Halloweenies update

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

I am bringing to everyone's attention the wonderful progress of the Halloweenies as seen on the blogs.

First, be sure to check out Linda from Stitching Sisters blog. Her Halloween mantle is decorated with her finished Halloweenies.

Then, check out Melinda from Living the Good Life blog. Her Halloween mantle is also decorated with the Halloweenies.

Finally, check out Amy's well-deserved award from the ANG in San Antonio, TX. You can read all about it in her October 2010 e-newsletter.

I am sure there are more out there who stitched the Halloweenies. Email me at creativecats@comcast.net and I will be glad to post your photos and mention your blog, too.

I applaud each of you. Your Halloween holiday will be extra special because of your hard work.

Until the next time... Robin

Halloweenies update

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

Did you see Melinda's blog posting about her newest finished Halloweenies? She did an awesome job.

Melinda writes the Living the Good Life blog. Here's the link to her latest entry, Familiar Faces.

I'll be back soon. Enjoy the day. Thanks, Robin

Halloweenies update

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

At the TNNA Market in Columbus, I had the chance to see the newest Halloweenies from Kelly Clark, Elvira Spida. She is quite a looker. Let's hear it for the Full Figures Girls! WhOO!

Elvira Spida • Kelly Clark Needlepoint

To refresh the memory of Needlepoint Study Hall Blog readers, Amy Bunger stitched 8 of the Halloweenies pieces through her Home Study. You can read all about the specific Halloweenies postings on this blog by clicking on the HALLOWEENIES topic list or by clicking on their individual names.

Katt Z. Witch • KCN 9125
Stitch Guide by Robin King available.

I stitched Katt Z. Witch (KCN 9125) and wrote her stitch guide. Anyone (Retail Shops or needlepoint customers) interested in purchasing the Katt Z. Witch stitch guide can email me at creativecats@comcast.net.

Dr. Acula • KNC 9131

Linda finished Dr. A. Doesn't he look great. Be sure to read all about it on the Stitching Sisters blog. Here's the link: http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/2011/06/doctor-is-in-house.html

I read Melinda's Living the Good Life blog about recently sending more Halloweenies pieces to the  finisher. Here's the link: http://melindaslivingthegoodlife.blogspot.com/2011/06/looking-back-and-looking-forward.html Hope to share their photos after they are all dolled up.

Know of any more Halloweenies updates? Be sure to let me hear from you. Thanks, Robin

Another Spring Cleaning, of sorts

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

Blogger has a new function... you've first seen it with Jane/Chilly Hollow's blog and recently in Ruth Schmuff's blog. Well... it was time Needlepoint Study Hall bog had that function, too. Don't you think?

If you look towards the top of the blog, you will now see HOME and HALLOWEENIES. I have made a separate page for HALLOWEENIES and those previous blog entries. Actually this collected information had always been available to you. Oh, I'm feeling a Wizard of Oz analogy coming on...

Remember when Dorothy is trying to get home. She gathered her friends, went to see the Wizard, fought the Wicked Witch, and after the Hot Air Balloon took off without her, Glinda the Good Witch told her that she could have always gone home. All she needed to do was to click her heels and repeat: "there's no place like home." I love the Wizard of Oz movie. It's my favorite. I've even created a Wizard of Oz Christmas tree with collection and collected ornaments. I'll show it to you during December.

Well, the point of that little story was... I already had the Previous Topics list in place. You can see it on the  right column of the page. Here's what it looks like:

The Previous Topics are listed in a cloud formation; in order of the number of entries related to the topic. So, if you wanted to see all of the Halloweenies entries, you could click on the Halloweenies name and those labeled topics would appear. If you want to see the Glad Press 'n Seal discussion, then click on that link. If you want to see the links about... OK, I think you get the idea.

Well, that's all for now. As Melinda is stitching Queen Elizabeth, I've got arachnid-royalty on my radar. I'm going to get back to the Spider Queen's crown. Thanks, Robin

Sidetracked

Hello.  I'll be back working on the Dev L. Mann soon.  All is well.  Just sidetracked.

Playing hooky.

Yes, I have been working on the Halloween Candied Apple instead of Dev L. Mann.  You will see more on this canvas in a couple of weeks.  So now I will be returning to the Dev L. Mann.

I want to share a tip with you.  I have, for some years now, been using hair tape to temporarily control threads on my canvas.  I have just started using this Scotch Matte Finish Removable Tape for that.  It doesn't get gummy like the hair tape does.

Also, while stitching all of the beads on Sarcoph A. Gus, I started using this Thimble pad to push the needle up to the top of the canvas.  I had some that I had purchased years ago when I was doing some quilting.  I was thrilled to see that we stock them at Amy's Golden Strand.  So these are a couple of tools that enhance my stitching experience.  Never mind that I just love stitching toys!

I'm going to be working on a computer project for my husband this week.  So I may not get back to the Dev L. Mann till next week.  See you then.

I can't believe I came home with another canvas.

Yesterday was a normal very busy day at Amy's Golden Strand.  Toward the end of the day we received a shipment of canvases from Kelly Clark.  I knew it would include a few Halloweenies and some stitch guides for the new Tassels that Kelly introduced at the January Market.  Jill took them next door to sort them out.  She came back in with two of Kelly's Halloween Apples.  "Look, aren't these great!",  she said to Amy and me.  I had not seen them yet and of course feel in love with them.  Someone said we should make shop models, (our ploy for getting to stitch them).  Amy said, " Maybe we can do some guides for them since we have so many customers who love Halloween canvases."  Jill and I squealed like a couple of ten year olds.  We actually played "enny meeny miny moe" to decide which one we would stitch.  At 4:30, Amy sat down and picked stitches and threads for BOTH canvases.  By six o'clock I was home with the canvas on bars.

