Bangles and Beads!

Cuff bracelets, in about 1953, when I was in the 8th grade, were a necessary thing for accessorizing the well dressed young lady - so I had my share of them in assorted metals, including copper, silver, and some mysterious metal that gave me a rash and/or turned my arm green. I wanted an ankle bracet too, but my mother held those in the same low regard at the time as pierced ears. Until I discovered the wonderful beads and metallic ribbon and other shiny things in recent years, I would never have considered designing something of this sort in needlepoint - but these have been really entertaining to put onto canvas and stitch, as they do glitter and sparkle!! I remember that a few years later the fashion trend changed - I was in high school - to "bangle bracelets" and charm bracelets. These rattled and clanged and jingled and made lots of interesting noise, which drew attention from our peers in the classroom. Also from our teachers, as I had one with no taste and no sense of humor, who insisted that we leave them in our lockers before we came to her class. Imagine that. Anyway, the subject of this post is not fashion in past years and another life, but is to be a brief bead tutorial, as I have had questions about that - and also have seen some rather strange instructions regarding putting the beads over a hole in the canvas and not on the stitch. I use the beads exactly as I would a tent stitch, and this incorporates them into the body of the needlepoint fabric that is created. They can be placed as accents, or as a technique I discovered by accident, whereas the surface looks beaded solid, but isn't. You can see on this close-up that the background, worked in YLI ribbon floss, is stitched in basketweave, but only on the warp threads - leaving the weft (with the little "dips") bare. When the beads are placed on the weft stitches, the surface appears heavily beaded - and it really takes surprisingly little time! You can also see in this close-up the little burgundy beads I placed in the space in the gold "picot" edge. To do this, I use the old fashioned long, skinny beading needle and the little wire threader that I normally find at craft stores. Tapestry needles are too thick and too short for easy beading. I use cotton floss in the same color as the background or the bead - in this case, I used the Sundance seed beads - size 14, color 250, which is crystal clear. By using the same color floss as the background, the bead takes on the aqua color also- but with a nice, subtle "frosty" look. It's quite pretty, and more effective here than using an aqua bead. Cut a piece of floss about 16" long, and separate off two plies - then thread the needle one ply at a time. Come up under the stitch to be made, grab a bead with the tip of the needle, and go back down over the stitch as a tent stitch. Then come back up again and separate the floss to go around the bead, and go back down once again - and this anchors the bead nicely so it won't wobble. (in addition to its being placed into the "dip" of the weft) Except for the petals on the flowers (YLI Ribbon Floss in Black Orchid) and the background, this bracelet and earrings are worked totally with Sundance seed beads and Kreinik metallic ribbon!

TIF February: Sunsets

In the beginning of this month's challenge, I wasn't terribly excited about the color scheme, and had almost decided to just wait for the next one, and concentrate totally on "memories" of back in the day when I was young - and needlepoint hadn't so many possibilities. Recently, a friend sent me a picture by e-mail of a sunset with a windmill, which immediately triggered memories of west Texas, where I grew up. In the 40's, when I was a child, the rural landscapes were full of these lovely things, which by the late 70's were almost gone. Standing against a gorgeous sunset, this one makes quite a dramatic statement. Due to a lot of dust in the air, a west Texas sunset is quite gold/orange/red, and if there are hills in the background, the layering is a soft, dusky blue, as in the colors Sharon B. has chosen for us. This triggered an idea, of course - if I were a quilter, I would know exactly what to do. However, I do have an option, as there are threads in these colors somewhere in my stash at some level in the boxes and drawers - and I could surely, if I try, do a needlepoint version of my imaginary crazy quilt! Further intrigued, I went to one of my favorite sites - the Jigsaw Puzzles - and looked under "nature scenes - sunsets" to find more pretty pictures. (I am totally addicted to this activity now, and it is a must with my morning coffee). Do any of you remember back in the "good old days" when we were children, and the jig saw puzzle in the box was a family occupation - or at least two people? My grandfather used to do this with me, and it was lots and lots of fun and togetherness - and leaving the card table up for days until it was finished. A great birthday or Christmas gift was a new puzzle to work. Doing it on the computer is nice - but rather solitary, and not nearly as satisfying. Of course the "togetherness" we had before TV and computers will never be the same. I even remember "corn shuckin' and pea shellin' and quiltin;'" as community projects. (but then I'm older than dirt.)

