With Thanksgiving being late this year Christmas really is just around the corner!  The first holiday luncheon is this Thursday and lots of holiday boutiques are scheduled for this weekend.....so it's time for me to get with it and bring out those holiday decorations. 

I have had several requests for the Bargello/Beginning Needlepoint Instruction Book and will finally begin writing the instructions this week and plan to have it completed by early next week.  In addition to making the directions half-size (5-1/2 X 8-1/2) instead of the normal page size, I am trying to decide on the final binding.  I want these instructions to be very portable and compact.....for an easy take-along project.  Anyway....look for it soon on the website. 

This weekend I worked on the sketch for the mini project for the Stitchers Retreat.  It will be only 3" X 6" and I plan to watercolor the canvas except for the bird and flower ground foliage, which will be the main stitched elements.  The bird is an Avocet wearing its breeding colors.  This is one of several shorebirds which are very familiar along the California coast from Monterey Bay to San Francisco. 

My other stitching over this past week has been on next year's In Stitches column in NeedlePointer.  As I have been doing so much research into tile and brick patterns for the Mediterranean Squares, I thought to begin an intermittent series on small tile patterns.  Right now I am focusing on the design elements of the Mediterranean rim....which are very extensive....but later hope to expand to other areas.  I am having a great time with these projects. 

Needless to say I didn't get to my painting of the knitting yarn but that must happen next week as I begin work on the overall design.   Nothing like an ironclad deadline to get one going.   

No matter how busy it gets this month, it good to fit in some personal time.  I've actually started an actual appointment of 2 hours personal time a week.  Have a great week.

Well I've blocked in a few more squares of this new design.  I do have a value sketch and my thread palette but it seems to work best for me to work back and forth, in different areas of the canvas, balancing the thread textures and colors as I proceed.  That's why you see so many unfinished areas......I work just enough to feel fairly confident about the desired effect before I move on to the next area. 

I've never talked about the scale of this design, but as shown it is about 9" square but I intend to add a border which will increase the overall size to 10" square. 

I hate to put this project aside for awhile as it is really fun to work on but I need to work on my next year's columns in the ANG magazine Needle Pointers.  Then there will be another delay while I begin my final proposal design for submittals in January.  I have decided on the range of colors and have set aside a large bin which is fast filling up with threads of every description, including a knitting thread I plan to spritz with several Adirondack Colorwash.  

So, I'll be back soon, hopefully with some fun photos to post of an afternoon's experiments with paint and thread.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

This time around we've decided to have the same format but I will be designing a mini project as optional stitching. It's happening in Los Gatos (San Francisco Bay Area) on February 27th through March 1st, 2009, so be sure to view our Retreat Page for more details.

The first day of the Safari Pilot was Thursday and was a fun day in a beautiful setting. The second and final class is this Thursday so I've been busy doing minor revisions to the instruction book before shipping off the kits to my ghost pilot stitchers. I was very excited to finally receive a thread shipment I had been waiting on since September 17th...from England. We think the first package is still probably languishing in customs somewhere but Stef Francis was great and sent a replacement package and this one arrive in 8 days. This package included the very last thread needed to complete Safari! Whew!

I've still been stitching most evenings this week on Mediterranean Squares and plan to post an update in two or three days.  It's been a real study of how colors advance and recede and how to use texture to create depth.   More to follow.

Now I must return to marking canvases to ship. Wishing all a great rest of the weekend!

You might also be wondering how many threads I am planning to use? Well, so far I have 18 or 20 different threads colors, while using about 10 to 12 different thread types/brands. That means the colors are fairly set but I will probably about around 8 to 10 more shades, etc. before completing the design.

I have a gray-scale sketch of about 3 inches square to use as a reference. It includes notes on stitches and possible thread combinations I think might work. It also has the major stitch/dividing lines and shapes blocked in within each square. But, it's all subject to change.

I think of squares/tiles/library floors while working on this design. Library floors you ask? Well, I visualize looking down on a tile floor, from.... let's call it the mezzanine, and ask myself.....does this stand on its own?

There are many references in books on architecture which reference floors of all sizes, including ballrooms, rotundas, large and small entry ways, etc. And when you add the references for church architecture, etc, the topic of Mediterranean Squares (Tiles) alone could be my recurring theme for quite some time.

More stitching to come.

But, I did miss my daughter's 30th birthday so we had a fun outing this past Tuesday after I arrived back at home.  San Francisco's new California Academy of Sciences just re-opened in late September.  You may have heard about it and it's living room.  it's interesting that you can actually visit the roof for a close up view and also a great view of the surrounding hills.  I have included  photos of the enclosed four story "atrium" which is the home to all types of rainforest animals.  One enters at the "forest floor" and then begins walking around the perimeter and gradually reaches the "forest canopy".  Wonderful.  The second photo is of a beautiful orchid wall. 

 Of course there are many other interesting features including an absolutely huge living reef which is two or three levels high and of course, a penquin colony.

It is well worth the visit if you come to San Francisco. 

It usually takes me a few days to return to stitching when I have been away but I have been busy on my new Squares design and plan to post an update tomorrow.  There are two shows on tv tonight which I watch when in town....and that also means an evening of stitching. 

So, see you tomorrow, or if not, wishing everyone a great weekend....and weather.

