The rest of this year has some fantastic opportunities to learn while stitching great needlepoint. I came back from vacation so jazzed about the upcoming needlepoint classes, I just wanted to share them with you.
25 Stitches
There are two more 25 Stitches classes this year. The first 25 Cross Stitches begins June 15 and explores great version of this time-honored stitch. You can sign up here.
The final class in this series, 25 Stitches for Round Spaces, begins in the Fall.
Both classes include great stitch samplers.
Explore a New Technique
Shading is the topic that I get asked about most often. If you believe the general wisdom about shading you’ll think it’s very hard to do. In reality shading is easy, interesting, and gives great depth to your needlepoint. I have two very different shading classes coming up.
Beginning Shading starts in August. If you have never done shading or would like practice in three kinds of shading, this small piece is perfect for you. Using a canvas you draw yourself, you’ll create a lovely holiday design. You’ll see the piece when sign-ups open next Wednesday.
Super Shading Effects is a more advanced class that features 13 different shading techniques or shaded effects using the stunning Mindy canvas pictured here. It’s a mystery class, meaning you won’t see the whole canvas stitched until the class is over. Each month the class will cover a single technique with two tiles stitched using it. There are 13 lessons in all.
The class begins late in the Fall and registration will open over the summer to give you plenty of time to get your canvas. I just adore this canvas and I’m so excited to share it with you.
The Enhancement Forum
The first enhancement forum just finished up, giving students almost eight months of great canvases and ideas. This year’s session will begin in September and promises even more great help for you based on the canvases you submit.
This class is an on-line and affordable version of the expensive classes offered in so many shops. Instead of you needing to buy a canvas, pay for the class and take lots of notes, you can learn at home, using a canvas you have, and at a price where you can buy more great canvases.
Watch for the announcement and registration in early July.
Color Class
I love that needlepoint is such a wonderful way to learn about color. I’m just starting to work on this class that will start at the end of the year. The idea is to use a controlled group of threads to explore color ideas and color schemes by creating small ornament-sized projects. It sounds more rigid than it will be. There will be four color palettes with lots of color and background choices. Your projects can be in one or more of the palettes.
It will be tons of fun and unlike other classes you have taken.
Watch the blog for more information about it.
And in 2017
A fourth series of 25 Stitches, a Bargello class, the beginner’s forum, and lots more.
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
Wow – love the canvas design for the super shading class. Would want to start with your beginning shading class first. How does this work for getting canvas and threads?
I’ve been more of a counted-techniques person, but Mindy has a lot of appealing designs.
I started following you in February. Thanks for giving a ‘heads-up’ on your timeline. Helps me with planning time and $.
I would start with the beginning shading class because the spaces for each technique are bigger so you’ll have more confidence.
For the Mindy class the canvas can be ordered either from her shop or from your local shop.
For threads, my plan is to make life easier on us all by reusing threads and by not giving you all the threads at once. My plan is to list as many of the threads as I can and what lesson they will be used in at first. Then I’ll always give you the thread list for the NEXT lesson in each month’s lesson.
I don’t like buying tons of thread I don’t need and I know budgeting can often be a problem. This piece is mostly done in stranded silks so I will also provide some general instructions for substituting cotton floss.
Hope this helps!
Keep stitching,
Janet
Thanks, Janet. Sounds good to me. I have a good-sized stash, and am comfortable working with both silk and cotton. For better or worse, about the only stores nearby are ‘big box’ stores, and a small cross stitch shop. Nearest needlepoint shop is almost an hour away, and it’s not easy to fit shopping trips into my schedule. I do plan my shopping to reach free-shipping levels whenever possible. I’ve also frequently run into back-order issues, so I like to shop ahead. But there are times I just need to go and do a good ‘floss toss’.
I love it when folks use their stashes for projects. I try to do it all the time!
Keep stitching,
Janet
Janet, I need to store several of my quilts for quite awhile. Any suggestions on how you store your extra quilts. Thanks, JaLynn
I’m not a quilter but we’ve inherited many quilts. I use them. To see what to do, you would be best to go search on quilting sites and blogs for information on storing quilts.
Keep stitching,
Janet
When I saw the title of your Post I opened it before all others today. All I can say is WOW you have out done yourself with class offerings this time. I cannot wait for the Shading classes as I have had a serious interest in shading for quite some time and when I dabble in it I do not always get the effects I want. I know, based on the classes I have taken from you previously, that at the end of the classes, that I will be a confident shader. I’m also looking forward to the other classes, as they will expand my skill sets.
THANKS for all you do to help the needlepointers of the world. [PS Your suggestions for my Natitivy canvas (from the Enhancement Class) have been spot -on. I’ll try to send a picture when I finish the whole thing.]
Thanks & I really want to see the nativity.
Keep stitching,
Janet