Merry Christmas Ornaments

Needleart Nut has finished Bliss and Snowflake as Christmas ornaments, with a different colorways of the design on each of the two sides.  Neat!
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2012/12/merry-christmas.html

Here is the original article on the Loretta blog about Snowflake.
http://lorettaspears.blogspot.com/2012/07/snowflake-needle-adventures-1994.html

Here is Bliss on the Loretta blog.  I will add the photos of the new ornaments to the original articles.
http://lorettaspears.blogspot.com/2012/02/christmas-heirloom-bliss.html

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Merry Christmas Ornaments

Needleart Nut has finished Bliss and Snowflake as Christmas ornaments, with a different colorways of the design on each of the two sides.  Neat!
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2012/12/merry-christmas.html

Here is the original article on the Loretta blog about Snowflake.
http://lorettaspears.blogspot.com/2012/07/snowflake-needle-adventures-1994.html

Here is Bliss on the Loretta blog.  I will add the photos of the new ornaments to the original articles.
http://lorettaspears.blogspot.com/2012/02/christmas-heirloom-bliss.html

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Another Christmas Heirlooms Ornaments Photo from Needlepoint Plus

Debbie Gailes has kindly sent a photo of her Christmas version of one of the Christmas Heirlooms Ornaments published in Needlepoint Plus in December, 1992.  I have added this to the previous article.  Thank you very much, Debbie!
http://lorettaspears.blogspot.com/search?q=christmas+heirlooms+ornaments

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Bliss in Christmas Red and Gold UPDATED

Needleart Nut has stitched another version of Bliss, going for a more Christmas look this time.  Very pretty!
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2012/11/bliss-revisited.html

UPDATE:  Here's the finished ornament with a different colorways on the back side.
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2012/12/merry-christmas.html

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Bliss in Christmas Red and Gold UPDATED

Needleart Nut has stitched another version of Bliss, going for a more Christmas look this time.  Very pretty!
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2012/11/bliss-revisited.html

UPDATE:  Here's the finished ornament with a different colorways on the back side.
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2012/12/merry-christmas.html

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Photographs of Loretta on eBay UPDATED

An eBay seller of vintage photographs has two black and white photos of Loretta in her shop Fiesta Needleart for sale.  The first is dated October 16, 1974, and it shows Loretta (in ruffled blouse bending over to look at latch hook rug) with other women in her store in Arvada, Colorado.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/390461336901?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

The second photograph has Loretta looking at some framed pieces of needlework, apparently award winners from an exhibit.  It also seems to have been taken in her store.  The date is July 13, 1979.  Both photographs were taken for the Denver Post newspaper and are from their archives.  They are both 8x10 inches, but oriented differently.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/390473993539?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

The seller is asking for $28.88 plus $3.50 shipping for each photograph.  As always, although sometimes I might know an eBay seller, I have no financial interest in the outcome of the sale. I have asked for permission to reproduce the photographs here but have not received a reply.  If a Loretta fan buys either, however, I would appreciate their permission to reuse the photographs.  You can always email me at LorettaSpearsDesigns@gmail.com.

UPDATE:  Both photographs disappeared from eBay, I think without selling.  I never got an answer from the seller asking permission to post smaller thumbnails here.  I am taking a chance and updating this article without permission.  If you are the seller and would like these removed because you are going to try and sell them again, please let me know.

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Photographs of Loretta on eBay UPDATED

An eBay seller of vintage photographs has two black and white photos of Loretta in her shop Fiesta Needleart for sale.  The first is dated October 16, 1974, and it shows Loretta (in ruffled blouse bending over to look at latch hook rug) with other women in her store in Arvada, Colorado.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/390461336901?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

The second photograph has Loretta looking at some framed pieces of needlework, apparently award winners from an exhibit.  It also seems to have been taken in her store.  The date is July 13, 1979.  Both photographs were taken for the Denver Post newspaper and are from their archives.  They are both 8x10 inches, but oriented differently.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/390473993539?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

The seller is asking for $28.88 plus $3.50 shipping for each photograph.  As always, although sometimes I might know an eBay seller, I have no financial interest in the outcome of the sale. I have asked for permission to reproduce the photographs here but have not received a reply.  If a Loretta fan buys either, however, I would appreciate their permission to reuse the photographs.  You can always email me at LorettaSpearsDesigns@gmail.com.

