I have more Memphis stitchers to show off... Let's continue.
Michelle Harkavy delicately balances work and family, and still finds time to needlepoint and knit. Amazing. One of the projects Michelle is working on is the Perfume Vendor by Labors of Love; stitch guide by Amy Bunger. I get to interpret those written words and watch Michelle's beautiful stitching come to life. #luckyme
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| Perfume Vendor • Labors of Love Stitching by Michelle Harkavy |
Linda Boyle is a stitching phenom. She just finished Melissa Shirley's Lilluokalani (from the Wild Women series, 1189-C). I gave her the Buttonhole suggestion for the Purple Flowers and the Hair suggestion. It was an honor.
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| Linda Boyle embraces her inner Hula lady. |
Currently, Linda is working on dede Ogden's Large Fish. We are working on the "backside" of the fish right now with some scallop stitches. For the front side of the Fish, I will have fun suggesting stitches as well as cyphering notes from dede's Project Book, "That's Not Needlepoint" Book 1. Oh, the things we are going to learn.
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| Large Fish by dede Ogden Stitching by Linda Boyle |
Jamie Celmer is another new stitcher to the Saturday canvas enhancement group. She is having a fun time learning new stitches and threads. Jamie has finished her first piece under my direction. Congratulations.
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| Jamie enjoyed learning new stitches. |
Want to know what's next from Jamie? This Charley Harper canvas, Cardinals Consorting (HC-C172), from Treglown Designs. Oh, the fun we are going to have!
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| Cardinals Consorting by Charley Harper Treglown Designs - HC-C172 Soon to be stitched by Jamie Celmer. Stitch Guide by Robin King. |
Last, but not least, is Karen Jetton. Karen has been attending the Saturday classes and we enjoy her company. Last year, she traveled to Colorado to visit her daughter, and while there took a Tony Minieri canvas embellishment class. Lucky us, we watched her stitching progress and saw An Angel Playing a Flageolet in its finished state.
I've asked Karen to give us synopsis about her Angel canvas journey. Here are her words...
I had been searching for the “perfect” canvas. It had to represent who I am and what I love. In the art world I would call myself a “Renaissance Woman." I love the rich copper, gold, blues and salmon color ways. I have great passion for Angels. Usually, the ones with soft wings and flowing hair catch my eye. Statues of angels (usually found in cemeteries) mean the most to me. In my quest I really wanted to find the perfect Angel that spoke to me in a warm and loving way.
With the search engines and scope of ways to search online I ran across the website artneedlepoint.com. I highly recommend this site for unusual and fascinating pieces. It has so many canvas copies from original art work. After searching the website for angels I found “An Angel Playing A Flageolet” by Edward Burne-Jones. One thing you might want to note regarding this particular site is the fact that the canvases are screen painted. But the prices are reasonable and I had no trouble working on the screen painted canvas.
Finally, it came time to go out to Colorado for Tony’s class. Thank goodness I had taken a counted-work class with him before. I knew before going that I had so much to look forward to in the class. I knew Tony would bowl me over with the stitch design, the colors and fiber selections. He is a Master Teacher. There is no doubt about it. I was amazed by his selection. My only fear was whether I could do the canvas justice. In the two day class I asked Tony a million questions and felt pretty comfortable by the end of the two days. (*Note to self – Don’t EVER think you are comfortable with any project.) Beside I knew I had two experts at home in Amy Bunger and Robin King to help me out if I got into trouble.
After the two day class I had a great three week visit with my daughter and son-in-law and believe it or not I was able to get a lot of the Angel finished. By the time I left Colorado I had the brown frame around the window and most of the sleeves, halo and dress done. I thought I could get the hair and wings done in no time. Wrong!!! Wrong!!!! Wrong!!!!
I struggled and struggled with the weight of the wings and the design of the wings and where the wings and dress stopped and started. I had the colors Tony selected and then I came home bought, revised and remixed colors and texture. Robin helped me. Amy helped me. It went back and forth for a time until it finally clicked. I saw the wings. I stitched and re-stitched until I had it to my liking. Then it came to the beautiful ribbon Tony selected for the dress. I remembered he said to just let it flow from the waist. I don’t know if his interpretation of flow and mine or the same, but again with Robin’s help it flows.
It took a dream and village to complete this piece. One thing I remember Robin told me when I was in the middle of stitching stockings and dreaming of the perfect canvas was that I needed to do a piece for “me.” She noted I had done so many pieces for others but I hadn’t taken the time for a piece just for me. Well, now, Robin I have done the perfect piece for me. It is off at the framer and will be ready soon. The next problem will be….where should I hang it in MY home.
“An Angel Playing A Flageolet” is a dream fulfilled. I know there will be other pieces in my future. Those pieces will be fun to do and they will find a special home. And I might eat my words with this final remark. But I truly believe I finished my dream canvas. Dreams are grand. And the best dreams are the ones that are fulfilled.
Do you have a dream canvas? Have you found it? If not, don’t worry you will!! -- Karen Jetton
So, now presenting... An Angel Playing A Flageolet, stitched by Karen Jetton. Brilliant.
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| Beautiful stitching by Karen Jetton Stitch Guide by Tony Minieri |
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| An Angel Playing a Flageolet Stitched by Karen Jetton Beautiful framing, too. |
Next time, I'll share some stitching from former Memphian / now Georgia resident, Susan Brimmer.
Until the next time... Hugs, Robin
Lots of talented women, indeed. Thanks for stopping by the blog.
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