Last Saturday was the NJNA Holiday Luncheon and did we have a good time !!!! In many ways we wished it lasted longer as we don’t see each other in person that often. We also had 2 great surprises – our President, Noelle, flew in from NC just for the lunch. She went from the restaurant back to the airport – that is dedication!! We are hoping that next year she comes again but stays to see friends and doesn’t have to run. We also had Tina F. visiting all the way from WI. If all that is not enough, Jacqui presented a list of all the 2025 programs as of now. We have a lot to look forward to starting with our first meeting of 2025 this coming week. she will be presenting a program on ribbons. She passed out the kits to those who asked for them so we should be all set for Wed evening. We also did a Show and tell that was so interesting. You could walk around and see them up close – from Jackie Kennedy to different versions of Melita’s STOM to Harriet’s amazing Llama and lots more. Always great to see the talent in this guild. I forgot – the food was great also !!!

ANG has many exciting things on tap for 2025 starting with the Jan-Feb edition of Needle Pointers magazine. The cover is a big winner at the 2024 seminar – an amazing piece !! The dog has a lot of personality !!! I looked thru the magazine online and it’s a great issue from cover to cover. Those bunnies in “A Tale of Two Stitchers” and all the ribbon pieces from the seminar and so much more to read !! One of their best issues yet. It’s got so much I will need 2 glasses of wine to read everything in this issue.

ANG also gave a picture of the 2025 Stitch Of The Month – Gift Boxes by Merrilyn Heazelwood. Something tells me this is not as simple as it may appear. A year of challenge with this project.

ANG also released their new Quarterly Stitch . An interesting small design but a great way to learn and practice some new stitches. The picture makes it look 3D. What a nice gift to give at the holidays. Check it out on the web site.

If you haven’t already then you need to do so quickly – pay your ANG dues online. It’s past the due date. While your at it, if you haven’t paid you NJNA dues – they are due to be paid before the end of the month. I’m just saying !

ROAD TRIP – ROAD TRIP – ROAD TRIP – ROAD TRIP – ROAD TRIP – ROAD TRIP

For those of you here on the East Coast (aka the Right Coast not the Left!) start planning now. Penny Linn has a video of her new Flagship Store on Tik Tok. She will take you on a tour of the retail area all the way to the basement for Wholesale, storage and shipping. There is no opening date yet and the video shows no furniture – yet ! The store is in Rowayton CT on the water – how much fun has that place got to be?!?!?!? Her store will be showing all the designer’s she represents along with a big stock of her wonderful acrylic boxes with the magnets. Can’t wait for the opening.

Something else new for 2025 is “A Stitch at a Time – The Joy of Needlepoint” book by Stefanie Chase. Stitch By Stitch in Larchmont is carrying it (a dangerous but fun store!) The book shows over 100 step-by-step stitch diagrams, colorful stitch samples showcasing a variety of threads, and dedicated stitch tutorials. Go to the Stitch By Stitch web site to pre order the book as they have already sold out their first shipment ! How bad can it be with a Gayla Elliot canvas on the cover ??

Another NEW for 2025 – Atlantic Blue Canvas is now in their new space in GA and ready to rock and roll !! The owner, Caroline, is a military wife and has been moved several times. She now has a new space and will be shipping canvases quickly. Caroline also says there is lots of interesting things coming for this year so we need to watch for her announcements. In the mean time she has some neat new things already on her web site: https://www.atlanticbluecanvas.com/collections/new-arrivals-1

There is also a new club from the Needlepointer – Whimsical Round Ornaments ! This club will start in May/June and goes for 8 months. Each month you get a 4 inch round ornament on 18 count along with threads and a stitch guide. They remind me of my mother’s glass ornaments from the 40’s and 50’s ! https://www.theneedlepointer.com/whimsical-round-ornamentsdiv-idclubsubtitleopen-enrollmentdiv/p8514405?cse=nl011124&goal=0_3621358244-ff736abe21-69343533&mc_cid=ff736abe21&mc_eid=2e6039e84f

The next New for 2025 – The Needlepoint Clubhouse, owned by Megan Holmes in Missouri is having a last retreat in March because they too are moving to a new place. They opened the lottery for only 3 days and it is now closed. Winners will hear if they made it in or not this coming week. They are moving in March about 2 miles east of where they are now. Good Luck – can’t wait to hear about your new store ! https://www.needlepointclubhouse.com/

The Needlepointer has a new and interesting canvas – a Haunted House! But not just any haunted house – this one by Kirk & Bradley has all the ghosts and ghouls you would expect but you make it your own! It’s a 12 X 14 house on 13 count and comes with 10 windows on 18 count that you can put where ever you want them to be. A great item to hand down in a family for a spooky holiday. https://needlepoint.com/products/halloween-series-haunted-house-windows-kit?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&utm_campaign=2025_01_07%20Haunted%20Halloween%20House&utm_klaviyo_id=01EY735XHE675Z0Z1C4Z7SB8DK&_kx=SpNrwJYeSg8JHGV3vDRNkpeUD67Ddf2hdz1HBTATTO0.TxAVmM

A new class at Stitch Stash in Darien features a Tic Tac Toe sampler board designed by Elizabeth Crane Swartz (the woman who made dots colorful) AND it’s being taught by Joann, the owner of Island House Needlepoint. She sells a terrific laying tool which you receive as part of the class. The canvas is 8 X 8 on 13 count and the class is given over 2 days with lunch included. Sounds like a fun time all the way around. https://stitch-stash.com/collections/tic-tac-toe-2-day-class

Tips and Tricks: WOW – I understand this tool sold out faster than you can blink after being shown as a video on how to use it. The tool is know as a needle threader BUT it’s a miracle worker for short threads. The Wool and the Floss sells these (actually very pretty) wooden handled threaders. To fully understand how it works you need to go to the Video Tape – oops, dating myself! You need to watch the tutorial on their web site or on You Tube. It’s easier to watch than have me explain but it will get you out of a tough spot with a short thread – we have all been there !! They sell them in 7 different colors. https://woolfloss.com/blogs/tutorials/the-easiest-way-to-fix-a-mistake-on-a-needlepoint-project-pulling-out-stitches-securing-thread?se_activity_id=157509255388&syclid=cu1groh2bcns73fln5m0&utm_campaign=The+easiest+way+to+fix+a+stitching+mistake+%F0%9F%AA%A1+_157509255388&utm_medium=email&utm_source=shopify_email

Who was that Famous Stitcher? That was Sara Trucksess, she is the creative genius behind SCT Designs. She is from Kansas City and has spent the earlier part of her career in museums and galleries. She has a series of alphabet chart’s for different monograms and you will find her simplistic designs under KC Needlepoint. https://www.kcneedlepoint.com/collections/sct-designs

Do you know who this famous stitcher is?