INDEPENDENT NEEDLEWORK NEWS

… what you have in common with many of China’s Olympic gold medalists?

Jen Funk Weber, of Funk & Weber Designs, is currently hosting a fun contest on her blog, Needle and ThREAD: Stitching for Literacy.

There will be at least two prizes. One will be a copy of Funk & Weber’s newest pattern (as yet a bit of a secret — that’s part of the contest ). The other will be both the pattern and everything you need to stitch it (thanks to generous donations from Zweigart and Gentle Art Sampler Threads!) — a prize worth over $100! Jen has also hinted there may be even more prizes for contestants who put in good efforts in the contest — and as Funk & Weber Designs have always been very, very generous in their support for the Online Needlework Show (make note: the next show begins September 24th!), I’m personally guessing Jen will be sending out more than just two prizes because giving is in her nature.

The goal of the contest is, of course, to have fun. Secondarily, it is to reveal the name and subject of Funk & Weber’s newest design release. The possibility of winning some great products such as that new design is the icing on the cake! (I’ll admit it: I’m hoping to win something, even though I’m not really sure I qualify considering Jen asked me to help advertise the contest, but that’s okay, too, because it’s FUN!).

To get started, here are the posts on Jen’s blog you’ll want to focus on:

Funk & Weber Designs New Puzzle Pattern Contest

New Puzzle Pattern Contest - Day 1

New Puzzle Pattern Contest - Day 2

New Puzzle Pattern Contest - Day 3

New Puzzle Pattern Contest - Day 4

Final contest entries are due by 11:59 p.m. August 6th, Alaska time. (To check your time compared with Alaska’s, I recommend the World Clock.) Good luck!

By the way, Jen also has written a superb (and humorous — the best kind!) blog post about the problems the Orphan Works bill (recently mentioned on INN) will almost certainly create. Please read it, and if you have not already taken appropriate action, I again urge you to do so.

Lastly, and on a personal note, I am much later with this post than I had hoped to be due to the personal emergency of one of my dearest friends — a situation which has worried me terribly and made it very difficult for me to concentrate on much at all for days. For anyone who is inclined, I would appreciate it very much if you could please send good vibes, positive energy, prayers, or whatever you may call it toward the Colorado, USA area such that my friend may find strength in both mind and body, and that he may feel measurably more positive each day. Thank you.

Today I have a special guest blogger for you: Janet M. Perry of Napa Needlepoint is here to discuss Bargello (one of my personal favorite stitching techniques) and her most recent book, Bargello Revisited, which I am already drooling over myself. I think you’ll enjoy Janet’s inventive, creative, fun, and useful ideas for Bargello stitching!

Bargello is one of those perfect needlepoint techniques. It takes about 2 minutes to learn, but is flexible enough that you can stitch Bargello patterns your whole life and never get bored.

It can look as if it came straight out of the Renaissance or as if it’s a piece of Op Art. You can stitch it in traditional threads like silk or wool, or in the most modern threads you can find. It can be any colors you like.

It’s this flexibility that keeps people loving Bargello. It was thinking about all the wonderful ways you can make Bargello which motivated me to write Bargello Revisited.

For the last several years, I have been exploring Bargello patterns by making mini-socks. The first ones were made almost 25 years ago to use up scraps of thread. It was a simple diamond pattern. The outline was black and the diamonds were filled with my scrap threads. I made two of them.

In the early 90’s my experiments took another direction, I played with Bargello lines and noticed that by making simple changes, like offsetting rows of an outline, or by flipping half the line, you got new patterns. That fact made me look at Bargello with new eyes. I started looking for the relations between patterns.

In order to try out new threads and ideas I made more mini-socks, many of which are in Bargello Revisited. But still I wanted more, so I started to think of other ways I could use Bargello.

Could I make a little cell phone case? Yes, it’s there. How easy would it be to make a checkbook cover which was chic and elegant? Pretty easy, I stitched it in a weekend. Could I add Bargello to a tote bag? Make a 3-D Christmas Tree? The more than 30 projects in the book are the result of my different experiments with Bargello.

What’s more, I want you to experiment too. There are templates in the front of the book, so you can make your own Bargello items. There is a section about threads which clues you into the best threads to use for Bargello and why. Another section gives you lots of ideas for discovering Bargello color schemes in your clothing, the fabrics in your home, or a piece of overdyed thread.

No other Bargello book is like it. You can take any threads you like, any of the Bargello patterns, and any template and make something unique.

And I’m still thinking up new patterns. Next up (probably by January 2009) will be an eBook with more Bargello patterns, I’m thinking about calling it Son of Bargello Revisited.

–
Keep Stitching,

Janet M. Perry
Email Janet
http://www.napaneedlepoint.com
http://www.nuts-about-needlepoint.com - blog

Karen Timothy, owner of Wasatch Needlecraft, just keeps on enticing us with terrific sales and other special offers we can’t possibly ignore … She is a smart business woman, for sure!

For the month of June, Karen has put everything made by Dinky Dyes on sale at 30% off! This includes all Dinky Dyes designs, scissors, threads, and even threadpacks for various designs such as these by The Cat’s Whiskers (The Garden Chair) …

and Twisted Oaks (Patchwork Garden Pincushion Ball) …

To tempt us further, Karen is also offering free Dinky Dyes products depending on how much you purchase:

When you spend $30 and buy at least one Dinky Dyes item you will receive a free Dinky Dyes Butterfly Garden chart with threads. With each additional $30 in purchases and one additional Dinky Dyes item you will receive a free silk thread pack containing 4 skeins of thread. (No repeat in colors)

As if all this were not enough, Jo Fisher Mason of Dinky Dyes will be gifting one of Karen’s customers with her full line of silk threads (worth approximately $600)! You will be entered into this drawing for every single Dinky Dyes item you purchase!

These are truly some exceptionally generous offers from two fantastic women in the needlework industry. Don’t miss your opportunity to take advantage of this great sale and perhaps be the lucky person who gets to take home an entire set of Dinky Dyes silks! Head on over to Wasatch Needlecraft right away and start working on your order!

Fans of Casa Mia Designs by Yuko Senokuchi will be happy to learn that today she has opened her boutique for one week — through June 29th Italian time. Yuko only sells her designs one (or perhaps two?) weeks per year, so this is an opportunity that is not to be missed! Make sure to follow the simple directions Yuko has provided on her How to Order page when you place your order.

Unfortunately, all of Yuko’s handmade items which she put up for sale are already sold, but do take a look at them anyway — you will be astounded and inspired by her creativity.

If you like what you see there, then you will definitely enjoy viewing Yuko’s cross stitch (don’t miss her gorgeous free cross stitch charts — the pictures you see below are projects Yuko made from just two of the free charts she offers), handicraft, and photo diary pages.

Yuko shares many ideas with you in those pages on how you can use the various charts she is selling in her boutique, and she is also very open about how she creates each of her projects so that you, too, can attempt to make such beautiful items.

If you weren’t aware of Yuko’s site and Casa Mia designs before, and you decide to place an order with her, please let her know you learned about her from INN. And do come back here and tell us what you bought, and what you liked most about her site!