I don’t know why, but I was thinking about my first introductions to stitching.  Maybe it was the Nordic Needle nnewsletter that arrived in my email late last night with stitcher profiles that always seem to begin with “I learned to stitch at 7 (or so) from my (insert female relative)…” I know my mother showed my the basics of surface embroidery so many years ago, age 7 or so, and I still have a 5needlepoint unicorn that I did that was all continental and French knots. But then I remembered making those quilted pot holders in some class in 2nd grade. To thread a needle, I did a “lick and stick” like mom showed me, and the teacher went ballistic. The scolding was way out of proportion to the “offense”, especially considering they didn’t hand out needle threaders. Anyhow, I did not stitch again for many years, not until I picked up a stamped cross stitch kit for a memory pillow for my sister’s wedding.  That was in 1992.

Since then I have moved on to counted cross stich, blackwork, pluued thread, drawn thread, and needlepoint that is way beyond continental / basketweave stitch.  I done some crochet, beading and jewelry making, even scrapbooking and card making and a teeny bit of machine sewing making rag dolls, stuffed bunnies, and clothes for them and very simple items for myself.

The other thing that prodded this wander down memory lane also lends back  to those weekly newsletters.  Invariable some talks about how stitching got them through a trying time.  That was today for me as my sweet little Leo was in surgery this morning.  Not for a long or complex procedure, but he is so very tiny and vunerable.  I brought my stitching with me, a new project I found in a quilting magazine I picked up because of the pin cushions on the cover.  The time spent focusing and working on the new pin cushion project kept the anxiety at bay and allowed the time he was in to pass fairly quickly.  He is home and doing as well as can be expected, drowsy, some discomfort, but still trying to play and laugh.

I did manage to finish the small first pin cushion while he napped this afternoon.

Tags: Finished Pieces, Needlework, Other Textile Arts // Add Comment »

I rode the train  to work a couple of days this week which enabled me to get a bit of stitching in.  I am working on more Kissing Pillows.  These are qute portable and easy to pick up where you left off.  Admittedly though, I have only been stitching in the morning.  I have been quite tired in the afternoon and have been napping on the way home instead.  Definitely a benefit of taking the train as napping on the freeway is certainly not a good idea.

To find out more about the Kissing Pillows, visit the EGA’s Yellow Rose Chapter’s website or see the related posts on this blog.

Tags: EGA, Needlework, outreach // Add Comment »

We had our General Meeting last week with a new face appearing.  It was very nice to meet you, Fran.  It is very exciting to have visitors, especially repeat ones. 

Barbara brought her completed and framed Laura J. Perrin project we started last year.  She changed the colors and tweaked the design to suit herself.  It is stunning.  Trudie had a couple of small ornaments that she made for her daughter’s teachers.  Very cute. 

We did not have a program, just a stitch-in, which as fine.  I gave my lone complete Kissing Pillow top to Trudie and stitched on another one.  I have several squares of Aida cut and taped ready to be stitched and do manage to get in a few stitches here and there. 

Overall, I really haven’t had much stitching time.  Little fingers get into too much, and their reach is getting better.  But I wouldn’t trade my time with my little man for anything.

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I received a blip today that our Santa Clarita EGA Chapter  and our Kissing Pillow work was covered by the local paper … http://www.the-signal.com/news/article/13293/

Very exciting!

Great picture, Terry, Amy and Trudie!

Tags: EGA, Guild, outreach // 1 Comment »

Since I’m in a place where the only needles are the ones poking me, I decided to catch up with the 17th century embroidered jacket being recreated at Plimoth.  They have made amazing progress in the time that has passed.  The photographs are just amazing.

There have also been changes due, in part, to the economy.  The funding for this project was never fully realized and Plimoth had to make cuts to it staff. The project is continuing and will find displays in some well known museums. Management of the project is now being handled by Thistle Threads. Thistle Threads is also maintaining the blog for the project.

Additionally, Thistle Threads is raising funds for the continuation of the project through the sales of sample kits, post cards and gilt passing. Visit them here to help support this effort. Of course, outright donations are also accepted.

Sample Embroidery Kit $40, $20 of which goes to the project
Lace Sample Kit $40, $20 of which goes to the project
Postcard $2 per card, $1 of which goes to the project
Gilt Passing #4$29; Description: 1/2% gold on silver coated copper strip wrapped around a yellow filament silk core thread. Passing size #4. Donation: $5 of each spool goes to Winterthur as restricted funds for the exhibition of the Jacket Project

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The opportunity to work on a couple of different websites came up recently. It has been great fun. However, DH asked me where I started with things like this. Here lies one of our differences and “never the twain shall meet”. I begin explaining my creative process, and his eyes get a bit glazed. What he was really after was the code piece: where do I begin coding / bulding the site, which program, what file…the technical details. Oh boy, this disconnect is going to be tough for both of us. I am thinking, and not too brightly, actually saying, “But that’s the middle of the process!” As this round-and-round ensues, we are both getting frustrated and snappy.