UPDATE:  Both photographs disappeared from eBay, I think without selling.  I never got an answer from the seller asking permission to post smaller thumbnails here.  I am taking a chance and updating this article without permission.  If you are the seller and would like these removed because you are going to try and sell them again, please let me know.

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Christmas Heirlooms October 1992 (Needle Adventures)

Christmas Heirlooms October 1992

This October 1992 chart was published under the Needle Adventures name as Christmas Heirlooms.  It must have been part of the Christmas Heirlooms Collection.

The photographs are courtesy of lrstitch-2008 and wand7.

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Materials List and Original Sandstone Canvas

Materials List (incomplete):
6x6 inch piece of 18 count sandstone canvas
(Needle Necessities?) overdyed floss #143
Maderia #114
Neon Rays #N82
two packages of Mill Hill beads #00300
beading needle

Christmas Heirlooms August 1992 (Needle Adventures)

Christmas Heirlooms August 1992 in Closeup

This ornament is called Christmas Heirlooms August 1992 and must be one of the Christmas Heirlooms Collection series.  It was published under the Needle Adventures name in August 1992.

Christmas Heirlooms August 1992 Cover

The photos of the cover page are courtesy of lrstitch-2008.

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Materials List:
7x7 aqua mono canvas
Rhapsody #RO8 (this discontinued thread is an overdyed Flair-type thread)
Anchor floss (one skein each) #90 and #103
Cresta d' Ora #CO6 (this is a soft chainette metallic in silver from Rainbow Gallery)
http://www.rainbowgallery.com/detail.cfm?ID=59

Heirloom Egg 1992 (Needle Adventures)

Needle Adventures' Heirloom Egg 

This ornament is called Heirloom Egg 1992.  It was published under the Needle Adventures name in 1992.  I do not have the exact month.

This Needle Adventures chart is very similar to Heirloom Egg which was published in the April 1993 issue of Needlepoint Plus.  The cover photograph and closeup image are courtesy of lrstitch-2008.

Cover Page of Instructions

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Materials List (incomplete)
7x7 piece of white 18 count caves
Anchor Floss #926 and #9
Neon Rays #N85

Here is the link to the magazine version which appears to be identical except for the colors.
http://lorettaspears.blogspot.com/2012/01/heirloom-egg.html

Heirloom Egg 1992 (Needle Adventures)

Needle Adventures' Heirloom Egg 

This ornament is called Heirloom Egg 1992.  It was published under the Needle Adventures name in 1992.  I do not have the exact month.

This Needle Adventures chart is very similar to Heirloom Egg which was published in the April 1993 issue of Needlepoint Plus.  The cover photograph and closeup image are courtesy of lrstitch-2008.

Cover Page of Instructions

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Materials List (incomplete)
7x7 piece of white 18 count caves
Anchor Floss #926 and #9
Neon Rays #N85

Here is the link to the magazine version which appears to be identical except for the colors.
http://lorettaspears.blogspot.com/2012/01/heirloom-egg.html

White Christmas (Needle Adventures)

White Christmas in Closeup

The tree-shaped ornament is called White Christmas.  This chart was published under the Needle Adventures name in 1991.  I suspect it is part of the Christmas Heirlooms series.

Cover Page of White Christmas

The photographs are courtesy of lrstitch-2008.

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Materials List (incomplete):
7X7 white mono canvas
Balger Braid (size 8) #238
white Rachel or Flair

A New Version of Wish Upon a Star Stocking? UPDATED

Fiesta Needle Arts Class Stocking

I stumbled across an eBay listing for a small stocking by Loretta on eBay this morning.  It's identical to the Wish Upon a Star stocking, but was published in 1991, two years before the Wish Upon a Star stocking was published in Needlepoint Plus.  Here's the eBay sale link.  This is stitched on 17? count and uses red and gold Madeira thread plus a skein of white floss according to the seller.  I've contacted the seller for further information and for permission to use the photo here.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140854030705&fromMakeTrack=true

And here is the link to Wish Upon a Star stocking from Deember 1993.  When I find out more, I'll update this listing.
http://lorettaspears.blogspot.com/2012/01/wish-upon-star-stocking.html

UPDATE:  Apparently the items on sale are from a class Loretta held at her shop Fiesta Needle Art in 1991.  There are class instructions, a photograph that is identical to ones used in charts published under the Needle Adventures  name which you see above (the ornament is hung from a pine tree against a brick wall), and some of the necessary threads.  The eBay sale ended with a winning bid of $13 plus $3.50 in shipping costs.

