The Bug will be hosting a class with Marnie Ritter this fall!!  You do not want to miss it!!  But before I give you the details of the class I would like to share with you a portion of Marnie’s design philosophy and a couple excerpts from her books…

Color, color, color – this is a very important part of my designing concepts.  Don’t be afraid to work on pieces that are not necessarily “your colors”.  You will open up and find something that you hadn’t enjoyed prior to the experience.

Open space – open areas are just as important as  closed, covered areas.  The negative space is an important design balance.

Less is better – fewer threads often let the stitch tell it’s story.

As needleartists we know how much we share and get ideas from on another, whether it is in a class environment, through a correspondence course or by simply working a design offered by another needleartist or designing our own.

Variations is the key word here because , by varying patterns, there are so many possibilities that allow you to continually devise new and innovative canvas patterns.  The next question is just how do these variations come about?  That is what we will explore…, and my hope is that you too will develop variations that will make your needlework projects just that much more exciting and creative.
In 1978 I did the first plate design for the cover of Needlepoint News.  I was at the TNNA needlework market.  It was then that I was asked by the editor/publisher Carol LaBranch to take a painted canvas and see what I could do with it for the March issue.   Thus the “Imari Plate” was born.  Those “plate” designs have continued since that time for Needlepoint News, Needlepoint Plus and presently Needlepoint Now.  There are now twenty one of them and more to come.

This 1978 plate was the beginning of enhancing painted canvases using surface embroidery, counted patterned stitches, laid work, different threads beyond wool such as silks and metals but most of all I decided to leave open canvas.  I liked that this open canvas concept allowed the painted background to show through adding yet another dimension to the texture and depth that we now enjoy achieving.

Marnie  will be in Montgomery to teach the two-day workshop “PATTERNS GALORE”  for The Needle Bug.

When:   November 1st & 2nd            9am until 4 pm

Where:  Holiday Inn Express 9250 Boyd Cooper Parkway  The Chantilly Room  DIRECTIONS

Fee:    $150 which includes 12 x 12 canvas, evertite stretcher bars, lunches, reception at The Bug Monday  evening, Marnie Ritter’s Canvas Patterns Three Book

***Stitchers are to bring their usual stitching accessories ex. scissors, frame stands, etc.  We ask that you bring your light/lamp, your thread stash (to include beads), and a ruler.  Emails will be sent to participants.