TIF February: Earrings and Ink Pens

I remember it well!: Ink pens. This thought flashed through my mind, as the stage is set for remembering things waaaaay back when - things like ball point pens and felt markers didn't exist. I remember in the third grade finally being allowed to use a real ink pen - the kind we filled from a little glass bottle set into the ink well of our desks - Scripto, I think it was, and it had a little glass bowl looking thing under the lid to make filling the pen easier and not so messy as dipping it down into the bottle. (This came to mind as I was placing orders for boxes of 12 of the assortment of pens I now use for my design work and other assorted tasks.) I use a fine line permanent marker for drawing on needlepoint canvas, a fine point felt marker for inking master drawings for tracings, and medium point gel pens for other tasks, like writing copy for Needlepoint Now magazine on legal pads. This came to mind as I was putting the "lace" designs onto canvas, and the ink ran out of my pen. The high spot of getting ready for a new school year to begin, besides shopping for new wardrobe, was going with my mother to the office supply store and selecting a new fountain pen - preferably a Sheaffer's, in my favorite color at the time, which could be left to have my name embossed in silver on it. What luxury!! Anyway - on the subject of earrings, we've come a long way! My grandmother used to wear button earrings shaped like this - I found a large collection of them when I cleaned out her house a few years ago. All "clip ons" which were agony to wear, but all there was when I started wearing them myself at the grown-up age of 14. When I went away to school at 18, I had still been wearing them all those years, and they hurt really really bad, but one must suffer to look nice, I was told. Back then, one wasn't allowed pierced ears, as it "wasn't nice" - but the day I was 21, I went straight to the doctor with two other friends, and we had them done. I used the birthday money my father gave me to buy myself some fine antique smoky topaz dangling earrings, and my mother was furious, needless to say. My grandmother applauded, and gave me the diamond studs that her father had given her when she "came of age" at 16. (apparently it was "nice" back then.) The subject of this post was supposed to be remembering again that back in "the day" we had nothing for needlepoint that sparkled and glittered except that horrible gold "cloissone'" stuff that raveled if one caught a fingernail in it. Working on these little pieces has been a joy, as I have used lots and lots of Kreinik metallic ribbon, seed beads, and shimmer blend YLI ribbon floss - they really shine, and are fit for a party!!

February TIF: I Remember it Well!!

I think Maurice Chevalier and Hermione Gingold sang that in GIGI - I loved it! I haven't really decided on any one fine, big project to begin and work on during the month, but as I start each new small one, it seems to now bring back a memory of something about needlepoint "back in the day," as someone has said. Apparently this is happening to many who began stitching about the same time I did, or under the same circumstances: i.e. nothing but wool or cotton floss to work with, and no really exciting and novel items to make. Pat, (NCPat to many of us - but also of the wonderful blog "Needleartnut") showed a bracelet and earrings last week that she is making - or has made, so of course I had to go investigating that one, and found that jewelry, indeed, is a big item at the present time. I am, currently, working on recreating the "lace" designs I worked back in the 70's - and it occurred to me, with collaboration with her, that due to the great metallics and shiny ribbon floss and sparkling beads, jewelry could, indeed be created - the kind that sparkles a bit. In the beginning, when I hadn't been painting canvases very long, a shop owner asked me to do some small Christmas ornaments for her - I did, and was horrified when they came back stitched and finished, to see that lthe little squares and rectangles worked in Persian wool and stuffed like little clunky pillows were just plain ugly. They sold very well at the time, but I have not since, in all these years, designed any Christmas stuff - mental block, I think. Of course the picture has changed now, and ornaments do, indeed, sparkle and glitter and shine - so I am stitching "jewelry." Oh boy!! The second picture is the drawing I made on canvas this morning - will stitch it after I catch up with my other obligations. I think it would be super on black canvas with just a few black beads on the background - but I didn't want to do battle with drawing on black today - hard on the eyes. If I get around to stitching it, it will have red flowers, green leaves, and gold metallic lace trim - and a white beaded background. Pat is looking for buttons to cover with these earrings, and will send me sizes soon, I'm sure. Even before Sharon announced the theme/topic for this month's challenge, I was thinking back to how few resources we really had in the late 60's and during the 70's for interesting needlepoint pieces - but we enjoyed it immensely anyway. (Quite addictive, it is.) I think this is probably what has led me to go back to the beginning and re-do many of my old techniques and designs. Now possibilities are, it seems, almost limitless for things that can be made with this wonderful fiber medium.

Bad Spam Experience

Before I think about what fun I had today thinking about the February TIF Challenge, I want to say that if anyone who reads this and has communicated with me by e-mail received really really strange mail apparently from me on Friday or so - it wasn't. My apologies. It was a bad "spamming" experience I think, as someone got into my address book and sent out zillions of strange "are you my friend" things. A first for me. By the time I figured it out, deleted the spammer from the user name list, and set a new password, I was frightened, frustrated, and very embarrassed. What a nuisance - I hope it is over, and that nobody else has had the same thing happen. Now - on to the "good stuff."