I do not know if there is a pomegranate stocking chart that was published before this same design was published in Needlepoint Plus in 1993 under the Wish Upon A Star stocking name.  I've heard that there is such a chart but one hasn't turned up.  If you happen to own one, could you email me at LorettaSpearsDesigns@gmail.com?  That way we will know for sure, when it was published, under what name, etc.

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A New Version of Wish Upon a Star Stocking? UPDATED

Fiesta Needle Arts Class Stocking

I stumbled across an eBay listing for a small stocking by Loretta on eBay this morning.  It's identical to the Wish Upon a Star stocking, but was published in 1991, two years before the Wish Upon a Star stocking was published in Needlepoint Plus.  Here's the eBay sale link.  This is stitched on 17? count and uses red and gold Madeira thread plus a skein of white floss according to the seller.  I've contacted the seller for further information and for permission to use the photo here.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140854030705&fromMakeTrack=true

And here is the link to Wish Upon a Star stocking from Deember 1993.  When I find out more, I'll update this listing.
http://lorettaspears.blogspot.com/2012/01/wish-upon-star-stocking.html

UPDATE:  Apparently the items on sale are from a class Loretta held at her shop Fiesta Needle Art in 1991.  There are class instructions, a photograph that is identical to ones used in charts published under the Needle Adventures  name which you see above (the ornament is hung from a pine tree against a brick wall), and some of the necessary threads.  The eBay sale ended with a winning bid of $13 plus $3.50 in shipping costs.

I do not know if there is a pomegranate stocking chart that was published before this same design was published in Needlepoint Plus in 1993 under the Wish Upon A Star stocking name.  I've heard that there is such a chart but one hasn't turned up.  If you happen to own one, could you email me at LorettaSpearsDesigns@gmail.com?  That way we will know for sure, when it was published, under what name, etc.

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Christmas Heirlooms: Midnight Jewels (Needle Adventures)

Midnight Jewels Closeup Courtesy of Needleart Nut

Published in December, 1993 under the Needle Adventures name as one of the Christmas Heirlooms club pieces, Midnight Jewels is worked on Congress cloth using Aver a Soie silk, Lacquered Jewels metallics and beads.

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Cover Page and Supplies Courtesy of Needleart Nut

Materials List:

6x6 inch light gray OOE Congress cloth
Au Ver a Soie silk #134
Lacquered Jewels #480
AK Beads #14/104A - 2 packages (likely size 14 beads)

Close Up and Materials with Partly Stitched Design Courtesy of Fireside Stitchery

Mystic (Loretta Spears Designs)

Mystic Closeup Courtesy of Needleart Nut

Mystic was published under the Loretta Spears Designs name in September of 1996.

Here is the cover page, also courtesy of Needleart Nut.

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Mystic, By Needleart Nut

Materials List:

6x6 #18 mono blue canvas
Needle Necessities overdyed floss #116 "Arctic Nights" (substitute ThreadworX 1025 "Blue Navy")
Kreinik 1/16" metallic ribbon #032 (opalescent white)


Needleart Nut just stitched Mystic (above photo)  and posted progress photos on her blog.  She substituted colors to use what she already had, as you can read below.
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2012/08/mystic-by-loretta-spears.html

http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2012/08/only-four-hours.html

Here's the finished design.  It was a quick stitch and I think it is very pretty!
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/2012/08/while-i-am-working-on-background-i-am.html

Finished Mystic, Courtesy of Needleart Nut

Heart of My Hearts (Loretta Spears Design)

Cover Page Courtesy of eBay Seller msritter50

This Loretta Spears Design ornament was published in February, 1996 under the Loretta Spears Designs name (pink cover).

