April - Speed Round Robin

Want to have some fun with needle, thread and your imagination?  No pattern or diagrams!  The Buffalo ANG Chapter "Western NY Needlepointers" invited us to lead their group in a creative Speed Round Robin.  Each member had to bring a 4" or 5" square of 18ct mono canvas and some different colored threads from their stash.  This is a timed excercise and it begins by telling them the first step to stitch the outline of the Aquarium then they have 4 minutes to stitch.  When the time is up, we ring a bell and they pass their canvas to the person on their left.  Again, we tell them the next thing to stitch within a certain time, then RING! PASS YOUR CANVAS!  You can choose any theme, we just liked the Aquarium.  Everyone quickly got the idea that this is fun and stitched some very imaginative scenes.  You can see crustaceons, treasure chests, plant life, anchors, fishing hooks and more. 

Imagine an Aquarium… 

With just a needle and thread we’ll be “drawing” a picture today.

You can use whatever stitches you know.  They can be straight or slanted, long and short, knotted or fancy.  Use them in any combination to paint the scene.  Think about stitches you’ve learned, your favorite, the easiest. 

1.       (4:00)  Stitch the outline of an aquarium.  Will it be square or rounded?  What color will it be? Blue, black, green?  Light or dark?  Define the boundaries of an aquarium.

2.       (4:00)  Add an underwater structure for the background.  An interesting rock formation, steps, a spout. Is it round, square, triangle, steps formation?

3.       (3:00)  Add some seaweed or vegetation. Is it floating on the top or along the sides or is it sprouting from the floor bed?

4.       (3:00)  Add some colorful coral. Dot the waterscape with several or stitch one large coral. 

5.       (2:00)  Add some fish to the aquarium.  Let them swim along the floor or sides.  Make some stitches that make it look like a school of fish.  Use different colors.

6.       (1:00)  Add some bubbles.  Blue/green bubbles.

7.       (2:00)  Add an undersea creature.  Lobster, crab, octopus, shark, dolphin, jellyfish, mermaid, etc.

8.       (3:00)  Add a man-made element to the scene.  A treasure chest, fish-hook, a boat floating on top, explorer robot, Jacques Cousteau, statue, etc.

9.       (1:00)  Add some bubbles.

A total of 24 minutes!

Here are the creative results: