From the Editor

The poet, James Russell Lowell, said it best: “And, what is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days.” Spring has arrived in all of its glory and summer is not far behind. How nice it is to still have light in the sky on the ride home from work and to be able to enjoy the flowers in the yard and the chairs on the deck. I can think of no better time to start a new and exciting needlepoint project!

We are happy to present the exquisite Jacobean In Pulled Thread design from the very talented Barbara Eubank. This may not be the right project for everyone, but those of you who enjoy working the fine techniques of counted work will enjoy the challenge. If you have not previously worked in pulled thread but think it is beautiful, then please go ahead and try it! Barbara leads you through all of the steps of working the project and also gives you a little bit of information on the background of the technique. In this article we show some of the stitched motifs enlarged into macros so that you can clearly examine the techniques.

Barbara Richardson is one busy lady! Not only is she a frequent contributor to this magazine, she is also the national president of the American Needlepoint Guild. We so appreciate her sharing of the "Peach Delight" box shown on our back cover. This charming small project will stitch up quickly and make a wonderful gift.

Margaret Bendig offers us the second project in her delightful series "Seasons of the Kimono." This is the lovely "Summer Lavender Kimono" worked in delicate patterns and a gentle color palette. We also offer you the last few blocks to complete her popular Southwest Sampler project. I know that this will make many stitchers happy!

Thank you for your comments on our Callaway Gardens story from the last issue. I appreciate your excitement over our very first contest, the Butterfly Challenge. In this issue Gay Ann Rogers gives us good information on "The Starting Place" for the contest. Be sure to read all of her good hints and then it is time to get started. Decide on your design and jump right in. Go ahead and thread up and get those needles going!

Our feature articles continue to teach us so many things about our art of needlepoint and about art in general. In this issue, Jody Valentine presents an article that is a little different from her usual style. She talks about inspiration for our art form and ends up inspiring us with her thoughts. It made me remember the poet’s words: "Inspiration will always sing; inspiration will never explain."

I have always loved needlepoint and enjoy stitching any part of it. I also like to bead and to incorporate my stitching and my beading. Our loveable fool tells us all of the hilarious reasons why she is not a beading fool! In her “Possibilities” column, Judy Harper goes “back to basics” with her simple but colorful Diaper Patterns. Elizabeth Bozievich introduces us to a brand new product, the Craft Strand Separator from Puffin and Company. Amy Bunger continues to inspire us with her information on bargello. Here she delights us with the grace and beauty of Hungarian Point. These well-informed needlework professionals are outstanding in their fields but also outstanding in work ethics. In issue after issue, they meet their deadlines, regardless. Let me tell you a little about the devotion of one of our own: Suzanne Howren has been with us since our very first issue. She has never missed a deadline! In fact, her copy is always the first to arrive at my desk. During the working time for this issue Suzanne not only had surgery herself, but also experienced a death in the family, but she met the deadline! I appreciate and admire her devotion to duty.

Recently a dear friend sent me an email that had a wonderful, heart-warming message. I don’t usually pass those along, but this time I forwarded it to a few of my closest friends and I have heard back from many of them. Now I want to share just a small part of it with you as my closing thought for this issue: "The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have. Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain."

– Joyce Lukomski

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Last Updated May 7, 2008