Needlepoint is the romantic shapes of old Byzantium - the quadrilateral symmetry of Hagia Sophia - the graceful ogee curves of mosques and domes - the jewels of the Topkapi - the tiles of mosques – the gold of the sultans - the hot orange of the sun and the cool blue of the sea - the whirling stitches so like the dervishes. We are carried away to another time and place. Byzantium won first place in the Original Design, Non-professional Category.

Needlepoint is lovely and charming. Here pastels and well-controlled overdyed threads are embellished with beads. The heart is well-framed and matted to complement the design and the colors. The frame is shaped as is the mat. The beads capture the points of light to draw the eye. Blue Valentine won second place in the Original Design, Non-professional Category.

GAIA – Mother Earth by Pern Ginella

Needlepoint is conceptual. Here the joy of creation is expressed in textured threads, ribbons, and stitches. The shaped, night sky colored mat focuses our attention on a globe that shows geography, topography, and the motion of the seas. GAIA - Mother Earth won third place in the Original Design, Non-professional Category.

Needlepoint is delicate and ethereal. The angel fairly dances to the heavens with the merest suggestion of wings. Bullion knots and other manipulated stitches with pearls and beads clothe the angel, who wears a halo of pastel jewels. Summer Night's Angel won first place in the Original Design, Professional Category, and the Ann Spiess Mills Award for Best Angel.

Needlepoint is wearable, tactile, fascinating. Bargello and pattern stitches are carved away to reveal a one-of-a-kind mother of pearl shell fragment, balanced by an asymmetrical bead fringe. My Favorite Necklace, For Shore! won second place in the Original Design, Professional Category.

Needlepoint is subtle, balanced, careful. Flowers are done in classic silk shading techniques. Bargello covers the umbrella. Subtle metallic accents complete the piece. Celebration won third place in the Original Design, Professional Category.

Needlepoint is the meeting of East and West. Carefully laid and controlled gold and a restrained color palette and severe design lines lend a modern yet Japanese feel to an exquisite evening accessory. Traditional Western stitches and materials are used to create an Oriental result. Shimmering Gingko won honorable mention in the Original Design, Professional Category.

Needlepoint is art. When the needle artist goes one step beyond the source of inspiration true art can result. Design, color, texture, technique surpass the original, a photograph of flat Oriental embroidery. Flowers leap out of the canvas and invite us to look again and again. The more we look, the more we see. Nestled in the deep needle lace flowers we find small buds. The trailing vines hide small blossoms. The flowers burst forth with textured stitches and beads. Subtle shading is everywhere. At first glance it is quiet and at rest, so it is surprising when looking again, to find it is actually bursting with moving life. Summertime Song won first place in the Adaptations, Non-professional Category, a Judges Choice Award, the Mary Fry Award for Best Use of Color, and Best of Show.

Needlepoint whispers to us. The artistry of the stitcher precisely captured the soul of the original work. We see a spirit child, and the needle artist has captured her moment of reflection for us. An innocent child is able to share her secrets with a bird. This is a spiritual piece. We grow silent as it speaks to us. Daughter of the Sun won second place in the Adaptations, Non-professional Category, Delegates’ Choice, Peoples Choice, and a Judges Choice Award.

Needlepoint is perfection of technique and color shading. Spirits of clouds fly over the desert. Meticulously worked tent stitch and exquisite color control – masterful shading - stunning hues. Though dry, the desert is filled with life from the clouds. We ponder and reflect. Dance of the Wind and Storm won third place in the Adaptations, Non-professional Category, and the State Award (Chosen by Chottie Alderson).

Needlepoint can have intense hues. In this case it brought the monarch butterfly to life. Be careful putting your feet on the footstool; you may crush the butterfly! This piece is a joy to the feet, a joy to behold. Monarch and Friends won honorable mention in the Adaptations, Non-professional Category.

Needlepoint can be surreal to compel our attention. The black background enhances the alien colors of the trees. Metal swirls in the sky, Shisha mirrors on the ground, a rabbit in a lounge suit stares at us. Bobbitt won first place in the Adaptations, Professional Category.

