From the Editor

Welcome to 2005! It is hard to believe but I find the years racing by faster and faster. It is hard to hold onto a day because we live in a world filled with change. Quantum leaps in technology seem to be daily occurrences and we have incredible machines that can do almost anything. Who keeps a calendar, an address book, a written agenda any more? My life, with all of the information I need, is chronicled in my computer. Even my photographs are on media cards that are popped into the computer and can be seen super size and in glorious, living color. Besides that, should I choose, I can take the red out of my eyes and make my teeth whiter. Many are the miracles of our age. Where then is the place for something as archaic as plying threads through holes in a piece of material?

That place is a secret spot in each of us. At the end of an imperfect and rushed day, it is great therapy to settle into some "quiet time." What a joy it is to pick up a piece of canvas and threaded needle to work stitches that are perfect. Even if my stitching time is short, I find that there is a beautiful calmness and peace that seems to come into my being. I feel that I am doing something important because I am creating a piece of art and a legacy for my family. How I enjoy using quilts that were made by my grandmother and the bed canopy that was hand done by my mother in very fine thread using crochet and netting techniques with 1,200 tiny tassels. Fashion and fads come - and go. But needlework has been a constant and much loved force in my life since childhood. I know that you feel the same, so be sure to allow yourself a little block of time every day to be creative.

Both of our cover pieces are beautiful and dramatic on black canvas. Kathy Fenchel's Frosty Morning is an exciting piece of art done with relatively simple stitches. Kathy is a new contributor to needlepoint now and we are so pleased to showcase her work and look for more exciting presentations in the future. Ruth Dilts stitched the bold contemporary Gems in the Night. This design will also be great fun to stitch. This is the first of six exciting projects from Ruth. We will showcase a different one in each issue this year. Barbara Jackson shares a soft and gentle piece with a jacobean design done in silk and metal threads. Barbara gives us valuable tips on working with metal threads. This is the third installment of Neptune's Treasure. Thank you for your many comments on this project. It will be completed in our next issue. I know you will also enjoy reading about Virginia and Ritch Gaiti who combined their talents to create beautiful art.

Our feature articles are geared to educate and inspire. Dozens of you have contacted us about Robin Berry's column Historic Needlework. We are so pleased that you are enjoying the projects as well. I know you will have fun doing the bargello scissors case. From time to time we do a popular feature called The Finish Line. Thank you for sharing your finished work with us. We invite you to send us good quality photos and a little text for publication. Mail to needlepoint now, 2000 Wakefield Street, Petersburg, VA 23805. Suzanne Howren continues to give comprehensive critiques of new needlework books in From the Bookshelf. In the feature "Amy"able Advice for the Stitcher, Amy Bunger introduces the new topic of stitches to depict clothing. Ann Caswell's Noteworthy & New column highlights the talent of Julie Thompson of Julie Mar designs.

We continue to change, evolve and grow as we strive to keep on the cutting edge to bring you the very best in projects and information about needlepoint. There is also a warm and fun side to our art and I am delighted to present the humor of Ann Blalock. Ann will be doing these fun accounts of The Stitching Fool all during the year. I wish you could hear her deliver one of these riotous accounts. When you read it, try to imagine it with a southern accent.

I am glad that you are with us in this exciting new year. I appreciate your loyalty and support and I know that we can all look forward to a year filled with wonderful projects for stitching and information for perfecting our stitching technique.

Joyce Lukomski

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Last Updated March 04, 2005