has any one seen this book ?

Hi Mirjam,

This is my first time looking in on RCTN in many, many months & I'm glad to see your inquiry about this book....I purchased this book a couple of months ago at my local Borders' bookstore and have found it very enjoyable & informative reading....many interesting anecdotes, comments from a variety of people about how they feel about, how they started and why they quilt. Yes, you're right that you'd enjoy this type of book!

If you have any difficulty finding this book, I'll be glad to help get you a copy.

I've been so busy and tonight is the first time I've been able to get on-line in a long while! Hopefully I'll be able to check e-mail in a more timely fashion as Roger got me the latest & greatest new Mac laptop as a Christmas gift!! Once we set up all the necessary software, etc., I'll have a computer link in the downstairs painting studio!

I've missed having a laptop for the last two years as I've been a laptop user from the very first Mac laptop Apple computer issued! Having a desktop unit is fine but I love the mobility of laptops.

This Mac laptop also has the Intel chip so I'll be able to use Windows based charting software to work on designs with Apple's excellent color synch and printing capabilities. However, the very best thing is being able to show my artwork & designs at trade shows in slide show format and no longer traveling with several large portfolios!

HALLO Lula,,, [private email also on it`s way]. Thank you , i really enjoy background stories of artists in general , and fiberart in spicific,,, mirjam

Lula! How wonderful to "see" you again! I (and I'm sure many others) have missed the descriptions of your needleworking and other artwork.

Welcome back!

Joan

Hi Joan,

Thank you for posting such a nice compliment! It's fun to share ideas as I've learned quite a few new things via RCTN through the years too!

At the moment I've been playing with a punch needle on & off....I need to focus a little harder to get the results to look "perfectly" even.

Then there's the tambour hook I purchased last summer....I was thrilled to find it as I've always wanted to try "stitching" with such a tool....I love the look of folk embroideries from India made with tambour hooks....the package info also says the hook is an excellent to beading tool. What I need is a day or a few days of uninterrupted time to "play" with these stitching tools!

I've got a set of the Russian ones and have had mixed results getting the 'pile' even. I'm not fond of the primitive, country-ish patterns that seem to be so prevalent so I got a book by Pamela Gurney

that has some really gorgeous designs. I'm sorely tempted to order one of her dancing needles that handle thicker fibers.> Then there's the tambour hook I purchased last summer....I was> thrilled to find it as I've always wanted to try "stitching" with such> a tool....I love the look of folk embroideries from India made with> tambour hooks....the package info also says the hook is an excellent > to beading tool. I've been intrigued by the tambour hook too. A friend who is a worldclass embroiderer and beading designer told me that they're easy to use. However, it's a PITA to pre-string beads.

Interesting.

ellice

The clover and dmc needles are available in the craft stores; our sole needlework shop carries the cameous but only the single and triple strand ones. I'm reluctant to buy something online that doesn't do what I want it to do. Would you, could you ask the ladies in the shop if they've used the largest holed needles for anything besides floss? Would they try doing a few stitches with wool or thin ribbons?

Hi Anne,

I've been "playing" with the punch needle the last two nights & got so involved punching along that I ended up staying up both nights!

I bought the original Russian needles set a couple of years ago...had to put them aside for lack of space to work with them during the renovation & construction of the house...then recently also bought one of the Clover needles, the three ply model...both needles work well. I've used the single strand Russian needle and like the look of fine loops...will have to try the Russian three strand model next to see how the loops look compared to the Clover needle. But, I'm not sure how much I'll use the six strand Russian needle yet.

One thing I do like better is the tabbed needle threader the Clover needle comes with...the tab makes it easier to hold on the threader for me.

Then another thought came to mind that if was working on detailed images it'd be useful to have several more punch needles all threaded and ready to go so I wouldn't have to stop and re-thread needles interrupting the work flow.

All sorts of design ideas have been running through my mind while I was practicing my loops! At first I had a little hassle with my fabric loosening up in the small Clover hoop I was using...solved that problem by flipping the hoop upside down. Oddly, the larger Clover hoop works perfectly in keeping the fabric taut...thought the larger area would be loosen up more than the small hoop.

Then realized some of the design ideas were I was thinking about would be larger than the hoop space I had which would cause sections of loops to be "crushed" under the hoop edges as I worked on different parts of the design. So, I ordered a whole set of scroll frames for punch needle from K's Creations (as seen in the Dudney book).

I'm literally on pins & needles waiting for these scrolls to arrive...really looking forward to working on a design area I can see all at once without having to shift the design around with potential to "crush" any loops not to mention being able to work "hands free" as the scroll is attached to a table type frame.

You're also right about the PITA part about the tambour hook...it's a lot of work to have to thread up the beads & sequins ahead of time... a lot of prep work to get through when all we want is to start embellishing!

I've stayed up late a time or two myself. Mostly, though, I wake up thinking about what should/could be done on a project. I've also been known to cut a shopping trip or get together short if I have an epiphany.

A good investment is a bunch of extra threaders; I wish I knew someone who was handy with thin wires to make even more. I tend to bend 'em out of shape plus the black hole swallows them quite easily.

Must be nice to be rich enough to buy duplicate tools That's a wonderful idea!!!

Which side of the inner hoop is uppermost? For punching, it's best to have the side with the lip on top because it locks the fabric more securely.