I was disciplined enough to stitch some on Dev L. Mann last night.  But this afternoon, he is going to give up his dominate place in my que for a little while.  

I can't believe I came home with another canvas!

Hold on girls...and guys.

Stitch the birds before you stitch the background.  Amy has made the bird tails a little different than the painted canvas.   I had to take out a little of the background to accommodate the changes in the bird in flight.  However, I can't make a change to the crow on the pumpkin as his tail is already two threads from the edge of the design.  This may be another case of our canvases being painted differently than Amy's.  So have a good look at the crows and decide what you would like to do with their tails.  I have realized that it would be best to bead stitch the gecko before the background around him as well.

Also, when working the bird on the pumpkin, fill in more of a bottom on him to meet up with the pumpkin.  We will put the straw on top of bird, pumpkin and background.  Above is the way it is painted.  Below shows that I drew a small line the extend his body.

Stitch on!

Background and the Super Bowl.

As you work this background on Dev L. Mann, there are lots of little places to compensate.

If you can't decide where to place the background stitch, leave it open until you stitch the other element.  You can go back and fill in the background later.

Why not do the other areas before stitching the background you ask?  Well it gives me a good sense of  completion to get the background done.  But it is really your choice.

You can be helped in this area by consulting the picture too.

As I work on the background, I am looking forward to watching the Super Bowl.  I know there are shops that are hosting Superbowl Parties.  I wish I could join you, but will stitch here in my room with the TV on.  My career was in television, so I love to check out the commercials that debut within the game.  But I have another reason to be excited about the game.  One of my nieces is married to a Steeler.  He is a member of the practice squad, but has played in a few games.  My brother, his father-in-law, tells me he will probably not "suit up", but will be there ready to go if called upon.  It is the ultimate, "put me in coach".  Yeah, put me in for a play in the Super Bowl!  

So enjoy stitching today and, Go Steelers!

Dev L. Mann has arrived.

Here he is.  He apologized for being late.  He promises to be fun.  Isn't he cute?

Here is a thread that is new to this series and new to me.  It is made by the YLI folks and they call it Painters Thread.  This color is prefect for the Dev L. Mann.

The background is the same as the Mummy.  I think I will start with that. Though I am tempted to use the Painters Tread first.

OMG! He's done.

I will show you the last few thing I did to finish Sarcoph A, Gus.

 

I twisted the overdyed thread and attached it to the gold toothpick.

Read the directions for making the tassel several times.  Then, do it the way she explains it.  It makes a neat, tidy little tassel.

Trim the gold away.

Snip the ends and you have your tassel.

I positioned the stick and secured it in place.

Now the beaded Crook.  Again, the directions are great.  

Secure that crook down.  

 I am saving all of the bullion knots for last.  It will be quite a party.

Final bead area.

I've finished the beading.  It was really fun.  

The last area, at the top, was supposed to be string beaded...like the bottom of the sarcophagus.  I was on such a roll with the stitch beading, I just stitch beaded that area too.  Be sure to surround the area with black beads.  It is not painted that way.  If you look at it funny, you can see that it is a cuff of the hand that will hold the gold stick with the green tassel.  And that is all I left to do on this guy.  Well, except for the bullion knots on the geckos and the rat over his shoulder.  Wow.  This was a good one.  We will be getting Dev L. Man soon.  There will be a new thread in this kit that I think you are going to like.  So keep checking your mailboxes.

Top of the lid.

The directions for the top section of the lid calls for us to place the green beads first.  

The only problem is that there are no green threads.  

After consulting the picture, I have decided to put a green bead below the black thread which is below the purple triangles. 

Now stitch as usual.

Half way there.

Green section on Sarcophagus lid.

Here is the green section of the Sarcophagus.  

It is a bit hard to see the pattern.  The grey threads are for the darkest green bead, then the middle green threads are for the medium green beads.  The lightest areas are for the same green used on the gecko in the mummy's hand.

I can only imagine how difficult this canvas was to paint.  The beads are a great statement and would dominate the canvas if Amy had not added the strips to the mummy.  I'm loving the beading.  Remember, you are doing basketweave but with a bead on each stitch.  So easy!

New Beading Toy!

Before we  talk about the new toy, we will look at the bottom of the sarcophagus.  I did not enjoy this part. With practice I finally got it...sort of.  

I learned to push the current string of beads up into the previous row, like a zipper.

And so it went from the right side,

to the left, (which was done with the canvas at a 90 degree turn).

So here we are, ready to stitch bead the rest of the sarcophagus.

Amy gave me a personal tip to aid in the task. Turn the canvas upside down and work from the bottom

to the top of the beast.

Here is the new toy!  This disc has a magnet on the bottom and a tacky surface on the top.

  

What a wonderful way to have your beads handy.

Amy and Jill ordered this toy at market.  Hopefully they will arrive at the shop soon.

Here are my boys making sure I don't drop any beads.

Dressing the Mummy.

 I have gathered the materials to dress the Mummy.  He wants to get his arm free so he can grab the gecko.

A good fit.

A little muslin gives him an arm.

I added the gecko's tail after attaching the arm.

I believe this mummy is done!  Now on to the top of the Sarcophagus.   Lots of beads are in my future.