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In This Issue 1. Shop News 2. Upcoming Classes 3. Sales Update 4. Painting Update 5. Finishing Update 6. Stitch of the Month Subscribe Past Issues Translate 7. Thread of the Month 8. Russell's Tidbits
Shop News: New Threads, Trunk Show, & Pupdate
Still wrapped in shipping plastic! We will soon be offering Cosmo embroidery floss. You have read about Cosmo, I'm sure - but if you haven't, well, you are right now! Cosmo is a Japanese thread line available in 462 soft, shiny, vibrant colors. We can't wait to get our hands on this stuff.
Trunk Show Alert! This month we have designs from Pippin Studio. They released a number of new designs for 2019. There are some seriously beautiful paintings from the mind of Jennifer Tan. Click here to shop the collection.
The Trunk Show Special: Pippin Studio canvases are 20% off for the month of May. You have the option to purchase threads for the canvas as well for 10% off the cost of the threads. If you are interested in a thread pull - order the canvas online and select "Yes" on Fiber For The Canvas.
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Once you've placed your order, you'll get an e-mail from us about the thread pull. If you've never had your threads pulled for you before, give it a try! There are many options for the pulls from simple and inexpensive, to silks and wools, to advanced selections.
ON TO THE PUPDATE: Subscribe Past Issues Translate
Tigger is fitting right in. Winnie is very excited about her new pillow!
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The joys of white dogs and mud... Here he is fresh from the groomer, today, for comparison: Subscribe Past Issues Translate
Upcoming Classes
In May & September: Canvas Empowerment w/ Jo Ippolito Christensen
We are offering more sections of the coveted Empowerment Class taught by author of "The Needlepoint Book" - Jo Ippolito Christensen! There are still spaces left for Empowerment, which is the pre-requisite for Advanced Empowerment:
Empowerment 5/22/19 - 5/25/19 - One Space Left! Empowerment 9/4 - 9/7 - One Space Left!
For Advanced Empowerment 9/9/19 -9/12/19 - we have five spaces left.
If you cannot make these dates, we are looking to offer more sections of Canvas Empowerment in March of 2020. Please e-mail your interest to [email protected].
In June: 30 Stitches, 30 Threads ("30/30") - Summer Palette (6/5 - 6/6)
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30/30 is a recurring 2-day class aimed to introduce participants to some of the interesting and unusual thread lines sold at Rittenhouse Needlepoint. Stitches range in level of difficulty, from beginner to advanced intermediate. Participants will create a notebook that they can subsequently use for reference. Subscribe Past Issues Translate Included: 30 full cards/skeins, etc of threads, stretcher bars, notebook & instructional sheets, personalized instruction. There are still 5 seats left in this class. If you can't make it to the June class, we will be offering an October class 10/11-10/12 as well - and with Halloween around the corner, I'll bet you can guess the palette.
Historic Philadelphia (6/19 - 6/20)
I am excited for this one. This short two-day seminar features one of my favorite Rittenhouse Needlepoint designs. Painted by our very first painter, Jim Boyle, the piece is titled "Philadelphia – Old and New" and it features buildings and scenes from around the city. We will combine this with a walking tour of historic Philadelphia, lunch at City Tavern and architectural stitches. Should be a busy and fun-filled two days in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.
In July: Blue Ridge Reflections (7/10-13) & Mediterranean Jewel (7/14) with Kurdy Biggs!
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Keep this on your radar: Kurdy Biggs will b' in da house in July for two decadent classes.
Learn more about our upcoming classes by clicking here.
From Our Sales Team: Thread Research Project
The sales team have been working on a special project the last couple of weeks - thread demos! If you are browsing in the store, keep an eye out for examples of common and not-so-common Subscribe Past Issues Translate needlepoint stitches hanging up near various fiber lines throughout the store. Maybe you've been wanting to try a certain thread but you weren't sure how it'd look on the canvas or with certain stitches. We've found that a new favorite thread is Soy Luster from the Pure Palette, a naturally- dyed vegan silk made from soy plants! You can use 2 strands for 18 mesh, 4 strands for 13, and 1 strand for cross stitch on 14 count Aida. It has a nice subtle sheen and it pulls nicely, plus it's earth-friendly. Have fun experimenting with us this month!
From the Painting Team: Hinged Box Designs
This month the painting department is happy to unveil the development of new hinged-box designs. Lemon Box features a fun citrus design for a 3-inch circular hinged box. Abstract Box showcases a colorfully modern design with room for a initials, or other personalization on the lid. We are really excited about how these boxes turned out and hope that you are too! Keep an eye out for more designs in the future.
What design would you like to see on a box? Let the painting team know and we can make your dreams a reality! Boxes are such a great way to make a functional heirloom object that can be used for years to come. They make great gifts with a lovely personal touch. We have hinges in three different sizes for custom projects: 3" circle, 3.75" by 2.5" oval, and a small 2.25 circle. We can make sure your design perfectly fits the hinge of your choosing!
Contact Russell for pricing and availability today! Subscribe Past Issues Translate From the Finishing Department: To Waste or Not to Waste
You might have heard the phrase "waste rows" when referring to needlepoint and wonder "what in the world are 'waste rows' and why would I need them in my needlepoint project?"
