Meet Ruby, the frame weight celebrating the 40th Anniversary of ANG, decked out in red. Too cute! I can’t believe that today is the last day. Where did this week go?

Sorry Tony was not sporting one of his new Cole Haan shoes…maybe today!

Suzanne was working her magic on a Sandra Gilmore canvas called The Library. I do have a picture of the canvas in progress…if I could only find it in the hundred’s of pictures that I have taken. Soon! Soon!

Beth was demonstrating the technique of ruching with Silk & Ivory for the rooster’s feet on Pat’s canvas.

We moved the beetle stitch to another area, well at least for now anyway. I did learn that what ever stitch I select that it needs to be the same for both areas of orange…you know for balance. Beth suggested a different stitch for the background and it will be the same stitch all the way down while changing the colors of the thread. I realized yesterday that I think that I need to attend remedial counting school!

The hieroglyphics will be done in basketweave in colors of silk that I have already. No shopping adventures yesterday…not to say that I won’t be back in there sometime today. The background behind them will be a light pattern, something restful but splendid. We just need to work out a few areas yet today and then all I need is time to stitch!

Ann Caswell stopped by our class for a look see! I had met her the night before while at Fireside.

I love the way that the dessert is already on the table when you are seated. Should I start with that first?

For everyone who kept asking was wrapped in the colorful tissue?

That’s what it was! a delightful gift for the Life Patrons at the luncheon. Of course lunch started off with the fire alarm in the building going off. I think that this was the 3rd time since we have been here. Our waiter was quite the character as he reassured us that there was absolutely nothing to fret about. “Trust me I can get you out of here the fastest way possible!”

Donna, Dinny and Sandy working with Meredith. 2 Halloween pieces and an Asian…what a combination at that table!

Thursday night was Expo! and everybody was getting busy setting up for the masses that would be here to shop very soon. This was the thread display at one of many of Orna’s tables.

I was helping Mindy, who’s tables are always one of the most popular! These are some of her newest designs. I just love these clocks…now which one do I want to stitch?

Today is the last day of class. The time at seminar always goes by all too fast and before you know it, the time is here to go home. I am pretty much packed already as I have an early morning flight. I do miss the kids and I know that there will be hell to pay when I open that door tomorrow! I won’t be seeing you for a few days now. I still have so many pictures to share and things to talk about. I will be home for just a bit and then it will be onto Baltimore for the TNNA fall show! But shhhhh don’t let the kids know that I am leaving them again.

and until next time…keep on stitching

Wednesday was Day 3 of the Long & Short of Canvas Embellishment; Chapter 4… as this is the 4th year that Suzanne, Tony, Beth & Meredith have taught this class at seminar. These amazing teachers have such great chemistry, think allot alike and work so well together that it is an absolute joy being in class with them! Isn’t that what needlepoint is supposed to be about? having fun? well in this class that is a given while learning so much. Will I ever remember it all?

Even the teachers were teaching each other! With the ever growing world of needlepoint, stitches, threads and techniques are changing at a whirl wind speed. Tony, Meredith and Suzanne were working out a picot stitch.

It is very easy to snap a picture of Tony as he sits across from me in his pensive thoughts. Tony would spend the morning with our group.

More thread shopping! This time it was for the stylized lotus blossoms. Some great ideas, now I just need to execute them to the best of my ability.

Beth was finishing up with her tables and after lunch the teachers would switch. Beth will be with our group for the afternoon with a different perspective and more brilliant ideas.

Beth was working with Sandy on a beautiful fan by Lee. I was counting my sections out as we were going to redo the “beetle” stitch that they selected. Now how perfect is that?

I am stitching on the cat’s tail in between mastering the stitch in the section to the right of the tail. It is a stacked wheat stitch with Belle Soie Carrot Cake and Kreinik 154V. Tomorrow we are going to figure out what to do with the sections of the heiroglyphics.

Do you remember that beading thread that Meredith was coloring yesterday? Do you see the Noel banner? that is what is being purr~fectly beaded by Vicki as she works on her Brenda Stofft canvas.

All too soon it was lunch time which found Pat & I wandering off to Reading Terminal again and to Dinic’s again for America’s best sandwich! I almost felt like a local standing in line and helping a few people with their choices of peppers or broccoli rabe and how to say it. We walked around for a bit and spotted some home fudge by the Amish vendors that work in the back of the market. Of course we needed to try a few flavors! The Amish markets are sectioned off in the back since they are closed 2-3 days a week while the rest of the market is opened. This gives them their time to worship and to be with family. I love this place so much, that I am sure that I will make one more visit before I leave Saturday morning. Stay tuned in the next few days as I show you the wonderful canvas that Pat has been working on!

