How do you control a heart exploding with pride?

Some of my brilliant students are sharing their completed and almost completed creations from my class "Dare Design":

The complexity of Ann's piece is quite amazing! Her color choices, the way the diamonds form negative spaces, and how the beads are situated, are all enticing!

Pat's piece is so lovely! She called it Step Into My Garden, which seems perfect. It looks like a manicured small royal garden and all I want to do is step into it and stay!

Sally Barton's piece is mesmerizing, the crescents seem to be dancing across the canvas. Her colors are so appealing!

Melita's design, Crescent Journey, received a 3rd place ribbon and scored 94 out of 100 in her judges' critique!!

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Another Student to Designer transformation!!

Lynn Decker Miller is now stitching her completed piece. 

While she works on that, let's take a look at the path she took...

The first assignment was to map out a triangle and then paint it with watercolors:

Next the process of transforming the shapes inside the triangles into stitches. 

Here students found that they needed to be flexible, 

what looks good on paper doesn't always work on the canvas.

With the chart in hand, Lynn tackled the canvas, with great success!

She worked on a second colorway for the same triangle:

Her work was now in my hands. 

I charted her original triangle and then tessellated a few options for a final piece. 

Here are Lynn's charts for her design.

Kindly remember!! 

We are all well aware of the importance of respecting the ownership of a designer's work. 

These designs belong solely to Lynn Decker Miller. 

Do NOT print or use these designs for any purpose without Lynn's explicit permission!!!

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$50 Thread Assortment purchase = FREE New Design Instruction Guide

Run on over to our Thread Assortment page and drink up the wonderful color explosion!

With every $50 Thread Assortment purchase you will receive a free PDF instruction guide for our new design "Triangular Trick"!

AND...  when you sign up for our new Dare Design workshop you will receive a 20% discount coupon for any of the items in our Thread Assortment page.  Upon completing this extraordinary design workshop you will need plenty of fabulous fibers for your own designs!

Click HERE to see the colors and shop for your favorites!

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So sorry!! I hope you can see it now!!! Video: Dare Design

SIGN UP HERE!

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The evolution of design - Online Workshop

There are many ways to teach design. This one is unique.

In this 6 month workshop I will guide you through the evolution of YOUR design. 

1. The workshop will begin with a unique way of planting ideas for a design. Watercolors. User friendly watercolor brush pens will be perfect for coming up with an assortment of beautiful paintings which can potentially become your needlepoint design.

2. Next we will reign in the watercolors and translate them into shapes on graph paper. No worries, I will guide and explain.

3. From there we will look for stitches to fill in the shapes we've established. We will use reference books, and compile a bank of stitches.

4. On your doodle canvas you will experiment with these stitches and come up with the ones you want to use in your design.

5. Mark your graph paper with the stitches you have chosen putting them together in the triangular shape.

6. This is when I come in! With your graph paper in hand I will chart your design on my computer and will then tessellate your design to form a square or diamond comprised of 4 of your triangles. You will receive a file with your design, the name you give it and most importantly your name, the designer!

7. With a box of beautiful beautiful fibers, (you will be offered 4 possible color combinations), you will stitch your design. Here we will all work together to choose the best threads for the various sections of your design.

8. If you choose you may ask for a critique at the end of the workshop.

The workshop kit includes:

3 pieces of canvas (2 for doodle and one for design)

Notebook (it's imperative to keep notes as you make your way through the design process)

A set of 24 watercolor markers and a watercolor pen

25 sheets of cold press watercolor paper (5" x 7")

Graph paper pad

Ruler

Needlepoint reference book

Needles

Box of 40 different fibers (you will choose one of 4 colorways offered)
PLUS a gift of 5 Neon Rays cards.

An assortment of beads

The workshop also includes a file with your charted design, (PDF), and a designated classroom page where we will all meet and exchange ideas and thoughts.

There will be 12 designated days for presenting your completed phase. These will happen approximately once every two weeks.  It is important to work within the timeframe. Each step is a gateway to the next step.

Workshop and kit: $550
Critique at end of class: $75

Registration ends December 7th, 2017

Class begins February 1st, 2018

Sign up by November 1st and receive $35 off

(use code NOVCARE at checkout)

OPTION 1

OPTION 2

OPTION 3

OPTION 4

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Cyberpointers

A great opportunities is about to expire ... Tomorrow registration ends for my class with Cyberpointer's. UP NORTH Colorway TIKI Colorway My design, "Victory Gardens" , is an online workshop, (February 1-April 15, 2016), which you will enjoy and learn from!  Find all the information HERE, but hurry, registration closes tomorrow!

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Cyberpointers ANG, my new class!

"Victory Gardens" is now offered as a class with the ANG Cyberpointers, the online chapter of ANG.  Registration has started and goes on till October 15th.  Class starts February 1st.

The best part is we can meet in our PJs!

Cyberpointers is a great way to enjoy needlepoint classes at your leisure and without the expense of travel, hotel, meals, etc.  I myself use cyber class opportunities quite a bit, whether it's needlepoint or jewelry making.

I haven't seen you in way too long, let's meet!  Take a look HERE.

Pass the word along, we can all meet in our PJs!!

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I am nothing without.

I am nothing without my wonderful friends, who help make my work possible.

I am nothing without Kathy Gordon, who with her enthusiasm, her brilliant stitching, and her intelligent and thoughtful suggestions, makes my designs look their best.  Today I received a package from her that included 4 pieces, stitched and proofed.

I could not do what I love doing, and do it well without my friend, Kathy.

I am nothing without my stitching friends who come to spend time with me, who allow me to share with them what I have learned, and who ask for more.

Holding Joseph's coat in our hands

Thank you Buff and Lori, Linda and Lisa, Patrick and Karen, Ann and Carol, Jo and Father B, for spending the last three days with me, letting me lead them to places they did not know they wanted to see. 

Thank you!

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Coming home and experimenting

Just got back from a delightful weekend with my Wolves.  Nomi and Ruben Wolf, my sweet and funny grandkids.  We spent 2 days, just the three of us, in our PJs, on the rug, playing and building and singing and dancing and just generally being goofy.  We had a blast!

On Sunday nights I have lots of TV to cover, so I can get lots of stitching done. Yes, I watch and stitch, and somehow it works.  (There is Homeland, The Newsroom and The Affair all on Sunday nights).  I'm working on the Bird series and have done lots of experimenting with different parts of the birds and the background.  What do you think?

I'll keep you posted for more!

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New Class - Cyberworkshop

Registration for my ANG Cyberworkshop has begun.  

Check it out HERE. 

I want to aggressively do some self promoting, well, not self, rather Grecian Glory promoting.  This is a great cuff and a wonderful class.  Not only because of the aesthetic of the piece but also because of the unique learning opportunities the cuff affords.  What do I mean?

• AMAZING threads!  AMAZING array!  The cuff uses only silks and one wool but they are in different weights, they are used in different ways, and they are combined creatively.  Learning how this is done goes with you at the end of the class, it doesn't only stay on the cuff.
• The design is stitched on the diagonal, it's a different angle with very interesting results.
• You will get very detailed, step by step on how to finish a cuff without having to send it out to the finisher.  It's very doable, really!  Again, this goes with you, it doesn't just stay on the cuff.
• You will learn how to embellish using fine jewels, pearls, beads to make your piece of jewelry rich.
• The colors...  ahhh, the colors you will combine.  (Three colorway options, all stunning, if I may say so myself). 
• You can use the design for more than just a cuff, it can be multiplied into a belt, a curtain tie back, a shoulder bag strap.  Again, it goes with you beyond the cuff.
• You will  learn how to adjust stitching to different wrist sizes.  Goes with you beyond the cuff...

The threads are all Gloriana silks and one Lorikeet wool.  Have you stitched with them before?  It's the "soaking in a glorious bath with a glass of champagne" of needlepoint fibers.  

So, go on over there and check it out.  Hope to see you in class!!

