Stitching Getaways:  Here is a reminder about the new scheduling for the West Side Day and Evening groups.  They will meet in the months that we do not have a chapter meeting, and a focus for each meeting is listed below:

DAY			EVENING
Jan. 11	Julia Appell will discuss her ICC		Jan. 25	Julia and Chris Paul will discuss their ICC
March 8	Suzanne Newton will discuss how to design and paint a canvas		March 22	Suzanne will discuss canvas applique
May 10	Linda Berry will discuss beading		May 24	Nancy Bancroft will demonstrate bobbin lace
Sept. 13	Lisa Green will discuss Japanese embroidery		Sept. 27	Linda will discuss beading
Nov. 8	Kathryn Lord will demonstrate triple matting		Nov. 22	Julia will discuss finishing of small counted thread items

The West Side Day group will be meeting from 10 AM to 1:30 PM at Suzanne Newton's house in West Simsbury.  Bring along your lunch and a project you are working on and/or any project you would like to share.  Please email or phone Suzanne at sfnjsn@sbcglobal.net or 860-658-2037 if you plan to attend.

The West Side Evening group will meet at Julia Appell's house in Farmington from 6:30 PM to 9 PM.  For those coming from work, bring your supper or a sandwich.  Also, bring along a stitching project or something you would like help with or are willing to share.  Please contact Julia at juliaappell@comcast.net or 860-677-9125.

The East Side Day group will not set a date to meet in the next month.  If you are interested in finding another day and time to get together, contact Susan Jones at Sjones7@aol.com or 860-643-8119.

Pequot Colony Group is an existing area group that meets from 9:30am to 11:30am on the third Thursday of every month at the New London Library.  They work in different media, most of them stitching on workshop pieces that they have started.  The set meeting day provides a time when old friends know they can meet for a morning of work and visiting.  They welcome anyone who would like to join them.  The library is easy to find, and Doris Boas (ndboas@worldnet.att.net) will be happy to send instructions to the building.
 

February Meeting:  Saturday, February 12^th

Our meeting this month will be a working one.  Join us at the beautiful new home of Thistle Needleworks at 1005 Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury.

Directions to the new Thistle Needleworks store --

• From I-84 eastbound or westbound --
  Exit 55 onto Route 2 East (on I-84 westbound this is a left exit).
  Route 2 East to Exit 8 (approximately 5 miles).
  At the end of the exit ramp is a traffic light -- turn left onto Hebron Avenue.
  Go eastbound on Hebron Avenue through 5 traffic lights (the last one is at Addison Road/Tara Drive).  Take the next left onto Village Place -- the Addison Village Shops will be to your left.  Thistle Needleworks is in the center of the building.
• From I-91 southbound --
  Exit 25N onto Route 3 North.
  After crossing the Connecticut River, take the second exit (right lane) onto Route 2 East (toward Norwich).  Route 2 eastbound to Exit 8 (about 1/2 mile).
  At the end of the exit ramp is a traffic light -- turn left onto Hebron Avenue.
  Go eastbound on Hebron Avenue through 5 traffic lights (the last one is at Addison Road/Tara Drive).  Take the next left onto Village Place -- the Addison Village Shops will be to your left.  Thistle Needleworks is in the center of the building.
• From I-91 northbound --
  Exit 25 onto Route 3 North.
  After crossing the Connecticut River, take the second exit (right lane) onto Route 2 East (toward Norwich).  Route 2 eastbound to Exit 8 (about 1/2 mile).
  At the end of the exit ramp is a traffic light -- turn left onto Hebron Avenue.
  Go eastbound on Hebron Avenue through 5 traffic lights (the last one is at Addison Road/Tara Drive).  Take the next left onto Village Place -- the Addison Village Shops will be to your left.  Thistle Needleworks is in the center of the building.
• From Route 2 westbound from Marlborough/Colchester/Norwich--
  Exit 8 (Glastonbury).
  At the end of the ramp is a traffic light -- turn right, then turn right again onto Hebron Avenue.
  Go eastbound on Hebron Avenue through 3 traffic lights (the last one is at Addison Road/Tara Drive).  Take the next left onto Village Place -- the Addison Village Shops will be to your left.  Thistle Needleworks is in the center of the building.

