July 9, 2019 Tuesday

The First Day of My Remodeled Website

Permanent Resolutions for Stitchers

1.  Take all the pent-up anxiety about perfection and redirect that energy toward creativity. Open up your minds and think of creative  possibilities you can bring to your needlework, ways that will personalize it and make it distinctly yours.  Here are two ways to start:

Oops you made a mistake and you face a lot of ripping.

Ask yourself, is it really a mistake or a variation?

You do have to rip if you crossed most of your crosses in one direction and suddenly you started crossing them in the other direction, yep no way around that. Why? The real reason for good technique is that it allows all your attention to focus on your design (where it should be).

You don't have to rip if you made a leaf one row bigger than the design called for. This is obsessive behavior that needs redirecting.

You do need to rip if you make something so large it is out of scale with the rest of the design; you do not have to rip if it is barely noticeable.

You do not have to rip if you mixed up colors and the design is not exactly as the designer's model. For heaven's sake, if it looks OK, stop obsessing.

You do have to rip if a color or texture is not in harmony with the rest of the design.

You do not have to throw away a design if you run out of a dye lot.

If it looks like you are headed toward thread shortage, don't use the thread to the last strand, save at least 1/4 of it. Buy some more and decide where and how to introduce the new dyelot. I actually prefer to work with multiple dyelots. If you pay attention to lights and darks etc., they can bring an added depth to your design.

2. In memory of Audrey Francini, my generation's greatest needlewoman, slow down. Needlework is not a speed contest. Audrey was the slowest stitcher I have known. She was also the best. I have a couple of great stories about Audrey and her speed, I'll tell them in the next couple of mornings.

3. Forget about the Needlepoint Police. They don't exist except in their minds. You may meet people who think they know it all. Good for them, I applaude their confidence, but I don't buy into it.

I have probably told this story a dozen times but it is worth telling again and again. Years ago a friend wrote to me and asked, will this Kreinik braid look good with this silk?

I replied, beats me, try it and see.

Friend: whadaya mean you don't know, you're the teacher.

My reply: if the Immortal Artists Of The Western World don't know without trying, how would I, one mere mortal needlework teacher? (There's a bit more to thsi story too, I'll tell the rest another time).

All this goes to say once again, there is no real right and wrong, there are problems of course. The best way to find solutions is to think creatively.

Those are my New Year's Stitching Resolutions for 2021, still good for 2022, 2023 and for 2024.

Reminders for me as well as for all of you.

June 13, 2025 Friday

This morning my most special treat: photos of my favorite ever scissors, French early 1900's Art Nouveau.

Ever since I first saw them, I thought most  spectacular scissors design ever. That was more years ago than I wish to remember, but over the years I have never changed my mind,  

I have a fun day today after a couple of hours of picking up drudgery this morning: I have a fun conversation today and then some stitching time. Yes, I know I have promised packages and this weekend I will work on them. But meanwhile some more time with my needle.

Hope some of you will join me.

June 12, 2025 Thursday

All month long I have been posting first thimbles and then three scissors, all three American Art Nouveau from, I'm guessing, the 1890s. I saved for last one more Art Nouveau scissors design, in this case my favorite ever scissors design and I am eager to see if you agree with me. More about the scissors tomorroow morning. I do hope you will stop by  to see them.

Meanwhile I should be cleaning up but I've been stitching instead, Happily I have finished writing Armada and making the kit for Carol, my amazing proofer. She reported that the kit has arrived safely and she will soon start.

So have I been disciplined about cleaning up around here? No, of course not. I hadn't picked up my needle since February, it was calling to me and fatally, I picked it up. I started a small design I have had in mind for some time and here I am, whiling away the hours and enjoying it enormously!

Anybody stitching along with me?

June 10, 2025 Tuesday

Many of my favorite thimbles and scissors came from Carolyn Meacham who sells beautiful tools on eBay and on her own webstie. This morning I have posted links to both. Take a little time to scroll through her wonderful offerings, both on eBay and on her website.

I have two more surprises, scissors and a thimble. Watch  for the scissors tomorrow morning, IMHO quite simply the most wonderful scissors design ever. Followed a couple of mornings afterwards by likely the best quality thimble I have.

Couple of mornings to look forward to.

June 9, 2025 Monday

I played hooky from work: for the first time since February I picked up my needle, watched a favorite old video and stitched the hours away.

I willl return to work today, as I know I owe a couple of promised packages to people (thank you for your patience).

So is our house finished now? Are houses ever finished? That sentiment aside, no, but the workmen do not return till June 23. A respite, yay!

June 7, 2025 Saturday

I am celebrating: I finished Armada: a month and a day short of a year. By the time I make corrections to the master and put together kits it will be a whole year's work. Did I enjoy it? Of course! It was a huge challenge and I had to work super hard on it. Finished! Time to pick up my needle again.

Meanwhile my little feature on beautiful thimbles and scissors continues. This morning a first time showing of a Sampler Pair for my American Silver Thimbles Sampler, "American Collector Sampler' includes the addition of scissors with flowers.

June 5, 2025 Thursday

My third and final American Scissors with ladies. I bought the three from my friend Carolyn Meacham some years back. She asked if I liked Art Nouveau and offered me one. I begged for three, I told her they didn't want to be separated.

Final American scissors but not the end... three surprises left after today, so I hope you will stay around.

Blades on all three are marked Germany but they are American Scissors. American silversmiths imported the handles from Germany: dead giveaway that they are American: the handles are marked 'Sterling.'

June 3, 2025 Tuesday

Another example of American Art Nouveau scissors, this morning comparing the two ladies is a mini course in making a pretty face, for one scissors lady is prettier than the other. Compare the two for a small lesson.

So how was I lucky enough to come by these scissors? Queendom Website's friend Carolyn found them at Brimfield one year and sold them to me. Lucky me!

I have today to myself except for a short appointment; tomorrow I am tied up in chaos for the painter arrives. Chaos for a while and then maybe our house will be back in order.

June 1, 2025 Sunday

To say hello to June: scissors.

IMHO, a jump from thimbles to scissors is an easy leap and here are extraordinary American scissors with Art Nouveau ladies flowing alongside the handles. You have to look carefully to see them.

The blades are marked 'Germany' and the handles 'Sterling' but these are American. We imported the blades from Germany for our American silversmiths.

It is true I love thimbles, but as you will see in the next fww days, I love scissors too. I guess the bottom line is, I love all sewing tools.

These scissors came from Carolyn a few years back. Thank you, thank you Carolyn for making

May 30, 2025  Friday     

My interest in thimbles is revived in full and as time permits I've been organizing my own thimbles. When we had the threat of fires near us I had packed them away in case we had to evacuate and I had never properly unpacked them again when life moved on.

So I found them all packed away and thought, in June, when I  finish my Queen, I will organized them again so I can enjoy them. Too much to do, too few hours, but this too shall pass.

To revisit Henry, click on Dressing Henry below.

A favorite thimble that started me refocusing on thimbles. Evidently they are not the hottest item these days in the collectable market whic means

After I finished my American Collector Sampler, I made this 6" square box top to hold -- what else -- my thimbles, scissors and of course needles.