Ready For a Challenge?

What sort of a challenge you ask? A needlepoint challenge, of course! While quilters have been doing challenges for a while, one of the intrepid stitchers over on Stitcherie (a social network site like Facebook, but with a focus on needlework) decided to organize a challenge for us needlepointers. The idea is that a group of stitchers cast votes for a specific painted canvas to work on, and then two "challenge masters" come up with a list of rules, or "challenges" one must follow while stitching the canvas. The challenge rules are to use certain threads and stitches-- for example, for our first challenge last year, we had a set of 6 threads and 6 stitches that had to be used somewhere on the canvas. One might think that that would insure that all the canvases would come out the same, but instead they could hardly be more different! Each stitcher decides where each stitch and thread will be used on the canvas and it turns out that everyone has a different idea for the placement of each.

Our current Challenge is Sammy, one of my very own kitty designs! I am extremely happy that our stitchers are wasting no time getting him started. Judy's Sammy, pictured below, has him Basketwoven in beautiful black DMC Floche. One of the challenge rules this time is to do some type of woven stitch, and she has decided to use this stitch for the sun. That's one challenge down, only 5 more to go! To see the complete list of rules for Sammy, see the Challenge page here.
Karen is off to a great start as well, she has used one of the challenge stitches, Criss Cross Hungarian, for her watermelon slice. Doesn't it look good enough to eat? By the way, it was Karen that we have to thank for bringing the challenge idea to Stitcherie. She is our main organizer and motivator (some say enabler!) Thanks Karen!
Hope I have intrigued you all enough to get you to join us for the next Stitcherie challenge (or for this one, we've only just started so you have plenty of time still!) We are currently compiling votes for the next Challenge, due to start this June, so do come take a look at the choices and cast your vote if you are up for a Stitcherie Challenge!