It’s Spring !! Thank Goodness – did anyone tell the weather?? Stitching needs to remain an indoor sport and even an earthquake will not deter us ! This months meeting will be the next to last dealing with Tumbling stripes. More and more members could not put it down and are finishing it in different ways. Framed, in the top of a box, as an ornament, on the back of a jacket…. no limit to the imagination. Woodlawn is now over and our Amy B has just returned with our submissions. She emailed everyone that participated as to where you can collect your pieces.

The ANG elections are over and the votes have been tabulated. Congratulations to the 2024/2025 slate of officers. Have a successful and rewarding term in office.

No matter what they say about the earthquake – I think the real reason it happened was the amount of surprise that caught everyone when they found out that Kreinik thread has been sold to Rainbow Gallery, that the business including machinery is moving from West Virginia to Burbank CA (just think of all that can happen moving all that equipment) AND production has stopped causing a delay in shipments of six weeks. This is where everyone has to pack their patience . We wish Doug Kreinik and his wife a wonderful retirement after 41 years in the business. Hopefully Doug will pop up now and again at needlework events. On the other side of the coin, good luck with this big undertaking to Rainbow Gallery. Everyone looks forward to a new beginning!

So appropriate to this Kreinik transition – there is new additions to the delivery series of ornaments out by Vallerie Needlepoint Gallery. They come with a stitch guild and they are just too cute. Check them out at Needlepoint .com https://needlepoint.com/collections/delivery-truck-rounds?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&utm_campaign=2024_04_06%20Delivery%20Trucks&utm_klaviyo_id=01EY735XHE675Z0Z1C4Z7SB8DK&_kx=SpNrwJYeSg8JHGV3vDRNkpeUD67Ddf2hdz1HBTATTO0.TxAVmM

The Needlepointer has a new club – The Tiny Signs Club ! The canvases are by Kathy Schenkel and the club runs for 7 months. It will start about Aug/Sept and each month you get canvas, stitch guide and threads. Great item for someone starting out or that needs a small project for vaca !! https://www.theneedlepointer.com/tiny-signs-clubdiv-idclubsubtitleopen-enrollmentdiv/p8512527?cse=nl040524&goal=0_3621358244-73c3135fb5-69343533&mc_cid=73c3135fb5&mc_eid=2e6039e84f

Interested in learning more about needlepoint? Susan Hoekstra is doing a series of 3 lectures (April, May & June) via Zoom. The cost goes to benefit a non profit heating assistance program (HEAP). This is being done thru the Pine Tree Chapter of ANG. They pride themselves on being a group of civically minded stitchers. Contact them at pinetreechapter@gmail for more information or visit their Face Book page.

Tips & Tricks: Self Finishing items – the final frontier ! So far you have measured the opening and then secured the canvas threads for a successful insertion. Next is too interesting as to make it perfect. Measure your needlepoint piece to find dead center and push a pin thru. Next, pull off the paper from the sticky part of the item your putting your piece in. Now measure the opening where the sticky paper is and put a dot with a marker dead center. Using the pin to guide you, line up the centers and be sure the rows are square in the opening and press the canvas down on the sticky board. With your finger press out any wrinkles that may have happened. Now use a Popsicle stick or a dull butter knife to gently lift the edges to tuck the needlepoint under the edge of the opening. Moving carefully around the opening and tucking your canvas under should give you a perfect result ! I knew you could do it !!

Who was that Famous Stitcher? That is none other than Gail Stafford. She is well known for her landscape designs and her fabulous bargello patterns. She recently retired from being a mathematics teacher. She achieved her Master Craftsman Certification from EGA.

Do you know who this famous stitcher is?