Be Merry, 15

I'm approaching the finish line on "Be Merry".  I've finished the peppermint stick and the band of colors and stitches along the bottom.  I think I have one more strand of basketweave on the background.  What has thrown a spanner in the works is the stitch I had planned for the B.  I started it, but it looked awful.  So I am currently searching for alternate stitches.  Sigh!

This is how my first attempt looked.  Gone!

I'm hoping that by Saturday I will have finished this.  This week is the first time I have felt like stitching since the end of October.  I have had a marathon of illness, starting the end of October with cellulitis (elephantiasis of the feet and lower legs).  Once that was resolved and my ankles looked beautiful again, I came down with pneumonia.  I finally feel like a human being, so my stitching should start escalating.

Be Merry, 14

I feel very close to the end of Be Merry.  Of course, I try to remind myself that the slowest stitching always occurs on the last 10% of a canvas.  I assume the anticipation of finishing is what makes things move at a snail's pace.

Once I finish this, I need to finish the Noel ornament pillow canvas and then the spool angel ornament.  My stitching eyes always seem to be larger than my stitching time!

In the meantime, I'm trying to think of what items will be next in my stitching rotation.  Hmmm!

5" tree XI

After reading Anne Stradal's blog http://www.thecapestitcher.blogspot.com yesterday  where she is finishing the stitching on an Amanda  Lawford santa canvas, I resolved to resurrect the last two canvases from Susan Roberts' 5" Christmas tree.  These photographs show where I left off.  As you can see, I really don't have much to do.  I stopped because I had run out of one of the fibers.  Please think fast stitching thoughts for me tonight as I stitch on these while watching Boo Weekley play in an Australian golf tournament.  He's starting the final round one stroke behind the leaders.  One piece of trivia:  I gather Australians eat a lot of meat (mutton?) pies.  In his first two weeks "down under" Boo reportedly consumed over 20 of them.  He's now on a non-pie diet!!  Of course, this is quite a contrast to how I spent my day--I was at my local movie theater watching the HD Metropolitan Opera simulcast of Wagner's The Mastersinger of Nuremberg.  Six hours.  Doubt that I would do it again.  The voices are always magnificent, but obviously no one thought to edit Wagner.  There were definitely some draggy moments!!

This beauty is where I ran out of neon rays.

I had the fiber for the stitches fitting into those circles, but my mind rebelled at what I thought was their unnecessary complexity.  That's the difficulty with stitching shop models--they must follow the  stitch suggestions or painted colors.  Otherwise, too many customers are  confused by the changes.

I really want to knock out these two canvases because I just got an email from Don of Associated Talents that a monogram canvas is ready.  That will jump the stitching queue for my home stitching.
My shop stitching  currently is attaching a pocket to a tote bag (I'll post a photo when finished) and stitching a 1st Christmas ornament for a customer whose 17-year-old granddaughter had her ornament eaten last week.  She won't have the replacement this Christmas, but will have it for next year.

Frosty the snowman, only smaller Finished

As a carryover benefit of my stopping procrastinating about some hand stitching for customers last week, I dug out of hiding my stand-up version of Frosty the snowman.  He is an excerpt from the Snowman pillow designed by Lee's Needle Arts that I special-ordered last year.  In November, I had a customer who wanted help with needle felting.  I thought his scarf would be a good place to try this, so I unpicked what I had stitched.  I had started the scarf in the chain stitch using fuzzy stuff.

 Here he is all done.  I added French knots, wrapped twice, in Balger metallic for his eyes and mouth and satin stitch using sparkle rays for his carrot nose.  The scarf I did in alternating slanted gobelin, again using fuzzy stuff.

 Here is a close-up of the scarf so you can see the scarf in more detail.

 And in a further rush of diligence, I completed Ho, ho, ho from Associated Talents with the exception of the peppermint candies.  I am waiting for supplies to arrive so I can try an idea I think will work.  We'll see. 

versatility, in life and in designs

 

My post Saturday, March 13,2013,  was an adaptation of a starfish design by Associated Talents.  I saw it and thought that it was possible to totally change it by just using the shape, slightly enlarged (150%), and filling it with a pattern stitch.  I selected the diagonal triple Parisian with the long stitch in silk 'n ivory and the shorter stitch in 1/16 Balger ribbon.  I envisioned a holiday garland with these starfish in various colors and stitches interspersed with shells and other sea-shorey items.  And utilizing non-holiday colors since I wanted it to be beach-ey. 

As a local needlepoint shopowner, I feel that I must constantly be thinking outside the box and trying to adapt things I see around me to perform a positive commercial benefit to my business.  There are no original ideas, I think, merely permutations and adaptations.  I try to give credit where I know it is due, but sometimes the original developer of the idea has disappeared into the ether.  