We will begin at 10 AM and will work until 2:30 PM.  Bring a bag lunch or plan to buy lunch in the area.  Because we will be at the store, the following supplies can be bought at the time of the meeting if you do not have the required materials in your stash.  Everyone is encouraged to attend, whether you wish to work on these projects or not.  Also, please bring something for show and tell.  Make it whatever you wish, and don't be embarrassed if it is unfinished.

Patterns for "A Very Special Pansy" have been requested by Suzanne Newton, Janet Kirk, Nancy Earel, Kathy Steinwedell, Doris Boas, Kathryn Lord, Julia Appell, Mim Schenker and Lisa Green.  Patterns for "Heart of My Heart" were ordered by Nancy Earel, Cele Foley, Kathryn Lord, Chris Paul, Julia Appell, Mim Schenker and Lisa Green.  Extra patterns will be available for those who wish to stitch them.

The following information is copied from the materials lists in the patterns:

Please plan to bring the following supplies for the pattern you will begin along with your usual stitching items.

You will need:                     8 x 8 in. square 22-count congress cloth

2 skeins primary color silk or cotton	Accentuate #023
1 skein pale color in the same color family	1 spool 002J Kreinik metallic braid #8
1 skein gold silk or cotton	1 spool gold silk couching thread
1 spool pearl silk or cotton	2 sets #8 needlepoint frames
Blending filament: 1 spool of each # 012, 012HL	Assorted needles sizes: 1 - #10 crewel, 2 - #24 tapestry, 1 - #26 tapestry,1 - #18 chenille (for sinking thread ends)
Pygma pen (black ink) - .005 point or artist pencil HB or 2H

List of Threads and substitutes

Silks:

BlueViolet: Pearsall's                                     #042	Soie de Paris                   #3335	Eterna #2650	Silk Mori #6106
Lightest b/v                040	Pearsall's     040	2660	6104
Olive Brown                134	Zwicky       2110	4650	2015
Old Gold Royal Blue 327	Soie Perlee* 012	2880	5095

Cottons:

Blue Violet    DMC        208	Anchor      109
Lightest b/v                    211	110
Old Gold                         729	907
Royal Blue     Pearl**     796	133

Additional threads needed to complete:

Kreinik

Blending Filament            012

012HL

#8 Braid                              002J

Silk couching thread         gold

Access Commodities: Accentuate 032

* 2 strands silk floss can be substituted for the silk pearl

** 2 strands cotton (6 stranded) can be substituted for the pearl cotton

You will need:  A piece of tightly woven fabric approx. 40 cms. x 40 cms. (finished design is about 4 ½ x 6 inches), needles (chenille #22, straw #9 and 2 embroidery needles #8) and the threads listed below.  Many of them are imported rayons and are available at Thistle Needleworks.  Sue Sprake suggests that we use a Flossmate (i.e. a small plastic box with a damp sponge inside) as it is extremely helpful when embroidering with DMC Rayons as by pulling the thread over the sponge, they become straight and easier to work with.

1. Pansy

       a. Petals:  DMC Rayons No. 30307 Lemon, 30972 Deep Canary, 30741 Medium Tangarine, 30211 Light Lavender, 30553 Violet and 30552 Medium Violet.  Also Perle No. 5 for outlining petals

       b. Flower Center:  DMC Rayons No. 30310 Black, DMC Floss No. 920 Rust and 3348 Light Green

2. Pansy Stem and Leaf:

       a. Stem:  Perle No. 5 for padding the stem, DMC Rayon No. 30895 Very Dark Hunter Green

       b. Leaf:  Perle No. 5 for outlining leaf, DMC Rayon No. 30504 Light Blue Green, 30913 Medium Nile Green, 30909 Very Dark Emerald Green, 30895 very Dark Hunter Green, (for veins) 30301 Medium Mahogany and 30434 Light Brown

