Subscribe Past Issues Translate View this email in your browser Canvas: 'Klimt - The Kiss' from Changing Women Designs In This Issue 1. A Letter From the Owners 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. Stephen at ANG A letter from the Owners of Rittenhouse Needlepoint Hi All, This is Russell, one of the owners of Rittenhouse Needlepoint and MyNeedlepoint.com. I thought I would say "Hi" and give you an update: Most of you know that Rittenhouse Needlepoint moved to a new location about a year and a half ago. The new space is almost 7000 square feet of space with 18 feet high ceilings in a building that is on the National Register. It certainly has been an exciting change for us. Keep reading to find some BIG news... Keep Reading Subscribe Past Issues Translate The Expert Series Continues Have you been watching? Stephen and Lami have been working to deliver a stream of new videos. We now have number seven posted, with... about a hundred to go! Check our Youtube channel for more videos. Hit 'Subscribe' to get updates on future posts. Upcoming Classes & Events We are in the process of finalizing our class lineup for 2020. There are lots of exciting things coming your way, including a Fundamentals II series, which will build off of what you learned in Fundamentals I! Quickly approaching is the Fall edition of our recurring 20/20 class on October 11th & 12th. For those that are new to our newsletter (and there is quite a few of you!), this is, 20 Stitches, 20 Threads: Subscribe Past Issues Translate (Pictured above: Sneak peak at 10 of the stitches and threads we will be working with!) We’ve streamlined things a bit – limiting the number of threads and stitches to twenty and reducing the price as well. This allows for more time to focus on the stitches, discuss the threads we're working with, and, of course, have some fun! We're working on some finishing options for this class, as well, so that you can put your finished swatches to good use. Also in October is the return of our Poinsettia Class, on Oct. 28th & 29th! A little winter magic right before Halloween? Our hope is that this will give you more time to enjoy the wintry theme, (and sparkly threads) through the holidays, when we all want to curl up by the fire and stitch! Subscribe Past Issues Translate If you're interested in signing up for a class, send an e-mail to Russell @ RittenhouseNeedlepoint.com. Click Here to See Our Class Listing Sales: The Canvas Discount Program (CDP) Subscribe Past Issues Translate Our staff have been working on inventorying all in-store canvases - an endeavor that was quite overdue, but daunting to say the least. There are thousands of canvas designs on our report, many with multiple copies in stock! About the CDP: As soon as a canvas gets accounted for, it goes on sale, both in-store AND online. These discounted canvases come from a range of designers you probably know, like Whimsy & Grace and Kate Dickerson, as well as some that may be new to you. Some are classics, while others are discontinued. We have brick covers, Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Dogs, YOU NAME IT. There are two things you should remember about the CDP: One: there are more designs added to the CDP every week - so keep checking back. And two: since these canvases are in stock, they are ready to ship immediately! If you're in between projects, or want to stitch some last-minute gifts for the holidays, here's your chance to save money while doing it! Click Here to Shop the CDP Painting: Heirloom Pet Portraits **This part of the newsletter is posted in memory of Petunia, who recently passed. We had the honor of meeting her, and saw what a beautiful and special soul she was. Our thoughts go out to her family, we know she will be deeply missed and are thankful that we could help in preserving her memory.** Subscribe Past Issues Translate Pictured above: Petunia - Left, & Bella the Boxer - Right If you are familiar with the Painting Department at Rittenhouse Needlepoint, you are probably aware that one of our specialty subjects is dogs. We love to paint dogs! Dog paintings are a great way to immortalize a beloved pup, and we do our best to capture the spirit and personality of your canine companion. You can send us a picture that you want a straight copy of, or multiple pictures with multiple angles for reference. There’s also some opportunity for creativity, you can have your pet painted in a setting that they enjoy, with a pattern that complements your home, or with items that they love. These examples of Bella (the boxer) and Petunia (the white one) showcase two different ways you can set up your project. Bella is pictured on a beach, one of her favorite places to be. She was painted exactly from a picture. Petunia is shown against a patterned pillow and blanket that her owner liked, and was painted from a composite of photos of both the patterns and Petunia herself. As much as we enjoy painting a puppy, we are not limited to just painting dogs. We know there are many other kinds of pets out there that are just as precious and loved. Have a sweet kitty that brightens your life? A particularly energetic hamster? Some bright and colorful fish? Give us a call and we can put together a painting that captures the unique qualities of your special animal pal. Remember, the sky’s the limit with custom painting, if you can think it, we can paint it! Click Here To Get A Free Painting Estimate Finishing: Your Burning Belt Questions - ANSWERED! Needlepoint belts have been gaining popularity or, at least, it certainly seems like we block quite a Subscribe Past Issues Translate few of them in the finishing department these days! Belts are a great, low-key way to show off your love of needlepoint, as well as being functional! We tend to receive a lot of questions pertaining to sizing and how much to stitch/not stitch, and more, so here are some tips that may be helpful: (Pictured Above: Where the leather meets the needlepoint canvas) Belt length: Your needlepoint should be 6-7" shorter than your finished belt size. For example, if you need a 38" belt to fit a 36" waist size, your needlepoint should be 31-32" leaving 1.5" of plain stitching (or stitching you don't mind being covered up) on each end of your belt canvas (included in your finished length) so that no important design elements are lost to the leather ends that hold the belt hardware. Waste rows: We recommend 2 additional rows on each (long) side to be stitched, as it is necessary during the finishing process for at least 2 rows on each side to be turned over, so if the additional rows are not stitched, some design elements may be lost. Blocking: Belt canvases have their own unique challenges when blocking, and to make the process easier, as well as give the customer the best possible result, we recommend leaving 1.5-2" of blank canvas/space on each end of the design. Meaning, when a canvas is cut, and the design and stitching Subscribe Past Issues Translate go right to the end of the blank canvas, it makes the blocking process much harder if there is no blank canvas to pull on. Threads: We recommend stitching your belt canvas in either wool or cotton. You want to use a fiber that is durable and will stand the test of time. Acrylics are difficult to block, and both Acrylics and Silks are not as durable. The finisher in me also suggests that you use colorfast fibers, should your belt-wearer get caught in the rain! Stitch Suggestions: We recommend working in basketweave or tent stitch for the majority of your belt. Long, decorative stitches are not well-suited to finished pieces that will be subject to bending and twisting. Save those for your fabric-framed pillows and ornaments! And finally, if you love stitching belts but just have too many in your wardrobe, belt canvases can have more uses than just a belt! We also finish belt trays, bag handles, suspenders, and basically anything else you can think of! Our finishing team can walk you through all the fun options. Let your imagination run wild with the possibilities! A Note from the Editor on Stitching Belt Canvases: Hello Readers! I have been working with Rittenhouse in a number of different roles for almost three years. (Three years officially at the end of October.) I got my start as a part time finisher, and eventually found myself running our finishing department. As we saw the need to extend and enhance our digital reach, I moved on to working on our website, which is what I do now. I have also been coordinating our Newsletter for the last 6 months. But! It is almost impossible for me to stay away from the finishing department, and not just because I love their team! The treatment of Needlework will always be a passion of mine. So it should come as no surprise that the finishing article is always my favorite to edit. I may interject from time to time, now that I have Russell's permission.