Taking it Further in February

It is now Feb. 1 in Austin, Texas - but I cheated and peeked last night at Sharon B's blog, as it was already that date in Australia. I had resolved this month not to do needlepoint again, but after taking a break this morning to "cruise" pictures and posts and comments - I have decided to do this thing with the "evolution" and growth of my own work and experience with needlepoint design and teaching in the last 40 years - after all, that is a lifetime for some people (including my third child). I am amazed to see people asking questions such as "what is needlepoint canvas" etc. I will say that for me it is much more versatile than a fabric, which can be a bit fragile for pillows - and would never do for a rug or chair seat. Granted, the background has to be filled in, but that is part of the relaxation and enjoyment of the craft. Way back in the late 60's, when I first became aware of needlepoint and the painted canvas, we had nothing more for stitching than wool or cotton floss - and the term "Needlepoint" meant tent stitch, either diagonal (basketweave) or continental (suitable only on Penelope canvas) We did use decorative stitches for emphasis and interest, but sparingly, as most designs, such as my Oriental porcelain collection, (and my current Talavera designs) were too "busy" to further confuse with more texture. To make a long story short - I can remember waaaaay back when: we stitched only with wool and basketweave. We have so many more possibilities now with wonderful fibers, the exposure to zillions of new stitches,etc., but at times it is a bit overdone in my opinion. In my recent work in the last year, as I have been exposed to the Art Crazy Quilt via Allison Aller and Sharon B., I have given myself the freedom to do what I call canvas "embroidery" enhancement - because in needlepoint, that's what it is. A whole new world opened for me in design!! True needlepoint, as it was done as "Berlin work" in Victorian times, was only worked as tent stitch - usually continental stitch on a background with preworked center motif. Now we have incorporated embroidery into our work, and it can be lovely and interesting. I have been resurrecting things I was doing in the 70's, as I think they are timely - and this is what has brought me to the decision to once again do needlepoint for my February TIF - 40 years of evolution and back to the beginning with modern improvements. I had already dug out this JULIA pillow - hoping to finish for my little Julia, who just had her 9th birthday. I didn't - but will soon. I started it when she was four years old, and could just recognize her name. Shame on me. Anyway - the version of Gingham checks is one of the first things I did in about 1972, as I had painted the old Quilt applique design, Sunbonnet Sue, on canvas, and wanted to make it a bit more interesting with a gingham checked border and dress. Love those Scotch stitches, as they go faster! This is another use of the charted designs I chose to resurrect about four years ago - the "Lace" replicas in needlepoint, and am wondering if they could also be done on linen or other x-stitch fabric. Again, with so many gorgeous shiny, glittery, sparkling fibers available - we can do all kinds of things with lace that couldn't be done with wool or cotton to be effective. More later - this has me going now! Time to get to work.

Knitting With Fabric!

While counting the hours until tomorrow and eagerly awaiting the next TIF Challenge, I realized that in becoming a blog junky as a result of joining this activity and seeing so many gorgeous things done in different media, but with a common denominator (the colors), I saw "batik" fabric mentioned several times. I do admire these - both the real things done with wax resist, and what is sold now in quilt shops as "batik." These are vat dyed, so there is no right or wrong side to deal with, as with printed fabrics. Several years ago I got the urge to re-create a thing I enjoyed back in the 80's - cutting fabrics into strips and knitting with them. I think the ladies in the quilt shop kind of winced when I told them what I was doing, as I accumulated yet another fine stash of raw materials ( yards and yards of gorgeous fabrics). I think the most enjoyable project I came up with was making these little tote bags for my grand daughters to enhance the "poor girl" look. (I will have to say, this poor girl thing gets rather expensive, from the looks of the shopping bags they bring home.) The challenge in designing this tote bag, which was knit (except for the I-cord strap) all in one piece - gussets included, was making the chart. I have graph paper that I can print out to my required size in the format for knitting (a bit different, as they aren't square), but had to remind myself after a dumb error or two, that some of them had to be upside down when arriving past the bottom and starting on the opposite side. Also, I found it easier on the ones, like this one, that weren't symmetric, to make a mirror image of the pattern to make it easier and less confusing. Anyway - the only thing on this bag that isn't batik is the heart - I like the kind of "tweedy" look of the knitted batik fabric around the stronger, solid color of the central motif. Pillows are also quite wonderful done with fabric strips, and are achieved in a minimum amount of time, due to using large needles - up to size 13. The look isn't Shabby Chic, but rather "Raggedy Chic" in that they aren't faded and worn looking - just a bit rustic due to the mottled appearance of the fabrics when knitted, and the little fibers that unravel on the edges. The "lodge look" maybe?? The three geometric looking pillows are knit in patterns from the Barbara G. Walker TREASURY OF KNITTING PATTERNS - Mosaic knits. They look complicated, but are extremely easy to work, and very entertaining. I am hoping that at least one of the challenges this year will include something that may be adapted to fabric strip knitting, as I do enjoy diversifying. I do not believe in forcing any art medium, fiber or otherwise, to do something not natural to its inherent qualities, but do believe I could do a bit of "enhancing" of some sort on the knitted tote bags. Interesting thought.

More Purple and Green!

I found this piece yesterday, which apparently I had done several months ago and forgotten about - I used one of my favorite color schemes, which is coincidentally very close to Sharon B.'s TIF Challenge palette. Interesting! Anyway - the response to my "crazy quilt" needlepoint things has been tremendous - very gratifying, so I have decided to soon offer the patterns and instructions via e-mail, in the form of "e-patterns" (on my web page) which will be sent in PDF form to be printed out and enjoyed for creating one's own projects in the colors of choice, preferably just pulled from one's own stash. This is easier for everyone, I think, as there is no waiting for a package to arrive in the mail, and the thing will be quite inexpensive besides, as it involves no painted canvas, no trip to the post office, no printing expenses, on my end of it. Also, if you spill your morning coffee or afternoon tea on it, you can just print out another one. My web page is undergoing yet another revision, as I have not tended it like I should - and it looks a bit shabby and incomplete and disorganized at the moment - but this too shall pass. P.S. Please note, when enlarging this picture for a better view, that the French knots are quite tidy and nice looking. So far, nothing has fallen out.

TIF January - All Finished!