We left class a little early today to catch the bus to Fireside Stitchery. I am this close, of course I can’t miss out! With Starbucks in hand and several shopping lists for my classmates, we boarded the bus for the hour plus ride there.

Maria and the rest of the gang from Fireside rolled out the red carpet for us, showing us all around the shop and helping pull threads, cutting canvas and taping the canvases that were being bought. I had lots of thread shopping lists and they were so accommodating to ring up everything separately. Thank you so much Fireside!

The best thing was getting to meet Palma! She is an inspiration and ever so charming. Palma was busy pulling threads for more of the Melissa Shirley Crackers, showing her new needle felting techniques and so much more. She said she is coming to see us at the seminar hotel tomorrow. I hope she stops by our class.

and until next time…keep on stitching

Coloring beading thread, new and improved beading style, beading on a loom, needle felting, needle weaving…OMG and this was just our first full day! We have 3 more days of stitching to go yet. Will I learn it all by then? Will they run out of things to teach us?

Meredith is showing us that by using a Sharpie, that we can create any color of beading thread that we need! Now why didn’t I ever think of that?

Tony was working with Donna who is stitching on a large Chinese Emperor by Lani (that is on the stand) and Sandy who is bringing a Halloween witch to life! Donna has been stitching Or Nue’ on the Emperor’s Coat and Sandy is doing repousse’ (and more about repousse’ in a blog to be!) for the logs under the cauldron. Speaking of Or Nue’…

Look at the saddle being stitched by Pam. This is a Rebecca canvas and I have been fondly calling Pam the Or Nue’ queen! Just an amazing job and she has so much done of it already. This is about a 6-7 needle experience as every color needs it’s own needle. Or Nue’ has become very popular in the last few years.

Bastet is coming along as we worked on the cat and the bottom border today. I feel like I am in church with lots of stained glass windows lining the bottom of the canvas. Meredith created this stitch combination and Tony needs to come by and help me finish the blue.

This is the column with the addition of the Kreinik. Love! love, love this…did I say love?

Meredith was being a brat as she turned the camera on me! I wondered where that flash was coming from?!

Meredith was working with a Carolanne on a beautiful pink paisley canvas as they stitched a 4 trip herringbone for the border. Stunning!

I love this canvas! well it has 2 cats…of course I would love it! They cats are toasting each other under the Eiffel Tower. The glasses were stitched in Water ‘N Ice for a special effect.

Stitching is hard work and it builds up quite an appetite! This was the 3rd time that I went to Reading Terminal to try and get lunch from Dinic’s, which comes highly recomended. A sandwhich voted the best in America. Italian pulled pork with sharp provolone, peppers or broccoli rabe. It did not disappoint! Broccoli rabe is a vegetable popular in Italian cuisine which is more like greens than broccoli. Oh just Google it!

Have you met Phoebe yet? She is one of the opportunity baskets to be won with a chance ticket. Who will be the lucky winner of this darling doll? She even has a stitched name tag! There are several baskets waiting to be won on Friday night. Each basket is better than the last…decisions, decisions…where to put those tickets?

The silent suction was well under way by the time I got out of class. The live auction would be later in the evening…but I missed all the action as I enjoyed a wonderful evening out with a dear friend as we got caught up on our stitching talk and just life.

Tomorrow will be the 3rd day of class, starting out with Tony in the morning and then rotating to Beth in the afternoon for a different perspective, more ideas and new techniques. So for everybody who is wondering, where are pictures of Beth? and Suzanne? those are coming as these ladies worked the other side of the room the last few days. My day will finish up with a road trip to Fireside. Can’t wait!

I hear Tony has another pair of those shoes for class today, so stayed tuned!

and for now… keep on stitching

For everybody who thought I was never, ever going to start stitching…well class started yesterday! I didn’t get much done, sort of just getting my feet wet. This is the beginning of my first stitch which now that the Kreinik has been added and it looks pretty awesome! well after this picture of course…

In case you forgot, or maybe just started following my stitching life, this is what I am working on. This is Bastet, an ancient Egyptian goddess and the canvas is by Tapestry Fair. I started working on the columns first. It is pur~fect to have at least 1 stitch that you have down to a T that you can go back to in between. You know in between those stitches that give you angst.

The day started out with introductions. Beth, Meredith and Suzanne are standing up front. Gosh where is Tony?

