Insomnia by Maggie Co and Jeanju Clifton

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

Hope you are doing fine. I've been busy stitching the newest (#10) Creepy Character from NeedleDeeva for its debut at Ruth Schmuff's shop, Bedecked & Beadazzled, during my trip to Baltimore for TNNA Fall Market. His name is The Skeleton (ND 0467-J) and will be available from Ruth. You can take the class in person as well as mail order; just contact them for information.

Speaking of classes... there are 11 seats remaining for my Fraidy Cat class on Friday, August 12, 2011. Any Shop Owners attending the Baltimore/TNNA Fall Market with 3 hours to spare, come join me from 2PM-5PM. You get the canvas, stitch guide, threads and ME. I would love to see you.

OK... now to our topic, Insomnia. Luckily I don't have it, although if I did, I would make use of my time and get more stitching done. LOL. Here is a needlepoint titled, INSOMNIA, from artist Jeanju Clifton. I have a story about it (of course) so here goes.

Several years ago, Pat (my guy), photographer/owner of Business Visuals, photographed the original artwork for artist, Jeanju Clifton. The name of the piece was "Insomnia." When I saw the art, I said to myself, "This would be the best piece for needlepoint."

It took me several years but finally I got Jeanju and Maggie Co together to represent/sell the design. You can see it on the Maggie Co website (MAG 687) by clicking on this link: http://www.maggieco.com/html/drill.php?q=@Jeanju%20Clifton

I asked Amy Bunger to create a Custom Stitch Guide for Insomnia (she did) and I stitched it. It is one of my cherished pieces because I brought it to needlepoint life. I even learned how to knit. I went to my local knit shop in Memphis called Yarniverse, and told them I had specific needs to learn how to knit. I brought in the Insomnia canvas and showed them where the knitting was going.

I learned on "average" knitting needles with "no big deal" yarn. Then, I applied my new skills (LOL... I can't talk and knit at the same time!) to the stitch guide suggested thread: Poppies by Gumnut Yarns. I used 0000 Bamboo Knitting Needles for the best size/proportion. (ooohwee... they were tiny!) Then, I cut the Bamboo Knitting Needles in half, glued a wooden bead, knitted half onto each stick, and placed them within her wire-wrapped hands so that Insomnia would be actually knitting the scarf. You know me... if you're gonna do it... do it right!

Insomnia is wearing a Chenille robe made of Colonial Knots. Her curler cap was Gathered Flair, and I even found a tiny curler to add for realism. Notice the Pearl Earring? Our lady is styling. And, ... each cat is wearing a knitted sweater. OMG. So funny.

I entered Insomnia at the ANG in 2005. Didn't win any ribbons but did win the attention of Tony Minieri and Judy Souliotis; priceless. Here's the link to their comments: http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/2005/conversation.php#502np

So, if you have insomnia, love cats, love to knit or just want to stitch some humor, check out INSOMNIA from Maggie Co (MAG 687) and the Amy Bunger Stitch Guide. It's tried and true.

Thanks, Robin

P.S. here's a quick photo of Leo and Lana, our new kittens. Sweet peas, indeed.

Reporting from Columbus TNNA - Day 1

Hi Everybody... Robin here... in COLUMBUS!

Yes, Columbus, OHIO, at the TNNA Summer Market. Today I had the wonderful opportunity of helping NeedleDeeva set up their booth. Mainly, I stayed out of their way... but, I did get to help assemble their Sample It items: the new 3 Heart canvases plus Vicky De Angelis stitch guides in a cellophane bag with lime green tissue and purple ribbon. They were very popular; in fact, NeedleDeeva sold out. Way to go TEAM Deeva.

TEAM DEEVA: NeedleDeeva (Judee) , JeniLee, and Vicky De Angelis

Sample It went from 5-6PM. The Needlepoint Showcase took place from 5-7PM.  It was the Creepy Characters first debut. Elizabeth Turner Collection did the finishing. OMG... they exceeded my expectations... the Creeps look WONDERFUL.  I highly recommend ETC for needlepoint finishing.

The Creepy Characters were placed on the Black Halloween Tree. Other small Halloween ornaments were added to fill out the tree. IMHO it was a show stopper!  The signage board had eye-catching LED Blinking/Twinkling stars. There were compliments on my Apron, too.

I enjoyed talking to the interested Needlepoint Shop owners. I knew many of them from my previous TNNA teachings. They listened to my spiel but actually the finished models told the story. It was a good day in deed.

But, WAIT... there's MORE. Amy Bunger was awarded TNNA's prestigious TEN Award; (Tribute to Excellence in Needlearts.) We were very proud of Amy. I know she will have more to say about that moment in her July e-newsletter.

Amy Bunger and Jill Wilensky

So much excitement... and the Market hasn't even open. I'll see what I can tomorrow and share it with you. Thanks, Robin

Mewtopia update

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

I have finished Phase One of my Mewtopia Silent Auction donation needlepoint item. I did find some threads in my Stash for the Eyes and Background. It's wonderful to revisit one's Stash.

Here's what I used: Silk 'n Ivory #167 Sage Brush and Needle Necessities Inc. Spring II 300 for the Cat's Eyes, Silk 'n Ivory #18 Pearl Gray for the Nose, and Petite Sparkle Rays PS39 and PS70 for the remaining spaces of the Background and Cat Face.

Notice the DMC Memory Thread #6020 Black and DMC Floss #310? I will couch them down for the Cat Face details as well as the MEOW words. So far, so good.

