Beth’s wool applique project. We’ve reached the week’s midpoint so we gathered to chat about needlework. Topics this week include the show we did May 5 about the RSN work for the Coronation, Beth’s work on Mary Ann Bickerton’s Tudor Rose pocket and the Woolen Needle wool appliqué class, Ariane Zurcher’s Dorset button eyeglass case, Kim’s May 1 Stitch Hour tour of the new Sassy Jacks shop, Beth’s participation in the Jeanette Douglas Sassy Jacks online class, pros and cons of live and online classes, Gary’s Elizabethan Treasures and Avlea Sea of Light plans, and building a pair of slate frame t ..read more

The anointing screen, created by the Royal School of Needlework for the Coronation of King Charles III. Yui Mok, PA Images, Alamo Stock PhotoA team of embroiderers works on the Queen’s robe, designed and created by the RSN. Photo: Royal School of NeedleworkThis week we visit with Gemma Murray, Anne Butcher, and Dr. Susan Kay-Williams of the Royal School of Needlework. These ladies were responsible for managing all of the needlework that was done for the Coronation of King Charles III a year ago. In our conversation, we learn about the various aspects of the work that was done at the RSN from r ..read more

Needle book by Tanja Berlin.It’s a Wednesday so we’re chatting about needlework. Topics this week include our upcoming May 5 show about the work done by the Royal School of Needlework to provide embroidered pieces for the Coronation, needle case kits from Tanja Berlin of Berlin Embroidery, Mary Corbet, museums, Wintertur, goldwork, blackwork, and making linen and specialty threads. You also might enjoy a book Cindy is reading: “Nuts & Bolts” by Roma Arawal. Note that there will be no new show Sunday, April 28. We’ll be back on schedule with a new Stitch Hour Wednesday, May 1.–Cindy and Gar ..read more

Midnight Whispers design by Sian Fish.The Dead Unicorn Society design by Sian Fish. Blackwork is our topic this week and our guest is Sian Fish of The Urban Stitches. The show is sponsored by the Embroiderers’ Guild of America and Sassy Jacks Stitchery. Sian Fish is a self-taught stitcher and designer who loves to work in the macabre/gothic world of needlework design. But not all of her topics are focused on the “dark side.” She has a unique talent for putting a different twist on “regular” topics. No matter what the subject is, it’s almost alway worked on black or gray ground with black threa ..read more

Design by Lita O’Hara.Ornaments by Lita O’Hara.Lita O’Hara, the Nashville Needlepointer and Patron Saint of Chaos, is our guest this week. Lita is a self-taught painted-canvas designer and project finisher. In our conversation we learn about her design process, what it was like to paint those first canvases, and how her finishing business evolved. To keep sanity in her life and to be able to deliver quality product, she keeps her customer list to a limited number. That allows her to get to know what they like and prevents late nights trying to meet holiday deadlines. Throughout the conversatio ..read more

Elizabethan Treasures from Linda Barry, considered by Jean to be one of the best whitework samplers ever published. It’s Midweek Chat week and Beth and Gary connected through our respective internet providers to talk about eyeglasses and what we learned from Kelly Lea Teske, supporting Ukraine designer Ekaterina at stitchyprincess.etsy.com, selecting projects vs. being influenced by stitching friends, projects we have that need to be at the top of the pile, stitching in groups vs. alone, whether we could produce an exhibition with our finished pieces, stitching lights/magnifiers, group project ..read more

Kelly Lea Teske with needle, thread, and her favorite stitching glasses.It’s hard to stitch if you can’t see well and, for most of us, seeing well requires a good pair of glasses. This week, in a show sponsored by CyberPointers, Kelly Lea Teske returns to help us better understand how to make the most of our next visit to the eye doctor and the optician. Kelly first joined us in a Sept. 2, 2023 show we did with Rinda Just. The topic of that show was macular degeneration and other vision issues. This time, we learn that, as is so often the case, a successful visit starts with communicating what ..read more

The Birdmen Cometh design from Little Robin Designs.Grace Gill 1838 sampler from Little Robin Designs. She creates top-flight cross stitch designs, reproduces intriguing antique samplers, designs original samplers, and has started designing punch-needle art. This week’s Fiber Talk guest is Robin Mayer of Little Robin Designs.  In addition to learning about her design approach, how she became addicted to samplers, and her preference for the primitive design style, we get some thread-storage ideas that might help all of us and will definitely help those whose needlework acquisitions have mo ..read more

A design by Ekaterina from Ukraine. Support her at stitchyprincess.etsy.com.Jenifer returns for a Midweek Chat after a long hiatus. So much fun to catch up. Our topics this week are helping Ekaterina from Ukraine (stitchyprincess.etsy.com) by buying a chart or two (Thanks Cissy Bailey Smith), the new Avlea Folk Flourishes and Work Bag kits, Jenifer’s Temari and Sashiko stitching, slow stitching, Domestika classes, how we decide what projects to buy, and a new segment called Would You Rather. Join us Easter Sunday for a stitching hour at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the Fiber Talk YouTube channel. Sund ..read more

A selection of designs by Joana Augusto.Octopus design by Joana Augusto.This week we are joined by the Cross Stitch Geek, Joana Augusto. The show is sponsored by Avlea Folk Embroidery and the new Folk Flourishes kits. Joana is a long-distance runner, scientist, and a cross-stitch designer who loves converting cross stitches into science-themed designs. In our conversation we learn about her origins in Portugal, moving to Canada, doing PhD research on pilot-whale behavior, and how she became a cross-stitch designer. She creates beautiful, approachable designs that stitchers at all skill levels ..read more