Here he is! If you have ever taken a Tony class before, well a canvas enhancement one anyway, he talks about the canvases and the ideas that they had. He didn’t pick them all out, since there are only 52 in the class…but mine was one, so I felt special! Pictured here, he is holding a cat canvas by Maggie. He flies around the room so quickly, that it is tough to capture just the right picture.

Notice how they are all wearing pink? I guess they got the memo! They were matched to Tony’s new Cole Haan’s black shoes with pink trim…I want a pair of those. I hear there are more colors to come this week.

Class was off on a road trip to the shop! How fun was this?!

Colonial Needle, the home of the Lee leather goods was here helping stitchers select bags and canvases from their lines.

Painters Threads by Tentakulum was showing us their wonderful threads. They are all named after famous painters such as Van Gogh, Matisse, et al. The color palette that is associated with the painter is the color that that thread is. There are YLI ribbons, silks, cottons, pearls and so much more dyed in their line.

A little gift from my seat mate Donna! Thank you and this will bring a chuckle to Tony when he sees it.

My first day of class was wonderful! Meredith was our teach for yesterday afternoon and then this morning. After lunch they will move about the room to different tables, so we will get more stitch ideas from another teacher. Meredith and I figured out most of the cat, the columns and have started working on the bottom designs after a few trips to the shop for more threads! Today she is teaching a few of us to bead on a loom which we will consider for her collar.

It amazes me yet again that with 52 students in this class, that there are no duplicate canvases! Maggie is the most popular this year, along with Brenda Stofft, Ewe & Eye, Shorebirds, Danji, Lani, Leigh, Sophia, Melissa Shirley, Peter Ashe and so many more being represented!

It seemed that the class was over way too soon. But today will be another day of more brilliant ideas from the Fab Four.

A few of us headed over to Reading Terminal to order up from Dinic’s, the home of the best pulled pork sandwich in America. But they close early on Monday’s and how could they! We all headed our own way around the terminal looking for something delish. Pat & I opted for the fresh turkey place and we ordered up open face sandwhich’s and trust me they did not disappoint! Left with ice cream and my choice was Guadalajara Tracks, coffee ice cream with chocolate swirls and espresso chocolate beans. Wow, I may have to go back for that again.

and until next time…keep on stitching

to all of our stitching friends in the path of the hurricane…please be safe and I pray for the best.

Shouldn’t you be stitching? Harrumph! Barbara Elmore asks me on Facebook… well I will be soon enough! Today! Today!

I started out Sunday morning checking out what new and wonderful things showed up in the shop since I was there last and shot some better pictures. It is really like being in thread heaven in the shop. This will come in handy when we take our little road trips to the shop during class when Tony tells you ooh you need this thread or no try this one!

Aviva was the local featured artist Sunday & Monday. I absolutely loved these canvases! Very Eclectic.

I checked out the bookstore and of course I had to buy just 1 book. It is on Japanese beading and it is written all in Japanese. No I can’t read it, but there are wonderfully illustrated directions that I should be able to follow. Well at least I hope so!

As I walked the halls, classes were just about starting and this is Sharon G’s room. Her students get to design their canvas, paint it and then stitch it! She was gracious enough to invite me in for a look see.

This is what the halls look like! All quiet now as classes have started.

Today is another day of playing tourist! I was on a mission and that was to walk down to Independence Hall and to see the Liberty Bell. Hard Rock Cafe is right across the street from the hotel, so this was my first “touristy” picture of the morning.

It was only about 7-8 blocks from the hotel and a pleasant early morning walk. I didn’t expect to see the bell enclosed, but I guess the elements would age it more and not so gracefully. The Liberty Bell was quite popular this morning.

Just beautiful buildings and I am so totally mesmerized by the masonry work that I see. I keep thinking needlepoint stitches! I could have stayed here for hours taking absolutely everything in, but…

All too soon it was time to head back to the hotel as it was baseball time! A quick cab ride to Citizens Bank Ballpark with Nancy. It is always nicer to have company.

The bell was even at the ballpark!

When the home team hits a home run, the bell rings and moves back and forth. Too cool! It was a great game and loved visiting another ball park as I continue to check them all off on my bucket list.

Game over and it is time to head back to the hotel to shower and get ready for the opening banquet. This is the official start of seminar as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of ANG.

Dessert was set at the table as we sat down. Does that mean that we should start with that first? The table favors were over the top with a program, pen, scissors in the case and a chocolate bar.

It only made sense to have a Hershey Bar being in Pennsylvania…but read the ingredients! Too clever.

