Welcome to my
Needlepoint and Cross-stitch Page!

I love doing needlepoint, cross-stitch or embroidery. I first started stitching when I was twelve years old - over thirty years ago.

My first projects were done in crewel embroidery, and I encountered cross-stitch for the first time when I had to make something for a co-worker for Christmas. She really loved penguins, and her entire house was full of them. She had so many in fact, that her husband forbade her to buy any more. She was only allowed to accumulate those given to her as gifts. I made her a crewel picture of a line of penguins jumping into the ice-filled ocean, and included a small penguin cross-stitched Christmas ornament as a "bonus."

After doing that small project for Tanya, I was hooked on cross-stitch! My next project was a beautiful birth announcement for a friend of mine. I continued to do additional more complex projects, including a beaded Christmas tree and a small Advent sampler (do you see a theme in my projects yet?)

My mother had started doing needlepoint by that time, and I spotted an interesting project in one of our local needlework shops, called Eterna, designed by Jean Hilton. I purchased the canvas, the floss, and the Krenik ribbon and started to stitch. If I had thought I was addicted to cross-stitch, I soon found out that I needed to do needlepoint in order to live!

I became a charter member of our local American Needlepoint Guild (ANG) chapter, which we called the Manatee Stitchers. I attended my first National Seminar that year, which was held in Houston, and my very first teacher was Shay Pendray. Shay was an extremely patient and interesting teacher to have, and she can be seen on most PBS stations hosting her own show.

I have since been to several seminars, and my teachers have included Shay, Mary Ellen Searcy, Jane Zimmerman, Caela Conn Tyler and Susan Kerndt. I have always enjoyed each class I have taken, and I really wish I could take them all!

In January 1998, I had the opportunity to take Japanese Embroidery Phase I at Callaway Gardens. Now I am OBSESSED with this technique!!!!!!! I was disappointed that I wasn't able to attend the class in January 1999, but I was able to attend during January 2000, when I studied Phase II. This is a beautiful flowered kimono and we learned more how to use the koma to help us with couching gold and silver threads. I have collected a whole list of great Needle Arts Links that I invite for you to check out when you have time!

Please visit some of the sites I have collected, and participate in the webrings as well.

I have recently become aware that my guestbook had disappeared from the Internet, so I'm now on the lookout for a new one. In the meantime, please take a few moments to view my old one.

Want to get in touch with me? Like my page?
Do you have any needlearts links?
E-mail me!
Susan

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