26 February 2010

Hi Folks

I did sneak away for a short while and I told myself no business while I am suppose to be relaxing. Well, relaxing wasn't exactly in the cards but it was a change of scenery.

Just so you know, I do work on my projects while I am away. This is my island project. It is a counted needlepoint on 18 mesh. The challenging work is named Fresh Water Pearls, and is Sandra Gilmore's chart designed for DMC. I have talked with Sandra many times at trade shows and asked her about this work. The difficulty (which may be hard to see) is that there are as many as five colors per row per colorway. I have tried many ways of keeping the back neat but have finally given in.

I work with as many as 30 threaded needles at a time. These needles cover working just one quarter of the canvas (you can see that I am working on the bottom right-hand side). I attempt to have several of the same colors in one area to minimize the travel on the back side of the canvas.

When talking with Sandra I asked about how she solved the problem of working so many colors that are dotted along a row and do not have a corresponding placement above. She laughed. She told me that there was no way to keep the back any neater than I had, given the complexity of the design's colors. She also added that she was never going to do another image like this.

I work using the chart that has been enlarged 400%. The original design is done on an 8.5 x 11" piece of paper. Enlarging it in pieces gives me a workable size so the symbols for the colors are easier to read. I also use a Magni-Clips magnifier to see the chart and the stitches. I've tried working without the magnifier but after working for an hour I find that I loose my place on the chart too easily. The other necessity is the portable Ott Light. Don't know what I would do without that!

Sandra designs beautiful stitch-matched needlepoint that make her canvases a bit easier to work.

11 Feb 2010

Hi Folks

I made it in today. Hope you are all well and the digging out process has not been too overwhelming. We had about 35" at the house and Wednesday added another 2-3". We had no power for two days but I do have a generator so the vital systems (heat and well) were powered.

The streets are clear to the curb here in The Plains, and Old Tavern Road (exit 31 from 66) is clear. So if cabin fever is your problem, we're open. The sidewalks are clear and there are no mounds of snow to climb over to get into the shop.

5 February 2010

I'm glad I came into the store today because our UPS driver delivered the two newest colors of Stuff from Prism Arts.

Laura has out done herself. The first is Maui (Cool Stuff) and I'm not even going to try to describe the color. Cool Stuff contains no yarns made from wool, alpaca, mohair, etc. and knits at 4.5 sts/inch.

The other color is Coral Reef (Light Stuff). Light Stuff is thinner that the other "Stuffs". It too contains no hair and knits at 5 sts/inch.

I don't think that your computer screen will ever do her yarns justice. When you have time, stop by and ask to see the new colors.

I don't know if I will be at the shop tomorrow. It depends if I can get out of our road. Call the shop. The message will let you know if I am here. I will try to be here on Sunday for sure.