Our Holiday Pot Luck and December Meeting is December 9th

• Please bring non-perishable food items for donation to the Brighton Food Bank.  Checks will also be accepted.
• This is our annual Holiday Pot Luck Meeting.  
• We will be starting the meeting at 6:30 instead of our normal time of 7:00.  
• Please bring a dish to share with others. 
• Don't forget something to serve it with if necessary.  
• Also, we will be in a different room - just follow the crowds!  
• We will not be meeting for dinner at 5:30.  

Meeting Agenda

• Our local shops will be invited to share what is going on in their shop.
• Business Meeting
• Problem of the month
• Show and Share
• Sit and Stitch

There be no Sit and Stitch the 4th Wednesday of this month.

WIP Wednesday

This Wednesday we have a design right out of the November/December 2014 issue of Needlepoint Now. It is Winter Scene by Martina Dey done in a fall color palette with DMC Perle 5.

November 18th Program

Before I describe this month's program I would like to remind you all  to bring your canned good donation for the food cupboard. 

This month our program is titled  Beyond Needles and Scissors 

This month be prepared to discuss: 

~What tools are in your tool box?        

~ What do you use for a tool box? 

Many of us find that collecting the newest and best tools is almost as much fun as stitching.  We will be discussing our favorite and most unusual tools Wednesday evening, so everyone prepare to participate in the following discussions:

• What is your most essential tool other than needles and scissors?
• What 3 tools would you want while deserted on a desert island?
• What non-traditional needlework "tools" do you use? (I have straws, coffee stirrers, and fingernail file in my at home tool box)
• What is your favorite laying tool, stand? Why?
• What do you travel with and what restrictions do you find?
• What does your "tool box" consist of?
• What is your most unusual tool?
• Can you stump the chumps with your tool? (we guess what it is used for)?
• Do you have a collection of one kind of tools that you would share with us? (scissors are included in this) laying tools, needle cases, magnets, etc.?

For those of us old enough to remember Art Linkletter walking through the audience and looking through a woman's handbag, be prepared for us to look through your tool bag.

We would also like to start a list of our favorite books and web sites that you find especially helpful.  We'll have paper ready for you to write or bring it already written on a post-it note so we can attach it to the list.  If we have time, we will talk about any of them that you feel is important to share. 

Looking forward to seeing your tools and talking with all of you Wednesday evening.

Your program team.

November Meeting Date - November 18th

The November chapter meeting has been moved to November 18th because the Brighton Recreation Center will be closed on November 11th in observance of Veteran's Day.

WIP Wednesday

This week I would like to highlight a painted canvas Barbara has been working on the last few months. It is called the Fourth of July Flag and it is designed by The  Collection Designs. You can see more of their designs at http://www.thecollectiondesigns.com/flagsfourth-of-july.html.

She purchased the canvas at the Wool and Willow in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. You can see more about the shop by visiting their web page at http://www.woolandwillow.com/dev/.

The stitch selections are by Barbara. She has almost completed all of the white background which she is doing in the Nobuko stitch.

We are all looking forward to seeing what stitches she selects for the the rest of the piece and how she intends to finish it. 

Finish It Friday

While we each enjoy  different stages of the stitching journey for the painted canvases or counted designs we choose the happiest day is the day we complete the stitching on that cherished piece.  Today I want to share a piece Patty finished this week called Christmas Flowers designed by Mindy with a stitch guide provided by Aristeia Needlepoint in Santa Monica, Ca. If you want to see more of what they offer you can visit them on the web by going to http://www.aristeianeedlepoint.com/.

I can't wait to see how she chooses to finish this piece and 

 I wonder which of her children or grandchildren she will give this beautiful piece too.

WIP Wednesday

This week we feature  Ro's current WIP, a  counted needlepoint design from Needlepoint Delights and designed by Kathy Rees. It is constructed with a variety of different threads which lend it texture as well as a color palette  that remind one of the Caribbean. While this geometric piece looks straight forward putting the center design elements on point makes the stitching challenging.  

WIP Wednesday

I thought it would be nice to showcase the works in progress of our members throughout the year. This would give us all an opportunity to see the variety of projects our members work on.

