From the Editor

The poet said "Oh wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?" Oh, I hope not! I know this issue will be received by our subscribers in March, but as I write this column, I am sitting at my desk gazing out of the window at an unusual sight in Virginia - mounds of snow piled everywhere! How beautiful and powerful are the works of nature. Our colorful front cover just invites us to get in a happy and warm spring mood and I just like looking at it. Marnie Ritter has done it again! There is a wonderful lesson in Marnie's work because it shows us how much the entire field of needlepoint has grown over the past 25 years. I love it when Marnie takes one of her "vintage" designs and stitches it again, but this time in the style of today and with the wonderful threads we now have at our fingertips. Another wonderful thing about this project is the fact that you can pick your method of stitching. If you love to work shading with a sharp needle on canvas, you can do it. However, if that type of stitching just is not your favorite, you can shade it equally lovely with tent and basketweave stitches. Have a happy time with this one and enjoy every stitch.

We know how popular designs from the southwest have become and we have many subscribers from this fascinating area of our country. Sharon Barrea shares with us the innovative Southwest Silhouette. It is worked on black canvas, but it is 18-count and done with a minimum of stitches so it should work up fairly quickly. I like the way it is finished in the black lacquer box.

It is our goal to offer the best of the designs in needlepoint that are available today. We are constantly at work to that end. We also try to find projects that work up quickly, some that are long-term and important stitcheries and works that require various levels of skill so that we have something for everyone.

How we love your letters! Please know that I take all of your suggestions seriously. And, you have had some really great ones! It was your suggestion that led us to start several new features that we use when space allows. These are The Finishing Touch, The Finish Line, and Reflections. The Mystery Sampler is now completed, but it was started because of your suggestions. I love reading your notes that are scribbled somewhere on your subscription form. And, sometimes your mail comes with a check sent in for back issues and sometimes in letter form. At the end of a business day, every department in our office has contributed to that wonderful pile of your mail. I read every piece of mail and wish that I could answer them, but the lack of time does not allow for that. I want you to know how much I appreciate your caring enough to write and then taking the time to do so.

In our January/February 2002 issue Gail Sirna's Art and Inspiration column featured the work done by Mary Duckworth. I have just received a telephone call telling me that Mary died this morning. She was an early pioneer and left an amazing body of work. Mary will be missed.

I am sorry that we are not able to bring you the finishing instructions for Home Sweet Adobe at this time.

Just wait until you see what we have planned for you in 2003! The projects are arriving and I want to stitch every one of them. We have designs that are exciting geometrics, beautiful flowers, elegant patterns done in metallic golds, a tent stitched map of the United States, two beautiful renditions of the American flag and many more things. If you have a favorite type of design, be sure to let us know so that we can include what you like when we do our planning for future issues.

I hope that you will enjoy this gentle and beautiful season of the year. Take time to return to a stitching project, to play with a child and to call an old friend with whom you have lost communications. And, don't forget to smell the roses.

Joyce Lukomski

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Last Updated November 24, 2004