Welcome 2012! Welcome two more purses to Susan’s needlepoint purse wardrobe!

Two new purses from the Elizabeth Turner Collection: one in my tried-and-true satchel style and one in the new opera bag style. You can see the finished version here It’s soft-sided with a shoulder strap..a petite thing for an evening on the town. I think I will change the dark red to black and possibly some of the metallic silver to metallic gold so the purse goes with more outfits. You can change the colors, you know! Don’t be limited to what’s painted on the canvas…be imaginative and creative!

As for the fun summer colors on the satchel bag, what color shall I do the background? On Point readers and Facebook followers, please vote! Things to keep in mind: this will be my everyday bag in the summer so I don’t want it to get dirty (so probably not white). I don’t mind stitching it black because black over white canvas will not be the nightmare that black on black is. I tried a bit of yellow and I think it looks snappy. I am using Silk & Ivory for the bright colors and Appleton for the background. Please also give ideas for a background stitch. I AM OPEN TO YOUR IDEAS!

Happy stitching!
Susan

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration. I have so much to be thankful for this year, most especially my Point of It All customers–thank you!

The Napoleonic bee napkin rings arrived just in time…don’t they look great?!

Special thanks to loyal On Point reader and POIA stitcher Bryson D. who gave me this tip for getting napkins wrinkle-free without ironing: After you wash them pull them gently but firmly from side to side & top to bottom so that they are smooth, with no wrinkles.  Then place on a clean counter top to dry.  If they are not drying quick enough feel free once they are fairly dry to turn over. (I love this no iron technique and it worked like a charm!)

Happy stitching,
Susan

 Check out my finished Blue Bird of Happiness! Actually it’s a Blue Jay but let’s not get technical. Labors of Love (check out their website) makes these wonderful three dimensional birds. Each bird comes with two canvases (front and back) and feathers and a clip. It didn’t take long to stitch. I used all basket weave and mostly metallics.

We will be doing a Labors of Love trunk show in May 2012.

Happy stitching,
Susan

I command you to Bee Happy! And I can do that, you know…I have a MAGIC WAND! Isn’t it adorable? The design is by Kathy Schenkel and she has other magic wand canvases.

I mostly used basketweave but I did do the Hesitation stitch for the yellow (stitched in Neon Rays) and the Nobuko stitch for the orange (also stitched in Neon Rays). See diagrams below.

Happy stitching…grant lots of wishes today!
Susan

How cute are these mini Wizard of Oz characters?! Objectively adorable! New from Kathy Schenkel. Make them into little tiny stand-ups or turn them into ornaments for your Oz Christmas tree…wait, you don’t have a Wizard of Oz tree…shameful!

Lots of opportunities to use different fibers…Fuzzy Stuff for the Cowardly Lion; Balger for the Ruby Slippers; Neon Rays Ribbon for Dorothy’s pinafore; Petite Peluche for Toto…oh so much fun to stitch!

I know I’m not supposed to take home every canvas that arrives at the shop but sometimes it’s soooo hard to resist. (Note to husband: Chris, honey, I’m really trying to restrain myself…but do NOT look in my lunch box tonight!)

Happy stitching,
Susan

Front view of the hip belt from Colors of Praise…I received sooo many compliments today!

From the back

From the side

From the other side

I think this belt would also look great with a pair of dark blue jeans and a little t-shirt and adorable flats!

Happy stitching,
Susan

Super adorable customer Audrey Haydon stitched a Whimsy and Grace initial for each of her bridesmaids. Once she finished the stitching, we inserted each initial into a Lee’s Needle Arts leather luggage tag. What a wonderful and very personalized gift. PS I saw pictures from Audrey’s wedding and she looked STUNNING. We wish you a lifetime of happiness, my dear. And a lifetime of stitching too…doesn’t your new husband need a belt now??

Happy stitching,
Susan

Look at this unbelievable work of art! A wonderful customer, Dr. Milt Nichaman, stitched a Chuppah panel for his granddaughter’s wedding. A chuppah is a canopy under which a Jewish couple stand during their wedding ceremony.  I’ve read that a Chuppah symbolizes the home that the couple will build together. Dr. Nichaman and his lovely wife Rhoda actually have seven granddaughters so this needlepoint will be used again and again.

Dr. Nichaman stitched the panel on 18 mesh (yes, 18 mesh!) in less than a year. He designed the canvas with an Israeli artist and then Dr. Nichaman transferred her design onto the canvas by laying it out on the dining room table and carefully tracing. He used a combination of Appleton wool and perle cotton #5 (for the background). The lettering across the top reads “I will be betrothed to thee forever.”

It was a pleasure to work with Dr. Nichaman and see his vision take shape into a completed Chuppah. I look forward to seeing photos of the future brides with this magnificent heirloom.

Happy stitching,
Susan

PS I have a larger picture in the shop if you would like to see the incredible detail in this piece.

Hello stitchers! We have a wonderful trunk show from Whimsy & Grace…specifically her Napoleonic Bee Collection. All canvases are 20% off. If you see and need (yes NEED) any Napoleonic Bee canvases on her website, I would be happy to order them for you.

The trunk show will be at POIA until Saturday, August 20th.

Happy stitching!
Susan

FYI I am stitching the bee napkin rings (not yet pictured on the W & G website) in the coral and butter colorway, using Claret Trio (stranded) and vintage gold balger #12 from Kreinik. I’m doing 12 napkin rings and yes, I *am* crazy. I can’t seat 12 people at my current dining room table but I bet I’ll have a bigger dining room at some point and I need to be prepared!

Hip Belts: Do I mean a belt you wear on your hips or do I mean a super cool belt??? I mean both! I love, love, love these fashion-forward belts from Colors of Praise! Marie’s juxtaposition of pattern and color is awesome. I’ve just started stitching #751 and am really enjoying it. It’s fun to change threads all the time. I’m using Silk & Ivory, which is usually a no-no for belts but it’s rather tight on 14 mesh and frankly I’ve got tons of the colors in my stash.

Won’t I look adorable in my hip belt? I’m picturing white jeans and a white tee…cute needlepoint shoes, too!

Happy stitching,
Susan