.  Then, I went to the button/knitting shop and found a few buttons.  Finally, I knew I wanted to use perle cottons so started pulling from my stash and ordered a few more things. So I'll start with this and see where it leads.  Do you see the great bead right on top?  Love that button.....but I also couldn't pass up another one-of-a-kind button on Etsy, so when it comes things might change again!

The threads so far are DMC perles, Threadworx perle, and DMC Variations perles.  Once I have the design outline transferred onto the canvas and get a little stitching completed I'll post an update photo.

Just a note about possible changes to the website!  SquareSpace, my host of my website and blog is installing a very large update tonight, beginning at 12:30 a.m. EST.  There are supposed to be new templates and many other cool things and I might just have to make some changes.  So don't be surprised.  Have a great week!

Needlepoint Stitches on Linen

I might have mentioned before that McCall (of McCall Miller Designs) and I have been using 18 count linen for some projects.....using it just like 18 count canvas.  We fold under about a 1/2 inch and then tack it to stretcher bars just like we would canvas.  There is definitely more "spring" to the linen than the canvas, but still is taut enough for stitching.  McCall just finished a set of four small squares, each 3-1/2 to 4 inches square.  She framed two, purchased frames, no custom framing, and popped two into those small acrylic coasters.  These are her own designs and she is thinking about making them available as sets.  They are stitched with one Watercolour and three perles.  We would be happy for any feedback about them. 

Using needlepoint stitches on linen opens up all kind of possibilities as to uses.  I stitched three of our squares together on one piece of linen, and then finished it into a tea cozy combined with quilt fabrics and top stitching using the Watercolours. Then I used the same three squares stitched together and finished it into an unstructured purse with a bamboo handle.  You just can't do those things very well with canvas. 

If anyone is interested I will be happy to post photos of the purse and the tea cozy.  They are also in two entirely different color ways, which is always fun.  I'll be here....preparing kits for seminar......so we'll be glad to hear any comments.  Have a great week!

My Studio - Home Again

I have been looking forward to this day (not July 4th particularly) moving day, for what feels like a long time.  A little over a year ago one of our daughters needed to move back home for a while.  That meant I needed to relinquish much of the space in "my" studio/craft/guest room so she could have a place to sleep, watch tv, talk on the phone, work on the computer, etc.  I moved my computer/design desk into our bedroom, emptied all my fabrics, etc. out of the storage chest and cleared out the closet.  She's still here, much to her dismay, but gone most of the time, and still planning to move.  To be fair, it must be really hard to move "back home" after being out in the world for eight years. 

So, we talked about the fact "my room" sits unloved and mostly unused much of the time while she is gone 5 days of the week.  We all agreed I could move back in, or at least my computer desk/design space and she would pack up a bit of the things that haven't been touched since she moved back home.  

Today was the day!  I'm now back in the room where I can look at my current completed designs and have handy all my thread samples and all the other beads, sequins, markers, paints, etc. etc. handy.  And next week we plan to visit our closest Ikea store to check out the Expedit shelves. It is supposed to have an optional work table that extends out perpendicularly about 4 feet and seems like it would be a great place for marking and taping all the canvases for classes.  Pretty exciting! 

I'll report in on if the Expedit shelves work out.  If they do, we hope to slowly change over to them and move to the garage the unpainted bookshelves I've been using for close to (I hate to say it) 20 years. 

Feels good to be sitting here....home again.