To develop designs, you must turn something around, look at it from all angles and say, try it this way.  No, try it that way.  What about adding this; that.  Hmmm.  If you have a good design for a pillow, try it as an ornament or as a belt or as a doorstop.  Twist it and turn it and try it in a multitude of permutations.  That is design.  And in needlepoint you can often get 6 or 8 designs from the same basic concept. Then examine the possibility of changing the colors or the color values. 

The Baltimore market, 2012

The National Needlearts Association (TNNA) is a professional organization comprised of members in the needlepoint, knitting and cross-stitch industries, both retail and wholesale.  It sponsors two major shows each year, one in January/February and the other in June.  Years ago both were held in New York City.  As labor costs rose there (and since many of the retailers are women from smaller towns, fear about the city), the industry decided to hold its markets elsewhere in the country.  California was a relatively inexpensive and non-threatening venue for the winter west-coast market.  To accommodate East Coasters, and perhaps because the managing company was in Columbus, a summer market was developed in the mid-west (It used to be in Chicago).  A primarily cross-stitch cash-and-carry market developed in March in Nashville.  Several side cash-and-carry needlepoint markets developed, among them a market in March/April in Dallas; a market in May in  Sturebridge Village, MA; and a market in the Northwest in the spring.  A more universal cash-and-carry market was developed in Phoenix.  The TNNA took this over in approximately 2008.  They moved it to St Charles, MO in 2009 and held it there for another year and then moved it to Linthicum, MD next-door to the BWI airport where it was held for 2011 and 2012 and perhaps 2013, location to be named later. 

Please understand that the two major markets are where new designs are premiered.  They are where the designers aim their primary emphasis.  The other markets are all secondary and the fall cash-and-carry is known as the market where the designers bring their overstocks or mispaintings to sell at reduced prices.  They also have regularly priced merchandise, but the main object is lowering inventory before the end of the tax year since there are no more markets. Quite sensible business practice.   But that is also why there has been relatively little on blogs about canvases at the market. 

As I was exiting the luggage claim area of BWI, I passed this mural (this is only a part of it):

 I'd love to know more about it because it appears to be Oriental in derivation.  I don't know why it's in Baltimore, but it is quite attractive and appealing.

When I go to cash-and-carry markets, I pack in my suitcase a broken-down  cardboard box.  I've been doing this for years before the airlines started charging for checking suitcases.  I usually ship my box of price lists and some canvases home.   I can only imagine what the TSA people think when they see this cardboard box taped (so the flaps don't take up too much space) in my suitcase on the way to a market.  I also pack a roll of package tape.  This time I used the package tape to secure the rolls of larger canvases that I packed in plastic in my suitcase which I checked.  I used the box for price lists and the smaller canvases and other items I had purchased (I'll photograph them next week after they arrive). 

Here are some of the canvases I purchased in Baltimore.  The first few are from Melissa Shirley.

 

This is a wonderful jar with peach motif on 18 mesh.

This is a conch shell canvas that is larger than usual--approximately 16x16.  It will really make a statement as a large pillow on a couch.  I also purchased a companion shell the same size.

This pillow is an Elizabeth Turner design.  It's a nice blend of floral with contemporary.

Another Elizabeth Turner design is this flip-flop design on 10mesh canvas:

And, finally, a stocking design from Strictly Christmas.

I also picked up some more of Associated Talents' spiders.  I wrapped my night shirt around them so the legs wouldn't get bent and packed them in my suitcase.  The pumpkin face is what I stitched while I watched Serena win the US Open on Sunday  and while I waited at the airport Monday a.m. 

I'll have to show my stitched version on Saturday.  Seems when I was editing my photographs I went brain dead and deleted the photos of the stitched pumpkin.  Duh!  I guess all jack 'o lanterns look alike to me.
I've been studying the AT stitched model to see how to put this together.  I'll try to have mine done for a photograph on Saturday.  Here are the other canvases available.  The skulls seem to add a macabre touch.

Getting back to the market--there were more vendors than at last year's show, but slightly fewer buyers (shops).  However, everyone seemed pleased with their purchases or sales.  No announcement was made about where next year's show would be, but the general feeling was that it would be in the same location. The hotel restaurant did a great job with their crab dishes (crab and macaroni and cheese and a baseball sized crab cake with NO filler).  I had both twice.  My only regret is that I didn't seek out a crab feast where you crack open the crabs--I'm originally from Maryland and that's my favorite way to eat crabs. Yum!  Maybe I'll do that next year.  

