September’s Dallas Needlepoint Market has quickly become the premier needlepoint market in the US. It’s happening this weekend but many companies have sneak peeks and previews of what will be released at the show. Today and Monday’s columns will look at some of these. The columns on September 20 (Local Needlepoint Shop Day), 24 and 28 will also cover new needlepoint products (my desk and bookmark files are full of things to tell you about.
Remember that this is a Cash & Carry market so shops will be coming back with goodies. Many will be having special showings of these products as part of the Local Needlepoint Shop Days celebrations.
Rainbow Gallery has two new laying tools that will be available only at the show. Called “ribbon laying tools” they feature blunter ends for using with flat threads and ribbons and lovely turned hardwood handles. Rainbow Gallery is also now distributing the BLT (Best Laying Tool). Planet Earth is introducing 5 new colors to the variegated collection of 6-ply silk.
Tapestry Fair will have 43 new designs including a funky giraffe, a great hedgehog, and “blessed,” a serene lady against a lovely and delicate floral background. Eye Candy has several great new collections. My favorite is the “Cat’s Tooth” collection. A play on hound’s tooth fabrics, these designs reimagine them as cat silhouettes. The are available in several sizes and can be ordered in custom colors. Birds & Blooms, another series, features birds in her iconic bright colors against colorful branches, leaves, and flowers. “Dark Shadows” has three canvases with Halloween silhouettes against large patterned full moons. There are also two new plaid trees, as well as new squares with groups of Christmas ornaments in either bright pastels or traditional colors.
Broadway must be on designers’ minds. Both Alice Peterson and Raymond Crawford have canvases for popular shows. Alice Peterson’s canvas is a college of nine different covers. There is a stitch guide for it from Stitch by Stitch. Raymond has canvases for individual plays, taking their cue from the iconic Plybill program covers, with a broad yellow border at the top. Raymond’s canvases will not be brought back from Dallas, they are order only at the show.
Alice Peterson also has new smaller bookshelf canvases based on hobbies, plus a wonderful series of canvases featuring high-end shopping bags. You can get these as a group or singly. Raymond has a new Candyland series based on the board game. He also has lots of new stars and a 6.5 inch couple of Mr. & Mrs. Claus. Pippin has lots of great new designs. There is a charming three bears canvas. She also has a new nine I just love — chickens! It’s better to call it 8 + 1 because there are 8 chickens and one rooster, She also has new stocking cuffs. Pippin has also introduced a new line, “First Stitch.” The charming canvases are on 12 mesh and include needle, threads, directions for a new stitcher, and a contemporary styled frame/mat with easel back to display the completed project.
Leigh has a delightful series of holiday rounds, eight in all, done with her signature elegance. Sally Corey (not showing at Dallas) has new Chinese medallion designs in a variety of colors. Annie Lane has a simply delightful new canvas called “Beach Party Palooza.” In it you’ll find bears, chickens, sheep, and other animals taking a seaside vacation. Melissa Shirley has a new John Johansson canvas premiering. Called “Foxy,” it is a girl surrounded by a ring of animals. The color palette here is more sibdued than the one in most of his designs.
Kate Dickerson is no longer doing canvases from Patience Brewster. The last of her stock of these canvases will be at the show. She has licensed a new artist, Kelly Rightsell, Her designs are darling, as Kate says. Kangaroo Paw has added a police angel to their Patriotic Angel Collection. I just love Rachel Donley’s two-sided round for trick or treat. One side is “no treats.” Decorations has new Halloween canvases, including two witches and two bats. If you like charted needlepoint, you’ll love Dream House’s new Jazz Squares. The pack includes instructions for several sizes of the design and uses threads for a variety of companies in a soft lavender color scheme.
Shelly Tribbey has new scissors cases that match her decorative scissors. She hasalso added designs to her coffins. Lee has added a new designer to their line-up, Mia Whittemore. Her collection is called “Garden Party” and includes both a large floral as well as single flowers. They are available in a variety of sizes. JP Needlepoint has a pair of stunning canvases that are based on purses stitched by the artist’s mom ages ago. They would be great scrap bag projects.
Vallerie Needlepoint Gallery will have over 100 new designs. These include a new club, funky flowers, that has four great small canvases, There is also a breast cancer heart, and some really beautiful bird canvases by Scott Partridge. I just adore his pair of lovebirds. For finishing, they have a lovely glass-topped coaster that fits a 4″ square canvas. The funky flowers fit these perfectly, Sew Much Fun has a lovely new pastel 3-d horse as well as Hanukkah gift tags.
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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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