Reflections on the TNNA Show

We've made it home, safe and sound.
I gave up trying to write on my husbands laptop while at the show. First of all my head was so tired every night that I could hardly hold a thought much less write it down. And secondly, I had a hard time dealing with an unfamiliar computer sitting on a tiny TV tray. Anyway, enough excuses.
I guess overall I wasn't that impressed. I didn't see anything that I thought was really new and innovative. Sure, there were tons of great canvases and I'm sure all you stitchers out there will find lots of wonderful new things in the next few weeks at your favorite shops. There were new colors in some of the thread lines as well. But overall, there wasn't anything that was just WOW!
This year, as in the past three years, there was a decline in attendance from shop owners. On the other side of the coin, there was an increase in needlepoint booths (vendors) at the show. So the bottom line is that there are more designers selling and fewer shop owners buying. Everyone keeps saying that needlepoint is making a come back and I believe it is, however, the shop owners are still a bit leery and are afraid of making much of a buying commitment.
Although the show started off with a bang for us, the next two days were almost dead. As I walked around the floor I kept hearing this sentiment from all the other vendors. "Where is everybody?" It's sad really, this is the biggest show of the year for needlepoint and yet every year the expenses of attending far outweigh the sales written.

This year I was across the aisle from June McKnight, a very charming lady. I have several of her books and enjoyed looking at her newest book on Bargello. It's filled with wonderful patterns and is such a small, convenient size.
I saw lots of beginner designs in many different lines. Hopefully the shop owners will understand that in order for needlepoint to continue to florish they, the shop owners, must encourage and teach new stitchers of all ages. My beginner designs were wonderfully received and I'll be busy painting for the next few weeks. I hope they are just as well received in the shops and that many new stitchers will discover the joys of needlepoint.
My newest series, In My Garden, did very well. While there are always those stitchers who are undaunted by massive projects (I'm not one) I think just as many like to have something much more manageable. These smaller designs fit the bill perfectly and are very charming. They're perfect for using up your thread stash and for taking with you to doctor appointments and on other errands. My series from last year, the Calendar Hearts, was a huge success, even more than from the year before. I had so many shop owners wanting to start up a series that I let one take my models home for 3 weeks to help sign people up. As soon as she is finished I will send them on to the next shop and on down the list. This was very exciting for me and I hope their customers will be as excited about the series as I am.

First Day

Wow, this is so exciting. Thanks to all of you for the good wishes. We had a super first day, selling almost as much today as we have for entire past shows! Everyone is interested in our new series, In My Garden as well as last years series, Calendar Heart Series. The response to our Beginner designs has been wonderful. Many thanks to Judy Harper's beautifully stitched models and her article in the January issue of Needlepoint Now. The majority of shop owners spent today walking the show, picking up catalogs and making notes. We're hoping that they come back tomorrow to place orders.
I didn't have too much time to walk around myself but did get over to the Kreiniks booth. I love their new metallic ribbon, such beautiful colors. They are very generous with designers, supplying us with lots of threads to use in our stitched models. I can't wait to try out some of the new ones.
Tomorrow I'm hoping to get around to more of the needlepoint booths. I love to see what every one has been busy with for the past year. This year the show floor seems more divided between needlepoint and yarn booths. In past years the booths were very mixed requiring buyers to walk up and down every aisle looking for the booths they wanted to see. This meant that they had to walk the entire floor several times to see everything and place all their orders. Most shop owners found this overwhelming. This year with most of the needlepoint booths on one side, I'm hoping the buyers will feel that they have more time to talk with the designers and get information and ideas. And that boils down to more sales for the designers.
I hope I can report more tomorrow on new items. I'll be out there walking and looking.

IN MY GARDEN

I just got back the finished models of my new series: In My Garden. I've found, as have many designers, that a lot of stitchers enjoy a monthly project that's not too overwhelming. Some stitchers even do several at a time. The shops like them too because it keeps customers coming in and then there are always the thread and embellishment sales, not to mention the finishing.

Coming up with a new series is a long process. Not only do you have to come up with the designs and paint them but then you have to stitch each one as well. Unfortunately, I let things go until the last minute so I was stitching under the threat of the Christmas finishing deadline. Next year I've promised myself to be more organized.

The idea for this new series started with my Beginner's Line. A few of the flowers are based on those designs, slightly changed and painted on 18 count canvas instead of the larger count that is easier for a beginner to use. I also removed any leaves and added shading to the new designs. My own garden was my inspiration for the twelve pieces. I used the flowers I grow as well as the critters I encourage to share my garden. The pieces are small so they can be stitched quickly making this a very relaxing project. A variety of threads and beads can be used to make each design uniquely yours. No garden looks alike which is what makes them so wonderful. I've stitch only a small amount of background around each piece and then had them finished as flat padded ornaments with a tiny pocket on the back. A narrow wooded dowel slips inside of the pocket.

When the pieces are finished they can be arranged in a container filled with greenery. Shop owners can kit these up with all the necessary threads and sell them as a monthly series. An alternative is to let the stitcher decide what they want in their own garden. One person might only want flowers and a butterfly, another might want several of one flower type and a third person might prefer lots of garden creatures and only a few flowers. Each garden is different and can suit the stitcher. Even one design would look lovely in a potted plant and would make a nice gift for Mother's Day, a birthday or to welcome someone to their new home.

You can click on the picture for a larger image.

GETTING READY

There is so much to do in getting ready for the show. Of course we have to carefully pack everything so that it arrives undamaged and before that it's making up our new catalog. But even before all of those things, I have to come up with lots of new designs. This year I will have a new series to show off called In My Garden. It can be used as a monthly series or each of the 12 designs can be sold individually. When my stitched models come back from the finishers I'll share them with you. I also have lot of other new designs. Today I finished working on two pieces, #200 Gingerbread Boy and #201 Gingerbread Girl. They're both 3.5 x 4.5 inches and hand painted on 18ct. mono canvas. I've recently reworked all my existing ornament designs making them better and easier to stitch. These two new ones will join the others.

It's November and that means Thanksgiving

It's November and the month to honor eating! What's not to love about that. I bet everyone has a favorite family recipe for their Thanksgiving meal. I love fresh cranberries and dressing balls. Personally I could make a meal out of all the side dishes. With this in mind I want to share one of my favorite designs. This is one of seven in my Two of Us series. It's #59, Pilgrims Feast. I've stitched the Halloween and the Easter ones and both are really cute. The design area is 6 x 6 inches, not overly intimidating and a good size for displaying when finished. The two I've finished are mounted on wood stands that I can place on a side table, the mantle and yes, even the top of my grandfather clock.