3. Bell Shaped Flower, Bud and Leaves:

       a. Flower and bud:  Perle No. 5 for petals of flower on the left, Chameleon (color Seaspray), DMC Metallic No. 5279, Stamens DMC Metallic No. 4033

       b. Leaves:  DMC Floss No. 469 Avocado Green, 472 Light Avocado Green

4. Spray of Leaves Above the Pansy:  DMC Rayons No. 30704 Bright Chartreuse, 30367 Dark Pistachio Green

5. Wispy Leaves:  DMC Rayons No. 30471 Very Light Avocado Green, 30580 Dark Moss Green, 30434 Light Brown, 33371 Black Brown, DMC Metallics No. 5282 Gold and 5279 Copper

6. Small Flower and Leaves to the Left of the Pansy:

       a. Flower:  DMC Rayons No. 30996 Medium Electric Blue, 30995 Dark Electric Blue, 30820 Very Dark Royal Blue and (center) 30352 Light Coral

       b. Leaves:  DMC Rayons No. 30976 Medium Golden Brown and 30435 Light Brown

7. Leaf on the Right-Hand Side of the Pansy:  Perle No. 5 for outlining leaf, DMC Rayons 30472 Ultra Light Avocado Green, 30580 Dark Moss Green, 30469 Avocado Green and 30895 Very Dark Hunter Green

Kindly note that the following colors have been utilized in two or more parts of the design:

       #30895        Pansy stem and leaf; leaf on the right hand side of the pansy (veins)

       #30434        Pansy leaf (veins); wispy leaves
 

Annual Meeting:  Saturday, April 9^th

The annual meeting this year will be an informal potluck luncheon at Julia Appell's home in Farmington.  This is not an election year for CRVC, so at this meeting we hope everyone will bring their frog design, finished or a work in progress.  You may enlarge or reduce the size of the original design and develop it in any stitching technique.  Join in the fun and share your approach to this exercise.  For those of you who may have stitched this design before, please bring that piece with you, no matter what shape it is in!  The photos from the 80's will be displayed, and the new frogs documented.  We will also watch a video about the making of the tapestries at the Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis.  Participants at the National Seminar were able to view them, and Lisa and Julia were so inspired that they would like to encourage our members to tackle something like this on a smaller scale.

A sign up coupon is below.  Please let us know that you will attend and what you will be bringing for lunch.
 

June Meeting:  Saturday, June 4^th (Note: First Saturday of month)

Mark this date on your calendar.  We will be offering a one-day workshop with an exciting teacher, and Thistle Needleworks has offered its classroom as the site.  We will let you know more of the particulars in the March issue of this newsletter!  Everyone is welcome at the meeting, so please plan to attend.

CRVC-EGA Program   Saturday,  April 9, 2005   Annual Meeting

CRVC Program Registration Form -- April Annual Meeting Mail completed form to: Laurie Roys, CRVC Registrar, 70 Kimball Lane, Torrington, CT 06790. ______________ Potluck item I will bring (salad or dessert for 4) Name:     _____________________________________________________   Phone:    _______________________  Email:________________________

CRVC-EGA Membership $37. Primary Membership $15. Plural Membership (NER) $18. Plural Membership (not NER) For a membership card, please enclose a SASE. Amt. Pd. ____________ Check #  ____________ Date Pd. ____________

CRVC-EGA Membership and Address Change Form Mail your completed form to: Suzanne Newton, CRVC-EGA Membership, 14 Madison Lane, West Simsbury, CT 06092. Make check payable to CRVC-EGA. Enclose SASE for membership card.           __ Address Change           __ CRVC Primary Membership ($37)           __ Plural Membership, Primary Chapter in New England Region ($15)           __ Plural Membership, Primary Chapter not in New England Region ($18) Name:           ____________________________________________________ Address:       ____________________________________________________ City, ST,ZIP  ____________________________________________________ Phone:         _______________________ Email:________________________ Primary Chapter:   ________________________________________________ Membership No.  _______________________   Total Enclosed $___________ A Short Questionnaire: Can you volunteer your time to CRVC:        __ yes          __ no Do you have experience with (circle):     Accounting     Computers/MSPublisher     Business/Management     Advertising/Publicity Would you like to participate on a Program Committee?      __ yes      __ no Other interests or ways you may want to volunteer: _______________________________