LESSON 2

Lesson 2 was shipped way back at the beginning of December.  I have had every intention of posting

the supporting Blog...but Life & the Holidays got in the way.  YIKES!

The Garland 

Here is the finished Garland over Rebekkah.

A few 

Close-Up Shots:

Ultra-suede Oak Leaves and Sweet Little Acorns

 Gorgeous Beaded Pumpkin!

The Two Autumn Gourds                                  Red Tipped Leaf Lettuce and Fabulous Grapes

Ultra -Suede Applique Pumpkin and Cranberry Bog above it!

A Most Elegant Eggplant!

I hope you all are enjoying Rebekkah!

Happy Holidays Everyone

& 

Keep on Stitchin'!

Rebekkha is Done!

Just in time 

to wish you all 

a

Very Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Just think, next year we will have our Elegant Thanksgiving Characters

to grace our Thanksgiving Table or Sideboard!

That Makes me Happy Indeed!


There is still plenty of time to sign up for
The Elegant Thanksgiving 
Stitch Along with Kelly
call
The Needle Works
512-451-6931

LESSON #1

 Well Hello Elegant Thanksgiving Stitchers!

Colleen and I are so thrilled you signed up to join us on this Project!

Thank You!

We have lots of fun & goodies, and neat threads and 

 cool techniques in store!

Lesson 1 has just shipped today. 

In your box, you will find your threads and 1st Canvas, Rebekkha!

LESSON 1

is all about the backgrounds.

When Colleen and I set about planning the series and the Lessons, we 

came to the realization that it was important to stitch the backgrounds 

the same, throughout the five canvases.

This would keep continuity in the series.  Also, the key focal elements 

in each piece are the central character, the columns and the arched 

Garland above them.

Thus, I wanted the backgrounds to be beautiful but subtle...

because, as the name implies, they are backgrounds.

I LOVE the gorgeous, Deep Claret color of this Background!

   

Notice how the Laid Fill Stitch, 

in a very subtle manner, fills in 

the Big Blue Sky.  Adding a hint of sparkle

and maximum coverage, while still 

being a small stitch!  It almost looks 

like a fine November Mist is in the 

air, on that first Thanksgiving!

The Clouds have a lacey, ethereal look about them!and definitely let the painted shading give depth to the cloud!

I love how the rocky, craggy hills
of the rustic Coast line are accented by
this modified  Diamond Ray
stitch. 

  The stitch for deep water  and on down into the
shallows, shore-line & sand are the same, but 
use random color and thread changes.  Dictated by the painted color changes, of course!

I am so excited to finish Rebekkha and start the Wampanoag Brave.

He is on stretchers. threads are selected, beads are purchased!

The Squaw and Brave will have Lots O' Beads!  Fun, fun, fun!

So Happy Stitching, All!

Pretty Lady!

Isn't she lovely? Isn't she beautiful?

I am working oh so diligently to finish her!  I keep thinking, in the evening when I pick her up to stitch, "Tonight is the night I'll finish her!  I just know it!"  Then, after stitching as long and late as I possibly can, it doesn't happen!  Don't get me wrong, don't be discouraged...there has been a significant amount of  'un-stitching' going on in the process!   

I tried 5 different flesh shades and combinations of them before I was pleased with her

lovely face! 

Pretty Lady!

 The hair is the 3rd set of threads and stitches...more about those

trials and errors when I post Lesson 3!

Once the flesh shading was right, I then did her hands four times.  

The problem with the hands was they need to be 'holding' the basket, 

and the basket is needle-woven!  When they looked wrong, they didn't

look just a little wrong they looked HORRIBLE!  Tee-Hee!

 

Isn't the Basket choc full o' Fall goodness?

This is one area that needed absolutely no 'un-stitching', HOORAY!

The basket and all of the goodies inside just stitched beautifully the first time 

off the needle!

So, rest assured, She is nearly done, and I will be posting a HUGE celebration on that day!

I leave you with a bit more of my 

FALL DECORATING!