Grecian Glory Cuff Cyberworkshop!

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Bon Voyage!

Just a quick note before I run off to Target for a few last items.  Yesterday a huge box went out to California with all the models for my three Chicago Seminar classes and one Cyberworkshop class.  The Glory cuffs will be offered for an online class and with that in mind I decided to bring a new colorway to the mix, (top right).

"The Village I Built" is on it's way as well along with a sample of the kit for this piece placed a neat clear box to see the silks in all their glory.

I also sent out all the inspiration photos for the color class I will be teaching in September here in Pennsylvania.  I love teaching, but more than anything I love teaching this color workshop! 

I will be writing to you on Facebook, or here, so please stay close by. 

Love to all,
Orna

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From a place of frustration, a second new design.

I know what you're thinking.  She was moaning about not having enough time to create and here she is giving us glimpses of another new designs, the second in one week.  The way I work new designs is I have between 5-10 creations going at once.  Some are a straight shoot from start to finish, some are a stop and go that can go on for years.  And all of these take up lots and lots of time, but you know that, you too have chosen this turtle paced artistic interest.  When two new designs show up in one week, it's just a coincidence and funny timing.  It really does not negate anything I jotted down here.
I am preparing for what I believe will be a beautiful spread of items for expo night at ANG Seminar in Philadelphia on August 30th.  I've been putting lots of thought into the arrangement of my goods.  I really want to create 5 beautiful tables displaying my work.  I've got some great ideas, some of which have to do with glass cloches, branches, lighting and hanging from iron gates.  I'm very excited about this and I'd love for you to drop by my space to see what I've done.
So, you see, playing around with ideas and making them come to life, all for one night of about 3 hours, would you consider that good use of time?  Isn't that part of what is fueling my sense of frustration?  I have no answer, except that I want to do what excites me, I need to follow my passions and do what I think I do well.

This new design is part of a big surprise.  It will be explained here in Philadelphia, at Seminar.  Watch for announcements...

 *     *     *     *     *

There was much excitement about our Atelier teacher, Teresa Perleberg,  who teaches wonderful felting classes using wool from her own sheep on her own farm.  This week Teresa has introduced a new class with a new creature:  The Beginners Felting class - the Penguin.  Stop over to visit him and see how her bunnies and sheep are doing!

Teresa's Penguin

I hope you are all connected to electricity and sitting in your cool homes, stitching away.
xoxo
orna

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In Depth...

The Adorn Atelier Kanya Cuff Online Classroom

We have had a lot of questions about the new online classrooms we have opened at Adorn Atelier. So here is a little more about how it works, and what to expect in the weeks to come!

One of the primary reasons that people don't take classes, in real time or online, is scheduling. Everything can get in the way of a weekend workshop or seminar--- so, we thought, why not give them a year to work on a project?

We took four of our best classes and moved them to the new classrooms last week. The picture above gives you an idea of what it looks like. There are videos, charts, lessons and downloads.  And once you sign up (with or without the kit) you will have access for 365 days. If you sign up on May 30, 2012, you will be able to work on your project in the classroom until May 30, 2013. And you get to be part of the ongoing conversations between myself and the class.

New classes will be popping up during the next few months--so give one a try and see if it doesn't fit you like a glove!

Also in class news----if you happen to be driving distance to Maryland, I am giving a spontaneous color class at Ruth Schmuff's Bedecked and Bedazzled Needlepoint store on Saturday! We were talking and talking about using color, and thought--why not??!! This pin design above is the jumping off point for this class, and we will spend the day playing around with color and threads in Ruth's ammmmmaaaaaaazing store! The idea is that by the end of the day you will comfortable with picking your own color schemes, and be able to analyze color better.

If you are dying to join us, learn a bit about color, or maybe do a bit of shopping, just get in touch with Ruth.

And don't forget the 40% off sale is ending soon, and the choices are dwindling!  Head over and scoop up these savings as fast as you can! EVerything is updated as of this morning, so if you tried to get in on it and everything was sold out--there is new stuff on there!!

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