From the Editor

The poet wrote: "Oh, wind, if Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?" We are putting the final touches on this issue during a "wintery blast" in February and springtime seems like a distant dream here on the East Coast. However, I have been on a long teaching trip in our great American Southwest and enjoyed the warmth and beauty of the desert. Every time I travel this far I still marvel at the vast expanse of our great country. The lay of the land, the styles of architecture, the colors in the sky, the sights and smells of the cities may all be different, but we are united in our appreciation for, and love of, the arts. I found many of the needlepoint designs to be geometric in nature as well as many that depicted people, animals, buildings, flowers and other sights from the area. Colors are usually bold and exciting. Several of needlepoint now's popular designers live in this utopian mecca for inspiration. I taught classes in Tucson and spent every available moment at the Tucson Bead Show. This phenomenon happens annually and is so large that it defies description. Needless to say, I shipped boxes home. On the way to my teaching site in Phoenix, I was thrilled to be able to visit the wearable art festival in Tubac. More boxes were shipped home. And soon boxes will arrive here in the office with exciting new projects for us to print in future issues of the magazine. Many thanks go to Dale Miller, Jenny Coniglio, Jan Herod, Barbara Lewis, Cathy Felton and Barbara Richardson for making my visit so special with warm hospitality and good planning.

Do we have a treat for you in this issue! Gail Sirna created four topiary designs...all of them beautiful, but this one seemed so special. She has a vast repertoire of stitches and enjoys using traditional canvas stitches, those from silk and metal thread embroidery and even some that are usually seen on surface embroidery. If you are beginner, please skip this project and return to it when you feel more confident. If you have experience in working with silk and metal threads, get ready for an exciting adventure.

One of our favorites contributors, Ro Pace, offers another gift box for a family member in her series, "From The Heart." This one is for Kimber and uses many of Jean Hilton's innovative stitches. Cathy's Box, her first in the series, was shown in the September/October 2003 issue.

We appreciate your comments on Marnie Ritter's Black Tie and present the second installment of this sophisticated handbag.

Are you ready for a unique and different project? Elizabeth Bozievitch invites you to meet a talented designer, Kathy Paterson of Bongo Designs. Elizabeth has also stitched one of Kathy's designs, the colorful peacock. She finished it as a bracelet complete with metal threads and beads for added excitement. She wrote a "stitch guide" for the project so that she can share the instructions for stitching with all of our readers. You are sure to have fun with this one.

We like to support our shops across the country and feature one of them from time to time. In this issue we introduce you to an exceptional shop, The Canvasback, of Northfield, Illinois. Look for others that will be highlighted during the year.

I guess that time flies when you are having fun. It is hard to believe that we are in our eighth year of publication! Since we began with the March/April issue back in 1999, this is our busy time for renewals. Many of you have asked about how to read your numbered code to the right above your name. This is your expiration date. The first four numbers are the year, the last four numbers are the months of the last issue for which you have paid. (Example: 20060304 is 2006 March/April issue.) Your renewals have been pouring in by the hundreds and so many of you have hand-written wonderful messages to us. Thank you for the big boost your kind words give us and please know how much we appreciate your continued support of this publication. Happy stitching!

—Joyce Lukomski

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Last Updated July 06, 2006