Scarlet Quince News May 2005

Dear stitching friends,
Tra-la, it's May! Here in central Texas this is the first of the unacceptably hot and humid months. That means we'll be staying indoors, working on new cross stitch designs! Double-Pointed Needles - Reader Comments We knew if we said anything hateful about these needles there would be rebuttals. It turns out that some people love them. One person said: “I've been using the double ended needles for over a year now and would not use anything else either hand held or on a stand. It does take a bit of getting used to as with anything new. I have found that I get a much more even stitch (less twists). Time wise about the same with a hoop but definitely faster on a stand with both hands free. I would recommend these needles for anyone who has wrist problems, i.e. carpal tunnel like I have. There seems to be less strain - maybe it has something to do with the length of the needle.” On the other hand, a member in Florida reported: “I have also used these double pointed needles and find the metal that the eye is made of is very fragile and one side cracked and that was the end of that ... I liked the concept and would try again if the metal was stronger at the eye.” So, who knows ... give them a try ... or not ... We have two pattern awards this month! Sue from Albuquerque suggested Peonies Blown in the Wind - John La Farge, another of La Farge's striking stained glass windows. And Helen Owen, of Blenheim, New Zealand was the first to suggest The Lacemaker - Johannes Vermeer. The Lacemaker is available in two versions, with stitched or unstitched backgrounds. Thanks to both ladies for their great suggestions! DMC "Merged" Colors Update We've received the following information from a DMC representative about the discontinued or "merged" colors: “Some of our color numbers were merged in France because some of the shades were identical or almost identical due to dye adjustments made over the past several years. This affected seven [pairs of] colors. The seven colors that were kept (dominant shades) are listed on the floss skein in large print. The color that was merged (subordinate shade) is listed also but in smaller print.” Here is an example of the new labelling. In North America, both 3813 and 504 are still available. In some other countries, if you need 504 you may have to substitute 3813. See our March newsletter for the affected colors and their replacements.		New patterns! Click any picture for a closer look. Peonies Blown in the Wind - John La Farge The Lacemaker - Johannes Vermeer Ipomoea - John La Farge Fallen Birch - Worthington Whittredge Boats on the Beach - Vincent Van Gogh The Cup of Death - Elihu Vedder
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