Hello!
Sue is recovering from her successful spine surgery so I will share with you again this week. By next week Sue should be feeling much better and able to write her newsletter.
 Karen Rife lives in Flowery Branch, Georgia, and has an inspiring “stitching story” to share.
“This photo shows me with a freebie design from the internet that I did over-1 on 32ct hand-dyed lambswool, using Carrie's Threads in Elephant Grey, and me squinting into the sun. I took this piece to the N. Georgia State Fair last fall and won 1st place!!!”
Karen’s needlework story began many years before she entered this piece into the State Fair. Karen shares her story in her own words.
“When I was a kid, and one of my older sisters got married and moved out, I found a piece of fabric with a vase of flowers stamped on it in outline, and a large bag of threads. There weren’t any directions, but there was a page that had been ripped in half, and the half I had had a couple of stitch diagrams on it. So, I put 2 and 2 together, and just started filling that in with various crewel stitches. I didn’t get very far on it – being a kid, I lost interest in it. I have no idea what happened to it. And who knows, I could have invented a stitch and no one will ever know J. That was really the first piece of needlework I touched.
Later, as a sophomore in high school, my stepmother took me to a needlework shop, and I saw a stamped crewel kit with hot air balloons; I begged her to get that for me to make for my dad. The balloons were all satin stitch; the ropes were another stitch, etc. I finished that and she got it framed for me, and my dad still has it hanging in his office, 20+ years later. He needs to send me a picture of it. And from there, I collected those Unicorn and Pegasus crewel kits that were so popular in the mid-to-late 80’s; I got a good piece of Pegasus done, but as I got older, I put needlework away for several years, and those kits traveled the world with me, until they were ruined during one of my moves. They come up on e-bay every so often, but I know I wouldn’t work on them now….
I started on crewel, but while I was in the US Air Force and stationed in England, a wife of one of the guys I worked with showed me her cross stitch project. We had a wonderful arts and crafts shop on base, so I went and poked around, and found Paula Vaughn’s designs! I was hooked immediately. I did several of those and sent them back to the States as gifts.
And then, one day when I was looking for a new project, I saw Teresa Wentzler’s Unicorn! No one told me blended threads, fractional stitches, and working on black fabric was supposed to be hard, so once I got started, I was a TW fan for life! As I did more of her designs, I learned more of the specialty stitches, and have come to have an affinity for samplers and other designs that are mostly cross stitch, but also add specialty stitches in.
I also did a couple of latch hook rugs kits as a kid, and my ex-MIL bought me a quilt kit once, which I did begin to piece together, by hand. My sewing machine and I have a love-hate relationship, so anything I can do by hand is usually what gets done.
I try to get at least an hour of stitching in a day, and if I can get more, wonderful. The days I can’t stitch are just agony! But I am like that with my books, too – have to read something every day, especially before bed, or I can’t go to sleep J I also, in the last year or so, created travel projects; since I have pretty much always worked on large projects, they were never portable. Well, I just finally decided to kit up some of those ornaments that I’ve been collecting for years, and now those go to kids’ games with me, though I do still take my book everywhere, too.
Besides stitching, I read a lot as mentioned, mostly historical fiction and non-fiction, especially concerning the Tudor era. I also make beaded jewelry, using gemstone, precious metal, and glass beads. If I had a workshop, I would have a pottery wheel and kiln, and also an area to do stained glass, both of which I have taken classes for, but currently have no place to work on them. I would like to get better with my sewing machine, and do some machine quilting someday. I made Halloween costumes for the kids when they were small, and some other sewing crafts for family gifts, once upon a time. And some might consider all the time I spend on the soccer fields with my kids a hobby; it’s a necessary part of our life, as I am their biggest fan, but am looking forward to the day when I don’t lose so much stitching time to youth athletics – soccer gets played in the rain, where I can’t stitch during halftime!
I have always worked outside the home. As I said earlier, right out of high school, I joined the Air Force, where I was a Corrosion Control Specialist – that’s a fancy name for airplane painter J Though I also painted cars, building, trees, rocks – both sides – and tumbleweeds. It was hard work, since airplane painting is 90% sanding, 10% painting. After I got out of the AF, I did a stint of retail sales in a jewelry store while in college, and then found myself in electronics manufacturing, starting on an assembly line and now working as an engineering change analyst and database administrator.