Have a good rest of the weekend. Don't forget to catch Amy Bunger (Show #42) on tomorrow's BlogTalkRadio show, Gone Stitching. 2PM Eastern/1PM Central... all episodes are archived for your convenience.

Listen to Gone Stitching on Blog Talk RadioThanks, Robin

Amy's on the BlogTalkRadio

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

Here's a bit of news:

Amy Bunger is going to be on BlogTalkRadio this coming Monday, May 24, 2010 at 2PM Eastern/1PM Central. She will be interviewed by hostess, Renee Seidman from Gone Stitching. It is a 45-minute Internet Radio Show about Needlepoint. Renee has 41 shows under her belt, and Amy's is Show 42.

You can listen live, if your schedule permits; the shows are also archived for your listening pleasure.

Here's the link to BlogTalkRadio:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gone-stitching

Remember to look for Show 42 to hear from Amy Bunger.

Listen to Gone Stitching on Blog Talk RadioThanks, Robin

Kidnapped!

Once a month the employees of Amy's Golden Strand meet on a Monday night to discuss business and schedules and stitches.  Well, we pulled a good one on Amy Monday night.  After a brief meeting we kidnapped her and took her out to a swanky restaurant for her birthday.  She quickly realized that being kidnapped by ones employees can be a good thing.  We dropped her car off at her home so she could have a cocktail or two without worrying about driving.  We had a great time.

Left to right you see, Candy, Peggy, Amy, Eileen, Judy, Robin, Jill

Happy Birthday Amy!

Amy Reports

The enforced entrapment of the snow and ice in Memphis has given me the perfect excuse to stitch on the Haunted House. I have finished the stone arches over the windows and am starting on the slats of the balustrade. The challenge of stitching old, dirty, broken, stonework has been interesting. Normally when we look at threads to pull for areas on a canvas we aren't looking for that description. The combination of the woven stitches that I have finally settled on and the rough texture of the Wool Crepe has been perfect. Of course, that doesn't mean that I didn't have to stitch it, take it out, stitch it again, take it out again, and then re-stitch it one more time. Just on the slats alone I struggled with width, length, shape, snagging issues, and which part is worked first and which is worked last. The process is much like the same one that everyone else follows, with the added complexity of knowing that you have to describe and diagram every step of the work when you are finished. I love every minute of the journey through each of my needlepoint projects. They all become very personal and I always hate to see them end....although, it is nice to have those finished pieces to enjoy and share.

My needle needs to fly because "the" Bride is waiting and "the" Groom is arriving today or Monday!!!  Amy

You asked for them, and here they are!

Here are the "little coffins", waiting for their final items before shipment at the end of the week. They will contain the Haunted House canvas, a stitch guide for about 25% of the canvas, and a thread kit. This represents many hours of work. Kelly Clark designed and painted the canvas. Amy Bunger composed a stitch guide and stitched the canvas. Then Jill and others made lists and ordered the threads and stretcher bars.

Here they are with most of the supplies and everyones order form inside. Jill is VERY organized. And there are a couple of little surprises in the box for each recipient as well. It won't be long now.

Evertite Stretcher Bars

I can’t believe we have a whole month to wait until the Halloweenies Haunted House canvas arrives at our doorsteps. Of some consolation is the availablilty of the Kelly Clark designed Katt Z. Witch canvas in mid Janurary. It fits right in with the house and characters to come in the Halloweenies Home Study program. Robin King will be teaching a class with Katt Z. at TNNA Market on Friday. The canvas along with Robin’s stitchguide will then be available to us. Maybe we can get started on that. In the meantime, I already have my stretcher bars ready for the Haunted House. It is a large canvas so I plan to use Evertite Stretcher Bars. This canvas will be on bars for at least a year (or more), so the canvas may loosen up as the seasons change. Evertites are thick wooden bars with a built in stretcher mechanism. If you mount your canvas straight and tight to begin with, all you have to do to restretch your loose canvas is titen the screws in each end of each bar. The Chilly Hollow Adventure has an excellent review of them. http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2009/11/evertites-review.html Thank you Jane.

Evertites are the best way to keep your canvas as tite as a drum without ever having to remount the canvas. It can take 30 minutes to untack and then restretch a canvas of this size. That’s a loss of valuable stitching time! If you thought you would stitch the Haunted House on a scroll frame you may want to reconsider. I can tell you that Amy Bunger has planned some interesting dimentional stitches for the Haunted House and it will not work very well to roll it up on a scroll bar. It would be better to work at a table with a frame weight holding your framed canvas steady. That also leaves both of your hands free to tackle those decorative stitchs. This might take some getting use to, but in the end you will have a better Haunted House. I believe most of the people who have signed up for the Halloweenies Home Study have requested Evertites be sent to them along with the Haunted House canvas. If you have never used them, please read the directions carefully before you put the bars together and attach your canvas. It is not as straightforward as you would think. But it is not that difficult either.

Stay tuned for news from Robin about her class at the TNNA market this weekend. Can’t wait.

Welcome to our Halloweenies Blog

Hi Everybody.
Christmas is nearing, but we're thinking about Halloween.
We are venturing in to the Blog world. These are exciting times!

Our first project is the "Halloweenies," the newest Kelly Clark Needlepoint collection available to Needlepoint Shops in January 2010. Amy Bunger's next Home Study is the Halloweenies: a Haunted House and 8 Characters; beginning February 2010. You can read more about the Halloweenies Home Study release dates on Amy's website, www.amybunger.com.

We will have photos showing our progress as we stitch. Any trouble shooting or helpful hints we discover? We will mention it in the Blog as well as in the Tips section. This will help us as much as it will help you. It's our Needlepoint Study Hall.