COOL YOUR HEELS...

in needlepoint flip-flops!

These fantastic flips were stitched by our wonderful customer Kate! 

(KRPT, of the comments)

What a great way to stitch a belt canvas and create needlepoint flip-flops.

ANIMAL CRACKERS

I think that every child has had a box of animal crackers at some point in their lifetime. There is something so nostalgic about the artwork, box shape and the ribbon. I can remember having them at the Bronx Zoo in New York as a child. Animal Crackers were officially named Barnum's Animals crackers in 1902. During the Christmas season the package was redesigned as a circus wagon with a string attached so it could be hung as a Christmas ornament and easily carried by children. The Studio Midwest has designed a stunning needlepoint canvas to remind us all of our childhood.

I stitched mine for my son Carson. There is even enough room on the top of the box to personalize it with a name and birthday. Keep this a secret though, as I surprise him every Christmas with 12 new ornaments.  Stay tuned to the blog to check on my progress on this year's ornaments......

MAD ABOUT PLAID!

I am just delighted with this Studio Midwest plaid frame!









It is stitched so beautifully in Silk & Ivory!
What a stunning piece!

Back From the Finishers...

and it is SPECTACULAR!

Remember this? My needlepoint purse just came back from the finishers!

The lining is pumpkin silk, the leather is soft and supple and compliments the stitching perfectly! Come by and check it out, I'm sure it will make you think about stitching a Clara Wells bag for yourself!

Chapel Hill Needlepoint is also proud to announce the four new colors of Silk & Ivory thread; Toast, Stream, Lily Pad and Marsh! 

In other news, Chapel Hill Needlepoint was happy to have a visit from Barbara Bergsten of Barbara Bergsten Designs on her recent  trip to North Carolina.

See you all at the shop!

SOMETIMES YOUR FRIENDS REALLY SURPRISE YOU!

This Christmas several of my friends stitched a Needlepoint Sign of the Chapel Hill Needlepoint business card, to celebrate the opening of the shop. I was thoroughly surprised and cried with joy at such a thoughtful gift.  

Each friend took turns stitching a section- how wonderful!

 

They chose all sparkling threads; Ribbon Floss Shimmer white/opal  for the background, smoke blue, pale blue opal and black Shimmer for the lettering. It is just beautiful!

I am fortunate to have such good friends and customers.

Thank you all!

The Knit-Point, A Guest Post!

Today's post is brought to you by the always lovely Mary Ann of Three Waters Farm, as featured on her blog.

"The Knit-Point

Mary Stowe, of Yarn’s Etc has always had an inclusive vision of fiber arts. That is how, four years ago, Three Waters Farm ended up with a pied-a-terre in Carrboro inside Mary’s store, teaching spinning and selling our homegrown-handspun and other handpainted yarns and fibers. We were happy there, next to Balloons and Tunes and across the street from the Carrboro Farmers’ Market. But last summer, Opportunity came knocking and so this past August we moved to the other side of the tracks,* into Chapel Hill, into a larger store.

Now Chapel Hill is a fine place. We are enjoying ourselves very much in our new location. We are now within stitching distance of Whole Foods, A Southern Season, and Trader Joe's and so just about everybody who eats chocolate and drinks coffee comes in and visits at least once a month.

In the spirit of the Etc. in “Yarn’s Etc.,” Mary invited Nancy McGuffin of Chapel Hill Needlepoint to join us. I admit that I have harbored a small prejudice against needlepoint, mostly concerning the fact that needlepointers have to look down, whereas knitters can spend a lot of time looking up. (This may seem irrelevant to you, but my other hobby is recreational spying and I don’t like to miss anything.)

Well. Since August I have gone from having a small prejudice about needlepoint to having a serious concern about needlepoint. It was during the Fall, while looking up from my knitting, that I first had a hunch that needlepoint might be CONTAGIOUS. Since that time, I have confirmed the theory that you are likely to catch needlepoint if you have sufficient exposure, no matter how much you wash your hands and don’t touch your face, First it happened to me (I have a weak immune system when it comes to fiber arts,) then Vicky, then Mary, then Rebecca, then Hannah and the list goes on, getting ever longer with every passing day. I know that you may think that this is preposterous, perhaps the figment of a fevered imagination, and you would be right, but look at the evidence.

*a local joke playing on the difference between the storied Town of Chapel Hill and it’s formally servile and downtrodden neighbor, the Town of Carrboro, told from the tongue-in-cheek (or maybe not) point of view of the residents of Carrboro"

What a diverse and wonderful life we lead!

HOLIDAY STITCHING!

Thanksgiving is here and the Holidays are just around the corner.  All of our thoughts seem to be on holiday meals , decorating and long lists of tasks to accomplish.  Every day I anxiously await the arrival of the UPS Driver.  Lots of Finishing is arriving at the shop and it is just so fun to see my customers' finished ornaments, pillows and belts coming back.  

There is so much creativity in what the boxes hold.....

Stop by the shop to see some inspirational projects like The Nutcracker.

We have so many talented stitchers and so many wonderful projects to look forward to!

Happy Thanksgiving!