Betty Chen Louis

I am breaking one of my personal rules about commenting on another teacher’s work, especially when I had a small part in its production. I am doing this for two reasons:

#1.  I want to give those of us who do not design an idea of how long it takes a concept to go from rough draft to completion. This is but a small part of the design process.

First is the “Idea phase”; this can be as crystal clear as Stuben Glass (http://steuben.com/index.cfm?&loc=GAWOS1)  or just a vague concept and may take a an hour, day week or month(s).

Next is the “Incubation stage”, this is another time variable; it can be long and arduous or short and to the point. This phase is the “what if” phase. What if I try this technique with this thread? 

Next is the “Execution phase”; this is the one that where you pick chose and try the threads and stitches you have visualized in the “Incubation stage” and hope they work without a hitch. How long does this take…until the designer/teacher is happy with her work.

Next is the “Planning Phase” and I like to tell teachers/designers this should be done in conjunction with the “Execution phase”.  Write down (“Planning Phase”) what you do in the order in which you do it (“Execution phase”.) It helps the designer teacher remember what she/he did when they go to write their instructions and it makes the graphic editor’s job easier too.  If instructions are written as we go about the same time as “execution phase”…If not add an extra week or two.

“Production phase” is when the teacher instructions, student handbook or stitch guide is written, proofed, re-written, re-proofed until it is as good as the teacher/designer feels it can be. This phase also includes photos of the project. Somewhere in this process the teacher/designer usually pilots the piece…tries teaching or allowing someone to stitch the project with the written instructions. Then usually there is more rewrite. Then it is off to the printer…This is about 2 to six months or longer depending on the size of the project.

Even after it is completed at the printer it may take longer to reach you the stitcher…If this is a project that has been submitted as a teaching piece for one of the four major stitching venues; ANG (http://www.needlepoint.org/index.php), Calloway Gardens,  EGA (http://egausa.org/), NAN (http://www.needleart.org/ ; it may not be released until after it has been taught at the event and depending on the popularity of the piece may be chosen by another event and even local guilds.

So, by the time this piece reaches you as a class piece or even a retail piece, it could be a year or years. Remember this when you take a class or buy a “new piece” and one of the threads on the materials list has been discontinued. Your local needlepoint shop or the teacher will usually have a suggested substitute handy.  

So with this in mind, remember in  Jan 2009 (http://sudukc.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/17-days-later/ ) I mentioned great things were coming….it has arrived (http://www.gayannrogers.com/site_2/Small_Cityscapes_For_Sale.html) . Betty Chen Louis is releasing a design and is going to also teach online at Shinning Needle Society (http://www.shiningneedlesociety.com/ ).

See how long it takes for a project from just the planning phase to today!

#2. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON:

In my opinion, Betty Chen is one of the greatest teachers in the needlepoint art community. What an opportunity! I so agree with Gay Ann Rogers:

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SNS_Lounge/message/1620) “I think Betty is the mistress of line and color and if you look at her work you will see why she holds the title. Betty is all about subtlety and transition, about the flow of line and the organization and use of space in a design.”

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SNS_Lounge/message/1622) “Here is another opportunity to see more work by the person I think is the best designer/teacher now working in my world of needlework, so don’t miss the opportunity to study her sense of line and color.”

And since I have been compensated and will receive nothing more than the satisfaction and pride of knowing that I was asked to be a small part of this endeavor I am going to extol her greatness shamelessly. I was privileged (And I do mean privileged!) to be asked by Betty Chen to assist her in this project; I was but a drop of sand in this very creative process. I have been needlepointing for well over 40 years and have been a member of the stitching organizations for better tan 20 years. I have known Betty for many years and have always been in awe of her creativity and knowledge.  I have signed up for two of Betty’s classes and got sick one time and was in the middle of a house remodeling the second and so when Betty asked me to help with this project I jumped at the idea.  I even shamelessly suggested I should stitch the project as I did the work. Betty agreed and I was very privileged to receive one on one instruction if I needed.  I would just ask a question to hear her talk.  If you have the time, do not miss the chance to take this class online at Shinning Needle Society (http://www.shiningneedlesociety.com/ )…the only thing better is to have her live in a class! Betty is truly one of the Masters of Needleart, a truly gifted artist, and just a wonderful person at heart.  

