Author: Quail Run Needlework

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Enjoy your weekend!

“Invoking the colors of Africa, Serengeti is a study in adjusting stitch elements to fit an area, rather than simply compensating. Forty-five blocks of various sizes provide interest and diversity within multiple stitch variations. Threads used to create Serengeti are derived from over-dyed Waterlilies using a variety of silk, bamboo, and metallic threads. Come join us on the journey!”

Talented Pamela Harding will be teaching this design at the shop in April 2014. We are currently working out the details, so watch for these on the website, Facebook and this blog.

There is a great article about Pamela in the latest issue of Needlepoint Now. Not only is she accomplished in needlepoint, Pamela is working on her teacher certification for Japanese Embroidery. I enjoyed a Japanese Embroidery class we both were in and observed first hand her exquisite stitching.

The design will be offered both on congress cloth and 18 mesh canvas.It is 9″x9″ on congress cloth and 12″x12″ on 18 mesh canvas.

Pamela writes further “My teaching goal for this piece became a study in adapting stitches to fill an area, rather than compensating. This approach tricks the eye, seeing what it thinks it should see, even though many stitches are not standard repeats to fill the blocks. Many are modified in such a way that the viewer doesn’t even realize the stitches have been adjusted to fit the area.”

See you in class!

New items for you to view. Details of each design will be added shortly.

New from Melissa Shirley.

New from Lani.

New From Labors of Love.

New from ETC Needle Buddies.

New from Rebecca Woods.

News from JP.

New from Associated Talents.

More to follow tomorrow!

Home of the Brave, Freedom, Liberty By Sandra Gilmore

Memorial Day marks the official start of summer! As we prepare to enjoy a weekend of beautiful weather, friends, family, barbeques and maybe some time at the beach, let us reflect on this holiday:

To honor and remember all those who gave their lives for our country.

Let’s pay homage to those who sacrificed everything in the name of securing freedom for others.

Let us also remember the individuals currently serving around the globe.  May God bless them and their families and keep them safe.

Wishing you and your family a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend from all of us at Quail Run Needlework!

It is always great fun to go to market.  Here is a look at the window display with the new Quail Run Designs I did for this spring market.

The theme this year was “There is No Business like Sew Business”.
Fleur de Paris had a spectacular theme and we all go to “walk the red carpet” in to their sales room.

Owls are very popular and here are a few new canvases for you to stitch.

Don’t you just love these new designs of hedgehogs and a funky peacock.

More projects for you animal lovers-

A few oriental designs – a wonderful fan and two purse fronts.

New elegant projects bags and matching trays.

Chili pepper Santa from Liz- a special  request from a customer.

Beach cat canvas

Plenty of time to stitch this piece before Christmas.

Colorful desert scene which would make a great pillow.

New great colors in Fuzzy Stuff and Whisper from Rainbow Gallery along with
pretty laying tools.

Of course had to restock our magnets-here are the latest to add to your collection.

Here is the latest from Leigh designs , Caribe designs that are on on French blue canvas.

“Be swept away with the trade winds to islands of endless beaches, swaying coconut palms and Calypso — exotic libations await, complete with parasols — Caribé!”
 

Here is the link to view more in this series:

http://leighdesigns.com/ImgIdx01.html

Hope you enjoyed just a few of the new designs , tools and accessories that will be in the store as soon as I get the trunks unpacked today. Some were ordered so will be coming soon.
See you soon!

I stitched these teapots for a dear friend who, like me, loves tea.

Both have a darning pattern background to give them that old fashioned lace look. The colors are white and lavender as those are the colors of her kitchen. The gold spouts and stems add a little elegance. They were stitched using Kreinik #12 braid along with City Silk and Gloriana silk floss.  My friend always has a vase filled with lavender stalks gracing her kitchen with its sweet scent both soothing and purifying the air.  Lavender belongs to the mint family  and has been documented for  use of over 2500  years. Egyptians used it for mummification processes. It was used as a perfume by the Phoenicians and the Romans used the oils for bathing, cooking and scenting the air.  In the world of aroma therapy, it is used as a top note and sweetness that gives “fruity aspects” to perfumes and other scented products. Did you know mosquitoes and moths hate the smell. The friend’s kitchen loves lavender and cooking with this herb she tells me is said to ease digestive problems. Herbs d’Provence typically contains lavender  and cans be used as a savory pinch to any meat or soup dish. She uses the lavender buds sprinkled over a salad to bring as a bright colorful addition to its greens, and has been know to drop a few into a glass of champagne or has them mixed into a chocolate cake recipe creating  an aromatic enchantment.