This could be titled "an exercise in French Knots" - or "futility." I remember a needlepoint shop owner about 25 years ago chortling in glee over the fact that I cannot make nice French Knots - and if I achieve one, it usually falls out. I have studied and examined the best - watched fine tutorials, and taken advice from experts - but it just doesn't happen. Anyway - it seemed to me that French Knots were the thing for embellishing this piece, as I didn' want to use a lot of petaled silk ribbon flowers, due to the sophistication of Sharon B.'s color choices. My goal with this was to do the surface embroidery without losing the character of the work, but making it interesting and pretty. The little pink/orange flowers were added at the end, (Thread Gatherer silk ribbon overdyed) as it really really needed that bit of color to jazz it up. I never pre-plan the embroidery part of these pieces in needlepoint, as I have learned from experience that it doesn't work anyway - so I just start out by taking a deep breath, threading my needle, and getting started somewhere with a vague idea of what I want - and the rest just happens. It's kind of like painting free form, as I can add and subtract as needed - and one area done seems to suggest the next. Lots of fun and very creative - but kind of scary at times, as I'm never sure how it will turn out. I may take this out of the box in a few days, and decide it needs a little something else. Anyway, I really enjoyed this challenge, and look forward to the next one. When Inge returns from Sweden next month, I will send this off to Dallas to her to have it made into a zippered moire' jewel case as a very special gift for a good friend who keeps me inspired and encouraged and motivated.

TIF - The seams are "treated"

It's almost done now. The seam treatments do just that - they cover and decorate the jagged, irregular edges of the patches that are created by the textured stitches. I don't plan ahead for these - only a kind of vague idea of what will be done, as I learned from experience that it works better to just build as I go. This piece needs to stay rather subtle, as are the beautiful colors. The fun part will begin tomorrow when I'm not tired - and again, it will just build bit by bit as the design suggests itself. Out comes the silk ribbon and Kreinik metallic stuff!!! Then it's almost instant gratification, and, as usual, I will have a real problem declaring it finished and stopping. The stem stitch seam treatment on the light purple patch was done with Thread Gatherer overdyed 4mm silk ribbon in "berry melange." I do like the effect!!

Needlepoint from Antique Porcelains

This is one of my favorite designs of all time that I have done in my life's work as a needlepoint designer. The major body of work in the 70's was drawn from plates and bowls from the period of about the mid 19th century, and earlier when I could find it. Besides the Japanese Imari, which I loved, there was also the Chinese Celadon, Rose Medallion, Canton Roosters - and even a bit of Gaudy Welsh. A lot of research into symbolism and even into the glazing methods made it all the more fascinating. This piece is the one I will do if I live long enough, as I have never actually finished one of my old, classic designs. A long time friend of my mother's brought me a plate sometime in the mid 70's - that she had purchased in Japan in about 1920, and wanted me to paint a canvas for her - I did, added it to my wholesale line, and it became "Nellie's Imari." Beautiful thing it was. I painted this canvas about ten years ago, as my sister had stitched one waaaay back then, (and loaned it to me to copy one for myself) - but all in Paternayan Persian, which is what we had at that time. Now we have gorgeous silks and metallics to use, so I'm glad I waited. Maybe I will assign myself this to stitch simply because I want to sometime this year. I don't often have that luxury!!

TIF Stitching the "Fabrics"

The handicap with this project is that it is rather slow having to stitch the "fabrics." I wanted to stick to the five beautiful colors selected for this Challenge by SharonB. for this month - but when I got to what I call "eggplant" - the dark, gorgeous purple, (Splendor silk by Rainbow Gallery) - it turned almost black due to the way the light is broken up on the surface by the small stitches. Sooooo I had to rip it out and replace with a lighter purple that didn't look so harsh. For the yellowish green patch, I used Soie Cristale silk by Caron in "double" stitch, but put little stitches of Kreinik metallic ribbon in the blank spaces instead of the silk - it almost looks like a netting over lame' to do it this way. The Petite Very Velvet light purple patch is basketweave, which is about all one can do with this fiber - and I love it!! The other two patches, the dark green and the blue/green are YLI Ribbon floss. The dark is Scotch stitch, which I work diagonally to prevent warping the canvas, and the lighter blue/green is done in Nobuko. Great effect with the light on it!!. I will finish stitching the patches in a day or two after I get my other work done, and then the best part of this challenge for me - the embellishment!!! By putting it away for a day or two, it will probably "speak" to me when I'm not so tired of looking at it, and when I'm more relaxed.

