Post Script to Monday's Posting

If you're having trouble getting to Barbara Elmore's blogsite, STITCHPOGRAPHY,
you'll have to "google" it from your main internet page. Barbara's URL is a long one and it doesn't seem to recognize my link. RATS. But please perservere and visit her blog for lots of intriguing stitching inspiration.

A Few New Blog Treats

Every so often, when I have a bit of free computer time, I go looking to see if I can find some more stitchery blogs to add to my list over on the righthand side there. One can never have enough creative inspiration and stitching motivation, right?!?

So here are a few more blogs for you to check out:

STITCHPOGRAPHY by designer Barbara Elmore. I am soooo tickled to see that Barbara has made the plunge into blogging. Barbara and I have become BBDF (Best Blogging Designer Friends) ever since meeting at a TNNA show in Long Beach, lo these many years ago. When she couldn't decide whether to start a blog, I urged her to give it a go.... (Rather selfishly actually, because I, for one, wanted to hear her thoughts and creative processes for creating her wildly colorful and fun canvases.)

So please hurry over to her blog and check out her postings. Barbara is really the Diva of Dimensional Stitching, and if you want to see what I mean, just go read her postings about adding dimension to your canvas...and then hop over to her website where you'll see her fabulous canvases. AND YOU MUST SEE HER NEW SERIES OF NEEDLEPOINT SHOES! REALLY, REALLY, REALLY.(I'm rather gaga over her May shoes, in particular...)

THREAD MEDLEY, by Jan Fitzpatrick is a geometric stitcher's paradise. You can watch her create geometric pieces step-by-step, based on her collection and love of Moroccan rugs and designs. Lots of terrific inspiration here for counted canvas lovers!

NEEDLEART & OTHER MUSINGS is another stitcher's blogging adventure in the land of canvas and thread....something we can ALL relate to, I have no doubt.

RITTENHOUSE NEEDLEPOINT is a fun blog to visit because it's like stepping into a hip stitchery shop from the comfort of your home. Lots of neato new canvases and products are showcased here, and now and then photos of the trendy shop in Philadelphia, PA. And they're also sharing photos and information about different types of stitches that are fun to look at and definitely get the ol' creative juices flowing....

And speaking of boundless creativity, check out FREEBIES, ETC.! where the designer who brings you POSSIBILITIES, ETC.! has another blog about the nitty gritty of creating canvases. If you're itching to get out your paintbrushes and pens and dabble on canvas, this is the blogsite for you!

I'll end this post on a serene note, by directing you to a bit of stitching surrounded by lovely photography. For a special treat, please look at ALLTHEBEAUTIFULTHINGS. It will surely make you sigh a bit in appreciation of such lovely photos....(and you'll probably start thinking to yourself,"Why can't I take photographs of my work like that?")

Friday Flowers: Raindrops

Raindrops on roses...


on hydrangeas...


on anemones...


on fuchsias....


These are a few of my favorite things!

Happy Friday... and I hope you have
a stitch-filled weekend!

Rainy Day Blues

Katie has the rainy day blues......


'cuz she hates the raindrops getting on her coat,
hates that we can't go out and play fetch,
hates that I'm happily stitching away and can't be bothered,
and especially hates that the squirrels won't come out and play.

Sigh.
What's a dog to do but sleep, and dream,
and wait for sunny days again...

Just a Little Nuts

I'm a big fan of PRAIRIE SCHOOLER designs. I love just about every single design they've published, and as you might guess, have quite a few of their patterns. (I'm guessing you have a lot of them, too!)

Recently, I needed a small portable project to take in my project bag. I chose the latest fall series from PRAIRIE SCHOOLER, called "Fall Fields".


And per my love of all things miniature, I decided to work them on lt. caramel 24 ct. Congress Cloth so they would fit in the lovely little frames I have with small 2" x 2" openings. Here's the first one I've finished - the squirrel:


As you might have noticed by comparing with the leaflet above, the original pattern is rectangular in size, but my frame opening was square. So I thought I'd slightly enlarge the stitched area by adding more nuts in the lower left corner, to make it more squareish in appearance. I also added a simple backstitched outline around the image, to take up more of the frame space and give it a faux matted look.

Now that I have the squirrel done, I've started on the pheasant. These little designs are so fast and easy to work up, I'll probably do most (if not all) of them this fall. And I was pleasantly surprised to see that it only took two afternoons to finish the squirrel and also start on the pheasant.

And no, I'm not stitching these in full cross stitches. I prefer to use half cross stitches (or Tent or Basketweave Stitches) with 2 ply of DMC floss when I work on the finer 24 ct. Congress Cloth. It works up much faster than regular cross stitch, and I especially enjoy the quick results.

I really can't wait to get more of these little gems stitched... I'm definitely planning on having a turkey for Thanksgiving!

In Your Stash: variegated threads

While re-organizing my stash of threads last week, I got to thinking about the various types of variegated threads I consider crucial to have on hand.

My first choice to always have on hand is green variegated threads, because they are sooooo handy for creating complex and dappled greenery, such as bushes, trees, grass, and leaves.


Monochromatic or more mixed in colors, greens are invaluable for creating the illusion of depth in a canvas. It's really a very simple "shortcut" to creating a sophisticated look in your project. Here's a variegated tree from one of my house designs, to show you what I mean:


Another necessary variegated thread color is brown - or rather all sorts of browns and greys and rusts. Why change thread colors for individual bricks in a walkway or chimney when you can let the variegated thread do the color changing for you? (Hey, save your concentration for those really challenging projects, and let the thread do the color-changing work when you are stitching lots of tedious bricks or stones or shingles.)


Here's a walkway done with variegated browns and greys just like stones:


Oooooohhhh, and here's another MUST HAVE color: yellow!


You know...for all those glowing windows inside your houses... whether you use bright yellows or softer oranges, they really add a cheerful and cozy look to a stitched house. Don't you agree?


And how about all those Santas you stitch every year? Have you tried a variegated red for your santa's coat? And there are soooo many different reds - bright, dark, victorian, dull - it all depends on the look and feel you want your santa to convey...


And then there are variegated oranges you'll need for all those pumpkins you stitch.... and purples for witches cloaks.... and pinks for little girls' dresses..... blues for skies..... whites for santas beards.... You see how variegated threads can change your stitching life?!

So, next time you're in your Local Stitchery Store, take a look at all the variegated thread, and maybe grab a skein or two or three or more just to have in your stash.... (Trust me, you'll find a use for them sometime, somehow, somewhere -- I promise...)

Friday Flowers: A Golden Glow

I've pulled a bouquet of flowers that have a special golden glow, in celebration of the arrival of Autumn..... Enjoy!