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Heart of My Hearts Closeup Courtesy of Needleart Nut

Materials List:

6x6 inch Congress cloth white
Needle Necessities Overdyed floss #155 "Voodoo Flame"
Needle Necessities perle cotton #855 "Voodoo Flame" (probably size 8)
Supertwist Opalescence #300 white

Extreme Close Up Courtesy of eBay Seller msritter50

Summer's End (Needle Adventures)

Summer's End Closeup Courtesy of Needleart Nut

Summer's End was published in September 1994 under the Needle Adventures name.

Cover Page, Courtesy of Knightsbball10

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Supplies, Courtesy of Knightsbball10

Materials List:

6x6 congress cloth in ash rose
Impressions "Mountain Meadow" #088
Impressions #5081

Reflections (Needle Adventures)

Reflections Closeup Courtesy of Needleart Nut

Reflections was published in July 1993 under the Needle Adventures name as part of the Christmas Heirlooms Collection club.

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Cover Page and Threads Courtesy of Needleart Nut

Close Up Courtesy of Fireside

Materials List:
"worked on six inch square of white Congress cloth with black and white floss and Madeira Supertwist and Opalescent, also in black and white"

Opalescent 300?
Supertwist 7xx?
Anchor cotton floss black 403
Anchor cotton floss white

Supplies Courtesy of Fireside

Mini Firecracker (Loretta Spears Designs)

Mini Firecracker Cover Page, Courtesy of Knightsbball10

Mini Firecracker was published in July, 1995 under the Loretta Spears Designs name.

Closeup of Mini Firecracker, Courtesy of Needleartnut

Closeup, Courtesy of Fireside Stitchery

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Supplies, Courtesy of Knightsbball10

Materials List:
6x8 white 18 count needlepoint canvas
Marlitt,  one skein each of #800, #836, #843 and #969

Mini Ornament (Loretta Spears Designs)

Cover Page, Courtesy of Fireside Stitchery

The Mini Ornament is a Loretta Spears Designs ornament published in June of 1995.

Mini Ornament in Closeup, Courtesy of Needleartnut

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Materials, Courtesy of Fireside

Materials List:

5 x 8 inch white Congress cloth
Silk n Colors Seafoam Green
Kreinik size 8 braid #829
Japanese Toho beads

Certificates of Authenticity (Mystery #7)

Complete Kit for Mystery #7

The limited edition Mystery #7 Heirloom  came with a certificate of authenticity.  I'd heard from some folks that they had a slip of paper instead of an official looking certificate that read something like 415 / 500 on a grid as if the number was charted to be stitched on the design somewhere.  I'd never seen one until Lara sent me the above photo of a complete kit, done without a cover page because it was all put together in a red folder.

Closeup of the Certificate of Authenticity and Numbered Slip on a Grid

None of us has come across a mystery #7 with a cover page but they all have the certificates and a few come with the numbered slips as well. If your eBay kit has a slip or came in a folder like the above, it's almost certainly as Loretta packed it for shipping.

Photographs courtesy of Lara Hartley.  Thanks!

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Christmas Heirloom February 1993 (Needle Adventures)

The 1993 Christmas Heirloom was published in February, 1993 under the Needle Adventures name.  It is a white and gold heart with a scallop design at the top and two gold heart-shaped beads for finishing.  It is finished over a styrofoam heart shape.

All three photographs courtesy of Fireside Stitchery.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/4x-Needlepoint-Pattern-Christmas-Heirloom-Ornaments-Xmas-in-July-Snowman-FJ93/232672456324?hash=item362c5bee84:g:k~QAAOSwmRFajGYV

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Materials List:
"worked on white congress and done with silk cream Au Ver A Soie and #8 braid"

6x6 piece of white 24 count Congress cloth
two gold heart beads
styrofoam heart shape
cream silk Au Ver A Soie
iridescent white metallic braid
gold metallic braid

Christmas Heirloom September 1992

Christmas Heirloom 1992

I don't have a cover photograph of the instructions  so I don't know if the September 1992 Christmas Heirloom is a Needle Adventures publication.   There is also a second ornament by the same name published in January 1993.  They look very different, however.  The photo above is courtesy of Needleartnut.


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Materials List:
"worked on lavender 28 count linen with perle, #8 Kreinik"