Small Things

About ten or eleven years ago, I had just begun to discover and play around with the sparkling fibers for needlepoint that would make wonderful "jewel" effects. At the same time, I found a great source of pictures of antique jewelry featuring bugs of all kinds. Soooo, loving bugs and butterflies, "jeweled" bugs evolved from that, but, as usual, I ended up with a drawer/closet shelf/box full of the things I had no idea what to do with. Vikki used to like to go through these items and snag a few to take home to experiment with in her fabulous finishing. This picture is of a small, sparkling and saucy looking evening bag she made with a little rectangle of black canvas featuring a jeweled butterfly - and, of course, beads on the openwork background. She added the fringe she made with faceted black beads on the bottom for added personality. I am loving this thing, and wish I had a party to go to - wearing a little black dress, of course. (I don't think this would be as effective as it was 40 years ago.) Anyway, I tired after several years of producing these things for the commercial needlepoint market, and put away the patterns and pictures. Lately, however, as I have had such great response from the laces, trims, and ribbons I have done, I am thinking I could also offer the butterflies and bugs (and even a spider or two) as "e-patterns" on my web page that people could do for themselves and bypass the expense of the painted canvas - and also my labor. E-patterns are a new thing to me, and I think they are great - the expense is cut to a minimum, as it is a do-it-yourself project, eliminating the high price of painted canvas, and also the additional cost of the shipping, etc. They are delivered by e-mail in PDF form so can simply be printed out at home. If you spill coffee on one, you can print out another one. It's time, I think, to go dig in the boxes and the back of the filing cabinet again to see what else I can find - maybe even a trip to Vikki's house.

Filet Lace in Needlepoint

This needed to be finished before I continue work on my TIF pieces, and before it falls into the UFO box instead of just being a WISP (work in slow progress). A simple thing - and stitched in perle cotton both for economy and for quick cleaning, as it is for a child - my little grand daughter Sophie. (and for portability on the airplane, as I can still see 13 mesh canvas without a magnifier) The idea of the lace edging actually dates back to my work in the 70's, when I was trying to produce "special effects" to add interest to my painted canvases - and also for simple things, such as monograms, quotes, names, quilt patterns, etc. Crocheted lace is such a mathematical thing in its construction that it is fascinating for me to work with on needlepoint canvas. I especially have loved the filet lace, as it reminds me so of a little pillow case edging my great grandmother made when I was a baby - with a row of ducks on it. I like to just make the "grid" of tent stitches, and then fill in the design portion with smyrna crosses, as the little "bumps" stand out. The background color in the lace is filled in with just plain mosaic stitch. This is the only thing I ever use graph paper for in my needlepoint designing - it's so easy to just pencil in a pattern into the little squares - Try it!!! Incidentally, being a bit lazy, and stitching for relaxation and pleasure, I draw the pattern onto canvas with my permanent Pilot pen so that I won't have to count from a chart while stitching. In the past, I have made my needlepoint lace white or ecru, as this is traditional in the Irish lace I love to replicate - but now that I have fallen under the influence of the art crazy quilters, I am LOVING doing colored lace - even with overdyed threads and/or metallics. Great fun and great effects!

Beginning the Project

This is how it begins! I was having a bit of trouble deciding what shape to use for this, as I am weary of hearts, and a small square would be boring, and this pallette is really not suitable for an ornament - and then it came to me! A crazy quilt top for a jewel case (in needlepoint, of course) - like the Talavera cases I am to stitch before April. (oh dear). Anyway, starting with the beautiful color selections for the January TIF Challenge, I had already filled a bag with threads from my stash. I had a lot, as this includes my favorites! Now to begin to plan a design, put it onto canvas, and eliminate and/or exchange some of the fibers. I'm sure I will do this several times before it is done. I need a circle 4 1/2" diameter, plus a few threads all around for the seam allowance - and am fortunate to have a little plastic bowl exactly those dimensions to use as a template. I won't paint the thing for several reasons: 1. I am too lazy. 2. I would rather stitch on bare white canvas anyway. 3. I will probaby change my mind about color placement anyway, as I always change the plan when I get started. I have been saving the pictures of A. Aller's laptop bag she made for the Houston Quilt Show a while back - so of course went straight to that, as I love the embellishments (don't I always?). It is from her work that I learned that the seam treatments may be just that, but other embellishments may dance around the piece, leading the eye where it should go (according to the artist) and then back again. It's rather like an exuberant and joyful dance, sometimes. I especially like the needle lace flowers (Oyas) from Turkey on this one - thanks to our friend Rengin in Istanbul, who sent them to Allie. Anyway - Hopefully I can get started on this tonight!! What fun. And then on to Dallas to Inge for a wonderful zippered jewelry case.

Needlepoint Jewel Cases

Stalling a bit here, as I still haven't decided on a design for TIF Challenge. These were made by Creative Needle, - the brainstorm of my friend Inge Wooley from way back in the 70's ("the good old days"). The first ones she did were amazing - zippered cases with moire' ruching around the gusset, and very beautifully made. Motifs from some of my Imari designs were used, as well as other things in more recent years, such as the Faberge' enamel design motifs. Now she is using my latest passion - the Talavera of the exuberant, and somewhat gaudy, Mexican style. I originally drew these two pieces with tree ornaments in mind, or even "kissing balls," as they would be so much fun to put beads and other assorted glitter and sparkle to jazz them up a bit. The pillows painted from this source of design are entirely too busy in pattern and color without the use of novelty threads and textured stitches - but Inge saw jewelry case tops - so has sent me these, hoping I will have them stitched before the market in Dallas in April. YIKES! but busy is good! (so I'm told) The deal with these things is that they are already "finished" and don't have to go anywhere to get them ready for giving or just keeping for oneself. Incidentally, this is one of the projects for which I have really enjoyed the use of the Kreinik metallic ribbon for the tent stitch outlining - the navy in a High Lustre type. In the braid, sometimes the HL is a bit too stiff for effective stitching of this sort.

The Challenge!

