Stitch Strategy Interview

Fiber Talk's just interviewed Hayley and Madeline of Stitch Strategy, a marketing company focused on the world of needlepoint designers and shops.  It's fun to hear their perspective on the growth of needlepoint, the sorts of services they offer, and how younger stitchers are shaking up the world of needlepoint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5DIRTr0JnU

https://thestitchstrategy.com/

https://thestitchstrategy.substack.com/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright Marh 9, 2026 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Daylight's Anita Lamp

Barbara's Needlepoint shows off the Anita Lamp from Daylight in this Facebook unboxing video.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1436804947788439

For those who don't have a Facebook account, I found the Anita table lamp here.  There is a floor lamp version, too.  Both have Daylight bulbs, so that the colors are true.  There appears to be a tray to hold your threads (I don't know if it comes with the lamp or costs extra) and the lamp itself is adjustable.  The magnifier is also somewhat adjustable and you can change the smart phone clamp to view the screen horizontally or vertically.  It doesn't look like the clamp itself adjusts enought to hold anything other than a phone, however.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpiS6ZpF2Ec

Many thanks to Barbara's Needlepoint for alerting us to this lamp.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright January 8, 2026 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Fiber Talk Canvas: A New Needlepoint Series on Counted Canvaswork

Gary, Beth and Cindy have started a new podcast exclusively about counted canvaswork as part of Fiber Talk.  The third Wednesday of each month they will talk about stitching on blank canvas from a chart.  If you ever wanted to learn more about this type of needlepoint, it's a fun way to dip your toe into things.  All the videos with the latest on top are collected here--

https://wetalkfiber.com/canvas/

They've added two videos demonstrating putting canvas on stretcher bars.  You can see those here.

https://wetalkfiber.com/2026/02/04/mounting-needlepoint-canvas-on-stretcher-bars/

https://wetalkfiber.com/2026/02/10/canvas-thanks-to-donna-gotts-for-offering-stretcher-bar-fine-points/

The second full episode of counted canvaswork covers the availability of blank canvas, the cost of threads, how to read a counted chart and shows the various laying tools that are available and how to use them. (Note that Gary plans to make the laying tool section a standalone video.)

https://wetalkfiber.com/2026/02/18/canvas-2-reading-charts-and-using-laying-tools/

By the way, Fiber Talk has just done an interview with the counted canvaswork designer Kathy Rees of Needle Delights, so if you want to get to know one of the talented people who designs needlepoint charts, you can listen here.

https://wetalkfiber.com/2026/02/01/exploring-the-counted-canvas-world-of-kathy-rees/

The third video is all about Congress Cloth.

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2026/03/dragons-details-sparkle/

The fourth covers needles, choosing the right size, how often to discard a needle and more.

https://wetalkfiber.com/2026/03/18/fiber-talk-canvas-4-needles-why-you-care-what-you-use/

Video number five discusses storing fat threads like perles and Watercolours.  To see the organizational tools that Lucky Jonquil sells, visit the second link below and choose "Thread Organization."

https://wetalkfiber.com/2026/04/15/fiber-talk-canvas-5-when-hefty-threads-need-storing/

https://luckyjonquil.com/

The sixth video is all about perle threads, both silk and cotton.

https://wetalkfiber.com/2026/04/15/canvas-6-getting-picky-about-perle/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright January 23, 2026 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Padding on the Front But Not the Back

This YouTube video shows you how to pad an area on the front of your canvas without adding bulk to the back side.  

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2025/08/all-stitched-and-ready-to-hop/

It's a neat (and easy) technique from Bedecked and Beadazzled's resident stitching genius--Ruth Schmuff.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright August 12, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Fun with ANG and NJNA

The New Jersey Needle Artists Chapter of ANG ends September 2025 with lots of local and national ANG news, including a video all about the 2026 ANG National Seminar in Denver.  You can see the classes to be offered in this YouTube video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di8wwUp8ZTk

There's also news of Debbie Rowley's website being hacked, a new silk/wool blend from Tilli Thomas called Bisous, another new Facebook group for needlepointers, a new needlepoint shop in NJ, a new large Mahjong mat with a garden theme from Kate Dickerson, at least four new monthly clubs, plus more!

https://blog.njneedleartists.org/2025/09/20/whats-happening-at-njna-9-20-25/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright September 21, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Hot Fix!

Ruth Schmuff of Bedecked and Beadazzled loves sparkle and bling, so she decided to add crystals to her Strictly Christmas brown rabbit.  Watch the video to see how much sparkle she achieved by adding what are called hot fix crystals to her design.

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2025/06/the-bunny-glows-up/

If you are curious about hot fix crystals, here is what the gadget looks like.  The various tip sizes map to the diameter of the flat back crystals which have glue on the back side that the heat activates.