And check out Gay Ann’s website (http://www.gayannrogers.com/site_2/Home_Page.html) to see more of Betty Chen’s fabulous work.

Okay, now I broke my rule, BUT it is my rule and I can break it for greatness.

ttfn…sue

P.S. Here are my hearts…I love them! They are a cherished memory of my brief time with greatness.

            

Repurposed Drapery Hook

 About three weeks ago I showed you a cool finishing idea (http://sudukc.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/march-finish-and-april-too/ ) from Cooper Oaks (http://www.cooperoaksdesign.com/CooperOakS-COL_Gallery.html ) I really do like Lucite, it will fit somewhere in every décor. But remember you must order them through your local needlework shop!

But I have another finishing idea for these small wonders I have been stitching. Years ago my mother needed a small easel and could not find one to purchase, so she repurposed a drapery hook. My mother was the queen of repurposing and I still have a basement full of her finds to prove it. Here is how she did it.

Picture 1: Original drapery hook in the back.

Front hook has two outside prongs spread to the sides and the hook is bent up and will become the support for the easel.

Picture 2: Bend two center prongs up (opposite direction of the hook) to make supports for the picture.

Picture 3: Right – Drapery hook easel

Left – original drapery hook

Picture 4:Easel with a picture (one of the things I stitched and finished before marathon stitching took over my life)

Picture 5: Easel from the back

So if you have old pinch pleated drapery hooks, now you can repurpose them.

ttfn…sue

Wednesday, Granddaughter & Kreinik threads

This is going to be one of those long posts and two from me in one week is almost unheard of…

I had one of those days yesterday where I took one baby step forward and two giant steps backward. But as the day progressed things got better. Had to, it was an uphill fight from the start. Started my day at 7:30 AM, drove grandson to school and went to the grocery and decided to have breakfast at the deli…breakfast was good, but not what I ordered (think someone else and I switched orders…I ordered scrambled eggs with bacon & toast and got 2 over easy eggs, link sausage, hash browns & toast….waitress assured me she had two orders both the same…oh well cook mistake) While waiting for breakfast I cleaned out my purse and found a car wash coupon I needed to use or it expired. Car wash was couple blocks away, I would do that, go visit 92 year old uncle in nursing home and home to stitch…WRONG. Made it to the car wash and as I pulled out of the carwash my car was listing to the left and making awful sound as I rolled off the wash line. Rolled out of the way of traffic and stopped, got out looked…left tires: one completely flat the other very low. A nice young man offered to help me change my flat tire and put air in the other and told me to go get the car wash manager and show him. Did as I was told since I was little or no use changing a tire. Carwash manager/owner very gracious, came out helped with tire and told me they would pay for damages. Sent me to tire guy down the street…must be a good one cars everywhere. Would be at least one hour before tire man could look at tire, call niece who lives close by and she picked me up and took me to her house… This was the best part of my morning; her home is lovely and quiet. Two and half hours later I am back on the road, never did get to see my uncle (there is always tomorrow Scarlet). Went by LNS to see if there was a thread I liked better than the one I was going to use for Granddaughter’s border…but they were out of the one I had in mind.

Home to stitch on the second marathon stitching project…gift for namesake granddaughter. I will make the deadline…but it was touch and go yesterday. Happily stitching along on lettering and I pull off a length of thread and the spool core appears. My mind says this is not possible…I was sure this was a new spool…BUT my eyes say I may be in trouble. Immediately call LNS, yes they have another spool. Now the quandary, do I take my chances or stop and go get reinforcements? Decided that I would keep stitching and if I ran out of lettering thread would move to border and get more thread today. Well, here is a picture of what I had left …truly stitched to the bitter end! So far, so good and I know I have more than enough thread for the border.

BUT …

the is really good news I have been waiting to share for a week or more is…

A few weeks ago Dena at Kreinik asked me if I would like to make a Temari Ball for her using the new holographic threads. What a privilege…of course I said yes!  I had so much fun doing these and could hardly wait to post pictures of them but I thought it only fair to allow Dena to see them first since she did send me the threads.  But now with her permission I can tell you all about them…

After I quit jumping up and down with excitement (okay, so I didn’t jump up and down, broken hips at my age do not heal well) I had to think about what Temari Ball to stitch and which threads I would need. I decided that I love color wheels and this would be a good representations of the threads. I asked Dena to send seven of the new holographic colors of #12 braid and 1/16 ribbon and blending filament in black.