Ideal waste rows for cookie ornament, worked in tent stitch, in harmonious colors
At Rittenhouse Needlepoint we use the phrase "waste rows" to refer to "extra" rows of stitching around your design which during the finishing process get folded under so that none of your beautiful needlework gets hidden from view. It is often necessary to capture the outer 1-2 rows of needlepoint when finishing a project so that it has clean edges with no bare canvas showing. When a stitcher adds the recommended two extra rows of tent stitch around the piece, none of the design area is lost. No fancy stitches or colors are required for the waste rows, just a basic tent stitch in the same or similar color to the piece is all that is needed! So, the next time you are stitching a piece that has a design that goes right up to the edge(s) consider adding an extra two rows of tent stitch around the design to protect your hard work and to help us give you the best possible finishing!
Stitch of the Month: Medieval Mosaic
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This month's stitch is The Medieval Mosaic. This is a good one to keep in your repertoire when you need to fill in a background, and fast. Once you get the hang of this, the long decorative stitches and alternating zigzags will get you through -zip zap zip. We recommend you work this stitch in a flat fiber such as ribbon floss, fyreworks, flair, mandarin floss, etc.
Work in one color to add movement to solid colors, or work in two colors (or three, or four, or more!) for a bargello look.
Fiber of the Month: Snow Subscribe Past Issues Translate
For May, the thread of the month is "Snow" by The Caron Collection. Snow is a synthetic metallic, non-strandable thread, and it is 10 yards of pure magic. It comes in a variety of tone-on- tone colors, as well as a few flecked with antique gold tones. There are two kinds of black: tone- on-tone, and another with a blue & bronze tinsel, called "Carbon" (pictured below) which has the effect of transporting us straight to outer space.
Shop recommendations are 1 strand for 18 mesh, and 1-2 strands for 13-14 mesh. It is great for, well, snow, as well as nature scenes, fancy dresses, or water features - really any project that is in need of a little razzle dazzle. It has a nice, smooth weave of synthetics - the filament doesn't separate from the braid as easily as it does when paired with natural fibers.
Snow is also quite popular in our finishing department. It is a customer favorite for a weave of subdued, classy sparkle through twisted cording around holiday ornaments and stand-ups.
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Click here to shop the collection.
From Our Charity Department
Hi, Everybody! Donors to the Charity Needlepoint program are always generous, and continue to send in some lovely things. Here is one of the recent donations that really caught my eye....Classic 70's artwork and colors, and so much potential. It makes me smile and think happily of spring every time I see it!
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Russell's Tidbits: Stranding Thread as a Meditative Stitcher
Many of us are meditative stitchers. By this I mean a person who only does the tent stitch -- either Continental or Basketweave. When I first began building Rittenhouse Needlepoint and MyNeedlepoint.com, I never thought I would ever be able to needlepoint because of a physical issue I have known as essential tremor a condition that I have which causes my hands and head to shake. What I found out after a few years of owning the store was that if I needlepoint in a specific way my shaking stops completely - but only when I needlepoint in a particular manner. This was quite a revelation to me and the result is that now I am a stitching machine! But I am certainly no orthodox stitcher as I like to stitch in only the following way: 1) on 13 mesh count canvas and generallyon projects no smaller than 100 square inches 2) with Silk and Ivory thread only 3) in my hand (i.e., no stretcher bars) 4) I also roll my canvas (and usually fold it in half too!) 5) Basketweave stitch using the scoop/sewing method. Most needlepointers poke the needle in the front, reach around the back and pull the thread, then poke through from the back and reach around the front and pull. This "poke-and-pull" method was not feasible for me with my shaking issue. The 'scoop' method created a very meditative rhythm for me. Needlepoint is a personal activity so we should all find what we like best for each of our projects. And don't use the excuse that if one needlepoints that way it won't get square in finishing - because in my opinion (and I own a finishing business) -- with proper blocking that is not the truth.
Now why did I share all of that? Simply put -- most meditative stitchers do NOT want to strand thread because it breaks the meditative rhythm of doing needlepoint. However, I have found a way that works very well for me and this has opened many doors that I have kept shut with regards to stranding thread. I will use Silk and Ivory Trio as an example. Trio can be used on 10, 12, 13, 14 , 16 and 18 mesh. It is quite a bargain for use on 18 mesh as it is a 3-strand silk and wool blend and only one strand is used for 18 mesh so in essence you are getting 86 yards for $6 - wow!
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This is what I do when working with a strandable thread: 1) strand the entire skein first - yes, strand even if you are using 3 strands for your canvas (stranding the thread and then re-grouping creates a better finished project). 2) group the strands together and set them up, ready to use 3) get stitching 4) repeat with every skein I am a meditative stitcher; so I enjoy a meditative flow of stitching. Stephen on the other hand is generally a creative stitcher. As a meditative stitcher, I enjoy the process and repetition or sequence of work. So stranding all the thread first creates a meditative mode as does grouping them and of course stitching is the best part. Stephen will strand, group and stitch every single time - I find this process frustrating and without rhythm.
Whatever mesh you are working, you want to do a small square off to the side to see how many strands you will need to use for good coverage. Trio says that 3 strands will work on 10 mesh. I have found that 3 does work if the color is dead on with the paint. If I am changing the color I will sometimes use 4 strands. Either way Trio is so very nice to pull through a canvas.
There are so very many threads at our store, I believe at present more than 150 lines. As a meditative stitcher I am intimidated by many so learning a path that keeps that meditative mode going is important to me. Try it out I think you will enjoy it as well. Russell Subscribe Past Issues Translate xoxo, your friends at Rittenhouse Needlepoint
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