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/product/crystal-applicator/

Here is Ruth's video showing how she attaches hot fix crystals to your canvas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9_4LyfGozM

I've used hot fix crystals.  I found putting the crystal down right where you want it, flat side on the canvas, and pushing the hot tip straight down on it works best.  Count to three and then push them out with a toothpick or a pin like Ruth used.  Sometimes you move them out of position by accident by not pushing straight down or lifting straight up, so be ready with a toothpick or pin to move it a bit before the hot glue dries.  Don't touch the crystal!  That glue is HOT!

They seem pretty sturdy although I don't have the original design I used on mine any more. (It was a designer model.)  I've only used them once as I'm not as sparkly as Ruth, but it's a fast and easy way to add crystals to your needlepoint, especially if it will be framed.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright June 7, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Let's Go to Paris!

It's always nice to have something special to post on July 4th!   Do you know Tricia Nguyen of Thistle Threads?  Today she's taking us on a tour of Au Ver A Soie, nterviewing Marc Boucher from the family who has owned the company for generations.  You'll learn a bit about the history of the company and the challenges it has faced, a bit about the various silk products they create from filament silk and spun silk and how dyeing regulation has impacted the business.  It is a stitcher's delight!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxvF0hPo7WA

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright May 10, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Vineyard Silk: The Movie

Needlepoint.com's latest video is about Vineyard Silk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlCkogrr_gw

This wonderful silk is non-divisible.  It works best on 18 count canvas and comes in overdyes (called Tone on Tone) or solids (called Classic).  Like all silks, this thread has a lovely sheen when used in longer stitches.  

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright January 25, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Beaded Star Tutorial

Beverly's woven bead stars were created by watching a tutorial by Seed Bead Bliss on YouTube.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10162175421711397&set=a.89824131396

Seed Bead Bliss has a lot of interesting shaped bead tutorials.  Have fun exploring!

https://www.youtube.com/@SeedBeadBliss/videos

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright November 15, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Making Flowers Using a Sewing Machine Bobbin: The Movie

The ever inventive Ruth Schmuff shows us how to use a sewing machine bobbin to make a perfectly round fluffy flower on her YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYE_1tGR1pA

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright December 27, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Winter Solstice (Eleanor Grosch and Ruth Schmuff)

Ruth Schmuff shows off her latest class piece, Eleanor Grosch's "Winter Solstice."

https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/2024/12/most-elegant/

As always, you can get the canvas and Ruth's guide from her shop, Bedecked and Beadazzled.  Just follow the links.  But as a bonus, Ruth has posted directions for her clever version of padded satin stitch on her YouTube channel and also shows you how to use a pair of koma when you are laying pairs of metallics for couching like her passing thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOaWq4_ckXE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V71ZRppCmpA

Thanks, Ruth!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright December 10, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Embroidering a Face and Hair

Thanks to Kreinik's mentioning this, we can watch Lihn N.W. embroider a face and hair in the YouTube video.  This is being done on linen with DMC cotton flosses but a lot of the stitches and techniques will work on needlepoint canvas just as well, particularly if you use a sharp needle to place your stitches wherever you want instead of using a tapestry needle that only goes into the holes in needlepoint canvas.  You might also want to make note of the DMC colors used to include in your skin thread toolbox:  DMC variegated floss 69 (using the darker, medium and lighter parts of the skein for shading) and regular cotton floss 3774.  The hair colors used were DMC regular floss 938, 632, and 3064 to get the auburn hair shading.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DFahVBRBY8

Thanks, Kreinik!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright August 29, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Leather Finishers for Needlepointers

I've started compiling a list of leather finishers.  I can't always find out if the finisher accepts work directly from a stitcher but you can always ask.  These are alphabetical by company name, by the way, with any notes about the company that are pertinent.

Fennel's is a tack and belt finisher.  They are located in Kentucky.

https://www.fennells.com/np-belt-finishing.html

Hill Top Leather is known for their belts.  They are really backed up with work right now. They are north of Lexington, Kentucky.

https://hilltopleather.com/

House of Fleming is an Atlanta company that offers a variety of leathers and that folks say communicates well.  

https://houseoffleming.com/

Leather Prize is in Fort Myers, Florida.  They specialize in custom work and repairs.

https://leatherprize.com/

Pinnell Custom Leather is the high end leather finisher.  They are in rural Virginia and likely have a backlog of work.  They do everything.

https://www.pinnellcustomleather.com/

Sign of the Arrow is a shop in St. Louis known for their large stock of needlepoint belt canvases.  I don't know which finisher(s) they use but people love their work.

http://signofthearrow.com/

Always ask your local shop about leather finishing first.  They likely have experience working with leather finishers and can help through the process, which isn't straightforward.  The Pointing It Out podcast has an episode about belts to talk you through the choices you have to make.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s9_oHZ7PRY

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright August 18, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Sampler Archives

Tricia Nguyễn of Thistle Threads interviews Lynne Andrew of the Sampler Archives project in this YouTube video.  You'll learn of Lynne's work to build an online, searchable database of American samplers with descriptions and good quality photos.  (Note that there is a transcript of the video below the video and blurb if you want to read along.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcqn3oqdTAY

When this video was filmed, there were approximately five thousand images available to the public with more being added all the time as museums and historical societies contribute their information and pictures.  Here's the Sampler Archives' website.

http://samplerarchive.org/

Now individuals can add information about samplers in their area to a list so that volunteers can reach out to the samplers' owners to get photos and whatever information is available.  (This is also listed on the Sampler Archives' website under "Sampler Search.")

