Brenda's Needlepoint Studio

Sunday, May 18, 2025

Heart Swirled in Gold and White - Updated 5/18/25

Mary 18, 2025--Area 4 has been stitched, and this area too was a challenge. The designer called for long diagonal trellis stitches which had to be carefully spaced out. Trying to count this out on curved lines (convex and concave) proved to be nearly impossible for me.

Then I remembered the class notes for this project written by Gretchen J. and ta da--problem solved. I have no clue why I forgot to read the class notes first, but once I did, I ripped out my attempt at the trellis stitch and followed Gretchen's suggestion of stitching 6 x 6 cross stitches. Ta da--problem solved. Thanks Gretchen!

Scroll down to view previous posts about this heart.

Heart Swirled in Gold and White Area 4

Area 4 Grid Using 6 x 6 Cross Stitches

May 15, 2025--Area 3 is done, and like the prior area, required some stitch graphing on my iPad and lots of attention to compensation. This heart is turning out to be a very pleasant challenge.

Unfortunately, my vision isn't what it used to be so often enough stitches need to be ripped out and redone. I see simpler projects in my future.

Heart Swirled in Gold and White Area 3

May 12, 2025--I finally tackled Area 2 of this pretty heart. I've done a little Or Nué before but was never challenged as I was with this area. I needed 4 working needles, all of which were laid or stitched one "line" at a time. In order to manage this chaos, I had to mark up a chart (see below) showing which direction the laid threads would go and where to couch them. The marked-up chart also helped me know when and where to begin the hearts. Whew.

Heart Swirled in Gold and White Area 2

Graph for Area 2

May 2, 2025--Finished Area 1 of this beautiful heart described below. Now on to Day 2's lesson.

Heart Swirled in Gold and White Area 1

April 25, 2025--At its May meeting, ANG's CyberPointers Online Chapter will be working on the Swirled Heart in Gold and White designed by Rozell Hirschfelt with instructions published in the January 2022 issue of Needle Pointers Magazine. Of course, it can be done in any color, but I'm stitching it in the gold and white threads as designed. It's a very pretty piece and I like the flowing movement of the sections. Here's my preworked outline in advance of the meeting.

Heart Swirled in Gold and White Prework Outline

Sunday, May 4, 2025

Stocking Emerald and Gold - Updated 5/4/25

May 4, 2025--Those of you who know me will understand that the cuff was looking "unfinished" and it really bugged me. So, this morning I sat down and added more beads--ahh--better. Do you agree? Here's the result:

Stocking Emerald and Gold with Additional Beads Added to Cuff

May 3, 2025--Completed the stitching on this stocking (see below for more information) and had to make a few changes due to the limitations in supply availability.

First, was unable to find the right size filigree gold disks for the cuff. What I did find was a bit small, so the cuff had to be "filled in" with beads. Beads were not added to the far left and right sides of the cuff--they would have been too close to the edge and possibly in the way of cording. I may change my mind about this--we'll see.

Second, the designer called for seed beads to be stitched onto the toe area. I found the beads looked too crowded, therefore too crooked, so I worked up the area in tent stitches using Kreinik gold thread. I'm also quite sure I didn't have enough beads to fill in the area, so Kreinik was a happy substitute.

It was recommended a row of green tent stiches be placed around the stocking for ease in finishing. I did that but feel this step wouldn't have been necessary if the stocking was stitched on dark green canvas. Note for future projects.

All in all, a fun project to work on. I think it'll be lovely finished as a small stocking. Stay tuned.

Stocking Emerald and Gold Completed

Stocking Emerald and Gold Side View

April 20, 2025--I purchased the instructions for this Emerald and Gold Stocking by Kaitlyn Marie Designs back in December of 2022 and after many months of trying to locate the gold disks required for this project, I finally found something close on Etsy. So, I've begun working it up and here's my progress to date. I'm going to save placing most of the embellishments to the end.

Below is a photo of the stocking as stitched by the designer. I believe mine will look so much better than it does now when gold cording is placed around the edge and pretty ribbons tied in a bow are placed on the top.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Santa Holly Berry - Updated 4/22/25

April 22, 2025--Done. Once I finished the beard's padding, the rest went quickly. All long stitches. Yay.

Now, of the 29 Santas I have that are designed by Janet Zickle Casey, there are 8 to be stitched and 21 completed. Which will I tackle next?

Santa Holly Berry Completed

April 18, 2025--I continue to work on this cutie as time allows, but mostly at stitch-ins since much of what needs to be done doesn't require the threads be "laid". I've added the hat brim and mouth to his face. Next up--the beard and moustache.

Santa Holly Berry in Process through 2025-04-18

March 31, 2025--The face, eyes and eyebrows are stitched, and this project is now ready to "travel". For me that means the balance of the stitching won't require serious attention on my part since most of what's left to do consists of padding, Satin Stitches and Slanted Gobelin Stitches. It's now perfect for stitch-ins and serious movie watching. Easy-peasy.

Santa Holly Berry in Process through 2025-03-31

January 6, 2025--Here's the latest Janet Zickler Casey Santa from 2006 than I'm working on called Holly Berry Santa. His beard consists of very long stitches, so I'll do that last. The dark pink threads on his face are his "rosy, red cheeks". I had to order large red beads for the hat to use as berries. Once they come in, I'll resume stitching this cutie.

Holly Berry Santa Work in Progress

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Art Deco Tree - Updated 3/13/25

March 13, 2025--Ta da -- Done!!! I've been working on this beautiful tree on and off for the last 3 months and loved every minute. For more information about the source of this project, please scroll down to see prior blog postings. This post will be about the last lesson being given to my ANG chapter (Lesson 3) and the sections covered. As was done for the prior two lessons, I've worked up lots of graphs to make the stitching of this advance level project a bit easier.

