Scarlet Quince News
May 2011

A question we are asked pretty frequently is why we use blended colors. The short answer is that we have never been satisfied with the results we get without blended colors, but to show you what difference it makes, Meredith has posted an article in Ramblings with examples of a couple of patterns with and without blends and explanation. It's too long to include in the newsletter, but if you've ever wondered what's up with all the blended colors, you should read the article.

A few months ago, we added a tutorial on signing your work. We intended to follow that up with some links to alphabet charts, but when we actually went looking for alphabets suitable for signing cross stitch, we couldn't find much. Lots of cute alphabets, but too large or too fancy for this purpose. So we developed a few alphabet patterns ourselves, in a variety of sizes, some in backstitch, some in cross stitch. (They're with the tutorials, under Finishing.) You are welcome to print the charts and use them on any work you wish. You can customize them to your liking if there are things you don't like about them. Though the charts are free, they are still copyrighted, so you may share links to the charts but not the charts themselves.

The Failure of Sir Gawaine: Sir Gawaine and Sir Uwaine at the Ruined Chapel
Edward Burne-Jones

Nina con Alcatreces
Diego Rivera

White-Headed Eagle
John James Audubon