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoY6Fnx9Gq_58jaYKN-6RVVoYhV0EvuJSmNgYRpN40N1fVNg/viewform?pli=1

I know not all needlepointers are interested in samplers, but this is the history of both women and their needlework in America.  As Tricia says, sometimes "this is the only evidence the woman ever existed."  So donate money, contribute sampler information, and/or go to the Sampler ID Day in your area if you can.  

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright August 6, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Introducing the Finishing Fairy

Have you met The Finishing Fairy?  Her name is Amanda Metes and she finishes flat back ornaments, standup with acrylic stands, coasters, and signs.

https://linktr.ee/amandlpt

As a bonus, she does finishing tutorials, some filmed and some written.  Here is her YouTube channel.  Currently she has filmed how to join twisted cord and how to finish a flat back standup with an acrylic stand.

https://www.youtube.com/@amandlpt

Her website has a free ornament finishing guide in PDF form plus links to her YouTube tutorials.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jc4HbHrs8sq7HJTFnYFKKKxc0FSCTLJS/view?pli=1

Her Instagram page is full of examples of her finishing plus she lists recommended products she uses to finish in the "Cutting - Products" circle above the photo area.  If you don't have an Instagram account, she likes:  the Fiskars two sided self healing cutting mat that's 18x24 inches, Fiskars craft knife, Fishars thread snips, 8x12 inch backing boards, and a compass for measuring the backing board for round ornaments.

https://www.instagram.com/finishingfairy/

She also recommends pre-made cording by One Part Whimsy. 

https://www.onepartwhimsy.com/collections/all

https://www.etsy.com/shop/OnePartWhimsy

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright July 17, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Turning Crochet Designs into Needlepoint

Marion of the WoolThreadPaint channel on YouTube designs crochet patterns, but like most of us, she does other needlework.  The video talks about the inspiration she took from the east coast of Scotland's beach during Covid and how she created the design, then how she decided that the grids of needlepoint and Granny squares were similar and made needlepoint versions of some of her crochet blankets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l55c88kXq5s

Here's her Etsy shop.  All the patterns are for crochet but if enough are interested, Marion might do a needlepoint chart.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/woolthreadpaint/?etsrc=sdt

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright July 4, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Meeting Jeni Sandberg Needlepoint

Megan Holmes of The Needlepoint Clubhouse in St. Louis interviews Jeni Sandberg about her designs in the latest Pointing It Out Podcast.  It's a fun ride hearing about how Jeni came to do what she does today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lZvfyHvwK8

Jeni Sandberg Needlepoint creates lots of classic designs, particularly for bags and clutches, pillows and key fobs.  You can explore her work on her website, including her acrylic purse handles in various colors and charted alphabets.

https://jenisandbergneedlepoint.com/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright June 4, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Meeting the Pointer Sisters

This week's podcast from Melissa of the Pointing It Out podcast team is an interview with Timmy Schultz and Jan Dedrick, otherwise known as the Pointer Sisters.  You'll get to know both of them and learn a bit about their books, including their third book which is in progress (out this fall?).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pr_F7oAOzk

You probably remember their book, Pretty Stitches.  Their latest book is called We've Got Your Back Ground Stitches.  If your favorite shop doesn't carry the books, you can always order from Timmy's website.

https://www.atpneedlepoint.com/shop/p/pretty-stitches-by-the-pointer-sisters-stitch-guide-mh8ff

If you want to see the Labors of Love pieces that Timmy and Jan showed, here is the Halloween page of their website--

https://www.laborsofloveneedlepoint.com/halloween.html

...and here is the Easter section.

https://www.laborsofloveneedlepoint.com/easter.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright July 21, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

How to Manage Larger Projects

The Pointing It Out Podcast talks ways to manage bigger projects.  If you are traveling with a bigger project, working a Christmas stocking, or just need ideas about how to manage a bigger project you are thinking you might buy, this is a must read.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI-6yt_mvrU

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright May 11, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

For King and Country

Beth talks about the Fiber Talk interview she and Gary did with staff from the Royal School of Needlework on the restorations and original pieces they prepared for the Coronation of King Charles III last summer.

http://bethsneedleworkstash.blogspot.com/2024/05/rsn-podcast-on-fibertalk.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com 

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright May 6, 2024 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.