The advice I would give to anyone endeavoring to work up this project is to count, count and recount every step of the way. Read EACH sentence carefully--there's a lot of information packed into each paragraph, and you don't want to miss a step. Ripping out sections because the stitch was done incorrectly, or you counted wrong, will be a common theme (was for me). Don't worry about it--just redo it and you'll be happier. This project is very addicting, and you'll want to keep stitching on it as you see each section develop (like a flower opening its petals).

OK, now that I've posted lots of closeup photos below--I can see how bad some of my stitching looks. Oh well--this is a very "busy" project and from a normal distance, my wonky stitches won't look bad at all.

Art Deco Tree Completed

Art Deco Tree Areas C4, M2 M1 Partial, T1, M4, M3, C5, T2 and Star Completed Lesson 3

Area T1, T2, M4, M3 Closeup

Area C4 Closeup

Area C5 Closeup

Star Closeup

February 18, 2025--Below is a photo of Areas B1, B2, B3, B4, C1, C2, C3, E1, E2, and M1 Partial stitched to date. This is a large project. The completed stitching will measure about 13" tall and 11" at the widest point (the tree bottom).

Art Deco Tree Completed Through Area M1 Partial

Areas B1, B2, B3, B4, C3 and M1 will be part of the second class given to my ANG chapter in May. I calculate I'm about 70% done with this beautiful project. It has a ton of shine and dimension. However, please don't look closely at the stitches and beading--some of it is a "hot mess" so to speak. Also, my Kreinik gold threads had a dye lot change and if you study the stitches closely, you may be able to see the difference. But the pattern is so busy, I don't believe the dye lot changes will jump out at anyone.

Here are photos of each section as stitched:

Art Deco Tree Area C3 Completed

The beading in area C3 was strung up in a line and couched down rather than attached to the canvas one at a time as instructed. Even though this looks a bit wonky (Mill Hill beads are not as nice as Miyuki or Toho beads, for example), it looks so much better than the other way. This is because the beads are larger than the canvas thread spacing, so you need to skip a canvas thread periodically. I did not like how that looked.

The photos, from this point forward, are of the right side of the tree only.

Art Deco Tree Area B1

Art Deco Tree Area B3

Art Deco Tree Area B2

Art Deco Tree Areas B4 and M1 Partial

January 7, 2025--This is a section of the Art Deco Tree project designed by Deborah Reichert published in ANG's Needle Pointers Nov 2024 Magazine. The stitching in this post covers Areas C1, C2, E1 and E2. Isn't it beautiful?

I have the privilege of leading this as a three-part class to Delaware's Seashore Chapter of ANG beginning in March. My class will include lots of additional notes, graphs and instructions to make stitching this piece a little easier and more enjoyable.

Art Deco Tree Completed through Section E2

Below are photos of each section as it was stitched.

Art Deco Tree Area C1 Completed (love how the shiny rayon floss makes this look like a pearl)

Art Deco Tree Area C2 Completed (the outer edges make me think of Mother of Pearl)

Art Deco Tree Area E1 Completed

Monday, January 20, 2025

Ornament Holiday Bell Aqua - Updated 1/20/25

January 20, 2025--I attended the EGA January 2025 Camp Wannastitch over the weekend and was able to complete the stitching on this Holiday Ornament Bell (and rang the "finished bell" while there--yay!). I can see that the beaded "swag" is a bit wonky but am not worried about it since it won't show when hanging on the tree.

January 8, 2025--I've begun stitching another of Susan Portra's Holiday Ornaments, this one being an aqua bell (looks more like turquoise to me). I had to purchase these instructions from Susan because Needlepoint Now Magazine discontinued publishing her Holiday Ornament collection.

I ran out of the beautiful rayon floss used for this project, so as soon as it comes in, I'll finish the stitching. Almost done with this collection--after this one, have three more to do.

Ornament Holiday Bell Aqua in Process

Friday, January 3, 2025

Janet Zickler Casey Santas Stitched to Date - 1/3/25

January 3, 2025--Happy New Year. Here are four more Santas stitched over 2023 and 2024. If you scroll down, you'll see the ones stitched in prior years. Now there are 20 stitched Santas in the collection.

Click on the photo caption to view more information about each Santa.

January 3, 2023--I had the opportunity to stitch a few more Janet Zickler Casey's Santas in 2022. Here are the new ones and if you scroll down, you'll see the ones stitched in prior years. Now there are 16 stitched santas in the collection.

To see the Santas yet to be stitched, please click on the 2 Pages on the right side of this blog called Planned Projects-Santas by Janet Zickler Casey and In Process Projects.

Santa Snow Cone

Santa Holly Jolly

January 1, 2022--In keeping with my goal of stitching one new and one old Janet Zickler Casey's Santas each year, I stitched the below Cashmere and North Wind Santas. This makes 14 Santas stitched to date.

Cashmere Santa Completed

North Wind Santa Completed

May 18, 2020--Here's the 12th santa ornament stitched so far--North Wind Santa

North Star Santa Completed

May 12, 2020--the 11th Janet Zickler Casey Santa stitched to date called Santa in the Moon.

Santa in the Moon Completed

January 5, 2020--The 10th JZC Santa, Heart Santa, is stitched.

Santa Heart

February 11, 2019--The 9th JZC santa is stitched.

Star Spangled Santa

January 9, 2019--Here's the eighth stitched so far to add to the list below.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star Santa

November 16, 2018—Recently I counted up the number of santa ornaments designed by Janet Zickler Casey that I’ve stitched over the years. Below are 7 out of 23 total to date. As new ones are completed, I’ll add them to the list. My goal is to stitch two a year (one new, one old) until all are done. Click on the caption for more information about each santa pictured.