Have a great Sunday and Happy Stitching.

Time has flown by and we are having our spring Japanese Embroidery class.
The classes are three time a year in April, July, and November for five days with both embroidery and beading being taught. 

Need a new purse? One of the ladies is beading her bag in copper tones. The original bag was in taupe and black. These colors are so beautiful. Stop by and see this work in progress. The pictures do not show the true colors.

For those of you who knit, you are probably familiar with a yarn ball winder or swift like this one.

This is a handy gadget for winding a metal thread on a bobbin, which then is wound on small komas to make placement of the thread easier on the silk.
Well, our swift seems to be hiding so we improvised with some borrowed cans. I am sure you will chuckle.

 Another lovely piece in progress is this one which shows part of the cords and fan.  The tissue covers the worked areas so the threads are not snagged or disturbed as the new areas are stitched.

This is the Mother of Pearl bag in progress. This gold fabric is very unforgiving so you have to think twice and stitch once!

There is a lot of pre-work with some of these pieces and here is the basting stitch on what will be a gorgeous geisha, Eternal Grace.

Of course there we are all shopping, purchasing just that right color of silk and one or more of the new projects. Here is one I am considering which is so serene and beautiful. It is titled Silent Communications.

The piece is 29″ x 24″ on Monmuji-dyed silk and is stitched with a family of greens that is just so serene.

Here is another phase piece in progress which is a study of cords.

 Our class will be in session of the last day tomorrow. So if you have time on Monday, stop by and enjoy the projects in progress.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Our class with talented Margaret Bendig was this past few days. The piece we did was Journey and the color combinations the ladies chose were gorgeous. Just take a look!

 This charted design has lots of woven stitches and waffle stitches, a few of Margaret’s favorite stitches.

Here are a few of the tips we learned from Margaret on basic techniques.

1. When stitching Continental or Tent Stitch or Satin Stitch:
     – Always come up through the canvas hole in the odd numbers and go down in the even ones.
     – When stitching from:
         Left to Right- follow this chart

        Right to left – follow this chart   

        Top to bottom – follow this chart

        Bottom to top – follow this chart

    I know by now you are saying- boring. But next time you stitch and wonder
why you are not getting the coverage when stitching satin stitch,
refer to these diagrams. Or take a doodle cloth and stitch some satin stitch with these diagrams. These are basic techniques that will make a big difference in your projects.

  2. Before you finishing your stitching for the day, thread up six or so needles.
 Then, the next day when you have 10 or so minutes to stitch you are ready to work. This is a great way to get a project moving when your time is limited to stitch. Instead of spending time getting your thread out and threading your needles, you spend the time stitching to complete your project.

  3.  Anchoring your threads to start or end a stitch
      
           Away Waste knot
        When stitching continental  or tent, use an away waste knot and stitch over the thread tail, then clip off the knot.

                T stitch
          When using a larger stitches over more than tow threads, such as a  waffle or woven, the “T” stitch works well to anchor the thread.

           L Stitch
          When you are using a satin stitch that is only more than two threads, the “L” stitch works well.

     Back stitch  
                This works to anchor threads when you are using narrow stitches over two threads, like Smyrna crosses, Mosaic or Van Dyke stitch used in borders.

 Remember when ending a thread, to make sure that your work will cover the anchoring stitch. If you can carefully separate a few stitches and work a Back stitch, this is a good way to end a thread. Sometimes you will have no choice but to run a thread under the back of your finished work but be careful not to disturb the stitches on the front of your work.

Last year we did Margaret’s Southwest Kimono which is stitched in turquoise, terra cotta and copper. Mine is not quite finished but here is this pattern done in blue by another class student which is just beautiful. She like me, is partial to the color blue.

 Have a wonderful Sunday!