Floral Fantasy: Susan T. Kerndt, designer

Project: Floral Fantasy

Designer: Susan T. Kerndt

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 3

Comments: There is a little story about these two sachets. First of all, I need to mention that my friend Terry who lives in England stitched them both.

Here is what happened. Terry stitched the first sachet (the little purple one above) and mailed it to me on December 13/2010 for this past Christmas. She was obviously running a tad late and we both wondering what was going to happen.

 We have been sending each other things for years and it normally takes from 7 to 8 days to reach us, no matter which direction it is going.

I kept checking my mailbox and there was never anything from England. Days went by followed by weeks and still nothing. We were both starting to think that it was lost and it would never arrive.  After a while Terry said to me, I am going to stitch you another one. I kept telling her "wait a bit more, we just never know". Without telling me she started a second one and she decided to change the colors a bit just in case the first one would arrive. She did not want me to have two exactly the same. She mailed that second one on February 1st, 2011.

On February 7th 2011, the first one arrived as if nothing had happened (Dec 13 - Feb 7). It took almost 2 months for the first gift to reach me.

I had talked with my mailman about the parcel not arriving and he said I was not the first one to mention something like that to him but he had not seen it and I believed him. It just happened that my husband was outside the day that the parcel from England arrived and the mailman asked my husband if that was the parcel I was waiting for. He told him "I think this is it".

My husband came back inside with the mail and I then saw something from England. I looked at him in total disbelief as I knew instantly that this was the long lost parcel. I rushed to tell Terry it had arrived but before saying anything, I told her that she better sit down first. We were both in shock but quite happy.

When I told Terry about it the second sachet had already been shipped on February 1st. We were both wondering if we would be luckier the second time around. It arrived on February 26 (Feb 7 - 26), so it took about 3 weeks to reach me.

On the other hand, everything I mailed to her continued to take about 7 to 8 days, so the problem were on my side, not hers. I had the same problem with the Australian magazine Inspiration that was held at US Customs for the longest time. My feeling is that Customs were inspecting everything more closely, perhaps due to higher security concerns during that time and a backlog was thus created. Just speculations from my part as I will probably never know for sure.

Whatever the reason(s), I am now the proud owner of two lovely little floral fantasy sachets (big grin)

This is the second little sachet

Here is a photo of them together, one was done using 18 count canvas

and the other one using Congress Cloth.

Lee's BJ05 design to fit jewelry case: Lee's Needle Art, Inc.

 

Name of project: Lee's BJ05

(since I do not know the name of this particular painted design)

Designer: Lee's Needle Art, Inc.

Type of needlework: Hand painted needlepoint

Number of photos: 5

Lee's Needle Art's website: http://www.newleesneedlearts.com/

Comments: The first photo above shows the finished product including both the stitching and finishing. I even went the extra mile and added a few pieces of jewelry in order to better showcase the little jewelry case.

This was actually an impulse purchase. When I saw the design with the already chosen threads for it (sparkling), to me this looked like the perfect little traveling jewelry case. I purchased that little cutie from Pat's Stitching Destashing blog. The original owner of this project had already selected the perfect threads for it, threads from a company that I was totally unawared of before, the Renaissance Designs company and I must say that I love their metallic threads. Isn't just great when you discover something new, new to you anyway? If you want to see the different kinds of threads once on the website, you need to "Select a Category" and then you can see the different colors that they offer.

On the photo above, you can see Lee's painted canvas BJ05 with the threads that had been selected by the previous owner together with Lee's jewelry case.

Photo taken after I have completed the stitching part of it.

For those of you who may be wondering what the inside of the jewelry case looks like, I thought of taking a photo for you.

This is just another photo of the jewelry case. You can see two little jewelry separators so that you can have multiple levels and there is also a little leather strap with a snap inside the cover where you can hang some jewelry. This is very well made actually and quite practical, mostly if you are traveling and you want to bring just a few pieces of jewelry with you.