Before the threads arrived I had another idea to use the original number Kreinik threads with the new so a comparison can be seen. I checked my stash and I had all but one of the threads but my LNS had a spool and so I waited for the threads to arrive. I figured I would have enough thread to make two Temari balls. I could hardly wait for the new threads to arrive; I couldn’t wait to play with them… The threads arrive and I knew I would have more than enough to make two Temari.

Temari #1:  I wrapped a base with a top layer using a spool of 005L Blinding Black Kreinik Blending Filament and black thread. I only marked the divisions with pins and then I wrapped each color in sequence Yellow: Chromo Gold 002L – orange: Orange-ruptis 027L – red: Robot Red 003L – violet: Punchy Purple 026L – blue: Royal Blast 033L – green: Kinetic Green 008L #12 Kreinik braid) from north to south poles. Then around the equator of the ball I began by wrapping two rows of 005L Blinding Black Kreinik #12 braid around the Temari. All the black braid is wrapped, only the colors are woven over and under the pole wraps to make the Obi band. The focal point of this ball of course is the Obi band and I liked the how the blending filament on the base layer took on more colors of the wrapped areas.

Temari #2: I used a plain black base and I marked the divisions with pins and then I wrapped each color in sequence using the original braid in the center with the new holographic threads on either side. I wrapped in the same sequence; Yellow: Gold 002 & Chromo Gold 002L – orange: Orange 027 & Orange-ruptis 027L – red: Red 003 & Robot Red 003L – violet: Amethyst 026 & Punchy Purple 026L – blue: Royal Blue 033 & Royal Blast 033L – green: Green 008 & Kinetic Green 008L #12 Kreinik braid) from north to south poles. The Obi band is a simple wrap with a large cross stitch over each color group. The Obi band was wrapped using 005L Blinding Black Kreinik 1/16 ribbon and the crosses are 005L Blinding Black Kreinik #12 braid. I really like the contrast of the braids in this Temari.

Temari #3: While stitching #2 Temari I decided that Dena need a collection and that means three at minimum…so I decided to make a trefoil interlocking with an Obi band. Again I wrapped base with a top layer using a spool of 005L Blinding Black Kreinik Blending Filament and black thread. This ball is divided into 6 divisions, and I used 005L Blinding Black Kreinik #12 braid to mark the divisions. At the North Pole I stitched the ball in an Interlocking pattern from center starting with black #12 braid and stitching from yellow to green with a black separating each color. While I was stitching the NP side I decided to be cleaver and stitch the reverse sequence on the South Pole: green to yellow. After I complete both poles, I was flipping the ball in my hand from pole to pole and thought that one side was larger than the other…bummer. The motif stitched from center green to gold appears lighter and larger than the motif stitched gold to green from center; the gold to green from center appears darker and smaller.  I measured from center to tip and all are within 1/16 of an inch of being the same, it is the optical illusion of simultaneous contrast at work. A true test of color theory and I do so love color theory. The Obi band is very simple; I used 005L Blinding Black Kreinik 1/16 ribbon and the crosses are 005L Blinding Black Kreinik #12 braid, stitched between the guidelines. And of course, this turned out to be my favorite.

I won’t go into a review of the threads Janet Perry (http://www.coolcraftsites.com/2010/nuts-about-needlepoint/kreinik%E2%80%99s-holographic-threads-%E2%80%93-product-review/) and Jane at Chilly Hollow(http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/04/test-driving-threads-part-one.html)  have done an excellent job of that in the last few days and Kreinik (http://www.kreinik.com/feature.htm) has an excellent web page about the new threads. But I will tell you from my experience I thought the ones I worked with were wonderful and the only difference I noticed was that the holographic had a bit more metal feel to them. I did not notice that this caused a breakdown of the thread and I used very long threads to stitch the interlocking Temari and also the Obi band on Temari #1. In fact, I even frog stitched part of the Obi Band of Temari #1 and reused the thread to stitch again. I don’t recommend this with any metallic but I did it.

I think the threads are wonderful and if you get a chance to stitch with them do so! As you can see in Temari #2 shading is possible too.  I have a canvas in my stash that has been there a very long time and if I ever get off this marathon stitching deadline I want to use the Holographic threads to stitch it.

