skip to main |
skip to sidebar
I’ve finished another of the Canvas of the Month club canvases. This time it’s “Harlequin Star” by Laura J. Perin!
This was the July, 2008 Canvas of the Month club from The Stitching Post.
This was a very fun design which worked up quickly. It’s stitched on a lovely gold metallic flecked canvas and it just sparkles!
I’ve already written the journal entry for this project and I’m hoping that soon I’ll be able to send this design and several others to the finisher.
Now on to comments and questions…
Thanks for all of the positive comments on the “Snow Cone Santa” and no he isn’t going visiting! He’s going to stay right here!!! :-)
I’ve had several questions about my rotation system and I’m working on a detailed post which hopefully (she says while crossing her fingers) I’ll be able to post next month. I can’t believe that March is almost over! I’ll just give quick answers to several questions now. I usually have 3 to 4 active projects on the table. I then move between them as the mood strikes or depending on the tiredness factor. As a project is finished, I write up the journal entry, the extra fibers are documented and stored just in case, and the project is labeled and placed in a storage container to wait its turn to go to the finisher or to be finished. I keep a master list of all of my current projects by category and I check the list to see what should go on the table next. I always have on the table one of the canvas of the month clubs, a JB Nutcracker design, and usually a Heartstrings design. I then have at least one canvas from the large, medium or small categories. Of course this can vary!
One of my “challenges” is that I finish stitching a design but I’m not quick about sending it off to be finished. Yes, I know that I can finish it myself but I rather stitch! As one of this year’s goals I’m working on sending off more of my stitched pieces to be finished. We’ll see how I do??? LOL
I was also hoping to be able to announce that I have finally finished organizing all of my threads. I’m so close! But sigh, it will take a little longer. I ran out of cleaned containers right before I started organizing my Rainbow Gallery threads. And, ummmm, since I have a few fibers, I’m going to need several (a lot) of containers. Stay tuned and depending on school, work and children activities, I’m hoping I’ll be able to make that announcement soon!
Hope that you are having a great day and that you have found some time to stitch!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
I volunteered to be interviewed by Ruth, "The Musing Badger". The way this works is that you volunteer to be interviewed. The person interviewing you gives you a list of five questions to answer. After posting your answers, you select a person to interview and you make up your own interview questions for your interviewee. You can read Ruth’s answers to her interview questions on her blog, "Interview with a Dork".
I’ve finished with wardrobe and makeup (yes it took a while) so on to the interview!
1. How and why did you start needlepointing? Do you still remember that first canvas? Do you still have it?
My first needlepoint canvas was a simple house in a garden scene and yes I still have it. The center of the design was already stitched and you just stitched the background. I finished this when I was about 9. I framed it when I was in my teenage years by purchasing a small frame at the local 5 & 10. The mat was made by me by cutting up a paper trash bag as that is what I had available. LOL! I did lace the needlepoint around the cardboard center of the frame as I knew I shouldn’t be using glue. I am not a fan of glue and I think I can get a better finished project by lacing and using a needle and thread. And by the way, don’t ask me my opinion of glitter which is not positive! :-)
I come from a long line of crafty/creative women and we used what we had long before reduce/reuse/recycle was re-invented again. This was also stitched and finished long before many of our local needlework stores were available and definitely before the craft big box stores opened. Anyone else remember when J.C. Penny had a fabric and craft department? :-)
2. What's the best ANG (or ANGesque) class you've ever attended and why?
This is a harder question for me as I haven’t attended many ANG or stitching classes. These weren’t available when I was younger and just started becoming available after I was married and I was raising my children. I’ve only taken one class through my LNS and only five classes through the ANG so I don’t have a favorite as I’ve liked all six! :-)
My grandmother was a wonderful sewer and knitter. She could just look at an outfit or a knitted garment, and then she would go home and not only recreate it but make it better! My grandmother could also crochet but she only did that when she had to (her words not mine!). She was able to get me started on my needlework journey though we did have one challenge. She was left-handed and I’m right-handed. We were able to work out several techniques but I never did learn how to knit from her and believe me, we both tried! Many years later this has been helpful as I teach needlework to children and teens and I can translate what we are doing for those who are left-handed.
My mother could do different needle work techniques though she preferred folk art painting. Now she spends her time working on making story time kits for the local library and gardening.
