Wednesday, March 30, 2011

TV Promo

I was at Rogers Cable today, to promote the NeedleWorkers MarketPlace.  I had Roxann Blazetich-Ozols of "A Beaddaddict" and Naomi Smith of "Black Tulip Designs" with me.  We all got the opportunity to show off some of our own work as well as talk about the NeedleWorkers MarketPlace, being held this weekend. 
We were in the last 20 minutes of today's "Daytime Peel" segment, it aired on channel 10 at 11am and again at 3pm.  It will also air this evening at 10pm.  I googled Rogers Daytime Mississauga, and they post their segments the day after it aired.  So if you can't get Rogers Mississauga in your area, you can always view it on-line.

It was fabulous to meet both Roxann and Naomi today and to see their beaded designs.  Naomi is also the custodian of 100+ year old Native bead/embroidery pieces.  They were spectacular, and in great condition considering their age.  If you only come to the Market to see these pieces, you will not be disappointed.

Friday, March 25, 2011

And you thought we were done !!!

Here is my finished Biscornu in my second colour choice.  I finished it last Saturday while visiting with my sister.  I figured that while chatting I could also sew my biscornu together. This being my third one, all my attention could be given to the conversation, and by the end of the evening my biscornu was done.

Third Biscornu?  You're probably all wondering what was her second; did I miss a post?  No you didn't, my second was the Collaboration project for the NeedleWorkers MarketPlace, and here are some photos of the finished project. 
Each designer exhibiting at the show has designed a motif 20 x 20 stitches.  This will be

their free gift to everyone attending the show.  Their "thank you" to you.  Collect all 15 and you can have another fabulous biscornu.
 The motifs visible here are by Brenda Franklin, Carolyn Mitchell, Joanne Gatenby, Laura Dickson, Britstitch, Christine Allen, Jeannette Douglas, Roxann Blazetich-Ozols, and me.  Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to visit with each designer at the show April 2nd and 3rd.  

I have one last surprise for everyone this week.  When I began designing the 15 patterns for my 15 sided Biscornu, I had them all nicely laid out on one sheet, and I loved the look of them all together.  This got me thinking, why not stitch them all as one design.  All they needed was a cute little border to connect them.  These patterns have been a big hit in the shop, and even Monika has been bitten by the Biscornu bug.  So even though she has already stitched them all twice, she loved the idea of a sampler and was anxious for me to design the border.  I had wanted to wait until after Retreat, but she couldn't, so here it is.  Her variegated silk is actually one of my favourite, Gloriana's #050 Blue Grass, and the fabric is Zweigart's 28ct Cashel Linen, Platinum. 
After Retreat I will post the border. You may have also noticed that the sampler has 18 squares.  I wanted to include an initials square, without omitting any of the squares.  So I added another row of patterns.  These will be posted in the weeks following the border.
Sorry to make you wait another two weeks, but next Friday I'll be busy setting up my booth at the NWMP, and starting all the festivities for Gitta's Getaway retreat in the evening. 
See you at the Market, or here in two weeks time.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Finishing Instructions

Well this is it, all our squares are stitched, and there is only one thing left to do - stitch them all together.  This 15 sided Biscornu was my first.  After writing the instructions I had them tested, by 2 friends, who have also never finished a 15 sided Biscornu.  They followed the instructions without any extra help.  One of them had never even finished  a 2 sided Bisconu!   They did great!   And you will too!

Click here for the finishing instructions.

I didn't manage to work on my second biscornu this week, but I did finish stitching all 15 squares for the NWMP designer collaboration project.  Each exhibiting designer has designed a 20 x 20 pattern to be sewn together into, " you guessed it", a  15 sided biscornu.  Last night I even managed to slip stitch them all together.  On April 2nd, at the Market,  the finished project will be revealed - you'll love it.  We all used the same threads, those shown in the photo on the NeedleWorkers MarketPlace website, to unify the designs.  Visit each designer booth at the show and collect these wonderful designs for free, our thank you to you for visiting.

Friday, March 11, 2011

15 Sided Biscornu - Parts 14 & 15

I cheated this week.  Realizing I wouldn't manage to finish all 15 designs with my second colour choice, I skipped over patterns 10-13, and went straight to the last 2 designs.   I wanted to post the same patterns in both
colour choice side by side.
Hopefully I'll manage to finish this second biscornu before Gitta's Getaway Retreat.  I want to be able to display both in the Project Parade.


This week I have also received many of the patterns for the Collaboration 15 Sided Biscornu available from the designers exhibiting at the NeedleWorkers MarketPlace.  Each designer has created an original design, which will be a free handout to every one attending the Market.  A common colour pallet unites the designs and when completed will create a truly memorial souvenir.  The variegated silk used, SNC 258 Sidewalk Chalk, can be seen in the NWMP photo on the www.needleworkersmarketplace.com website.

Click here for the last two designs. I hope you enjoyed all of them; I, have had a great time designing and stitching these 15 designs, and I am glad you joined me on this journey. Now that all 15 designs are stitched there is only one more thing to do - sewing them all together.  See you next week for the finishing instructions.

Friday, March 4, 2011

15 Sided Biscornu - Parts 12 & 13

 I haven't had a chance all week to stitch on my second colour choice.  I was hoping to post parts 12 & 13 in both colour ways, but I only managed to finish the first 8.


This week I  finalized my part for the Round Robin workshop for Gitta's Getaway attendees, and sorted through all the contributions to the 15 sided biscornu for the NeedleWorkers MarketPlace.  At the Market each designer exhibiting will have a free handout of a pattern, 20 x 20 stitches.  Collect each one and together these fabulous designs can be finished into a 15 sided biscornu.
Click here for patterns #12 & #13.
See you next week for the last 2 designs.  Have a great weekend.