The Dodecagon Series designed by Jim Wurth

This is another series that I thought would be useful to be able to see them all in one place.


The Dodecagon Series consists of twelve 12-sided designs each five inches in diameter and all uniformly shaped that were created by Jim Wurth of Wurthwhile Stitching.

Like I have done for such similar group postings before, there will be a link under each photograph so that if you are interested in reading more about one individual ornament and/or see additional photos, all you have to do is click on the link under each individual photo and it will bring you to the original posting.

Since I know how well these ornaments have been popular I am including herewith all the necessary information so that if you are interested in stitching them, you will know who to contact.

(Before I go any further I would like to mention that I have absolutely no vested interest in this designer or any other designers mentioned on my blog - I only do this in order to help both designers and stitchers)

Jim Wurth email address is as follows and he can be contacted at this address: JWurth@msn.com
Jim has a Yahoo group that has been created expressly for the Dodecagon Ornament Series and Jim is there to answer questions, but this is not an online class. Link for Jim's Dodecagon Ornament Series Yahoo group is here

Now for those of you who are wondering where these ornaments are being sold, here is a bit of information for you all.

There is one needlepoint shop that exclusively sells these designs and it is Threadneedle Street located in California and here are the contact details in case some of you might be interested:

Marianne Bergson, Owner
Threadneedle Street
75-645 Dempsey Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92211

(760) 340-0411

email: threadst@aol.com


So, here are the photographs of each ornament in the order they were sent to me for stitching.



First ornament of this series: Coronation

For more information, please follow this link.

Second ornament of this series: Mojave

For more information, please follow this link.

Third ornament of this series: Poirot

For more information, please follow this link.

Fourth ornament of this series: Monrovia

For more information, please follow this link.

Firth ornament of this series: Hearts and Flowers

For more information, please follow this link. 

Sixth ornament of this series: Arcadia

For more information, please follow this link.

Seventh ornament of this series: The Baroness Edie

For more information, please follow this link.

Eight ornament of this series: Czarina

For more information, please follow this link.

Ninth ornament of this series: Camelot

For more information, please follow this link.

Tenth ornament of this series: Old Country

For more information, please follow this link.

Eleventh ornament of this series: Peace Tree

For more information, please follow this link.

Twelth ornament of this series: Fabulous Finale

For more information, please follow this link.

Carole Lake's Glitzy Stitching Accessories

This is my name tag, as if anyone needed a reminder (smiling).

I love it.

For more information, please follow this link.

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I was thinking the other day, an activity that sometimes can be dangerous to my own health, that it might be quite interesting to be able to see all the Glitzy Stitching Accessories that Carole Lake designed some years back together in one single place and not have to hunt them down here and there on my blog.

Under each stitching accessory I will give you the link where the original posting has been made so that if you want to know a bit more about each one or see additional photos, all you have to do is click on the link and presto you will be there.

This is an online class I took with Carole many years ago, at a time when there were not that many classes on the internet, unlike today when we have lots and lots of options available to us. For clarification purposes, I did not take that class because there was not anything else available to me at the time as I would have taken it no matter what. There was also a very strong incentive at the time for learning how to do the finishing. I must say that I have learned quite a bit with that series and even today I often refer to the instruction when I find myself in a special spot of bother and just can't remember exactly how I did this or that.

The only change I made with this project is a change of threads and canvas colors. Carole used reds and blues mainly for her Glitzy Stitching Accessories and I am rather partial to colors like coppers, gold and blue/greens, so when I went shopping I checked to see what was available in those colors.

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This is my laying tool case

For more information, please follow this link.

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This is my scissor fob

For more information, please follow this link.

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Photo of my needle case closed

Photo showing the backside of my needle case when completely opened.

For more information, please follow this link.

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This one is my scissor case.

For more information, please follow this link.

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This one is my frame weight.

I would like you to guess what I have put inside to give it some weight.

Anyone, any ideas?