Of course, my trip home was an adventure.  The auxiliary power on the plane was on the blink so it wouldn't start the engines.  The plane was too large for the small ("they" said) generators to start the engines, so we had to wait for a larger generator to arrive from United Airlines  before we could take off one hour late.  Delta had re-written my ticket after I booked it whereby I only had 55 minutes in Atlanta.  Silly!  So naturally my plane home had taken off as I was landing.  Philosophically, I went to the gate for the next flight to Melbourne and the kindly man put me in first class.  I later discovered that the flight was full, so I was especially lucky.  I used the 4 hours waiting to start stitching on my next canvas which I'll show you next week.

Poinciana tree, phase 3

Before I show you the updates on my poinciana tree canvas, I want to show photographs of some late arriving Christmas stocking canvases.  The first two photographs are designs by Ziggy of Walker St Designs.

There are so many stitch possibilities for this combination of geometric shapes.  Add some metallics and it could turn from simple to quite sophisticated, and fun to stitch.

This stocking comes with stitch and fiber suggestions.

I'm trying to figure out the new blogger.  It certainly makes it difficult to arrange photographs and descriptions

in a reasonably artistic way.  I think that last jog to the left doesn't add anything.  Hmm.  I feel like I'm playing a game of keep the blog writer guessing!

This is a canvas from Alice Peterson.  It's hard to find something for an a more mature recipient (I originally said older, but a friend was just told by her doctor that some things just happen when "you're older".  She was not amused.)  And I hit the computer's internal mouse and managed to scramble my description and eliminate my photograph.  So I'll insert it again.

Another canvas from Alice Peterson is this beauty:

And for those golfing aficianados, this colorful entry from, I think, Associated Talents.  I need to check on that because the designer code said Melissa Shirley.  Since I'm the date entry operator, how could I have made a mistake?  And may those who are thinking of opening a shop, please note that among my many duties are:  data entry operator, mail clerk, complaint department (both in and out), and more I'll list in another post.

And now to show the photograph that will answer Anne's question of several blog entries ago concerning the poinciana tree trunk. I stitched it in the chain stitch using watercolors from Caron.  I like to do the chain stitch after all of the surrounding stitches so it can lay over the other stitches.  That way no canvas peeks through.

You can see by looking at this photograph that I haven't done the branches up in the tree canopy.  I'm waiting to fit them in around the completed French knots.  In the next photograph, you can see where I am inserting some red-orange French knots.  I had originally selected red-orange as one of the original colors for the blossoms and then I didn't notice it when I started stitching.  So I have started squeezing it in between already completed French knots.

And I wanted to show a closeup of the satin stitch used in the green plant on the right side.  I need to remember to ask Trubey what its name is--it reminds me of a larger version of a succulent plant that is a houseplant, but I can't remember the name. 

Everyday I try to stitch 15 or 20 minutes--French knots often seem unending.  I goofed with this canvas since I'm usually much better about stitching a slow feature a little along while I'm doing other features, but before I finish everything else.  Sigh!  I will show the finished product, someday soon, I hope. 

Boo, hiss, television remotes

Monday night I wandered into the kitchen to start preparing dinner.  I must lay some background:  my husband believes in washing dishes as you cook, so the sink is filled with hot, soapy water.  The television set is on the counter above the sink.  Of course, I dropped the remote into the soapy water.  And naturally it died instantly.  Tuesday DH went to Comcast to trade in the remote.  It was a pleasant experience, no questions asked, no charge.  He returned home to program the remote.  No luck.  I came home from the shop, tried to program the remote ...3 times.  No luck.  Wednesday DH called Comcast and actually talked to a woman in South Carolina (not India).  After much explanation on DH's part, there is the AHA! moment when the woman says, "Now I have to activate your box."  I just wish they had put a stitcker on the package that said "You must call to complete the programming process." 
But now to a subject I know a little about.  This heron was designed by Doris Gustafson and is distributed by Hyla at The Point of It All.  What a wonderfully elegant composition.

And for a "bird" of a different species, we have this sinuous showgirl from Leigh Designs.

Next, are some Christmas ornaments from NM Arts (and my mailman was amazed that I knew who was sending me a package from Enumclaw, hope I got that right, WA).  This poinsettia is gorgeous and the snow scene looks like the mountains of NC in the snow, but probably is generic.

And I'll take a step back from December and show you these personable pumpkins from Associated Talents.  I think my heart is definitely softening toward Halloween designs!

Star fish and Sand dollar

I have talked often about coral designs, and in fact I am finishing my 2nd coral class canvas which I'll blog about again as soon as my camera returns from the doctor.  And I have stitched several seashell items, most notably the seashell tote (or someone said it was a pocketbook--whatever).  Associated Talents has done two pillow designs that are striking in their simplicity. 

I love them and wish there were enough hours in the day for me to stitch them.  They'll look just as good on a rattan settee as on a coral loveseat or a bone leather sectional.  A decorator's dream!

And miraculously I'm still alive in posting everyday in November.  I'm amazed!