The years I was on the assembly line were also the years that my kids were small, and I did very little needlework for many years – I was just too tired at the end of the day. Of course, I also read a 1000 page book a week. Nowadays, I hope to get 1000 stitches into anything during a work week, and am lucky to get to the bottom of the page before I fall asleep.
I am determined to do some Hardanger embroidery eventually; I have lots of designs stashed away, waiting for me to have the time to sit down and finally do some! Sadly, I don’t have anyone local to me to get me started; all of my stitching friends are on the ‘net, including Mariann Maeder in Switzerland, who was another Featured Stitcher. We are hoping to meet in England next year, so maybe I could get a lesson or two then – she does gorgeous work!
I also want to do some canvas work. I picked up a couple of charts here and there, and another online friend just completed Kaleidoscope by From Nancy’s Needle – I love that design!
I have about 40 projects kitted up right now, including several more TW designs, Chatelaine designs, Rosewood Manor, Patricia Ann and Patricia Allison; all of these are just waiting for their time in the rotation! And my wish list for cross stitch charts is rather extensive – every day, there’s at least one new thing that grabs me! If only I live forever!!
I think the most important thing is to pick a project you really love, and make sure you are happy with the materials you have chosen; if you aren’t quite satisfied, you will be less inclined to finish it. After that, there are no hard and fast rules – thread goes through needle, needle goes through fabric! And I can honestly say I have no UFOs, except those crewel kits that were inadvertently ruined!
Most of my family members have received gifts I have made, and though no one but my mom really understands what goes into one, the reactions have always been fantastic! My sister works with a woman who does some type of handwork, and she always takes her gifts in to show her, and I’ve been told she ohhhs and ahhhs over them, too, so that’s a good thing, coming from another needleworker!”
When I asked Karen if she has a favorite designer, she said, “Gee, only one? Maybe a dozen are always on my must-have lists – Teresa Wentzler, Ink Circles, Long Dog Samplers, Needlemania, Rosewood Manor, Papillon Creations, Chatelaine, and Scarlet Quince, to name just a few. And I have just recently acquired my first chart from Heaven and Earth Designs, and so far, I am loving it, even though I really should have finished something before I started it!!
Favorite fabric and thread? Well, you know, if the color is right, I’ll work on just about any fabric in the higher counts. If I can find aida in an interesting color in 16 or 18 count, I’ll pick it up, just to have it. But I do also have a good selection of hand-dyed linens and evenweaves in 28ct and above. I love over-1 stitching on 28 and 32ct, and don’t really have a preference between Cashel, Belfast, Lugana or Jobelen – the color is the important part for me. 36 and 40ct are my preference for over-2 stitching, especially monochromatic samplers and such.
As for threads, I have yet to find a thread I don’t like, though I do have to admit that Kreinik BF sometimes gets the better of me. I have projects that just scream silk to me – Long Dog’s Foursome Reel I am doing in Gloriana silks at the moment, and I just recently finished Needlemania’s Fire Flower using Vikki Clayton’s HDF silks. But I also love the wonderful selection of overdyed cottons available, and have several things kitted or in progress with Carrie’s Threads. And I have more things kitted with good old DMC than I will ever get to, and look for even more that I can use their Variations line on; I’ve done several gifts with those.
I had a horrible time with lighting a few years back; my eyesight is still very good, but you still need good lighting, and your average table lamp is not what I consider good for stitching. So I invested in a floor lamp from Ott; I would be lost without it!
In fact, I was having quite the challenge last fall, stitching on my travel projects at my son’s practices, as the sun would go down earlier and earlier, and I was trying to stitch by the map light in my car! A good friend took pity on me, and sent me a Mighty Bright light & magnifier for my birthday! It is a wonderful thing! Lighting is so important!
Other than that, I pretty much have the basics – Q-Snaps, scroll frames, and a very basic universal floor stand. Though I have also become addicted to John James petite needles; if I use a regular needle these days, it’s so huge – like trying to stitch with a twig!