If I say that no matter what happens to me I will  never be pennyless, would that ring a bell?

Right, I have put pennies inside, brand new ones too (big grin)

For more information, please follow this link.

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For those who may be interested in stitching these, here is a link where you can find them and have a go at picking up your own colors.

Orna's Needlecase: Orna Willis, designer

 (Just completed Orna's needlecase after receiving

some additional thread on 01/27/2011)

(A different way of tying the ribbon)

UPDATE: January 30, 2011

I have received more thread from Orna Willis on January 27/2011 and I was able to find some time today to finish this needlecase.

I have decided that I will use this needlecase for my current projects. I have divided the inside in 4 sections, so I can put needles for 4 current projects as long as I identified each section correctly, I should be in business. If not, well, I will be in trouble (grinning). 

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(Photo of what has been done so far

but ran out of thread that was included in the kit)

Project: Orna's needlecase

Designer: Orna Willis

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 2 so far

Orna Willis website: http://ornadesign.com/

Orna's blog: http://ornadesign.blogspot.com/

Orna's Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ornathologie

Comments: Yesterday I thought that I could do this little project as there is really not a lot of work involved before ending up with a lovely needlecase, but life would not have it this way as that would have been way too easy. I ran out of the yellow/golden thread that was included in the kit, as you can see in the photo. I was stitching and hoping against all hope that somehow the thread would be long enough for me to go around the design. I am sure that lots of you have been there, stitching faster and faster as if by doing that you would have enough thread to complete the project.

I just feel frustrated these days as no matter what I want to do, something happens that makes me stop cold in my tracks.  

An example of that just to show you what has been happening and you can multiply this example many times over.

 Months and months ago I ordered some fabric from a stitching shop - Belfast 32 count, Light Terra Cotta for an EGA CyberPointers project that I was interested in making - A Punto Antico Biscornu pincushion designed by one of our members, Jeanine Robertson of Canada.

Well the shop had to order the fabric from Germany, if my recollections are correct, and through no fault of the shop, it took forever before the company shipped that particular fabric to them and I just got it in the mail two days ago. I almost fainted from shock. I thought, well after waiting all this time for this fabric, I will get the thread and work on it right away.

So, filled with excitement I immediately proceeded to look at my DMC floss color charts in order to find the "perfect" color to go with the fabric. I found it too: DMC 3777, so my next step was to go online to order some  DMC Perle #8 and #12 of that color only to discover that DMC just don't make that color for Perle. Frustration!

I said OK let's go see if I can find a similar color with Anchor Perle, only to end up with the same feeling. Frustration! ...........

and my frustration list goes on and on. There must be some bad Karma surrounding me these days.

Anyway, coming back to Orna's needlecase, I have written to her yesterday afternoon about it, so I should soon hear back from her and the project will eventually be completed and all will be well with the world, or will it????

(Photo borrowed from Orna's site)

I love these colors but they were not available when I purchased my kit.

Looks like the canvas is blue from the photo - gorgeous!

Christmas ornament received from my good friend Rinda

(Photo of Christmas ornament made by Rinda)

Project: Christmas ornament

(2010)

Designer: Margaret Bendig

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 2

Comments: My good friend Rinda made this lovely Christmas ornament for me using different red and gold threads and she then finished it with lots and lots of gold and red beads.

I really need to also start finishing some of mine with beads as they really make a beautiful finishing. Seeing one upclose like this one will certainly motivate me in doing so in the future. I just got so used to making a decorative cord for them that I just don't stop and think about beads for some of my finishings. I think that this is about to change.

I rarely post photos on my blog of the back of an ornament, but I thought of making an exception here as I really love the fabric that Rinda used for hers. I think it is just perfect.

