Summer arrives in Canada with 2 explosive events... the kids bursting out school doors for a couple of months of 'freedom' and the fireworks that celebrate Canada's birth as a country on July 1. Of course, a few days later, our neighbours to the South have their own reason to light up the skies as they commemorate July 4th. I hope this month finds you well and that it will be the beginning of a wonderful Summer season.
Some Pretty Heavy Stuff
Towards the end of last week, this newsletter, without the message contained in this section, was almost ready to send out. Then, something happened which led me to post the following message on the 1-2-3 Stitch! bulletin board...
"It's Sunday morning...
I should be preparing the roast chicken now, before the day's heat sets in and makes using the oven both unbearable and unthinkable. But I'm sitting at the table my husband made and writing this note, while listening to an album that's always induced me (a non-dancer!) to flit around the room like a tipsy, uncoordinated butterfly. That's the power of Art.
Art... it can bring a smile to your lips, send chills up your spine and draw tears from your eyes. It creates a place to escape from your fears and sorrows and allows you to travel to places, real or imaginary, that you'd never in a million years have seen through your own mind's-eye. The invitation to visit the world of a musician, movie maker or other artist's soul is an offer of transcendental proportions.
The music I'm listening to is complex... it's mostly joyous though, at times, it spills into hauntingly melancholic strains. It's a finely embroidered piece of work and the skill to play so masterfully will have taken many years' dedication. The compositions weave a web-like bond between the artist and his listener that's deeply personal and moving. He will have spent countless hours, never knowing whether he'd actually succeed in connecting with a single listener... placing all his hopes and energy... his heart and soul... into his craft.
This musician's creation has brought me tremendous pleasure and, as a designer, I understand the vulnerability of his work. We're both weavers and embroiderers, he with melodies and sounds... me with colours and shapes. We both depend on the integrity of our audience to protect our work and provide us with 'an honest day's pay for an honest day's work'. Ofcourse, the tangible devices through which artist's transfer their imaginary worlds from their minds to ours (CDs; pieces of paper; DVDs, etc.) cost pennies. As blanks, however, these items are neither entertaining nor informative. It's the content that, although priceless, must be given a quantitative value. A value which will sustain the artist and his family in order for him to continue his, and our, journey.
The next time you reach for a tissue as the movie ends; that your feet tap uncontrollably as you listen to a piece of music; that you thread your needle to lay in a few more stitches... please remember that Art is created by people. Actors, screenwriters, costume designers, set directors, lighting technicians, stunt performers, cinematographers, special effects experts, animal trainers... singers, songwriters, studio musicians, print artists, back-up vocalists, producers, studio and equipment managers... and yes, needlework designers, who've laboured long and hard to create the experiences we all enjoy.
Please help protect artist's copyrights... Thank you
P.S. The album I'm listening to is "Kiss the Earth" by Johannes Linstead."
This message has, for some time, been listed under 'Copyright Contemplations' in the drop-down menu at the bottom of this page.
A Cool Sewing Tip
Hardly a day goes by that I don't make use of this handy little tip... Again, I'm not sure where I discovered it (it's certainly not my own invention). It could have been posted to r.c.t.n. (rec.crafts.textiles.needlework) or it might have appeared on the 1-2-3 Stitch! bulletin board.
You know how stitchers often end up with the teeniest little tails of thread sticking out of our needlework... those ones that are shorter even than the length of our needles and defy sewing under? Sometimes, they're the result of trying to eke out 'just a few more stitches' from a piece of floss. Other times, they're the exasperatingly fiddly, tell-tale clues that we've 'frogged' (ripped-out) a couple of confetti stitches. It's one of those brilliantly simple ideas that are easier to demonstrate than to describe, but here goes...
1. First, pull or poke your floss-tail through to the back side of your stitching.
2. Then, take a length of floss (any colour and about 14" will do); fold it in half.
3. Pass the folded end through the eye of your needle... this will act like a lasso to snare your errant tail.
4. Adjust your thread so that the looped end is longer than the cut ends.
5. Starting right beside the little tail, slide your needle under the backs of 5 or 6 stitches and draw the thread through until a 1/2" loop remains.
6. Now, gently coax the little tail into your "trap" (the loop) and grasp its' end. Carefully, pull your needle to draw both the loop, and your now-captive tail, under the backs of your stitches.
Ta-Dah... you did it!
Now available at your LNS
NEW!
Embroidered BABY GIFT TAGS
NEW!
TEACHER Embroidered Envelope
PLEASE CLICK ON THE PHOTOS ABOVE FOR DESIGN INFORMATION AND MATERIALS LISTS
Coming Soon
A feature article and project in the Fall issue of Carla Canonico's beautiful needlework magazine, A Needle Pulling Thread.
Shop News
I'm very happy to tell you that Lorna has chosen to offer my charts to her stitchers. Lorna owns the Needlecraft Gallery & Frames in Edmonton, Alberta... NEEDLECRAFT GALLERY & FRAMES, 2160-109 Street, EDMONTON AB T6J 7C1 Ph: 780-484-6016 e-mail: stitchn@telus.net
Recognizing that exploring other media allows each of us to grow as artists and craftspeople, Karen at Accent Stitchery in Regina, Saskatchewan has added scrapbooking supplies to both her shop and her name... ACCENT STITCHERY, FRAMING & SCRAPBOOKING, 4623 Albert St., S., REGINA SK S4S 6B6 e-mail: k.nystrom@sasktel.net
Please note that Wendy at Just Needlin' in Lee's Summit has changed her address. She's now at... JUST NEEDLIN', 428 N E Brockton, LEE'S SUMMIT MO 64064 e-mail: mail@justneedlin.com
Stitches and Stuff has returned to Ontario. You can visit Vivienne online at... Stitches and Stuff.
A Sort of Biography
I hope you find this interesting... a little about my roots.
Some Important Information
(and gentle reminders)
In 2005, Wendy Mesley (a popular TV journalist and co-host of CBC's consumer show, 'Marketplace') was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Her diagnosis, subsequent treatment and recovery led her to investigate the rising incidence of all forms of cancer throughout North America. The end result was an informative and much-repeated television show, "Chasing the Cancer Answer" which exposed startling facts about the fight against cancer and our environment. CBC has also provided online tips about avoiding carcinogens in common household products.
Please don't forget to familiarize yourself with the signs of Ovarian Cancer and to ensure that the men in your life remember their PSA checks.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this newsletter. I hope you've enjoyed it. Til next time... take care,
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