Here comes the groom.

Hello everyone.  Yes, the groom will be at your homes soon.  He is being fitted for his coffin,

er...shipping box, this week.   He is wearing his finest duds.  HE thinks he looks so cool.  We'll see what the bride thinks.   

I have been working on a piece for my second grand-niece.  It will be a Christmas present, and I decided to devote the rest of the month to getting it done.  She is currently 4 months old.  I visited her last night.  She was already in bed, so I spent a few minutes watching her sleep.  Her three year old sister likes to play hide and seek, but she asks you where she should hide while you are counting to 20.  She says her sister cannot yet count to 20 because she has no teeth.  Kids...you gotta love um.

I had to share...

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

I just had to share what's going on in my world -- right now ... Sunday, Memphis, TN 1:34PM. 

I am at the computer ... typing up the current Stitch Guide I am working on (Maggie Co.'s "I Love Cupcakes" M-1169). But, in the next room, is Pat (my guy!) the drummer, and his 2 new band mates are Tony and Philip. They are going to be playing in Memphis, TN on July 7th at a local club called The Side Car. And, guess what else... it's gonna be Biker Night!  Woohoo!

I'm going to recruit my fellow Needlepointers to come join me and let "our" hair down that evening. Yes. I'm going to invite Peggy, Jill, Amy, Amy's Golden Strand et al, and my Saturday Needlepoint Group. I might even post on Facebook. I think the Bikers and the Needlepointers will be a perfect fit: embroidered patches, you know.

Now, ya'll must know (yes, I know... I live in Tennessee, via California, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, Miami, Oklahoma ... and I had to say y'all): these guys sound GREAT! Who knew 3 guys could ROCK? I mean... the Beatles had 4 guys. Man, am I the luckiest girl? My toes are tapping!

Hope you are enjoying your Sunday. You've gotta love my private concert.
It's Fab-ulous!

What a face!

I have given my bride her face.  I am off one stitch, but it stays in.  Also, the skeleton side of the face didn't match the charted design, but my canvas may have been painted differently than Amy's.  It still works.  Just cover the white areas with the stitches provided.  It is just a little different.  I don't think the groom will even notice.









Then I tackled the veil.  It is a little tedious, but looks good.  I should have done the background rings before the veil in order to have a better place to bury my threads.  I did some L stitches in the area of her hair instead, since that will be covered completely.  There is a row of black that surrounds the bride.  I chose to leave that alone, but I did cover the gold tips on the veil.

I just may finish her in time for the wedding!

NeedleDeeva Heart #150G/Robin King Stitch Guide is now available

Hi Everybody ... Robin here.

Just wanted to let you know... the NeedleDeeva Heart (#150G) is now available with my Stitch Guide. How cool is that! Your LNS can order it directly from NeedleDeeva.

So, this is my second Commercial Stitch Guide. Woohoo!  To refresh your memory, my first Commercial Stitch Guide was Katt Z. Witch (KCN 9125) from Kelly Clark Needlepoint. Again, your LNS can order it directly from Kelly Clark Needlepoint; you can also order it from me. Just email me creativecats@comcast.net.

Seeing Peggy's recent posting about her love for Bargello reminded me of our conversation in Columbus. Peggy had met June McKnight, and was thrilled because of her knowledge of Bargello. Peggy indicated her needlework journey began by first learning Bargello, then Counted Cross Stitch, then Needlepoint. You can see Peggy is an accomplished stitcher.

On the last day of Market we met Phillipa Turnbull (from England), and I told Peggy my needlework experience began with Crewel, then Embroidery. You can see I am comfortable with Crewel/Embroidery stitches; just look at the NeedleDeeva Heart (#150G). Needlepoint was much later (self-taught in the 1970s), and I began officially learning the correct techniques in 1990s. So Peggy and I met iconic industry leaders within a few days; exciting.

Well, that's all for now. The Floating Cat with Pumpkin Balloon is coming along good. The Cat Body is finished. Next I will begin stitching the eyes... and we know: it's all about the EYES.

Thanks, Robin

UPDATE: Thanks to Jane/Chilly Hollow who mentioned my Stitch Guides on her Needlepoint Stitch Guides blog. Jane, you are awesome.

Beautiful Bargello

I took some time away from the bride to work on this piece from a class I took at the Columbus market. Bargello is my first love, so this beautiful canvas has been calling my name.  Once the background is in, the River Silk ribbons lay on top.  


Tonight I will return to the bride.  I think I will stitch her face.  The poor thing is losing half of her face to worry that the wedding won't go well. What kind of cake do you think she ordered?

Say yes to the dress!

I jumped ahead to the dress because I love the stitches.  However, as I proceeded, I found I needed to go back and complete some other areas to make sure the dress worked out.   Here is how it went.

I put in the darker lining of the dress.  I added the continental stitches in the boney leg.  They are hard to see.  Then I added some lining stitches because we would be able to see some of the lining behind the bones.  This is not charted or mentioned, I just thought it would add something to the area once we put the big bones on.  (I will go back and fix the heel of her boney leg shoe.)

I completed her fleshy leg.  I am having trouble laying in the four strands of flesh color.  I will have to improve on that.

When I started the stitch for the bottom of her dress, I started where I could get a full run of the stitch.  I worked down, finishing the bottom of the dress.  

Then I turned the canvas upside down and compensated to meet the bodice of the dress.  French knots will cover the area where the upper dress and lower dress meet.

Dress done except for french knots and other embellishments. 

Keep Stitching!

Anchoring Threads/Chilly Hollow

Jane (Chilly Hollow) has posted a wonderful entry about anchoring threads.  It's great.  Check it out. Thanks Jane!

http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/06/anchoring-ends-when-stitching-light.html