Bedecked and Beadazzled Guide to Stitch Guides

Ruth Schmuff has updated her shop website with a page devoted to stitch guides available from her store.  The newest guides are at the top of the page.  Classics are down lower.  Please note that some guides are for past mystery classes that Ruth has done in her teacher role, some are designer club guides, and some are for canvases that Ruth distributes in her painted canvas distributor role.  In other words, some guides are available at other shops and some are exclusive to Ruth.  Some listings are for the painted canvas with the guide included.  Some are just for the guide or for one month's installment in a club.  Click on the thumbnail portrait of anything you find interesting to get the details.
http://www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/Stitchguides-a21/

LOVE (Threads)

Robin King is stitching the perfect canvas to celebrate Mother's Day--Raymond Crawford's LOVE.
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2013/05/love-by-raymond-crawford-ho-207.html

This piece is a threadaholic's delight!  Robin used a different palette of threads for each letter and I bet she uses a lot of other stitches, too.  Robin has issued a challenge to readers of her blog--she posted a stitch diagram she is using somewhere in the design.  Guess which thread and area she put it in and win a prize!

Truly anyone who stitches one of Robin's guides has won a prize anyway but it is fun to try and decide just where Robin put the Triple Windows stitch.

Hibiscus Flowers, Palm Fronds, a Mai Tai and Me UPDATED

The Paper Umbrella, Closeup of Bermuda

The latest series from Leigh Designs was just announced at Destination Dallas--the Caribe' series.  
http://www.leighdesigns.com/Grp626x.html


These sunny florals are all inspired by motifs from the various Caribbean islands.  I stitched Bermuda as a model for Leigh and have done a stitch guide for both the large and small versions of this canvas.  Your local shop can order a canvas and guide for you from Leigh or you can ask me for a PDF version of the guide if you happen to have the canvas already or just want to add it to your reference library.






You can see the entire set of the bigger Caribe' designs at the Leigh Designs website.  The smaller "coaster" size will be released for the Columbus TNNA show in June although some of them are already public.
http://www.stitchinginthetexashillcountry.com/the_needle_works/2013/04/leighs-booth.html

The photo above is a closeup from my large Bermuda model.  It is full of the new Swarovski flat back crystal sequins and beads.  These decorate the organdy ribbon umbrella, grace the black shutters, and float like pineapple bits in the glass. The hibiscus blossoms are covered in beads instead.  My favorite part of the design are the palm fronds and green coconuts, however.  They just give peace to this fun Caribbean piece.

Bermuda All Finished

I understand that there will be other stitch guides done for this series (I have done one for the small version of Trinidad to be shown off in June) and Sandy Arthur will teach a class on one of the set as well.  Stay tuned until the June trade show in Columbus for more!

UPDATE:  Sharon Quick is working the large version of Martinique;
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=531540446910579&set=o.108537025890131&type=1&theater

Pat Miller is working on the large version of Barbados;
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151492369304261&set=o.108537025890131&type=1&theater

and Sandy Arthur is stitching the large version of Jamacia which she will teach at the June 2013 Columbus trade show. There will be stitch guides available for all three canvases this summer sometime.

http://www.sandyarthur.blogspot.com/2013/05/classes-for-tnna-i-have-good-fortune-of.html

The Stitch Guide Crew in Action

Folks who write stitch guides and designers who come up with the painted canvas work very closely together.  Robin King just illustrated this beautifully in her brief article about the evolution of the Tapestry Fair stitch guide for Hooter Owl.  Peggi of Tapestry Fair designed and stitched this 3-D charmer (plus came up with a non-holiday version), Robin worked up the stitch guide diagrams, and Carolyn Hedge Baird contributed photographs.  The NP Nation (designer/stitch guide writer clan) really came together on this!
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2013/04/halloween-hooter-owl-by-tapestry-fair.html

The Flower Market UPDATED

Needle Works just had a fabulous class using Sundance's Flower Market.  The class was taught by Laura Taylor and a stitch guide will be created so that long distance stitchers don't need Laura to understand the directions. Stay tuned!
http://www.stitchinginthetexashillcountry.com/the_needle_works/2013/04/share-a-stitch-sunday-april-21.html

UPDATE:  Laura now has a website that lists her upcoming classes and available stitch guides.
http://needlepointwithlaurataylor.com

New Guides from Robin King UPDATED

Robin has been very busy teaching at The Nimble Needle in Atlanta.  You can join in the fun by visiting her report on the trip.
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2013/04/teaching-again-at-nimble-needle-atlanta.html#comment-form

UPDATE:  Robin's also providing the diagrams and guides for a club for Nimble Needle Atlanta that is pumpkin-themed.  Stacy Brown stitched the pumpkins and Robin wrote up her original ideas in guide form.  Three sizes, three guides, three sets of fun!
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2013/04/new-pumpkin-club-at-nimble-needle.html

UPDATE #2:  More new guides from Robin!
http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2013/06/teaching-at-needle-bug-montgomery-al.html

The reason this is posted here instead of at the Chilly Hollow Needlepoint Adventure is that Robin's embellishment guides for her students are available as stitch guides for folks who happen to have these canvases in their hot little hands.  Robin's included contact information so you can let her know you are interested in one of her beauties.

Wish we'd all been there but there wouldn't be room for Robin with all of us in the shop!

New Guides for Melissa Shirley Canvases

Guide by Melissa Herself, Lots of Beads!

Melissa Shirley has announced quite a few new stitch guides on her Melissa Shirley Designs Facebook page.  I gathered all the photos and have posted them here since most are not on Melissa's website yet.