We are now in the thirteenhundredth month of the year 2020 – or at least it feels that way. I miss getting together with all my needlework friends! Zoom is great, but it doesn’t replace in-person gatherings.

That being said, our intrepid group met again on Zoom earlier this month to continue our progress on the SOTM project. We are all working on the background sections. Kathy Rees has chosen some very calming stitches for those areas, which we all need right now.

Many of us are using neutral colors that blend with our canvas colors. But there are some surprises in those backgrounds. Without further ado, here are our October progress photos.

Brenda is stitching in Kathy’s original colors.

Ellen chose a pink background that coordinates beautifully with her overdyes.

Jacqui played with several different colors before deciding on a dark green to set off her red and gold design.

Janice is also stitching in Kathy’s original colors. Stitching with overdyes gives a unique look depending on the color placement.

Linda chose a neutral background to allow the greens and purples to really pop.

Robin matched her canvas perfectly with her choice of background thread.

Rosie also matched her background with a pale gray that coordinates with the yellows and grays in the star.

Another green background for Sue really offsets the star design.

Pale threads are the way to go for Tina as well.

And, Tina finished a previous SOTM – Stars for the New Millennium from Tony Minieri in her own colorway. Just beautiful and well worth the wait.

Until next time…Happy Stitching!

Linda

The SOTM group did not meet this month as many of the members participated in a Chapter Workshop. However, that did not stop us from continuing to stitch on our project.

Last month we finished stitching on the Star, so this month we started on the background stitches. September’s stitch is Diamond Pavilion, a very pretty upright stitch.

We are eagerly looking forward to the remaining blocks of background.

Happy Stitching!

Linda

We were two small groups for this month’s Zoom version of Stitch-of-the-Month, but no less enthusiastic about getting together. As usual, during our first session we caught up on what’s been going on in everyone’s lives. During our second session we discussed the SOTM project.

This month we completed the last point of our star. Each piece is so different – even those that are using the same colors. It is really amazing to see how the colors work with each other.

Next month we will start on the background. Some of us are still deciding on background colors, waiting until the full star was completed before checking out different threads. So, stay tuned for the September SOTM to see what each of us picks!

Happy Stitching!

Linda

The SOTM group is still meeting via Zoom. While we miss getting together in person, the virtual meetings have enabled our long-distance members to join us in real time. We have enjoyed “seeing” members who haven’t been able to get to our sessions.

This month we worked on the seventh point of the star. It will be fun to complete that eighth point in August and then move on to the background stitching for the remainder of the year. Many of us held off on choosing a background color until the star is completed. It will be interesting to see what colors are chosen.

Happy Stitching!

Linda

Carol, our southernmost remote member, is also stitching her SOTM using Kathy Rees’ color suggestions, with a variation. Instead of Watercolours Polar Ice she has substituted Night Sky. It looks fantastic!

Stay well and happy stitching!

Linda

 

 

Jacqui is one of our remote members and we usually see her only when she is in town to visit family. Our Zoom stitching sessions allow her to join us each month. She is stitching her SOTM project using Watercolours Almond and Creamsicle (gold) and Cinnabar and Cardinal (red). They look so rich!

Happy Stitching!

Linda

Although we are still staying at home, the NJNA SOTM group is meeting via Zoom and making progress on this year’s project. Most of us are stitching ANG’s Stitch of the Month – an 8-pointed star by Kathy Rees reminiscent of a traditional quilt block. Each point of the star is a different stitch; the last four months of the year will cover the background.

All those who are stitching the project agree that the size of the project makes it very manageable for stitching each month. Since we all have other projects to work on, this SOTM allows for group stitching without a huge time commitment. The beginners among us are learning new stitches and the more advanced stitchers are refreshing themselves on how thread selections affect the look of a stitch.

Kathy’s model is stitched in reds (Watercolours Cinnabar and Cardinal) and blues (Watercolours Indigo and Polar Ice). Watercolours Caron Collection is a three-ply hand-dyed cotton thread with one ply equivalent to #5 pearl cotton. Other threads being used are Silk Lamé Braid, Petite Very Velvet, Mandarin Floss, and Neon Rays.

Several stitchers in the group have chosen Kathy’s colors and threads for their pieces. However, they do not all look the same! It’s really amazing how dye variations and thread travel paths affect the look of a piece.

Brenda, Janice, and Dee have all chosen the original colors and threads.

Dee

Of course, our group just loves to change colors and threads, and we select our annual projects with that in mind. We’ve come up with some other lovely combinations. Unless otherwise noted, the overdye threads are Watercolours.

Jill chose Celadon and Emerald for her greens and African Sunset and Weeks Dye Works Begonia for the pinks.

Tina’s grays are Quicksilver and Dense Fog while her blues are Silver Blue and  Blueberry.

 

Diane is stitching a variation of the original colors, using Williamsburg and Polar Ice for the blues and Williamsburg and DMC 814 Dark Garnet for the reds.

Robin is also using Williamsburg, along with Ticking, for her blues with Almond and Apricot Blush for the green/beige.

Rosie chose yellows – Creamsicle and Papaya – along with grays – Granite and Dark Suede.

Nancy is using Grape and Fuschia along with Hudson Bay and Elderberry Wine.

Ellen chose African Violet and Iris for her purples with Blue Lagoon and Tropical Seas for the blues.

Linda is using African Violet and Amethyst for the purples and Wasabi and Guacamole for the greens.

It is amazing how different the projects look depending on the variation in the individual threads as well as the contrast between threads. Some stitchers manipulated the threads to get a mirror image within the point.

We’re looking forward to the June stitch and checking in with each other. Additional photos will be posted on this blog as others in the SOTM group complete their pieces.

Happy Stitching!

Linda

Although we aren’t meeting in person yet, our SOTM group continues to work on the 2020 project. Dee is now caught up through April. She says she has always liked the Cashmere Stitch so this month’s section was really fun to stitch.

Happy Stitching!

Linda