MORE FROM THE FAB 4

Tisha
Needlepoint Tool Time

CLASS WITH THE "FAB 4"

Earlier this Spring, I was able to attend a class with the Fab 4 - Suzanne Howren, Anthony Minieri, Beth Robertson and Meredith Willett.  The class was sponsored by Needle Nook of La Jolla with David Mcandlas acting as host.  Each student selected a canvas.  Copies of the canvas were sent to the Fab 4 in advance.  They had a meeting and selected 4 - 6 stitches for each canvas.  We had something to start on.  There were 48 in the class.  We were divided into four groups.  Each teacher spent a day with each group.  At the end of the fourth day, we had a stitch for every area.

I am going to post pictures of the various canvases.  Look carefully as there are many exciting ideas.  As there are so many canvases,  I will post for several days.  I am not listing designers as I don't know all of them.

                                                                         

It's fun for me to look at them all again.

Tisha

Needlepoint Tool Time

VIETNAMESE CROSS STITCH

We have a nail salon on every commercial block in the area.  Most are staffed by Vietnamese.  In the salon I frequent, the girls fill their down town with their I-phone, I-Pad or handiwork.  Last year they were knitting scarves.  This year, they are doing cross stitch.  The kits are purchased in Vietnam.  Orders are placed with staff, husbands, or friends traveling to Vietnam.  The cross stitch fabric has a 1 inch grid which is suppose to disappear when completed work is submerged in water.  The design is "painted" onto the fabric.  Leann is the most ambitious of the stitchers'.  She purchased 3 kits approximately this size for $100.  She has been working on her piece since November.  She completes about 1 square inch an hour.  She uses 3 ply of the floss. Leann has to live a very long life to complete her work!  I was envious of how the kits are packaged. Each looks like a suitcase with a clasp.  The kits originate in China.

Leann also told me that in Vietnam if a village has a "cottage industry"  the entire village participates in that industry.  If they embroider tablecloths, everyone in the village participates.  In areas where coconuts are available, they make things out of coconuts.  They are also doing two sided embroidery in Vietnam.  She showed me a You Tube Video of the two sided embroidery.  It was in Vietnamese so I have been unable to locate it.  You can see samples of Vietamese Two Sided Embroidery at www.flyicarusfly.com .

Expressing gratitude for my " smaller"  needlepoint project.
Tisha Shaski
www.needlepointtooltime.com

I'V BEEN HOME 3 DAYS & PURCHASES ARE ARRIVING!

Opened Thread Bag
Holds Trebizond , Kreinik , Ribbon Floss & River Silks

Thread bag
$36.00

Fabric  Wraps to hold rolled canvas
4.50

Waste Knot Scissors
$18.00

Tape to wrap spools & ribbon with uncontrollable tails
$16.50

3 Pocket Tote
$15.00

New Sundance book on how to use Sparkles
Mini Sparkles on order

Carol Lake & Michael Boren's exciting new book
$36.00

TNNA

We're here!  We drove down to San Diego this morning.  We had enough time to visit the two needlepoint stores in La Jolla - Needlenook & Needlepoint of La Jolla.  Both are wonderful and carry very different inventories.

We were in the Convention Center by 5 P.M. For Sample It.  Various vendors offer a preview of  one of their new items for sale.  It is the only time during the Market that we can purchase & take items with us.  It's a frenzy as we only have an hour & a half to see everything.  Many of the exhibitors sell knitting products so, I could walk on by.

Two-thirds of the line for Sample It

The entry door is at the end of the hall.

They started lining up an hour early

The following items are now in stock.  It will take me a few days + to get them on the web.

Big Buddie Magnets

Large soup / drink mug

So would I!

Mag Friends Magnets

Stay tuned.  Have patience.

Tisha

Www.needlepointtooltime.com

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RETREAT - 2ND INSTALLMENT - MAYBE

I have written this three different times over several days.  Each time it disappears or the photos have a mind of their own.  I'm hoping this is the charm.

Let's start with some of Margaret Bendig's Halloween designs.  Over the past several years, Margaret has designed and taught 3 witch's boots & several slippers.  Now she is starting the Halloween Hat series.  After she teaches one of these designs, she waits several months & teaches a finishing class.  All her holiday theme designs include finishing instructions.  The Halloween designs are available for purchase.  If interested, contact Margaret at  MargaretBendig@gmail.com.

1st in a series

Inside of hat.  Finishing instructions included.

Halloween Slippers

Swarovski  crystals for his eyes

Lani  design.  Think it's sideways.

This is for some lucky fireman

This is a copy of Gustav Klimt's THE KISS
It's a 5 year project.  She's an optimist.
Please enlarge so you can see the detailed ribbon work.

I'm not pressing my luck!  I'm posting before it's too late.
 Tisha
Needlepoint Tool Time

SANITY SAVER WEEKEND

This past weekend, I attended Margaret Bendig's Retreat at a Catholic Retreat Center in the wine country of Temechula, CA.  Most of the stitchers are participants in Margaret's weekly classes at Needlepoint, Inc.  Counted work (beyond my mental capacity) seems to be their first love.  The theme was Stitch your Stash.  Everyone arrived with multiple projects. Ages ranged from middle 30''s to "I can't believe you can still see to stitch".  There were 3 mother/daughter couples.  In between stitching and snacking, we had great meals prepared by the Retreat Center's chef.

I thought you would enjoy seeing some of the projects in progress:

Ta Da
Organization's crest

Cross Stitch on Linen

Christmas Tree
Laura J. Perin  Design

Sew on Swarovski crystals for eyes
Buttons & beads for holly

Ta Da
Cross stitch Santa by Mirabilia

Knot the Usual
Sue Reed

American Flag
Margaret Bendig

Margaret did the finishing on this angel  one afternoon.

MORE TOMORROW
TISHA
NEEDLEPOINT  TOOL TIME