I’m self-taught mainly through trial and error, except for the few things that I learned from my grandmother and mother. For example, I figured out on my own how to lay threads and how to railroad as it looked better though my grandmother and mother did teach me how to thread a needle properly! No licking and sticking here… lol
3. What piece(s) of yours just make you smile when you see them/think of them?
I love this question as this is one of the criteria that I have for choosing a new canvas/design! Not only does the design have to appeal to me but I have to smile or grin when I see the project though I don’t like designs that are very whimsical or over the top. A gentle sense of humor or whimsy appeals to me. My favorite designers are Pat Thode of “Heartstring Designs”, “JB Nutcrackers” (love these little guys though I don’t collect nutcrackers), and canvases by Janet Zickler Casey. I then have an eclectic mix of “Lee”, “Associated Talents”, and “A Collection of Designs” painted canvases and a few other designers thrown in. I do stitch geometric designs and I have several older books with these types of designs. I also have charts from primarily “Laura J. Perin Designs” and “Kick Back and Stitch” designs.
My favorite things to stitch are Christmas, Patriotic, and Halloween designs. Our house is very neutral as I love to decorate for the seasons and the Holidays.
4. If you could take an all-expenses paid holiday anywhere for as long as you wanted to be gone, where would you go and why?
This was my hardest question as I’m not a big traveler. I’m very comfortable at home and we only travel for vacation and that’s usually locally. Hmmmm… I’d have to say that I would want to travel to wherever my family is. Though we are hoping to be able to travel again soon to Walt Disney World as DD and I want to have tea at the Grand Floridian! Does that count?
5. Why did you start blogging about your stitching?
I started blogging to share my love of needlework with others. I was enjoying reading the few needlework blogs that were available (this was several years ago). Since there weren’t that many of us way back then, I thought it would be fun to create a blog to share what I was doing. I created my first blog on Yahoo 360 several years ago. Unfortunately, due to family and work activities I wasn’t able to post as many times as I wanted. When that system started having problems, I moved my blog over here to blogger.com in early 2008. By the way, that took a while to move all of the blog entries and comments!
I should also add that I post entries when I can as family, job, and volunteer work come first. I’m pleased that I’ve been able to post as many entries so my fellow needle workers have another blog to hopefully inspire them or to at least hopefully give someone a laugh when they need one! :-)
Now that I’m done answering Ruth’s questions, I’m going to interview Kelly of “Orts”. Kelly is new to blogging though we’ve been email friends for several years. And yes, we were able to meet in person once at the Baltimore ANG Seminar! Hmmmm… now what am I going to ask Kelly…
Thanks for stopping by Windy Meadow!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Please meet my finished “Snow Cone Santa” by Janet Zickler Casey! He is now my second stitching finish for the year. Wahoo!!!
When we last visited with “Snowy” he was definitely a work in progress. I had started stitching his hat brim when I realized that I really needed to finish the outline stitching before I could stitch the areas with the very fuzzy and very sparkly threads. After several weeks of working on him every once in a while I was finally able to stitch the finishing touches this past Saturday. I’m excited that he’s done as he just sparkles!
He’ll go off to the finisher as soon as I can finish his journal entry. I’ll share him with everyone when he comes back. :-)
Thanks for visiting my blog!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
I stitched the “Bronze Ornament with Red Gem” in the early to mid 1990’s.
On the left side of the ornament is a flower made up of golden swirls. The red gem was placed in the center of the flower. The swirls then dance through the right side of the ornament as if they are petals blowing on the breeze.
The entire ornament was stitched in Continental and Basketweave using Kreinik metallic threads. The red gem was already attached and I just had to stitch around the gem.
It’s been finished as an ornament with gold cording around the ornament and for the hanger. A gold wire ribbon bow was added at the top of the ornament. The back of the ornament was finished using tan velvet.
I probably picked this design as it’s a cute, quick project.
I don’t have any records as to the designer. If you know, please let me know.
Hope you enjoyed my “Bronze Ornament with Red Gem”!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
I stitched the “Bronze Ornament with Blue Gem” in the early to mid 1990’s.
On the right side of the ornament is a half moon which is blowing wisps of gold through the rest of the ornament until they reach the star. The blue gem was placed in the center of the star.
The entire ornament was stitched in Continental and Basketweave using Kreinik metallic threads. The blue gem was already attached and I just had to stitch around the gem.
It’s been finished as an ornament with gold cording around the ornament and for the hanger. A gold wire ribbon bow was added at the top of the ornament. The back of the ornament was finished using tan velvet.
I probably picked this design as it’s a cute, quick project.
I don’t have any records as to the designer. If you know, please let me know.
Hope you enjoyed my “Bronze Ornament with Blue Gem”!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