I'm running behind already this month - have been ill with a bug I acquired on the plane returning from my wonderfull holiday with a son in north Florida. Antibiotics are as highly regarded by me at the present time, and as necessary as the internet and blogs. I had a bit of trouble with light today, as the cloud cover keeps shifting and the sun peeping through - but here is what I have pulled from the heaps and heaps of great fibers (and some not so great, but treasured anyway) in my stash. The colors are included in my repertoire of "favorites" - that purple used to be called "eggplant" in the 70's, and then became "plum" at some point. We had no fine name for it in color theory, but the variations of purples available in needlepoint threads is unbelievable. I remember Maggie Lane in her book NEEDLEPOINT BY DESIGN describing choosing a color scheme for her elegant work by just dumping out a trunkful of yarn and letting things fall where they may. I do remember her description of one of her favorites - "eggplant" with soft blue green. In this array, I chose for texture also, as the almost sheer Spark Organdy by YLI, the Petite Very Velvet by Rainbow Gallery, and of course the Kreinik metallic ribbon that I so enjoy. Of course I have chosen to do my usual - a needlepoint version of Art Crazy Quilt - my new kind of design that has been totally inspired and encouraged by the ladies (mainly Allison Aller) who create art with fabrics and embellishments. I spend more time cruising these blogs than I do on the ones about needlepoint. The next step will be to draw a design and start pulling threads!!

The Ceramic Hurricane Blessing

Just a short note - to my delight, as I could find no way to contact Denise Broussard, who makes these lovely things, I just received an e-mail from her, giving me a contact address: akbroussards@aol.com You may send inquiries to her here. I am trying to get her to send me a picture or two of her other work, as well as the double palm tree cross, which is done for Katrina/Rita. Please see the post below "HookWreck Henry's" for the history and significance of the palm tree.

Hook Wreck Henry's - phase II "my trip"

It is said that the artist sees the world through different eyes - and I believe in my case it's entirely true! I get such great enjoyment from the simple things - nature and also the picturesque. I will start off with a picture of the back of my T-shirt that Jason gave me at his Dockside Cafe - Hook Wreck Henry's. I wore it with pride yesterday when I went to the doctor for diagnosis and treatment of a bit of walking pneumonia I acquired from a lady next to me on the plane back to Austin. (it's good to be past 60, and allowed to be a bit eccentric). It was soooo good to see this boy (man now approaching 40) who was so very bad along with my Charlie since they became friends at age 14. I got several really fine, heartfelt hugs from him. It's good to see them all happy and doing well and behaving, etc. Miraculous! This is the back of the place, as the front is on the water. It looks like any other little fishing village restaurant, but the food and interior are quite different. There is no fried food - Jason went to culinary school, so serves the finest of seafood dishes - beautifully prepared and presented in this rustic setting. The pier runs along the front by the open air eating area, which includes a bar in a "Tiki" shack with hidden gas heaters to keep visitors warm on chilly, dreary days while sipping and dining outside. The flag says Surrender the Booty, which, of course, my little grandson loved when I showed him the picture. ( My daughter frowned.) Oh well. Isn't that what grandmothers do? closeup of the flag: The fishing boat (Denny's) came in while we were there, as did a flock of pelicans that were, I swear, posing for a picture for me to paint. Denny goes out to catch fresh grouper for the restaurant. YUM! This place is just up the street a bit from what I call the Rainbow House - in my previous post. I am determined to go back, rent that house, and set up my computer and painting studio. It was good for the soul, and stimulated some creativity I thought I had lost.

A Hurricane Blessing in Clay

"It is good to know the truth, but it is better to speak of palm trees." (ancient Sumerian proverb.) This beautiful cross was a gift to my daughter-in-law (north Florida) from her mother, who joined us, to my delight, for Christmas. - she lives in Lafayette, La. where crawdads are referred to as "crayfish." She assures me that the difference is that crawdads grow in creeks where little boys catch them for fish bait - and crayfish are carefully cultivated in rice paddies. Anyway, there were some wonderful dishes prepared (to the tune of a lot of laughter) while I was there - with names I can't pronounce. This cross was made by a ceramic artist in Lafayette - Denise Broussard, and has a brief history of the palm tree, which is new to me. They were cultivated in Mesopotamia as long ago as 6,000 years, and in ancient Egypt, they were embossed on Hebrew coins as a symbol of strength. In Biblical times, the palm was a symbol of victory and well-being, and so became the symbol of the victory of the faithful over the enemies of the soul - by the Christians. The stately palm tree remains today still as a symbol of protection, strength, and victory. Consider that the palm tree bends with the storm, but doesn't break. I believe this charming cross was purchased at Natalee's gift shop in Lafayette. Anyway - this is a bit of interest I wanted to present, as I am enchanted with both the clay sculpture and with the history, of which I was unaware. It will also buy me a bit of time while I am still planning the second installment of my trip to Florida - adventures at Hook Wreck Henry's. A footnote: This is also available with two palm trees, which stand for the hurricanes Katrina and Rita. My DIL's mother lost her brother during Katrina. I am also glad to see a "hurricane blessing" on the wall at Charlie and Marion's house, as there was much damage done by Ivan - especially at Panacea, where I had so much fun at the "rainbow houses."

