Nordic Needle

Yeah, that's the thing. It cost $25 to enter projects in our fair, but the winner only gets $3. In years before they judged the pieces so harshly (wit h a frickin' page of criticisms for even the winners) people got too scared to enter. And now no one enters. Given this I do understand why no one wan ts to participate, but the downside is that needlearts are being lost. Last year I saw two quilts entered and that was it for the entire fiber art div ision!

Joan, I haven't posted a pic yet, but I just got that red hardanger heart f ramed and that's one of the pieces I'm going to enter in the fair next summ er. It turned out fabulous, but there is one tiny and obvious (to me) mista ke in it when I did the eyelets. I decided to let it go and left it in ther e because no one else would even notice, but I bet the judges will rip me a new one for the error.

I'd never seen those so I looked them up...pretty cool! They're almost like mini HAEDs (Heaven and Earth Designs, full coverage projects). I'm not a H EAD girl myself, but the bookmarks would be manageable.

On a side note: I just got a Lowery floor stand from Amazon.com and have be en loving it...I'm still stitching away on A Wicked Plant, Maple Leaf, and Bird On A Nest (which I probably won't finish before death, because canvas work hurts my hands). What is everyone else working on?

Lowery Workstand:

lowery+stand A Wicked Plant: Maple Leaf, which I'm doing in varigated silkes and a hand dyed fabric: htt p:// Pattern/H5575

Bird On A Nest:

ird-has-flown-home.html

On a side note: I just got a Lowery floor stand from Amazon.com and have been loving it...I'm still stitching away on A Wicked Plant, Maple Leaf, and Bird On A Nest (which I probably won't finish before death, because canvas work hurts my hands). What is everyone else working on?

I got a Lowery floor stand almost 20 years ago and I still find it to be the one I like best of the 4 I have. I am currently working on Dyan Allaire's of Kustom Krafts, Santa's Helpers. I started it about 3 weeks ago and it has been slow going due to back and neck problems but weather is changing so soon will be time to relax a little and get some good stitching in. Sharon in MN.

Sharon, is this the piece you're working on? I had some trouble looking it up, but if it's this piece I like it a lot:

I should have gotten a stitching floor stand long before now but didn't wan t to fork out the cash. The Lowery Stand was patented over 30 years ago (in 1986) and I think it's just too costly...with the accessories I needed it came to over $200. It's essential for ergonomic stitching and I'm happy to have it, but geez, it seems everything in the needleart hobby is way too ex pensive. I suppose it's that way for all hobbies being that they're conside red "luxuries." Sometimes I wonder if the exorbitant prices have contribute d to the downfall of this art.

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Funny side note: I want to start stitching Mirabilia's Snow Queen this wint er and have purchased the pattern, the fabric, and the longer scroll rods.. .but I've been hesitant to buy the thread/accessory pack as it's well over $100.

Snow Queen pattern:

Fabric I've chosen: nder-twilight-1

I was asking my husband if maybe he'd like to get the thread pack for me fo r Xmas, and he said, "oh hun, Xmas is so far away, you'll probably run of things to stitch before then!"

(*crickets*)

I finally managed to stammer, "thanks for your concern darlin', but I think I'll be ok."

Clearly he hasn't been watching the packages arrive from 123stitch lately, nor has he seen my stash. If he had, he'd know I have enough stitching to l ast me until the apocalypse!

Sharon, is this the piece you're working on? I had some trouble looking it up, but if it's this piece I like it a lot:

That is the one. It will be cute when finished. Lots of confetti stitches but still is going to be fun. Sharon in MN

YIKES! At least there's no cost to *enter* ours.

I don't think there's anyone actually *knowledgable* about stitching doing our judging (one piece was so badly mounted there were *ripples* in the framed work! I wanted to wait for the person and give them some pointers about mounting and framing!!!). I always thought it would be helpful to know how to improve one's work but, like you said, being judged too harshly would definitely put a damper on the spirit of the competition.

Oooo! Can't wait to see it!

LOLOL!!! Good thing they take up so little space or it would be *much* more noticable!!!

Definitely cute!!!

I hope you enjoy it...I just love mine. It takes a lot of tinkering/adjusting to find the ergonomic sweet spot in the beginning, so don't get frustrated. Once you get that down though, it's nothing but great stitching from then on!

terima kasih banyak

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind.