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Mouse TalesVol 2 September 2003Contents
President's Message:9-11-03 Good Evening everyone, Today has been a hard day for me as I am sure it has for most of the members of this chapter. The 2 year anniversary of "9/11" is somber for most americans. Our country is at war with a foreign country, and the good or bad of that is on a lot of peoples minds on a daily basis as well. I find that my time stitching helps me to focus on the things that are important to me, my friends and my family, my stitching and my membership in this group. When there is not a lot to count on being the same all the time, CyberStitchers has been something to count on each month and each day. Over the past two years we have seen many changes in CyberStitchers. This month too there is a major change for the chapter. Our education chairman, Aurita Perez has had to step down from her post as Chairman due to outside obligations. She leaves us with a history of helping to shape and spark the membership into doing bigger and better things then we thought capable of both as individuals and as a chapter. I was very saddened to accept Aurita's resignation late last month. I know that I will sorely miss her. Please join me during this meeting in sending her statements to let her know how much she will be missed. Our new Education Chairman has been appointed, and she is Anne Long. Anne served on the education committee under Aurita's guiding hand and then became a force in her own right being in charge of the Petite Projects and the Stitch-a-long lists as well. Please welcome Anne as our new Education chairman and remember that chairman need assistance in their positions, so contact any board member or Anne herself to volunteer to be on the education committee. Next chapter meeting, November 2003, we will be voting on a slate for the chapter's elected positions. May this be a statement to the chapter to know that the Executive committee members and the Nominating committee members and the budget will all be voted on next meeting. Here's hoping that everyone has a good meeting and that our memories of the past two years spark us to have good memories in the future. May everyone have fun at whatever needleart work they choose to do. LoriBeth Etengoff, Education ReportThe big news from the Education committee is that after many years of outstanding service, Aurita Perez is stepping down as the Education chairperson for our chapter. I was honored when she asked me if I would consider taking over the committee - I have some big shoes to fill, that's for sure! - and after giving it some thought, I decided yes. Please join me in thanking Aurita for her dedication to the chapter for these past years. I also want to thank Kathy Eaves, our treasurer, who is also a member of this committee, for her work in handling all the financial aspects of our chapter's educational projects. Before I get to the rest of the report, I'd like to briefly introduce myself. I'm Anne Long and I've been a member of CyberStitchers for about 18 months. I initially joined the EGA in 1991 with a F2F chapter, but it closed down in about 1995 due to declining numbers and I was an MAL until I joined CyberStitchers. My main stitching interests lie in the area of cross stitch, counted thread techniques, and needlepoint. I've been stitching for about 35 years, starting with my mom teaching me surface embroidery. On the non-stitching side of things, I'm 43, have been married for 16 years, and we have 3 children - 2 girls (ages 15 and 6) and a boy (age 10). We live in the central part of Iowa and I work full time as a computer application administrator for the student health center at Iowa State University. On to the report! GCC's: This year 4 GCCs are retiring: Chess Anyone?, Drawn Thread Sampler #2, Hearts & Flowers, and Lace Ribbons. We will be offering these GCCs this year (if there's enough interest) so if you're ever wanted to take one of these classes, this is your last chance before the classes are no longer available. Check your education catalog or the EGA website here: http://www.egausa.org/GCC/gcc.htm to see the projects. We'll need to get our paperwork in before the end of the year; the pieces will be due in 2004. Don't forget to cast your votes now for which classes you would like to participate in next year. This isn't a binding vote, but will let me know which classes have enough potential participants to offer it. We need to have at least 15 people in each class, except for the retiring ones. You can vote here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cyberstitchers_ega/polls. I plan on closing the registration period at the end of September. If you know of a non-CyberStitchers EGA member who is interested in one of our classes, let me know and I'll add the name to the list. Also, start thinking about if you would like to volunteer to be the group coordinator for a class. Just a reminder - if you signed up for a GCC in the past but never completed the project, you can sign up for it again (so long as it hasn't been retired....). You would only be responsible for the teaching and postage fees if you still have the text for the class. This is a chance to finish up a UFO, get an evaluation, and your certificate of completion. I did that with Lace Ribbons and completed the class 2 years after I started it! SAM: Petite Projects: Our next stitchalong is the "Mini Topiary Sampler 1" freebie
