Just had a look at your photo's.......lovely......must get back to Canvas Work......it has been neglected recently.......

It's just lovely. Can I put it on the blog at the end of the month? I want to do a gallery of Twinchys. Did you use white or pale violet canvas? It almost looks as if it's just arely violet, so I wasn't sure.

Nancy --

I love your stuff on thi photo album. The Bargello piece is wonderful & I really love the way you did Rhapsody -- it's so cool.

Will do, what's the URL of your Flickr account (I'm not good at it either)?

Hi Nancy...a couple of weeks ago you left a wonderful comment on my page. Thank you so much for your kind words about Santa Fe Square. I loved working on the piece and plan to try it in another color way, too. I love your work...it is such a treat to visit your page. Talk about eye candy!!

I look forward to talking with you again.
Blessings,
Julie

Thanks on the Talavera! I love those - they are doing well for me, as Creative Needle has bought them for production. I don't do market - too old and lazy. I started in 1970 with Imari "reproductions" and other Oriental porcelain designs - and those certainly couldn't be done with textured stitches. The joy of stitching was in pattern and color. It was very relaxing.

Actually, basketweave on a well painted canvas is very relaxing and also entertaining IF the canvas is well painted, which few are these days. Your work is beautiful- but it would drive me to madness to do that counted stuff. I write a feature article for Needlepoint Now, and have been trying in a subtle way without calling names, to point out what a well painted canvas looks like. Some of them are unbelievably bad, and the pity is that the shop owners who buy them at market don't know the difference. In the decade of the 70's, when this really became popular, we tried hard to make them easy to stitch - even shaded so that the stitcher would know exactly where to put the next stitch. As for the decorative stitches, the self taught usually do it best - there is so much "overkill" on that now that one can't see anything but an awful jumble of fibers, fuzz, sparkle, and texture - and the design gets lost. The secret is good taste and common sense. Have you looked at my Possibilities, Etc. blog?

Hi Nancy! what on earth intimidates you about painted canvas? I didn't know there was any other kind until about two years ago - I've been designing and stitching since 1969, and love it - as you don't have to count or really think - just stitch in the painted areas. I would love to help if I may - just ask! I have a few counted things in my line - but I mark on the canvas first with a pen, as I won't count while stitching. Too tedious.