 My two largest pieces, to date, are in my current pile of WIPs. (Works in Progress). The older is TW’s Fantasy Triptych, which I hope to have finished in May!!! I have been working on this, in rotation, for about 3 years, and will be my biggest completion to date with a finished size of 16.3" x 10.8”. It is done with the recommended DMC, Kreinik, and Mill Hill beads on 28ct evenweave.
And after that, I have Scarlet Quince’s Lady & Unicorn: Sense of Hearing (smaller); this project is a very long-term project for me, and after a year and a half on it, rotating between projects, I did finally reach the 10% mark. I’m hoping when my kids get to be a little more self-sufficient (living on their own), it’ll go a bit quicker J And SQ has three more of the series of 16th century tapestries charted, though I think I will be good and sick of red by the time I finish this one. It will be 14.45"w x 18.63"h on 22 count fabric when finished, someday in the distant future.
 I also just recently completed Needlemania’s Fire Flower, which, in itself, isn’t that large a chart, but I did it twice on the same fabric, once in Assisi, once in cross stitch. That’s probably the finish I am most proud of, so far, though all of my “great ideas” start with a great design!
Needlework has really become my refuge in recent years; no matter how bad the day was at work, or what the kids got into, or how bad the traffic was, I could soothe it away with a few stitches. It has given me goals and structure, which I really need, to keep the chaos as under control as I can make it. Stitching is my therapy. And with all of the monochromatic samplers available today, I really get the opportunity to be creative with my colors; any time I can take a stunning design and make it mine by my color choices, I think the designer and I both get the desired result from the design. I think everyone needs creative outlets, whether they think they are creative or not; as for me, the more the better.
I so enjoy the newsletters every week; it’s so nice to see inside the lives of fellow stitchers, and see what’s new and exciting in the market! Before the internet, stitching was such a person-to-person thing, and as I don’t personally know anyone that stitches anymore, I’ve always kind of been on my own. But the internet has really opened my eyes to all the possibilities! The array of products out there is staggering, but you wouldn’t know it the way needlework shops are closing their doors! And there is a huge online community of stitchers, and as far as I can tell, needlework is thriving. I have more stitching friends now than non, though we have never met in person – we do hope to remedy that next year when as many of us as possible from an online group plan to meet in England, including 2 all the way from Australia! We come from all walks of life, but all share the common joy of putting needle to fabric and seeing what emerges!”
Thank you for sharing, Karen. One goal of this weekly email newsletter is to bring stitchers together and to feel like part of a group of stitching friends. I am very happy we have been able to accomplish that for you. Thank you for letting us include your email address for those who want to write to you. rifestitch@bellsouth.net
Here are a few more suggestions for hiding dark running threads on the back of your stitching.
21. To lessen the visibility of the thread showing between letters I use only one thread of floss. Each stitch does need to be double-stitched of course to get the effect of two threads, but when crossing over an unstitched area, the thread hardly shows. Veronica
22. Hi, I learned to frame when I was a poorer farmer's wife, so I could afford to keep stitching. One thing I learned as a framer is that no matter what trick you use the only way to not see the dark thread is to not travel (thread). I had an experienced stitcher tell me this earlier, but it truly became obvious when framing cross stitch for others who had traveled from one letter to another for example. Thanks for the newsletter.
Karen Dalton , Qld Australia
23. The best way to not have your thread show on the back of your work is to start and stop each thread within one letter. Of course, this is impossible, unless your letters are large.
My method is to find the spot where the letters are closest together.
After finishing one letter, I run my thread back under the threads of that letter until it is closest to the next letter. I always jump between the two letters diagonally. If there is only one space between the letters, then the thread can go straight across, but with two or three spaces, go diagonally. That way, the thread won't show through the holes of the fabric.
If the thread is a lot darker than the fabric, it may still show through, but the diagonal is not as "in your face" as a long, straight thread would be. If the letters are done in outline, as opposed to crossed stitches, I have been known to make the thread on the back run from one letter to the next as if I was writing in script. This again takes some planning and running your thread around the back of the letter to a logical starting point.
Sharon H.
Greenwood IN
24. I use one of two methods:
If the letters are large enough, I use a separate piece of thread for each letter, using the "catch-the-loop" technique to start it--you only have one end to weave under.