I also received some yummy biscottis with my Christmas ornament that Rinda made herself as she loves to cook. I know these biscottis will be wonderful as she also sent me some last year and I can tell you that they did not last too long as both my husband and I found them absolutely delicious. I only had eaten some store bought ones before which did not hold a candle to the ones Rinda made. I am now a biscotti convert (smiling)

(Photo showing the fabric on the back of Rinda's ornament)

The Thistle: Carole Lake, designer

Project: The Thistle

Designer: Carole Lake

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 4

Carole's blog: http://www.carolelake.com/

Other projects that I have stitched from Carole here.

Comments: This is a little project that I wanted to stitch when I saw it.

The more diverse project I can stitch, the higher goes my learning curve. On this project, I especially like trying the turkey work. I had seen it many times before but never had the opportunity to work on a project that needed that stitch. It was fun to do and not difficult at all with Carole's excellent directions.

I also enjoyed stitching the border around the thistle. That was a new way of making one for me, so will keep that in mind the next time I am in need of one.

I have never done much free-form stitching either on canvas and stitching the leaves gave me a bit of practice. I can't say that I am completely comfortable with it but I guess the more I will do, the better I will get at it. I have no problem doing free-form on fabric but always find it a bit more difficult on canvas. For me, I find canvas limiting to some extent due to the holes, but perhaps I just need to get more experience with it by doing projects that call for special techniques.

(This is a frontal view of the finished ornament)

(Photo that came with Carole's project)

(Stitched Thistle before the finishing)

Burke, Ruth Dilts, designer

Project: Burke

Designer: Ruth Dilts

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 2

Ruth's website: http://www.ruthdiltsdesign.com/

Comments: This is the first Ruth Dilts Christmas ball I have done and finished this one as a rounded ball as you can see on the photograph below.

I am now working on a second one also designed by Ruth, which is called "Windsor" and it is a gorgeous bargello design this time around.

I have not yet decided how I will finish my second one. I think it would be lovely to have it framed. It has a 7 inch circonference, so a very nice size for it.

For the finishing of "Burke" I have used some dark red velour that I had in my stash for the back of the ornament and then purchased some braid to cover the middle joint all around the ball.

(Photo showing a little bit of the back and side)

Kaleidoscope: An adaptation of a Sue Lentz design by Anthony Minieri for Needle Necessities

Project: Kaleidoscope

Designer: Kaleidoscope is an adaptation of a Sue Lentz design, then adapted by Anthony Minieri for Needle Necessities

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 5 (so far) as this is a work in progress

Comments: This is a project that has been started some years back. I love the design and I think that what has kept me from completing it so far is the fact that there are lots of repeats of the same sections. I am the kind of person who loves to move along and do different things and with this design you have to do it over and over again. I swear to myself that I will complete it one day because it is really lovely, so hopefully I will get it done and sooner than later.

(Photo showing the very center of the design)

(Moving along with a bit more done)

(This photo shows the center portion completed)

(A bit more done on this one but lots more remains before completion)

I have added this last photo which came with the instructions. Unfortunately we can't see very well but it gives an idea. The piece is looks much much better than this photo.

Progress photos will be added to this blog entry when completed.

The Guardian Angels of Hollyhock House: A Gay Ann Rogers' design

Project: The Guardian Angels of Hollyhock House

Designer: Gay Ann Rogers

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 12 (so far)

Comments: This is a rather big project. The congress cloth used measures 18 1/2" wide by 24 1/2" long. Threads used are mostly Soie d'Alger (a 7-ply silk) together with a few other threads. There are 145 pages of instructions.

You will see photos of what I have stitched so far.

There are two pots of hollyhocks, one on each side of the house.

Close-up of upper section

Close-up of lower section

Photo showing one pot of Hollyhocks completed and the second one incomplete

Two pots of Hollyhocks completed and the beginning of the laying of the bricks.

We can see the mortar on each side of the house.

Beginning of the laying of the bricks

Additional bricks have been stitched

Left side of the house has the laying of bricks completed

Starting the brick laying on the right side

Bricks all done

Roof has been completed with the two chimneys

Photo showing what has been stitched so far

Future postings will be added to this blog entry when available.