California is having a heat wave. Monday the highest temperatures in California were over 120 degrees. It is slightly cooler today with those same towns having highs under 120. It’s even near 90 this week in my little, often fog-bound, corner of the Bay. That can make doing needlework problematical.
There is a truism in the knitting world that knitters don’t knit in the summer because of the heat. Wool is hot, sweaters are heavy and you don’t want these things anywhere near you when you have to put sheets on your tomatoes to keep them from burning.
Now that we use so many different threads for needlepoint we don’t have it as bad as knitters, but, even so, many folks don’t like to stitch in the heat.
There are things you can do to make stitching needlepoint more enjoyable on the sultry days:
Stitch smaller items. Although smaller than sweaters, needlepoint is heavy too and can feel stifling.
Stitch items that look cool. Whether it’s a snowman ornament or a picture of a cooling drink, seeing cool things makes you think about them.
Stitch with cool and lighter colors. Temperature in color has an effect on how you feel as well. Warm colors will make you feel hotter. Dark colors absorb that hot sun. If you stay away from those colors, you’ll feel cooler.
Stitch inside in natural light. Light bulbs are hot, the sun is hot, but your house might have air conditioning. Find a sunny spot indoors and stitch there.
One last bit of advice. In the summer the sun is very bright. This means there is a bigger chance that a magnifier will set your needlework or something else on fire. Avoid this by covering it when you are not using it — even if you just went to get some water.
Stay cool!
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
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