The ribbons have mostly been awarded and the ribbon gods did not smile favorably on me this year. As Dinny, a judge and a mentor tells me “you enter to show everybody what you can create with your needle and thread…you don’t enter to win a ribbon” and “you enter to share your work” It will just make me work hard and stitch with less cat hair for next year!

Time for class! and until next time…keep on stitching

My day started of course with my morning seminar ritual of my iced tea in Starbucks and blogging. It is free WiFi here, but in the rooms it is not! I am thinking that with the amount of time that I am not in my room, why? I can use that hard earned money on threads, canvases and stuff.

The boutique in the hotel opens at 8am and I was there shortly there after to check it all out. It is hosted by Rittenhouse Needlepoint. Barbara Russell was at work bright and early showcasing her canvases. You know when it comes to dogs, no one does it better. There are a few cats in her line too, but she really is a dog lady! Barbara lives here in Philadelphia and I think that it is a wonderful idea that Rittenhouse is showcasing the local canvas designers.

It is like being in thread heaven walking into the shop. Just about every thread that you could think of and it’s here. I apologize that the picture is not that good, but I know that I will be shopping in there a little bit every day, so there will be plenty of opportunity for more Kodak moments.

Soon it was time for my tour through the Pennsylvania Dutch Country and into Amish Land. A beautiful 90 minute ride with a wonderful tour director that brought us to the heart of this way of life. Just before we arrived at this home, another tour director joined our group as she lives in that area and knew the best places to take us.

Magnificeient gardens and the quilts…OMG! The bed was piled high with quilts as we got a personal showing of all of them. 1500 hours per quilt and 12 stitches to the inch is the norm for one of these quilts. The white on white garnered the most oohs and aahs.

Just a few quilts lined up. I couldn’t help but notice the beautifully crafted quilt racks… My sister is a quilt artist too and her work is just as beautiful if not more so, but I think it is the hand work that fascinates me so.

Our second stop was even more quilts just as beautiful as the last!

Lunch was in the Amish country and the menu consisted of fried chicken, chicken pot pie, mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered noodles, sausage, chocolate cake with home made ice cream and shoo-fly pie, all served family style. Wonderful! and so delicious…could I take some back to the hotel with me?

The tour was over too fast and way too soon we were back at the hotel. It was way too early just to go to my room, so not to waste any time I walked across the street to Reading Terminal…

A combination of farmers market and places to eat! WOW this is amazing and ooh so busy. Kinds of reminds me of North Market in Columbus, but this is much bigger and busier. I scouted out the places with the longest lines (signs of the best stuff!) where we could have lunch during the week.

This place won hands down! and Missy told me that this was a not to miss place to eat.

Finished up my day at Rittenhouse Needlepoint located on Chestnut Street. A darling shop that was full of needlepointers. Of course I added one to my stash, an ornament of the “Love” artwork from here in Philly.

Today is the baseball game! Phillies vs Nationals and should be a great one. I will start out my morning walking around downtown looking for the Liberty Bell and whew…class has not even started yet!

until next time…keep on stitching

Well I’m here! It was a long but thankfully uneventful day. Didn’t oversleep which is always my biggest worry, car started and got to the airport in plenty of time. Lines to check bags, through security and especially at Starbucks were non existent! Maybe this is a sign of a wonderful week to come.

Flights were on time, nothing cancelled, delayed or late. As I waited in Chicago for my 2nd flight I ran into a Philly bound ANG seminar person that I know as we have been seeing each other here for years. We shared the rest of our travel day together just chatting up a storm about life and stitching.

Arrived at the hotel too late to pick up seminar registration, so just checked into the hotel, my room and then headed back downstairs to scope out the restaurants and look for the Starbucks.

Had my 1rst Philly Steak Sandwich, a glass or two of a local brew and took it all in! Need to make sure that I practice ordering this correctly. I hear that at some of these famous Philly Steak Sandwich joints they can make fun of you if the mood strikes them if you don’t say it right. Of course that is not happening at the hotel where I ordered it with whiz. Absolutely delicious!

This morning it will be check in for seminar and then off on an all day tour through the Pennsylvania Dutch and the Amish Country. Lunch will be family style at a well known spot where all the local foods such as shoo-fly-pie will be served. Hope to scope out the local sights within walking distance when I get back! No time to waste as there is way too much to do and see.

and until next time…keep on stitching

Sylvester, what are we going to do? You love this bag, but this is my best travel bag…books, snacks, magazines, camera, laptop and iPad all fit in here purr~fectly! I would love to take you too old man, but you will be much happier here at home…besides who’s going to keep AlleyCat company? Who is going to keep her in line?