Back on April 29th, in an entry titled Planning New Designs, I posted a sketch and an array of threads as Palette #1 for an upcoming design.  The photos that follow are the followup to that.   The design has been revised from the original sketch....with several sketches in between.  Also, while the palette is basically the same colors, the balance of colors has changed and there is some change in thread textures. See Palette #2 above.

I'm planning to finish up stitching the smaller blue/green square tonight and I have posted a photo to show, in general, how I pull a large group of threads out of the, even larger, palette, to select threads for the individual areas.  In this case.....all squares of varying sizes. 

The image I am trying to re-create in this design is really a collage of images from the countries surrounding the Mediterranean.  So many of the patterns we take for granted today are centuries old as seen in brickwork, tiles, on fountains, in museums and libraries, churches, minarets, etc., etc.  I have planned out what squares are in the foreground, middle ground, and background and have researched the stitches, but how it all comes together has not been planned out to a great degree.  Each square will be created based on its surroundings. 

Stay tuned.   It should be back to normal postings after this weekend....my last teaching trip away until early February. 

I am happy to report our first Stitchers Retreat was fun and relaxing...a great success.  Everyone appeared to enjoy the entire experience from the lovely hotel and great food to just chatting with old and new friends to working on new projects or getting help with current ones. (Those bright green bags are the Goody Bags full of cool stuff).  We are set to do it again February 27 - March 2.  I will post more detailed information by December 1st. 

But sorry to say I didn't take many pictures.  Good intentions though.  I've posted one of our stitching room for the day.  We were hoping to have our lunch out in the courtyard, but would you believe it, it rained.  We haven't had rain for months.  But no one was really complaining as we definitely needed it!  But here is a picture looking out into the courtyard.  Maybe next time.  After all, doesn't really get too cold here in February compared to most places. 

I got back to Pear stitching during the retreat and really hope to get a lot of stitching done this month.  But one of the retreat participants suggested I use scrap canvas to stitch up a finishing template.  Good idea.  So hopefully I can get that done this week....just to make sure the three sections of pear will fit together the way I envision.  It definitely be better to work out the bugs beforehand instead of on the stitched canvas. 

Now, for the next week, I will be busy finishing up kits for two upcoming teaching trips over the next 3 weeks.  It's really nice to be working away in my newly redone stitching room.  In the latest issue of Studios by Quilting Arts Magazine, the Expedit (Ikea)shelving I used is shown, but there are also many other great storage and organizational ideas. 

Will be back soon, hopefully with stitching photos updates.

Just yesterday I finally finished finding new homes for everything in the shelving unit and work table wall.  Took a little doing...and of course things needed to be sorted through and reorganized. This wall is for all my needlework and other media books, etc. and mixed media supplies.  The other wall, which is stricting threads and needlework supplies, is yet to be redone.

The shelving unit is the largest Expedit from Ikea.  The table top attaches to it any where along the width, so I can change my mind about its location.  We also got two spots and a table lamp for my computer table.  But, my favorite is my new work chair.  It looks cool and is really comfortable. 

I've been using the work table for about a week and it's a good size for one project at 30" X 40".  Now all we need (for now) is the slightly smaller Expedit shelving unit for the other wall (to replace the existing shelves) and several bins which just fit the cubicles.  Then more organizing of course. 

This Friday through Sunday is our first Creative Stitchers Retreat!  I have been finishing up a few special items for it and am really looking forward to it!  But before that can happen my daughter and her husband are moving Wednesday.  We are not helping them this time on their actual "move day" but we will be driving up to Santa Rosa (about 60 miles away) the next day to help unpack.  They have been living about 5 miles away for a few years now.  It will be really hard to get used to having them further away, but I know they will like the climate much better....Pacifica is very foggy!  Also, several of their good friends live close by. 

I am back to stitching after a few weeks of working of kit preparation.  Three pieces are going to the framers tomorrow!! Then back to the Bargello Pear and planning for a new geometric design. 

I hope to post photos from the retreat early next week.  Have a great week!

I'm sorry the coming hurricane was very worrying for many stitchers at seminar.  I know several people had to leave early and I know many flights and connections were questionable. From emails I have been receiving sounds like quite a few are still without power.  My father lives in northwest Houston and my brother-in-law lives in Galveston and we were relieved today when we finally made contact with both of them.   

My ANG guild meeting was yesterday and we took a group picture of some of the Bargello Arrows finished designs.  Seventeen participated in all but 10 were present AND brought there pieces for this shot.  Several groups are stitching the project currently or plan to stitch it in the near future.  So I thought it would be fun to show a few color  variations. The stitchers are (from left to right-back row): Barbara Allen, Cheryl Merrick, Susan Budge, Sharon LaRosa, me, Patricia Cockroft, and Chris Chrystal (that really is a vase....what a great idea).  Kneeling left to right: Claire Haldan, Gail Martin and Rita Clark.  

I took pictures of each pillow individually and will post those on a special page during this next week.  I will also try to get a few pictures of some of the missing pillows.  Everyone did a wonderful job! Congratulations to all....great color choices.

The stitching retreat is in a little over two weeks so back to work.  But tomorrow I'm looking forward to trip across the Bay Bridge to Ikea for the new shelves and work table for my stitching room.  Very exciting!  As soon as they are assembled and filled up I'll post a photo. 

I hope all of you and your families affected by the hurricanes are safe and that any damage suffered to your homes, etc. was minor.  You are in my thoughts.