Keep on Stitching!

Happy Autumn Everyone!

A touch of Lace!

Hello All!  

 I am really, really trying to finish our pretty Rebekkha!  

The past few nights I have been stitching into the wee-wee hours 

0' the morn'! (Sunday & Monday nights til 2AM!)

Saturday I spent the entire day writing Lesson 1 for 

The Thanksgiving Series!

I am quite pleased with the lesson, and it is now at the Proofer!  

Hooray!! Sunday was nearly an all day stitch-fest on her.  

Last night was not so late...only 11:45! 

 This post is completely un-planned.  My goal was to get her finished 

and then write one  Final Post.  But, I was so very excited about her

 Apron last night, that I just had to show it off:

Look at this gorgeous Lace!

Our Lady Pilgrim will also have lace trim on her Bonnet! 

  The lace is a new product line from Access Commodities.  Aren't they fabulous?

All for now!

It's not too late to SIGN UP!!!!!

Call The Needle Works at 

1-800-851-6931

Join Stitch Along with Kelly! 

Crazy Finishing!

Hello Everyone!

I am soooo Excited!  Just have a Look!

Crazy Quilt came back from the Finisher Yesterday!

I just had to do a quick post to show her Off!

Isn't she Pretty?

I am Over the Moon with her!!!!

She gets to live at home for a day or 2, then I am packing her off to 

Eugene, OR...into the trusty hands of Elizabeth Bozievich 

for a photo shoot.  She will be featured 

in an upcoming issue of the Needlepoint Now magazine!   

The canvas will be available at your LNS in January 2012!

Hooray!

Happy Stitching All!

Fall Decorating!

Hello All!  

I must admit, this Post is inspired by Needlepoint's own Robin King.  

I loved her post with the decorating ideas so much, that I thought I'd share a bit of my own!  Often, when I travel to teach, folks ask, "What do you do with your

needlepoint?"  Most years, during the Autumnal holidays, my pieces are out traveling with 

Trunk Shows,  (Designer's models lead a very Lofty life!)  So, last year, I decided to quick 

stitch up a few new pieces from my Stash...just to have some of my own handi-work in the displays!  It also helped diminish the Stash just a bit.  You know, if we all made the goal of stitching 1 piece a month from the stash...?  Oh who am I kidding?  Whenever the stash goes down, I just think I've earned the right to ad a few more pieces!  :~)

Anyway, Here are some pics of a few of the displays popping up around here:

This is the Bar Height Counter looking over into Kitchen.

At right, the little mini Pumpkin from AT.  That was a quickie...stitched in a night!

In Center is a Mindy Canvas...one of the stash pieces stitched in 2010!  Just LOVE this Folk Art Piece!

At left is a little Felted Jack 'O that I made this year!

I LOVE Folk Art Halloween, and every year, I try to make a few new pieces for my displays...

Why limit myself to just Needlepoint?  

This sweet little table is in my Entry Hall.  For those Antiquers out there, it is a burl veneered kidney table with the sweetest little cabriole legs...very blonde in coloration...lovely piece!

The little fancy box is a Patty Paints Crow.  Patty is the Queen of Halloween Folk Art and she is a good friend!  This is another piece stitched from my stash in 2010.

My little daughter, Olivia, loves to craft with Mommy!  We made the paper mache' pumpkins a few nights ago...she did all of the painting! Livi gets a little frustrated with the Mache' work...she makes the flour glue, gets started with the shaping, but then quickly frustrated, when, "It doesn't look like a pumpkin yet, Mommy!"  I quick get one to pumpkin status so she can sponge paint, then take over on the mache' work of the other one!  In the end, I think they look 

perfectly Rustic and Autumnal!

This is Mister Scarecrow from Kelly Clark Needlepoint. 

He is the first piece I ever did with Fancy Stitches!

Canvas & SG Avaiable through your LNS!

Pretty witch from Kelly Clark Needlepoint, stitched and SG written by Janet Perry.