Then it dawns on me to equate this with stitching. The technical details he is after is like the stitches to be made when you already have a pattern. I have been attempting to describe what I do when starting with a blank canvas/fabric or even a blank piece of paper.

Now that I am writing about it another comparison has occured to me. Cooking. I can only make the most basic of things without a recipe at least for a guide/starting point. DH, on the other hand, can come up with all sorts of things with whatever ingredients we have on hand.

My process is visual, and usually begins with the “big picture” in my head,  and I fill in the details as I need them.  His process begins with the details, what makes it work, and evolves into the “big picture”.

Tags: Needlework // 2 Comments »

I’ve looked briefly at patterns, et cetera, but not a stitch has gone in. Guild business at both the Chapter and Regional level has kept me busy in my “spare” time.

A local friend who is a wee bit of a pack rat has been dropping off bags and boxes of things on our patio. There is quilting stuff going up to mom. A variety of cross stich patterns going to the guild. And other assorted items slated for Goodwill. There is another friend who does this sort of thing too. How did I become the local clearing house? Oh well, it is fun.

The Spring Region Meeting is next weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again.

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Jane Zimmerman’s pieces have been on my mind a lot lately. I did one of her pieces about 6 years ago. It was Venetian Maze. Naturally I changed the colors to suit myself.

This page on Jane’s website shows her colors.

Also at the bottom of the same page is a chart pack called “The Art of Elizabethan Embroidery” that I really, really want.

There is also Pulled Thread and Florentine project called “Winter” that is very enticing. I will need to make up my mind quickly on this one as it will not be offered after this coming Tuesday, March 31st.

The class that Jane is offering through SNS is pictured on here with the available color choices.

While wandering around Jane’s sight, be sure to visit her Student Gallery and Guest Artist Gallery. My favorite on the Guest Artist Gallery is an Elizabethan scene of a couple in the foreground surrounded by flora and fauna and a castle in the upper left corner. It is a breath-taking work.

Jane is also generously offering pages/chapters from her out of print stitches and technique books FREE via PDF download on her site. She is adding chapters as she goes. Click here to browse what is available.

And if you are worried that you don’t have the skill level, don’t be. Jane’s directions are extremely well written, and her diagrams are easily read, even for a beginning canvas worker, which is what I was when I stitched Venetian Maze.

Tags: Designers, Needlework, Shining Needle Society // Add Comment »

I received an email today about a new class available at the Shining Needle Society (read about SNS). It is a Jane Zimmerman design called Persian Fantasy. It is fantabulous! I am hoping to be able to participate in this class. The design looks like the center motif of a Persian rug. It is done in richly colored silks and metallics on canvas. It just spoke to me!

Tags: Designers, EGA, Needlework, Shining Needle Society // Add Comment »

Over the years I have taken a variety of programming courses. Invariably, there is a piece of code you are required to write that produces an on screen print out saying “Hello, World”. It seems that the amount of code needed to do so is almost directly proportional to the age of the language. My first “Hello, World” was a result of an obscene amount of lines in Basic. So what does all this have to do with stitching? Nothing and everything.

My recent absence is due to computer issues. Namely a relatively young hard drive that became sick and died. Then was the replacing of the hard drive and the reinstalling of the operating system and all the programs that I use regularly. I still haven’t loaded my stitch programs as I have not done any charting since the Poinsetta Biscornu…not that patterns and ideas haven’t been dancing through my mind.

Since then, I did manage a very tiny bit of stitching on a Kissing Pillow one day on the train to work. Kissing Pillows were designed by Geraldine Trappey of the Yellow Rose Chapter of the EGA. The front of the pillow has a red, white and blue design with the words “I love you”. It is finished with a back of patriotic themed quilt fabric. These are donated to deployed/deploying troops and their families around the country. The idea is that the deploying service person would kiss the pillow(s) and leave them with their family so a kiss from mommy or daddy is just a pillow snuggle away. Geraldine offered this pattern to everyone in EGA with the condition that it be used only for this project. Many chapters around the nation have participated. Some send their pillows to the Yellow Rose Chapter for distribution; others adopt local troops of their own.

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