This month’s meeting started our journey into understanding how to pick the right stitch for various places on your painted canvas. Cathryn and Jacki discussed many of the books people buy to get ideas for stitches in various places in the picture painted on the canvas. We even have homework !!! Don’t forget to have ready 3 stitches for the sky area and 3 stitches for clouds. Next month the Blue Ridge canvases that were ordered will be distributed and the discussion on picking stitches as well as threads will continue.

Going along with the theme of choosing a painted canvas and picking stitches and threads, be sure to watch the Kelly Starke video on how to finish the piece when you are done. You can go to KellyStarkeDesigns.com and get lots of information. Later in the year Kelly Starke will be doing a class that you will be able to sign up for and attend. Give it a try – the wait time for finishing keeps getting longer and longer – you have nothing to loose.

Welcome to our happy group of stitcher’s Julianne – you are our 61st member. Hope you enjoy all the things we do together.

Our group again had a wonderful showing of talent at the 60th Annual Woodlawn Needlework Show. There were 699 pieces to compete with and our contribution was 31 pieces. Again our Barbara L got a top prize – the Judge’s Choice Award – First Place. Linda, Rosie, Diane and Melita all were winners as well. Everyone that submitted deserves recognition for such beautiful entries.

New Books !!! Whimsical Stitches Vol.4 is coming out in June. This book is all about small stitches. It’s perfect for a new stitcher who is looking to start out with ornaments and smaller canvases. (Hmmmm a theme is evolving) It has close to 200 stitches. It also has a section on planning and picking stitches for the small area. Also, Ruth Schmuff has revised the book “Threads, A Needle Necessity” for the 3rd time and it’s now called “Inspired by Threads”. It’s a reference of threads on the market right now. It’s packed with information on each thread and is in a handy 5.5 X 8.5 inch book – easy to take along in your bag. https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2023/03/coming-soon-2/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the-last-newslettertotal-posts-from-our-blog-1

Are you a Trish Vine junkie??? I know a lot of people that can’t wait to see what new and different things she is stitching up these days. She will be doing a Pop Up Trunk Show at the Edwardian Needle on May 23rd from 12 to 3 pm. Mark your calendars and get there early before it’s all gone !

Are you having needlepoint friends over for a get together??? Everyone likes to be neat so look at these napkins from the Needlepoint Clubhouse. They have other fun items like note pads and tea towels – great for a gift !! https://www.needlepointclubhouse.com/products/stitching-cocktail-napkins?_pos=1&_psq=napkins&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Do you know about Oli Magnets? Great item to keep you needles on your canvas. They have previewed a new designer line and they come in several sizes. https://www.etsy.com/shop/oliblock/?etsrc=sdt

To get your finishing back these days you better be a young chippie because your going to have a long wait !! This means you need to find “self finishing” items to get things quickly. KC Needlepoint has a new one – cuff links ! What a great gift for a wedding party or for someone having a special occasion. https://www.kcneedlepoint.com/products/cufflinks?_pos=1&_sid=302d97207&_ss=r&utm_campaign=campaign%3A+Cufflinks+%28641279ce255b91001b24a129%29&utm_medium=email&utm_source=omnisend&omnisendContactID=61fc368aa1816e00226a532d

While we are shopping KC Needlepoint, they also have easy to finish trays and napkin holders. So different yet easy to finish and adorably exotic looking. Wonderful house warming gift for a Floridian Friend. https://www.kcneedlepoint.com/search?type=product,article,page&q=tray%20kits*

Hedgehog Designs are those retro airport and destination tags and they have a new batch of them for the Spring Market. They also have partnered with Kangaroo Paw Designs LLC as they have the official licensing for the Greek Sororities and when you put it all together you now have Retro Greek Sorority Tags !! They have just released the first 6. Hedgehog Needlepoint

While we are talking about these colorful tags – I saw a great way of using them on the Absolutely Needlepoint email. Be it for yourself or as a gift it’s a great way to have a conversation starter about travel !! How cute is this bag???? Absolutely Needlepoint – Discover a world of needlepoint and everything that comes with it.

Ok – Ok, you can’t wait any longer for the new things from the Spring Market. Hold on to your wallets – so many wonderful new canvases that I can’t even think of showing them all to you. If there is a particular designer you enjoy working on then check out their web site because they were all VERY BUSY !! These items came from Stitch By Stitch in NY Ny Needlepoint | Stitch By Stitch Larchmont, NY | United States (stitchbystitchneedlepoint.com)

Old World Designs Needlepoint had a different flavor of new canvases – all striking !! Old World Designs Needlepoint Menlo Park Bay Area

Tips and Tricks: From Diversions Needlepoint in CO Diversions Needlepoint | Denver, CO 80113

Who was that Famous Stitcher? That was Melissa Prince. She had a career in media advertising and a friend saw some of her paintings and thought they would be great as needlepoint canvases. She painted a few and took them to a local shop where they all sold immediately – she has designed over 500 canvases and counting !

Do You Know Who This Famous Stitcher Is?