Canvas & SG Avaiable through your LNS.

And an Adorable little Witches Hat Punch Needle framed piece.

I went on a Punch Needle kick in '06...did 3 pieces, bought about 20 and haven't

done Punch Needle since!

I am waiting on 3 of my newer pieces to come back from Finisher...

When they are set up in their new displays, I'll post again!

So Friends, a little peek into my World!

Hope you have enjoyed.  :~)

Until next time, Keep on Stitchin'!

Garland Finito!

Hello Stitching Friends!

I am so excited to Report Rebekkha's Garland is finished.  Well, mostly!  I am still debating about whether or not to add more picot needlewoven leaves at top of columns?  What will I do?  I'm sure a few of you will start a bet on Stitcherie!  Hah! 

                  A few more exciting elements have come together, as well:

The columns are worked out!...The top pale gold is finished, the next pale gold

is still needing one additional layer of Long stitches.

The gourds are just wonderful!

Close-up of Left corner!

(See, don't ya think it needs a couple of dimensional leaves under The gourds?)

Well, I must admit, I have been working for two straight days to arrive at this point

on my stitching of Rebbekkha.  A wonderful 2 days of focused Stitching!

My goal is to have her done by next weekend, so that Indian Scout can be started!!!!  

I am just itching to work on him!

  

I LOVE how the water looks like it is rippling and catching the light as it moves!!!!

Here is the ad which just came out in the Sept/Oct issue of the Needlepoint Now Magazine:

So, if you haven't already done so:

call 1-800-851-6931 to sign up

Join Stitch Along with Kelly!  

And, lastly I leave you with a few sneak peeks of the New 

Kelly's Club

which will be starting in March 2012:

   

Anne and I have both been stitching our little fingers off!

What are these cool objects?  When will it be time for the Reveal???

Curious?

Keep checking back!

&

Happy Stitching!!!

The Dramatic Pumpkin!

When last I left you, Dear Readers, 

I was contemplating the right treatment for the Pumpkin at the center of the Garland above Rebbekkha...

All I have to say is that, "If our Dear Chilly Hollow Jane gives you an idea or a stitch, 

Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200...Just do what she says!":

The key was using matt finish opaque and frosted beads...very Pumpkin-like!

I put the strands of beads right over the wool felt.  It works as the perfect padding!

Look how gorgeous and Dramatic the Pumpkin turned out!

THANK YOU, Jane!

Happy Stitching & Have a Great Week everyone!

Finally, Back to Work on Rebekkha!

Hello Everyone!  

Well Labor Day is nearly over and I was able to log some great stitching hours

over the weekend!  Below is a view of the Garland from a distance. 

I have to admit that I have been a bit stuck on the Garland, so I worked on the sky and clouds and stitching in more background.  As I worked on the repetitive stitching, I just kept looking at her Garland, and thinking about Threads, Stitches & Techniques!  What to do?  The problem was that I loved the work on the right so much, that I was worried that the left side wouldn't meet the high bar set on the other side.  Why, you might ask?

Well, here are the areas that had me stumped:

Pumpkin.  This is the apex of the Garland, and the Pumpkin just has to be spectacular! 

I am still on the fence with the current pumpkin...it is the second one.  Below is my first rejected pumpkin:

                                                         The Long & Short Satin stitches
                                                                   just were not working!

                                         This is the Trapunto Applique Wool Felt Pumpkin
                                                                             
The Little Mum Flowers posed another problem for me.  When I painted these little fleurs, I was envisioning the silk ribbon loop stitches.  When I actually stitched them, they just didn't balance well within the Garland...so out they came, and I went with the 
silk ribbon French Knots:

                    

Gourds...Well, the problem here was the Eggplant on the right turned out soooo gorgeous, how could I make these gourds even come close to that?!!!  Well, they are under way, and I am finally pleased with them:

I am still planning to add more detail stitching over the top gourd in both the orange

and the green areas of the gourd!

Well that's all for now!  Happy Stitching All...and I"ll be posting again soon!