I am on my way to Philadelphia for the 40th anniversary celebration of ANG. An 0dark30 flight to the East Coast. Stitching, shopping, sighseeing, being with great friends, stitching, baseball, Philly Cheese Steaks, more shopping and even more stitching…what could be better than that?

I better get packing and see you when I am in Philadelphia!

and until next time…keep on stitching

I have always wanted to say that…haven’t you? This is the making of the magazine cover shot for the upcoming and can’t wait to see in my mailbox September/October issue of Needlepoint Now. It is at the printers now and it will need a final look see before it will mail in a few weeks.

Trust me I did not call out lights, camera, action! but rather stood back and watched in awe as Elizabeth and Sherrie put together the best cover shot ever! Well isn’t that what you say every time? Spider webs and cobwebs were ordered and their arrival was anxiously anticipated. The fence section came into work one day with Sherrie and the green fabric was an existing prop that was in house already. It all came together purr~fectly for this photo shoot along with the wonderfully stitched needlepoint.

The needlepoint that is featured on the cover is by Associated Talents. A Halloween themed circle in all those wonderful greens, oranges and purples that have been cleverly made into spiders with their finishing. They were being hung from the spider webs for a great effect and just wait till you see the cover…it is awesome! Not a spider was harmed in the filming of this photo shoot.

Lights were being checked and rechecked and the spiders were positioned for their photo shoot. How were the lights? how did they look? how was this? move this one over? tweak the light a bit, snap the picture, check the results and try again till it is just right!

After a hard days work in the studios, we all enjoyed a little fresh air including the 4 legged employees!

Shawnee and Reggie, the 2 elder statesmen were busy supervising the rumble and tumble of 2 poodle puppies. Yes there are 2 puppies in that pile, Mabel and Olllie! They are all quite entertaining to say the least.

The cats are not sharing their time with those dogs, but will be back tomorrow with their antics. and until next time…keep on stitching

Anchors Away! do you think that they said that way back then? I have no idea…but it just came to me. First I thought stitching away and then the latter came to mind.

Stitching away is what I did this weekend as I worked on the backdrop for the Thanksgiving set by NeedleDeeva. It is really close to being completed as I have been attempting all those small areas of compensating stitches. Why does it seem that those stitches take longer than regular stitching? I need to finish the sky around the sails yet, but if my idea for the sails work, I can literally stitch the sky stitch straight through as the sails will go over those stitches, creating them with silk ribbon. It sorta kinds works in my mind, but I am not sure yet as it will be a new adventure that I am embarking on.

Speaking of the sky stitch, I need to tell you a story about that sky! The last time I was in Susan Portra’s class, I was working on the beading of the apples in the corners to keep me busy while I waited for my turn. Of course everybody wants to know what is this piece, who’s the designer, blah, blah, blah. “She walked by and said what are you doing for the sky? I am not sure right now Susan…well let me give you a stitch for that. A sky should always be stitching horizontally unless it depicts a rainy or snowy sky!” You know you never know what you are going to learn in a needlepoint class.

So I look at this stitch and look at it and think to myself well this is kinda of plain, I wanted something with more pattern, more interest. I would give it a try, but NEVER EVER thought in a million years that it would work. I had the thread and that was challenging enough to find just the right overdye to begin with! So when I was visiting with Elizabeth last at the Needlepoint Now studios and stitching with the group, I stitch auditioned about 6 different sky stitches and offered them up for a vote. All of them were quickly voted down…don’t like it, doesn’t work, too busy. Well you get the idea. I tried the Susan Portra stitch as I figured, well why not? well that was it! That was just what the canvas called out for. Now why I ever doubted what Susan told me, I will never know! Not to say that I won’t ever do that again…

The stitch looks whole lot different when you look at from afar, than close up as you see it in this picture. The sky really recedes making the ship and Plymouth Rock really come forward. It is an awesome effect! Brenda Hart loved it so much that she gave it to 2 of her students in her class for their sky’s. Thank you Susan and thank you for finding just the right stitch for me and this canvas.

This is my newest NeedleDeeva project that is waiting for me to get busy! A few Christmas Cupcakes and they will be calorie free…what can be better than that? I have threads for this one and just need to get it on the bars and get busy. I am not sure if I am in the creative mind type of stitching as my mind is on seminar. I really should go thread shopping and asemble my thread pallette for the set of canvases. Maybe today? well why not?

AlleyCat couldn’t make up her mind what box she wanted to settle down in for her nap…so she came up with this pose instead. Silly girl. and until next time…keep on stitching