Back to the granddaughter stitching project…I have a Sue Reid class this Friday and Saturday so the stitching has to be completed today. And Saturday have to go to the framer to make the exchange Eagle for granddaughter.

ttfn…sue

The Eagle…is at the framer

Last week-end I spent marathon stitching, really it started last Wednesday. And as with any deadline of mine life seems to step in the way…until Friday it seemed that very little stitching was accomplished. Random stitching is so-o-o much fun. I love they way you can show direction and it is so cool that there is really no right or wrong direction. I think it stitches quickly too when one does not have to stop for the small daily interferences of daily life and eating & sleeping.  The body is a brick stitch over four and will take a bit longer since it is two ply Impressions…can you say lay, laid, laid. Did manage a dinner with my DH at son’s restaurant and stopped to pick up a wedding shower gift (wedding gift too…why make two trips).

Saturday became crunch day, I went to the framers and Monday is the drop dead day in order to have back by Sunday April 18^th. Picked up the Eagle pin at the Scout office attended wedding shower, stopped by the grocery store and stitched the rest of the day. Finished the body and then put the remaining Random stitches over the body. Even manage to start the Bargello pattern for the wing.

Sunday attended church and remembered a favorite priest was celebrating his jubilee mass later that morning and having a reception…so I came home started dinner returned to church for jubilee reception, back home with time to stitch and then dinner with the family and finally peace and quite to stitch…Why does it seem to take longer too lay threads when you are under time constraints? But I stitched and finished at12:25 Sunday night/Monday morning. Finally bed and up again Monday morning at 6:30 attached Eagle pin and was off to start my week.

 

I have carpooled a grandson to and from school, been to the airport and back, dropped off the eagle at the framers, had a great lunch and now I am thinking about bed and a good night’s sleep.  Tomorrow is gift for my new granddaughter…not a stitch taken but it will be finished by Saturday so it can go to the framers to have back for the next weekend. 

ttfn…sue

March finish and April too

Last week spring got in the way of my sharing the designs I completed for St Pat’s Day and April too.

  

I am trying to complete a few small canvases a month and at the end of the year will put them in a book with the finishing instructions. Have even thought about marketing them individually with the finishing instuctions. When I get them all  completed I will give a set to each of the grandkids. And I have fould a new finishing idea…

I can’t tell you how happy I am that I found these Lucite products again. Cooper Oaks has a complete line of Lucite finishing products that are wonderful. I used lucite years ago when I was in teacher certification. I never knew what happened to the products until I found them again at Cooper Oaks. You can see the Lucite and there canvases at: http://www.cooperoaksdesign.com/CooperOakS-COL_Gallery.html   But you must order them through your local needlework shop! I really like products that I can use for more than a picture, pillow, stand up, etc.

This little box is great because I can store other designs in the box or use it as a small storage box or jewelry box. But the best part of these products is that I can make more than one design to fit, multi purpose. I like multi purpose.

 Not much progress on the Eagle, last week did a special project so the Eagle was on hold. But today am giving seious time to the Eagle. Need to call the framer to find out what my drop dead date is.

 ttfn…sue

No April Fool…Spring is here.

I had a blog post for today but as I sat in my study with my morning cuppa reading my bookmarked blogs I noticed the sun shinning; birds tweetering; and my window curtains fluttering in the breeze. As I got up to refill my cuppa I noticed Spring had sprung…The Forsythia have popped, jonquils/daffodils are everywhere…Oh such a welcome after this winter.  I hope wherever you are today, it is as beautiful as it is here. I am pausing to open all the windows and doors in my house…out with winter in with fresh spring air.

I have been working on the Eagle and I think I may make this deadline. Of course there are no stitched Easter eggs as planned but there is always next year.

I also have another project in the works and I will tell you more about it later but will give you a sneak peek today. And the “God gave us” for my namesake is still in the computer…this one may be late.

I think my computer, cuppa and I will head for the patio to finish reading my bookmarked blogs and enjoy the day that has begun so magnificently. I heard the weatherman say “rain” this evening and tomorrow but nice for Easter Sunday…okay I can handle that as long as the four letter word starts with “R” and not “S”. And yes, I have seen that four letter “S” word in April,  but not this year I hope.

Happy Spring, Easter, Passover to all.

ttfn…sue