Where do you find your inspiration?

I was chatting with a friend about how inspiring and motivating it is to view the stitching of others. My friend has been fortunate enough to have visited several national needlework exhibits over the years, and I, about every 6 months or so, go into my collection of back issue's of NeedlepointNow and Needlepointer's for lots of rousing stitching stimulation.

I pull out the annual Exhibit issues and just ogle. Revel. Riveted for hours and then run to my stitching. I derive great joy from doing this. My issues go all the way back to the early days when the publications first started. It is great fun seeing how our craft has evolved in such a relatively short period of time to the fabulous industry it is today. For centuries needlepoint meant tent stitch and brown penelope. And then in the past 30 years, WOW! look at us now! Charmed, blessed, golden, whatever the expression it's marvelous to be a stitcher in the 21st century.

I knew when I first moved to Colorado that I was going to be a very lucky stitcher indeed as our local ANG and EGA Chapter's are filled not only with talented stitchers, but with nationally renowned instructor's and designers; to whom many accolades have been attributed for years. Individuals who's work I have always admired, and those that I have recently met through and only through the mutual love of stitching, right here in my own back yard. Talk about striking it rich, there's gold in them thar hills! Golden nuggets like Tyler, Ritter, Goodman, Kerschner, to name but a few. All generous and giving of their talents and skills to those of us that struggle with what stitch goes where. There's also numerous talented stitchers not standing in the limelight, sitting right next to me (you know who you are), inspiring and giving me hope that I too one day may reach their level of execution. These are my friends, they support me, encourage me and never peer at the back of my work!

Perhaps the most prolific inspirational resource of all, the Internet. If you're reading this, you are familiar with what I'm talking about here. Talk about a domino effect. One site leading to another and another. It's endless, apparently. Below are links to inspiring blogs that were all found from visiting just one new blog in one afternoon. Enjoy!

http://yuks-behappy.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-mums-works-2.html

http://thetwistedstitcher.blogspot.com/

http://carolsxsblog.blogspot.com/

http://judiromi.blogspot.com/

http://asamplerofstitches.blogspot.com/

http://caroliensstitches.blogspot.com/2009/01/skeelers-and-skates.html

http://spinsterstitcher.blogspot.com/2009/01/ok-were-rotating.html

Anatomy of a Sampler

A year long project published in ANG's Needlepointers beginning in late 1997 continuing to September 1998 turned out to be my most challenging undertaking at that time. The mere size, 9x25" (168 threads wide by 450 long), was daring by my standards; would I ever finish it? I did learn what bankers clips were and how to use them when working on large pieces such as this. I had never tried a band sampler before and figured that it would be a fun way to learn a variety stitches. There are a total of 16 separate bands, designed by individual teachers each featuring their favorite sampler pattern. A combination of floss, overdye, braid and a few beads were used. There are 10 identical dividing bands worked in elongated padded cross. I've tried to highlight some of the details but recommend reading Needlepointers for more information. Also worth mentioning that I had never heard of a laying tool back in the 90's!

BAND 1-Florentine Trellis-by Susan Kerndt stitched in 5 steps including a. Foundation row; b. Hungarian point variation; c. Trellis; d. Diamonds; and e. Beads.

BAND 2-Wheat and Diamonds-by Estelle Kelly. Another 5 step band which included wheat variation, fishbone, running and straight stitches. BAND 3-Composite Stitch-by Gayle Bicknell using floss, overdye and braid. Stitches are sheaf, upright cross, elongated cross, slanted cross, eyelet variation and some straight stitches for the background. BAND 4-Florentine- by Debbie Stiehler suggested finding the vertical center and working the top half of the band across then turning the canvas 180 degrees and finishing the rest of the pattern. Eyelets were stitched inside the diamond motifs. BAND 5-Sunburst-by Pat Morse. A variety of straight stitches following the chart forming a wave with large sunbursts and small smyrna crosses. BAND 6-Satin Stitch-by Lizbeth Napier. Following the chart using straight satin stitches to form butterflies and pinwheels. A running stitch was also used and a small smyrna cross inside the pinwheels. BAND 7-Beaty Stitch and Heart-by Sandra Reddell using beaty stitch, double tent and straight stitches following the chart to form the "hearts." BAND 8-Balloons- by Louise Meier. What a fun band featuring 4 different balloon styles. Stitches include half Rhodes, longarm cross, slanted gobelin,smyrna cross, brick filling, tent, dillon, mosaic, straight, cashmere, eyelet, woven, and reverse tent.

BAND 9-Herringbone and Eyelet-by Mary Clubb. Stitches include herringbone, half-eyelet, backstitch diamond adding a bead. BAND 10-Cloud-by Peg Laflam. The rounded cloud form is actually 2 pairs of interlocking chevrons. BAND 11-Floral Motif-by Ilsa Altherr using alternating scotch, gobelin and outline stitch. BAND 12-Herringbone-by Sandy Rogers. Using a 4-trip herringbone, eyelet, straight and zigzag straight stitches this band was one of my favorites.

BAND 13-Laid Work Tied with Woven Cross-by Joyce Lukomski beginning with metallic brain and overdye with long horizontal and vertical laid stitches working the woven cross over. BAND 14-Satin Flowers and Eyelets- by Sara Lee J.-Allen. Stitches include Satin, eyelet, diamond rhodes, cross, double cross and upright cross. BAND 15-Tied Cross-by Jean Taggart using upright cross and oblong cross.
BAND 16-Shaded Gobelin-by Nannette Costa using very carefully laid upright straight stitches and through the use of color shading made this final band a perfect choice for the bottom of the sampler. Well this is it, it's a lot to take in but I did enjoy sharing it with you and hope to stitch another sampler one of these days. Thanks for viewing.