Tony Minieri Class - Day 2

                                                             Progress on Lupe                                                      

The second day of class was just as enjoyable and informative as the first.  After a brief critique of the new canvases to be stitched by the Sunday-Monday students - back to work!

MaryLu and I are both stitching "the girls" - Rosa & Lupe, and Tony designed totally different stitches for each one.  These stitch guides will be available directly from Tony, so I will post his phone number and email address as soon as I do the Stitch Guide page for the website.

I started skipping around in order to familiarize myself with some of the stitches I have never done, so just got started on the hair (Satin Stitch), the face (Upright Cross Stitch with a Stem Stitch eyebrow) and the direction of the sombrero).  Tony demonstrated a wired ribbon rose with a rolled center, Sorbello Knots, and Cast-On-Bullion.  All of these are terrific flower stitches, and not too difficult to understand once you have been shown by "The Master".

After another great lunch, made by one of the Family Arts volunteers, we all went back to chatting and stitching for the rest of the afternoon.  I was having so much fun that I forgot to take more photos, so I popped in with the camera before the last class for a few more shots and will post them during the week.

This sounds like last night's acceptance speech, but many thanks to.........Tony, for giving such a great class -
Julie, for hosting this event - Cathy Goldman for organizing all the fibers so well - the Family Arts volunteers for keeping us well fed - and Jane Wood, who nudged me to sign up for this wonderful class.

More "Tony" Stitches

Here are a few of the stitches Tony designed for MaryLu's horse.  The blended threads are beautiful and give just the right effect - and look at all the perfect Jessica's!!!!!  Tony said the secret is to pass under the last 2-3 threads.

Another Class Project

Here's a photo of some of the stitches that Tony designed for the Painted Elephant.

Tony Minieri Class - Day1

Today was my first day of a two day class at Family Arts Needlework.  The canvas I had chosen to stitch is "Lupe", a licensed Tapestry Fair design by Manuel Salas. It is a companion piece to "Rosa" pictured above.

We were given our mounted canvases and fibers, which were perfectly organized and labeled, as well as the stitch guides that Tony had written for each of us.  Tony then briefly explained the different techniques and stitches he had planned for each canvas.  I was amazed that he could remember the stitches and fibers for each canvas without notes!

Then it was stitching time.  The ladies in yesterday's class had already started experimenting with some of their stitches - the workmanship was beautiful and Tony's stitch choices were perfect. One of the stitches for MaryLu's horse is a combination of blended fibers that give the effect of painted watercolors.

Barb had started stitching her elephant's blanket, using a stitch that Tony had invented to match the painted count on the canvas.  Today she started the background that he had designed, and we all got a demo of the Hedebo rings that she will be using for some of the jewels.

After a delicious lunch served by the shop - more stitching.  I started stitching Lupe's hair in a directional satin stitch using one and two ply Burmilana so I could move on to the challenge of the sombrero.  Tony got me started on concenric circles in the Van Dyke stitch, which will change color to match the shading that is painted on the canvas.

So far this class has been a terrific experience.  Tony is a wonderful and patient teacher, with a great "eye" for choosing the perfect stitches to turn a painted canvas into a work of art.  More fun tomorrow.

The Painted Elephant

This is the painted elephant Barb will be stitching.  Since March is the month of the Decorated Elephant Parade in Jaipur, she's starting at an appropriate time.

Tony Minieri Class

Tomorrow is the first day of the Tony Minieri embellishment class at Family Arts Needlework.  The first two Tapestry Fair designs Tony will be teaching are a Southwest pony and jackrabbit, painted for MaryLu Leger
and a painted elephant for Barb Cohen.

These are both painted on #18 canvas, so there's lots of room for intricate and interesting stitches.

My class starts on Saturday, so I'll get a chance to see the progress on these two before tackling my own project.