"Going Home"

I'm not really sure how to begin this, except to say that it has been like waking up from a beautiful dream, and trying hard to keep sleeping so it won't stop. I returned to Austin last night from a week long visit with my #2 son, who lives just north of Tallahassee outside a beautiful small town called Havana. Four acres of enormous pine trees - complete with owls and magnolia trees and big camellia bushes in full bloom. It was raining and freezing cold the whole week, but it was a visit to restore the soul. (We also had a fine fireplace with plenty of wood to burn) The picture is of my son Charlie, loading wood north Florida style - a man on a backhoe keeps it neatly piled, and the way to buy is to keep a notepad with the number of armloads one loads into the car. I don't know if it is because I am an artist - but I have always said that this region, of all places on the planet, is the one that literally feeds my soul and fuels my creativity - and I have sorely missed it in the 14 years since I left. I insisted that he and his wife take me to Panacea, which is my very favorite of the little coastal fishing villages just south of Tallahassee - and of course I had to stop at the classiest "tourist treasure" shop we could find. (there aren't but three there, as it hasn't been found by the tourists yet.) This is the front of "Linda's store," - a very classy spot with a fine mixture of gorgeous and tasteful antiques and totally tacky tourist stuff. This was her last day in business, so she helped me out with a big bag of seashells I had promised my grandson, Jake, - and told me he doesn't need to know they aren't native. I think they are all from Indonesia. (it isn't seashell season in north Florida.) We laughed and made memories here that I will never forget! On the side of this building is a big mural depicting a mermaid - lighting wasn't good due to cloud cover. As I said, this region causes me to want to get out the watercolours again and start painting - I saw a picture on every street corner and some in between. The little house across the street is vacant and very colorful - and I am threatening to run away to Panacea and live in it. Wonderful thought!! The next installment will be pictures and descriptives of Hook Wreck Henry's seaside cafe - a friend of my son's from high school has opened this wonderful establishment - gourmet cuisine in a seafood shack setting - right on the water, with it's own fishing boat. When they were in high school, I never expected that they would turn out so well - educated and productive and still friends. They were very imaginative in their mischief and misdeeds!! I felt more love in the hugs from these guys, and laughed more than I have in many years. I'll do it again maybe in the spring when the dogwoods are in bloom.

Close-up of the Pelican

Well - I'm still not as adept at this as I would like to be - I lost the close-up on the previous blog - so here it is!! That bright white band with the "jewels" is kind of distracting, but it will be easier to stitch, as the settings are metallic gold.

The Pelican of Piety - a prayer kneeler

The time to write this, I have decided, is before I crash due to total fatigue of body and brain, and before the onset of some serious PPD.

This prayer kneeler is for a friend, who is also a parishioner at my son's church, so I was pleased to have it do. Louann brought me the pictures several years ago, but I haven't quite had the nerve - or the time - to really concentrate on it. But now it is done!! She took the pictures herself a number of years ago - she said, judging from the style of the mosaic, probably somewhere in eastern Europe.

The lighting and the color are difficult to see, so I had awful trouble getting the paint mixed to suit me. The Pelican was noted in medieval times to pierce it's breast to feed it's young when food was unavailable - therefore, it became a symbol of Christ's Passion and the Eucharist. I would love to go there and see that vaulted ceiling with it's magnificent mosaic!

This symbol is seen in Christian art elsewhere, but many times is mistaken for a stork. This one is new to me! The close-up should show more detail on the needlepoint rendition of the picture - the challlenge here, of course, was putting it onto a 15" x 30" piece of 13 mesh canvas, and making it feasible to stitch.

I had to eliminate a great deal of the detail of the mosaic, as it would have just looked like a busy mess on this size mesh. The white bands were left that way, as they will be stitched in dark gold thread - and we decided it would be easier on the eyes to just leave it white. I'm actually very pleased with it - which is unusual for me.

Web Pages!!

My oldest son gave me a computer and a web page for Christmas about two years ago - to keep Granny busy and out of the dance halls, I'm sure - and off the telephone whining and demanding attention from in-town children. I had never even looked at a computer before, so just learning to turn it on was a major triumph - and then came the internet and setting up a web page and learning to use a digital camera - to take pictures, put them into the computer, and find them again! Anyway, I have spent many many both screaming/frustrating and happy/contented hours and days at this activity - BUT I could write a book about what I had to learn, as I knew NOTHING about doing a web page, and made many mistakes. I finally, in one of those serendipitous occassions, found a most wonderful web host - a man with the patience of a saint and an expertise that is incredible. His wife is a needlepoint designer also - so looking up her website from curiosity one day is what pointed me in his direction - and in addition, I found a new friend in Tish, (Happy Heart Designs), with whom I can gossip about the industry. whine about slow days, and generally scheme, plan, giggle and collaborate. The picture is of Steve Watkins - a portrait by his wife. He is a paramedic in his spare time when he isn't wrangling with our needlepoint sites (I am a dummy, and I'm sure extremely frustrating to work with.) and digging a 4 acre lake on his farm. But the point of this is Tish's web page - it is, without a doubt, the best I have seen. It is colorful but simple, as are her designs - and soooo easy to navigate. There is a new feature on it that you must see - click on "finished pictures," and you will see a book with pages that turn as you click on the rolling edges. I go often just to play with that, besides looking at the delightful canvases. (I'm featuring two of her beginner pieces in my March/April article in Needlepoint Now). I have a lot of people ask about starting a web page - who are like I was, and haven't a clue where to go or whom to ask or even what questions to ask. I highly recommend this service - Starnet Services - take a look!

