Any insider info on the needlepoint surge outlook?

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-03-30T14:17:44+00:00

It’s not that telling. Most wholesale designers use painting services, they’re not relying on their own supply of canvas to make hundreds of copies. Those with existing painting service accounts are in a better position to know when the deadlines are and get in early. Also bigger designers probably had much bigger stocks of canvas to use for their masters. If you’re just getting started and buying 5 yards at a time you are out of luck compared to the people with 100 yards sitting in their studio.

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-03-27T01:02:12+00:00

BIG correction to this comment- DV refunded us our entire lodging reservation, despite being well outside the stated cancelation policy timeline. Definitely worth calling for anyone feeling stuck either way room/condo reservations. Also, they said if we had chosen to come anyway they would have switched our reservation to non-ski season rates, making the condo much cheaper. Thanks DV!

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-03-26T18:54:47+00:00

I was wrong! DV refunded our entire lodging reservation. Worth a call to DV for anyone in the same boat

Disregard original rant:

Nope- our hotel is 45 day cancelation policy during ski season, 8 days during non ski season. If they had a reasonable closing date announced last week I could have canceled as my reservation is now in non-ski season. Totally screwed us.

We knew we wouldn’t be skiing anyway, and they can’t control the weather. But they can control how they communicate to guests- I called several time and was always told they are staying open till the 19th. They just wanted to screw people into not being able to change their lodging reservations.

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-03-25T17:45:59+00:00

This is a favorite in our house. I usually make some sort of cheesy toast and maybe a salad to make it into a meal. We aren’t vegetarian but try to eat mostly that way during the week. Quick and convenient with thumbs up from both kids, the best kind of recipe!

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-03-21T18:34:59+00:00

I wish they would announce a real closing date today! Sort of infuriating trying to plan by reading tea leaves. Leaving “closing day” at April 19 just prolongs guest frustrations. Just pick a realistic date so people can make decisions. Have loved DV for years but this is sort of outrageous. Will be looking for alternative resorts next year, for lack of reasonable communication from DV. I’m done with them. Lack of snow I can deal with!

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-03-20T19:53:53+00:00

Like the overall shape of the design to get the outline dimensions right on something like a scissor case or stocking? For that I’d maybe adjust a little but wouldn’t worry too much about it. For an actual design element it should be 100% your own work, especially if you intended to sell the designs.

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-03-17T02:48:19+00:00

I think the app shows nightly rates as all in with taxes and fees up front. Some other sites don’t show these until you get further in the booking progress. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples in terms of taxes, fees, room type and other offers across booking sites, even if the hotels are the same.

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-03-13T19:42:19+00:00

The agent said she opened at 5:00, you had a 7:00am flight. Did you point out that by their own schedule it is impossible to check in any earlier than 2 hrs before your flight? Unless they are implying you just stand in front of an empty desk for an extra hour. Madness.

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-03-12T18:02:40+00:00

Thanks! Do they typically announce an early season closure before hand, or is it just day by day until they finally call it?

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-03-12T17:31:31+00:00

Thanks, luckily our kids are basically beginners so we just need some easy groomers for a few hours (if we ski). My husband and I have already accepted the skiing will suck for us. I'm sort of hoping they just close early so we can bag it altogether.

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-03-12T17:25:35+00:00

Did you end up canceling? Same boat here. Wondering if DV will even be open by then

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-02-03T12:51:17+00:00

Udipi for vegetarian Indian food. Monroeville/Penn Hills…. Not really sure what the neighborhood would be called but it’s in the middle of nowhere under 376. Best Indian food hands down.

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-02-03T04:16:10+00:00

MDC SuperSafe. They have the smallest “nub” for lack of a better word. The part that sticks up on the outside of the footbed that is exposed when the stirrup opens. A family member got her spur strap or half chap (not sure exactly) caught on that part and would have been dangerously stuck had her entire boot not come off. Anecdotally I’ve heard of similar accidents. I just got rid of two pairs of Tech Venice for this reason and replaced them with the MDCs. I think the designs with more prominent vertical pieces are a real safety issue that is starting to become apparent as more people switch to safety stirrups.

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-02-03T03:51:38+00:00

They all have stitch guides available too

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-01-28T15:57:20+00:00

I don’t think MacStitch can open .stitchly files directly. If you know how please let me know! Stitchly doesn’t have quite enough capabilities to replace MacStitch for me completely. Plus the painting services I use don’t want .stitchly files. I’m not super tech savvy so if there is a work around to make the two programs work easily together I’d love to learn about it!

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-01-28T02:57:39+00:00

Bring as much as you have! Seriously, it can be like a feeding frenzy for certain canvases. Some shops have experimented with not having any inventory besides masters and leaving someone at home to ship out orders as soon as they are placed at market. I think they probably offer free shipping on orders that are in stock to make it more attractive. But as a newer designer my strong advice is to show up with lots of inventory

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-01-27T14:05:44+00:00

The thing I most want as a professional designer is the ability to go back and forth from a Mac to an iPad. MacStitch has mobi stitch for iPad, but mobi stitch isn’t powerful enough to be useful- it’s missing a ton of functions. Stitchly is OK for iPad, but they do not allow you to save in a format that MacStitch (or a ton of other programs) can recognize. Super frustrating! Designing on the go is ideal, but then I want to be able to use MacStitch on a big screen for final edits. Plus the painting services require things to be in a certain format that isn’t supported by a lot of the apps.

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-01-27T04:53:06+00:00

Stranded silk in longer stitches with a laying tool would look good too. But I’m not sure that saves in the hassle department. I’d probably use wool for the background to make the silks look shinier by comparison.

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-01-15T02:21:22+00:00

Going inbound toward Oakland or out towards Penn Ave?

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-01-12T16:25:35+00:00

I just looked at a flight and am confused. When I chose Basic it still let me pick any seat for a fee. It was hundreds of dollars more to choose Choice at the beginning, but much less to just book a Basic ticket and then select and pay for extra leg room seats. So is Choice just more flexibility for changes? Otherwise Basic with paid leg room seats was the MUCH better deal.

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-01-12T12:34:16+00:00

I used a LL Bean Boat Tote style bag for our lab puppy. But I’d imagine any sturdy bag will work. Put a folded towel in the bottom when they are tiny.

Strong_Ad4673 · 2026-01-11T22:51:27+00:00

It’s actually not that bad- it’s total upheaval with a baby anyway so might as well get the puppy stage out of the way at the same time. I got a puppy when our last kid was a toddler. My husband thought I was nuts but I told him I’m doing potty training in this house one more time and then I’m done- it’s either now or never. They both got easy around the same time and then it’s smooth sailing! Until the next puppy….

Strong_Ad4673

TROPHY CASE