If the letters are too small, I work with one strand and just go over the threads the number of times of threads I'm using for the rest of the piece. So, if you’re using three strands, you would go over the first part of the stitch three times, and three times over the second part of the stitch. Using one strand eliminates the heavy lines showing through. One strand usually doesn't look so bad.
Also, I "plan" the letters before I start. That means, I plan the stitching direction so the jumped area is as small as possible, and I never jump from one word to another word, I always start a new strand with the new word. The space between words is usually larger than that between letters of one word. If you only jump between letters, you'd be surprised how the threads blend in.
Hope this helps. I'm rather fussy about this topic. My stitching friends laugh at me for working with small pieces of threads, but they always admire the end result.
Barbara M. B.
Richmond
I have a question for you and would love to have your input! Having just completed our 6th annual Stitchers Retreat, we are looking for good ideas for next year’s Retreat! We depend on input from our past attendees, but are always looking for new ideas and ways we can improve. If you have any new ideas or past experiences you think we would benefit from, I would love to hear from you! Every year we have a Theme and have used such topics as: Garden Party, Stitching Indulgence, a Hawaiian theme, a Cooking theme, and others. We could also use your suggestions as to what should be the next Retreat’s theme.
Write to me at rozw@nordicneedle.com and in the subject line, enter “Retreat Ideas”, and we will consider your suggestions. This is your chance to dream a little and help us make the next Retreat even more special! Let your imagination go wild! What would make a perfect retreat for you? Your suggestions don't have to be practical or even possible - have some fun dreaming!! Thank you for your input, but right up front I want to tell you, “no, it cannot be free and everything in the store cannot be 75% off!” ?
I would also welcome more emails on the topic, What Needlework Means to Me. Many of your wrote to me and I shared them in past email newsletters, but I know more of you have something to add to this topic. Your testimonials on this subject will be included in future newsletters and will be much appreciated by all the readers. As I am currently working on a Hardanger pillow and runner set that has a more modern style, I realize how much I miss stitching when I just don’t take the time to fit it into my day. Thankfully, my hands and eyes still work well and I love to design new Hardanger patterns to share with you. I tend to do more of the small, quick-to-stitch pieces, and share them as free patterns on our website. http://www.nordicneedle.com/free/ My new set will be offered for sale when it is finished and I am enjoying spending a little more time on these larger pieces. Watch for it in the future (hopefully in the not-too-distant future).
SO, please write to me with your testimonials on What Needlework Means to Me. rozw@nordicneedle.com and in the subject line enter “What Needlework Means to Me”. THANK YOU!
A tell-tale sign of a good cookbook is when the pages begin to have splatter marks on them! I can tell you, my new “Stitcher’s Choice Cookbook” is already showing those signs! I was making the Dried Beef Hot Appetizer recipe and now that page has splatter marks! I have been making many of the recipes in this cookbook and have had such good comments from people who have bought one. With Mother’s Day coming up, what a great gift this would be!
One error has been pointed out to us on a recipe and ask that you make the change in your copy of the cookbook. On page 210, the Almond Bars recipe calls for 2 cubes of flour! Make that 2 cups! Sorry about that! This is one of my favorite recipes for bars!
With graduation open houses coming up, here is a great recipe for a delicious punch that is just a little out of the ordinary. If you have an overabundance of rhubarb this time of the year, this recipe is for you! I have a cousin who has used this recipe many times and it is a favorite!
Rhubarb Slush
- 12 cups chopped rhubarb
- 2 c. sugar
- 9 c. water
- 6 oz. frozen lemonade
- 1 pkg. sugar free raspberry or strawberry Jell-O
Bring to a boil the rhubarb, sugar and water. Simmer for one-half hour. Strain the juice into a large bucket with lemonade and Jell-O. Stir to dissolve Jell-O. Freeze. Thaw slightly to slush consistency and serve mixed with 7-Up or Ginger Ale.
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The Spring Catalog is in the mail!!! Here is what the cover looks like. It has a different format so don’t miss it when it arrives in your mailbox! The sale begins Tuesday the 6th, but even though you might not have your catalog yet, 