A New Challenge

No picture today - but I wanted to call attention to the new links I have listed. I was discussing with a good friend last night the need to stay creatively stimulated so that the boredom of routine doesn't set in and slow us down in mind or body. I had watched Sharon B's TAST - Take a Stitch Tuesday - with much interest, but not inclined to do it myself, as that isn't my field. However, as I have gotten more and more involved with watching the Art Crazy Quilters (at the top of my list, Allie's in Stitches, of course), I have been so tempted to "convert" and start working on Crazies. Her label she has posted now on her blog pushed me over the edge, and I decided to go ahead and sign up for Sharon's "Take it Further" design challenge, starting in January. (The links are on the sidebar on this blog.) My hesitation has been that there are only so many years allotted to us in a lifetime, and, as this is a new endeavor for me, I would have to start at the ground floor as a total beginner - which doesn't suit me these days. HOWEVER, I recall about five years ago, after my aunt for whom I had been primary caretaker (Alzheimer's) left us, I kind of crashed - and thought maybe I needed a therapist. Then thought that might be dumb, as I knew what the problem was, so spent the money instead on a series of pottery classes at the local art museum. I had never had time for ceramics in college, but had always wanted to learn. - I had to do something, and decided this might be fun. Well. It was. I can't remember enjoying anything so much - met wonderful friends whom I still enjoy outside of class - and, although I wasn't really very good at it, I absolutely loved it, and would sit in the floor of my kitchen until the wee hours making "mud pies." I realized that I was doing this creative and therapeutic thing just for myself - didn't have to be concerned with marketing trends or pleasing anyone but myself. No commercial aspects to it at all - and after nearly forty years of designing needlepoint for commercial marketing, this is a treat!!
The gist of this, in a nutshell, is that remembering the feeling of contentment, accomplishment, and joy I felt with the pottery for several years, will probably recur with this design challenge of Sharon's. I'm anxious to get started - and so looking forward to it. Check it out for yourself if you haven't already!! All of us need a good challenge of some sort to keep us sharp, alert, and creative. P.S. If you are so inclined, also click on "Ceramic Stuff" on my list of labels and see some of my masterpieces - most of which were created at home in my kitchen.

"Faberge'" Ornament in Needlepoint

I am always amazed and startled at what my children have "snagged' from digging in my boxes and closets and drawers. I'm still in residence in the guest quarters at my daughter's house, and was inspecting the Christmas tree this morning - and found this piece I had long ago forgotten about. It was an experiment of several years ago to see if I could pull off a totally round tree ornament. This involved buying a package of 4" styrofoam balls and cutting quarter sections out of paper to make them fit the size and shape - and this was the result. At that time, my favorite design source was the book FABERGE' AND THE RUSSIAN MASTER GOLDSMITHS. (love that book, as it goes waaaay beyond the eggs and into the realm of the cloissone' enamels and different styles.) I had just finished a needlepoint stocking cuff with the design taken from an Art Nouveau style tea service by Faberge' - and as the colors were perfect for Christmas, went ahead and drew the template for this ornament - and actually got all four sections completed. You can't see from the picture, but it really sparkles and shines with silk threads, beads, and metallics. The quarter section shown flat is to illustrate the shape necessary for this round ball. My favorite finisher, Vikki Pinson, is so good at this, she actually got the botton and top "jewels" to match up in the right places - awesome!!

Bargello and 4-way Florentine

Looking back at things I stitched several years ago always seems to be a process of "evolutions," as one thing tends to lead to another - or in this case, recall things we did almost 40 years ago, before we had the wonderful novelty fibers for needlepoint - the shiny, sparkly, bright colored stuff. Starting with a small project for a friend who wanted something inexpensive to hand out as promotional "freebies" for her new shop, the ornament with the small heart in the center ( done in Caron Watercolours overdyed cotton and solid DMC perle cotton) led me to return to investigating the 4-way Bargello I used to enjoy. The Bargello was one of the first things I learned in the early 70's, in which a color pattern was stitched onto bare, white canvas - enchanting, as it was almost literally "painting with a needle." These small ornaments are stitched onto canvas with only a few marks for guidance, as I am lazy and don't like counting, and won't stitch from charts. Very very simple to do - and also inexpensive, as they don't involve painted canvases. ( I know several women who made these ornaments two-sided.) The blue and white one is mine, and the multi-color rendition was stitched by Janet Perry of Napa Needlepoint - wonderful and unusual colors she used on her version - and I am delighted to see someone use her own creativity and color choices on the designs. The threads I used were mostly things already in my stash - and if they weren't, it was a fine excuse to go shopping for more. As this work progressed, I added beads to a few, of course - and there were even some with silk ribbon flowers in the center. The white areas of the red one as well as the blue, could have been done also in bargello, but I like the look of basketweave incorporating glittering seed beads - the Sundance color 250H, which are clear crystal hexagonal beads for extra sparkle and iridescence.