Sunday, December 13, 2015

Stumpwork Flower Sampler

Stumpwork Flower Sampler
KCA 29-18

 I am so excited to be teaching this piece at the TNNA Market in San Diego next month!
Before I painted the piece it started off as a sketch, 
looking like this:

The Class is focused on Stumpwork and here are a few sneak peeks of the stitching:
A Busy Bumble Bee and Blueberries
(Wings not attached yet in this photo!)

a Whimsical Blue Flower

Thistle Flower and Gooseberries

a Pretty Poppy Flower

Fanciful Echinacea and Red Daisy

The Flower Vase

If you are attending the TNNA Market and would like to learn some of these
techniques, the class is on Thursday, January 7, 2016
Please sign up!

If you are not a member of TNNA and are interested in stitching this piece, 
it will be available for sale
 at the TNNA Market, January 9-11, 2016
along with the Stitch Guide and Accessory Kit .
Have your LNS order it for you.

HAPPY STITCHING, ALL!


Tuesday, August 18, 2015

A Tisket, A Tasket a TEENY, Tiny Basket!


Time for a True Confession:
Some of you may or may not know this, but
I am a Basket-aholic...A Truly Obsessed Needle Weaver...A complete Basket Case.









What started as a fun addition to painted canvases has morphed into
my new line of

Teeny, Tiny Baskets:

:

A Christmas Cookie Basket




A Beachy Shell Basket...

Notice the dazzling Swarovski Starfish Crystal 
in basket at left...



Halloween Tricks & Treats Baskets:




 Halloween Tricks Basket, woven but not finished and filled!
 
 Halloween Tricks Basket,  finished                       and filled!


Halloween Tricks...
Be-ribboned and Framed!
 Halloween Treats...
sorry about the focus...
not sure what went wrong ?

 Valentine Basket Work in Progress!



There are 8 Tiny Baskets in this series:
Christmas Cookies
Christmas Lights, Stars & Toys!
Valentines
Shells
Puppy Love
Halloween Treats
Halloween Tricks
Stitching Basket

In November, I will be teaching a Tiny Basket Workshop at 
The Wellesley Needlepoint Collection.



The Canvases will be available with Stitch Guides and all the tiny Accoutrement
for the January TNNA Market!

Happy Stitching All!


Monday, July 20, 2015

Stumpwork Bumble Bees, Needle Felting and more!

In the Bee Skep Series, my goal was to stitch each of the eight canvases with completely different techniques and styles for both 
the skep baskets and the bees.  
It was easy peasy to come up with varying stitches for the baskets.  
However, on the Bumble Bee front, as they were all about the same size,
it was quite a Challenge!
The fifth piece in the series is below:  

Bee Skep in Fieldstone Wall
I LOVE the Bumbles on the fifth canvas!
They were Needle Felted with Colonial Needles Blue Grip Felting Needles.

Here is a photographic progression of the felting process: 
1. a small amount of Wool Roving in place. 

2. The start of the felted shape is about halfway complete

3. This is from a different spot on the canvas than the first two pics, 
but it is the final felted shape prior to
adding all of the finishing stitches.

4.  Adding the Stripes and Head,
using Embroidery stitches and 2 ply of Amy's Burmilana
Wool blend thread in Charcoal


5. Once the stripes and head are stitched, it is time for wings
(Now back to our original Bee,)
This is 26 gauge white vinyl-coated wire.
It is not necessary to use white wire, gold or any neutral 
shade will do just fine.
6. The wing wires are stitched with Buttonhole Wrap
or Cast On stitches to completely cover the wire.
~See Stitch Diagram below~

As you can see from the diagram, the stitch forms a linked ridge,
this ridge is rolled to the inside to optically
'fill in' the shape. 

Finished Needle Felted Bees:
 

The final framed piece in place on the Hutch in
my family room!