Today I would like to show off a painted canvas by Melissa Shirley that a number of our members are stitching. They started it as a class at Lori's shop, Expressions In NeedleArts back in May of 2015.

While they are all at different points you can see from this canvas the rich colors and textures that stitch guide introduces.  This is a challenging canvas but according to those stitching it a wonderful learning experience.

A New England Style Tea Cozy

I mentioned to a few chapter members that I saw a delightful tea cozy sitting on the shelf of BF Goood Stitch in Salem Massachusetts. It was designed by Mary Beale in 1996 and is called the Boston Tea Party. Here is some more information for anyone who wants to know more about it or perhaps stitch it. Her chart is designed to be done in needlepoint on 18 count canvas  or cross stitched over two on 30 count evenweave or linen.

One person wrote an extensive entry in her blog about the piece which you can see here:  http://carolinastitcher.blogspot.com/2015/07/mary-beale-tea-cozy-and-more.html

If after seeing pictures and reading about it you would like to stitch it you can get the chart for $5.00 at Mary Beale's online shop at : http://www.marybeale.com/shop/miscellaneouscharts.html

Reminder For Our October 14th Meeting

Flower City Needler’s  of the  American Needlepoint Guild

Meeting is at the Brighton Senior Center, 220 Idlewood Rd, (Use entrance off S. Winton Road)

Some of us will be meeting for dinner at 5:30 at Root 31 Cafe and Eatery in Pittsford Plaza (3349 Monroe Avenue, Pittsford, 585-383-5660) if you would like to join us. Please note this is a different location from last year.    

Program: Silk Needlework of China

Patti Fienup will give a presentation of exquisite needlework from her trip to China.  I’ve had a peak at the photos and they are stunning.  In the spirit of this presentation, please bring your own example of ethnic needlework to share.

Brighton Food Bank

Please bring non-perishable food items in for donation to the Brighton Food Bank. The items must be non-perishable and in non-glass containers.  Cash donations will also be accepted. This will be an on-going, monthly agenda item as a new outreach project of our chapter.        

Show and Share

Bring your finished work for show and share and as always wear your Nametags!

Hope to see you there.

Ruth Gustafson

2015 Finger Lakes Fiber Festival

Our chapter will be participating in the 2015 Finger Lakes Fiber Festival as exhibitors. 

Please Join us for the fun. 

The 2015 Festival dates are: 

 Saturday, September 19^th (10:00 AM to 5:00 PM) 

 Sunday, September 20th  (10:00 AM to 4:00 PM) 

The Festival will be held at the Hemlock Fairgrounds which is located at 7370 Water St (Route 15A), Hemlock, New York 14466. 

The entry fee is $7.00 per person, 12 and under free. There is plenty of free parking available. 

For information on the exhibitors,  demonstrations, and  directions to the fairgrounds please click here. 

Our First Program Meeting ~ Fall 2015

It is time to start our 2015-2016 meeting schedule.  Where did the summer go?

Our first meeting will be on Wednesday, September 9 at 7PM at the Brighton Senior Center, 220 Idlewood Road, Rochester (use the entrance off of Winton Road).  

Some of us will be meeting for dinner at 5:30 at Root 31 Cafe and Eatery in Pittsford Plaza (3349 Monroe Avenue, Pittsford, 585-383-5660) if you would like to join us. Please note this is a different location from last year.    

Here is the agenda for our first meeting.

1. Shop talk - our local shops will be invited to share what is going on in their shop.

2. Please bring non-perishable food items in for donation to the Brighton Food Bank. The items must be non-perishable and in non-glass containers.  Cash donations will also be    accepted. This will be an on-going, monthly agenda item as a new outreach project of our chapter.        

3. Business Meeting 

4. Problem of the month - An explanation of this will be provided at the first meeting. 

5. Show and Share 

6. Survey – the Program Committee and Board will be asking for your input on our chapter meetings. 

7. First projects – please bring stitching projects from your early days as a stitcher for sharing with the group. Also bring recent projects or those you have been working on over        the summer so that we can see how your stitching has changed. 

Refreshments: Beryl Clymer

Hope to see you there.

Ruth Gustafson