I hate moving hoops around and prefer to have access to the whole piece, regardless of the technique.

I treated myself to a fancy lap frame and HATED it!!! I'm short so the thing came up much too high for comfort. I ended up trading it for a bunch of books.

The six strand needle would probably work well with heavier threads...I plan to try out DMC's medici wool next...I've used one strand of silk floss (Kreinik's Ver a soie) with the single ply needle...also plan to try out stranding colors and thread weights using all sorts of threads for effect.

I was intrigued with the use of silk ribbon in the Dancing Needles book...I think author Pamela Gurney is the only punch needle designer to use such a variety of loop sizes and stitches with the punch needle.

When I decided to work with the punch needle, I was very curious to see what was available & ended up buying three books (Dancing Needles by Pamela Gurney, Miniature Punch Needle Embroidery by Linda Repasky, New Punch Needle Embroidery by Charlotte Dudney) for the author's different approaches & variety of design styles.

I've been imagining all sorts of design styles that would look great worked in punch needle!! It's so exciting to work with a new (to me) technique with the discovery of new options to enhance my designs & maybe even coming up with some of my own techniques!!? Too bad I've got to sleep...so many ideas just waiting to be done!!

I'm reluctant to experiment when supplies are had to come by. I was going to say that appropriate fabric is hard to come by locally but then I remembered that at least one of the craft stores is carrying DMC's version of weavers cloth.

Please, please, please keep us informed about your tests.

Her work is so unique!!! I'm very tempted to go to her part of the world to learn how to do what she does. I'm finding out that although I might understand instructions, I have difficulties translating those instructions into actions.

I can't wait to see what you come up with!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Anne,

The extra punch needles will be thanks to Joann's and Michaels' coupons! Our local Joanns also accepts other craft chain coupons...in fact this weekend is Joann's 50% off coupon sale which gave me the great idea!

The major overriding factor to have extra tools is being a designer with deadlines...seems the tougher the deadline, the more likely something will break or go missing!!! From long experience dealing with the "deadline imp", we've got almost two of everything!

No wonder why you didn't like the lap frame if it didn't "fit" at a comfortable height for you to work with. I've a couple of adjustable tables that lower and raise which should help should this new table frame be too high or low.

In message , " snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net" writes

I have done a picture in punch embroidery. It was from a company called Webster's Punch here in UK

picture I did is called "A cottage by the lake" The design is on the above website, click on the extra large kits and it is on page 10 of the kits.

I think I am going to do the one with apple blossom on. However when I did mine the fabric I did it on was a type of velvet but it is no longer available. I did get marks from the frame but after completing I washed it and all frame marks disappeared Shirley

Absolutely. I used to have a document that took 3 hours to print out. If the guys told me to print one at 9 AM, it printed smoothly. The closer it got to 2 PM (the latest I could start and get it in that day's mail), the more likely there would be problems. If I started any time after 1:30, I could guarantee that the printer ribbon would run out or the paper would repeatedly backfeed.

As a result, I got on real good terms with the guys at the airport, because of the number of times I had to take an express package there after the post office stopped accepting them for the day.

DH made my frame for me because I couldn't find the 'perfect fit' for me. The one he made me has two arms at the side that raise or lower like a pivot so I can have it at any height I want. This is great for me because if my back's aching from too much time on a too soft couch, I can move to a kitchen chair and raise the scroll.

Maureen

All the craft stores here take each other's newspaper coupons but not the ones that come via email.

It didn't take much arm twisting but you convinced me to try other needles. A quick to my Joann's revealed that they do have the clover and dmc needles; neither of which appealed to me. Armed with another 50% coupon, I bought a set of the cameo needles from Joann's online site; the s/h cost almost equalled the 50% savings

My problem are black holes that are expanding so rapidly that I'm losing my favorite tools. Today I bought extra sewing thread, extra air erasable markers, extra water soluble solvy, and a few other things ... all at 50% off.

Tell me/us more about the acrylic thread they use .. is it strandable? how thick is it, etc, etc ???

You're lucky to have a crafty husband.

I'm going to take a look at The Stitching Post later today...the shop isn't close by but since I've got to pick up knitting needles at the yarn shop next door to the needlework shop, it'll be a good opportunity to see what they have in punch needles...I bought my set of Russian needles from this shop a couple of years ago, however didn't notice any other brand at the time.

That's new to me on punch needles from DMC...will have to take a look at those too...the needles all do the same thing but from the Clover and Russian needles I've used, they obviously feel different in hand depending on the needle barrel (holder) shapes.

Now that I've got all the Clover needle sizes, notice they have a needle recommended for silk ribbon and yarn use...the hole is fairly large so guess it'll work...will let you know how well it works with silk ribbon and larger yarns.

Practice is paying off as my loops are looking better and better! I can now punch in all sorts of directions and places on my fabric without worrying about loose loops, etc.

I've also tried out different shades of floss in the needle for tweedy shade effects...so far, all looks wonderful! Can't wait to do more color tweeding and shading.

Just for fun & inspiration & maybe a new career path? Take a look at the well known punch needle artist Missy Steven's site...Missy is a fiber artist who sells her work in art galleries...several of the punch needle pieces shown on her site sell for over $6700.00 and up!!! Interesting to read how she works.