by Jeannette Douglas. It is found here: Please let me know if there is an interest in either project for a group stitchalong, stitchalong, or any other similar ideas you might have. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me. Anne Long My Favorite Needlework ShopFrom Dee Shaw: Because I live in a small town in rural New Zealand, I do a lot of internet shopping. There are 3 shops near me but they only carry DMC, Anchor and a limited supply of Madeira silks and Dyepot stranded cottons. I do most of my shopping at The Crewel Gobelin (www.thecrewelgobelin.com.au) in Sydney, Australia, Traditional Stitches (www.traditionalstitches.com) in Calgary, Canada and The Elegant Stitch (www.elegantstitch.com) in Modesto, California. Margaret, Janice and Lois are all extremely helpful and go the extra mile (or should I say kilometer) for me. In fact, Margaret at The Crewel Gobelin takes of the GST on my orders because she is sending it overseas and that pretty well pays for the postage. All three shops carry a good selection of fabrics and threads and I recommend them to you all. From Irene: I highly recommend The Wild Rose in Aurora, Colorado. Jan, the owner, is a wonderful lady and her selection is fantastic. A few months ago, because she had so many wonderful things you couldn't see them all, she moved two doors down and expanded. She even carries some 18 ct. needlepoint needlepoint canvas. If anyone is ever in the Denver area, I hope you will visit Jan. Jan caters mostly to the counted thread people. She has lots of thread, silk, overdyes, etc., and a good selection of linens and other fabrics. Including hand dyes linens. Also she has boxes, accessories, etc. to put your finished pieces in, and has a framer available. Jan loves samplers and leans more toward to the current designers than the historical. She has an excellent scissors selection too. Impressions by Caron has wool in it, and she has most of the colors. Except for needlepoint wool, she has a wide selection of everything you mention. She has a good selection of hardanger leaflets too, and occasionally classes are held, and she's a very nice person. Book ReviewBy: Trish Green 
"Royal School of Needlework Embroidery Techniques" This book rocks! If, like me, you would give substantial lottery winnings for the opportunity to attend England's Royal School of Needlework, but you just can't seem to get those lucky numbers, then you really ought to invest in a trip to your local library or your favorite bookstore. "Royal School of Needlework Embroidery Techniques" covers most of the school's three year program on the pages of this book, with brilliant illustrations, concise and simple instructions, complete materials lists, and thorough diagrams. Subjects are: silk shading, crewel work, blackwork, and goldwork. The book is intentionally designed as a program, with a beginner's project at the opening of each chapter, followed by progressively more difficult projects. You'll do the exercise for beginners four different ways, but never get bored. Starting with an excellent Majolica tile design, Anne Butcher and Debra Barrett, the pattern designers, have very cleverly utilized the uniqueness of each type of embroidery to keep you very much focused. Within each style of embroidery, the lessons beyond beginner will stun you with their beauty and take you, step by step into joyful mastery of thread, stitch, and linen. When you first page through the book, don't let the complexity of the designs fool you -- you can do these things, and do them well. The instructions are excellent, and the course program meant to take you through without frustration. And, best of all, there isn't a single project, from beginner through master, that you can't frame and/or wrap and give for a gift. What could be better? For those who love to embroider, and who wish to refine their art, this is the ultimate self-tutorial from the most prestigious embroidery school in the world. Links/References: Great Freebie SitesA nice way to get introduced to designers we haven't stitched before is to look at some of the wonderful freebies some of them offer through shops as well as online. Web site freebie usually allow you to download the pattern. We actually used a freebie by Laura J. Perin for one of our recent stich-a-longs. These were posted up on our Yahoo site for all to see: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cyberstitchers_ega/files/Show%20and%20Tell/Fun%20stitch%20along%20contest%20#2/ I thought I would surf around and find some freebies that are up now. Perhaps one of them will be of interest, or lead you to another one. Many designers will have freebies on their home page. Marilyn Levitt Inblum of Told in a Garden is well known for her annual Christmas angels posted from 1986 through 2001. Each one is very unique, and Marilyn has maintained all files on her web site www.tiag.com. Page down until you see Free Christmas Angels. You will be able to choose from a .pdf, .tiff, or .gif file. Do take the time to look at Marilyn's beautiful designs. She has three lines of designs: Told in a Garden, Butternut Road, and Lavendar and Lace. Of course, from Marilyn's site, you must go to see her daughter Nora Corbett's site For Mirabila, www.mirabilia.com. Go to Cross-Stitch Designs. Nora has a freebie mixed right in with her other designs: 2001 Guardian Cherub. Nora has many lovely ladies to stitch, so do take the time to view her designs. Another wonderful designer is Martina Weber of Chatelaine Designs. She has a cute little fan pattern up on Cabbage Rose Needlework's designer showcase at http://www.cabbagerose-needlework.com/designers/mweber.htm. Note, this is a .pdf file and must be opened with Adobe. Ernestine Haythaler of Victorian Dreams also has a freebie link from Cabbage Rose for a cute cottage done on canvas. The pattern shows you how to draw the design onto your canvas, and has a wonderful stitch guide. It includes good directions, including stitch diagrams of the different stitches used. You should be able to print out this design: http://www.cabbagerose-needlework.com/freebies/victoriandreams.htm. Debi Previte at Cabbage Rose also shared with me that Tricia Wilson Nguyen will be ther featured Designer in the Showcase or the end of Sept. and Oct. She is giving Cabbage Rose a freebie piece for housing thimbles or nymo thread for beading! Debi said it's just darling! In closing this edition of Freebie Links, I would also like to include a good educational link given to me by Eleanor: sharon b's Stitches for Embroidery and Needlework Sharon says, "I hope you find this dictionary useful. These stitches
and their illustrations may be downloaded and printed out for personal
or classroom use. If you make use of them please credit this source on
any copies you distribute. They are not to be copied for commercial gain.
" Calendar:October 19 through October 25, 2003 EGA National Seminar
2003
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