Needlepoint can watch you. Such fun, look at the eyes of the ladies of the club, they are watching you. We are focused by their glasses, the colors, line, texture, and thread choice. What are they thinking? Are they thinking about you? Ladies of the Club won second place in the Adaptations, Professional Category.

Needlepoint is wearable. Opium poppies on the lapel of a jacket carefully reiterate the printed silk dress over which they are worn. But wait! They are more vibrant than the silk fabric, and come alive as they have dimension and sheen through the use of textured stitches, various threads, and metallics. Opium won third place in the Adaptations, Professional Category, and a Judges Choice Award.

Needlepoint is elegant. Intricate bands and woven stitches highlighted with beads surround the central motif. The Hardanger open work is worked with pastel and metallic threads. We see grace and elegance and a quiet femininity reminiscent of fine linen damask. The metallic and beaded accents continue beyond the ground fabric and are repeated atop the picture mat. Quiet rhythm of pattern and color unite the piece. Lady Deborah Jane won first place in the Charted Design, Non-professional Category.

Needlework can uplift and inspire us as we seek a quiet moment in the day, to pause to reflect and read uplifting thoughts. The gentle words of strength, comfort, personal courage are stitched with careful calligraphy, illuminated letters, glowing color, calm quiet patterns of flowers and graceful meandering bands. The Desiderata Sampler won second place in the Charted Design, Non-professional Category.

Needlepoint is harmony. Beyond good technique, sometimes it is the choices made about color and light reflection in the choice of threads that elevate a piece. The harmonious effect here involves the use of dull, shiny, synthetic, natural, pastel, tone, light and shade. See how modern geometric patterns can create a traditional result with a sophisticated feel to it. Crown of Hearts won third place in the Charted Design, Non-professional Category.

Needlepoint can be a magic carpet. Close your eyes and imagine that the antique Serapi Oriental carpet has grown in a magical way to fill a formal drawing room. The colors are faded from hand washing long ago yet the vivid hues and skill of the carpet weaver are timeless. Open your eyes and realize that the magnificent carpet is stitched on silk gauze and is sized for a doll’s house. Serapi II won honorable mention in the Charted Design, Non-professional Category.

Needlepoint can be complicated specimen stitches. What happens when we learn to demonstrate our skills with flair and panache? We show the swirls of complex interwoven stitches and demonstrate how color shifts can affect the impact of a specimen stitch, and show that we have whirling wheels within wheels, turning, turning, motion at rest. The Hilton Sampler won first place in the Charted Design, Professional Category.

Needlepoint is representational and illustrates the message. The thread choices enhance the design. Here are metallic, opalescent, flat, and glossy threads. The stitch choices evoke what we would see in nature yet work with the design. Here are manipulated, straight, crossed, and pulled stitches to achieve the desired effect. The perspective is maintained as the letters march around the thimble. Thimble Girl won second place in the Charted Design, Professional Category.

Needlepoint is architecture and music. The surface is structured and rhythmic as it undulates in three dimensions in repetitive, curved, whirling stitches. Intense hues are enhanced by the black ground fabric. The meshwork of finely crafted specimen stitches works with color and shape to create a classic piece. Baroque won third place in the Charted Design, Professional Category.

Needlepoint is the Zen of color, light, and space. Where is, where is not. Our quiet focus is directed inwards – we become more conscious of Japanese tradition as we look. Though color and pattern seem to dominate this piece, when we study it we see a color palette severely limited to neutrals and patterns which are quite austere. We realize the piece is almost devoid of color. The back is beautiful and we are drawn to it by its display case. Kimono won first place in the Painted Design without Instructions, Non-professional Category.

Needlepoint is simple Tent Stitch, worked with carefully chosen materials. Entirely worked in Tent Stitch, the choice of color, threads, and design make this piece appear to be textured, complex, and luxuriantly embellished. The lattice of the design and the name are actually the only parts done with metallic threads and they act to hold all the design elements in place. Colton’s Stocking won second place in the Painted Design without Instructions, Non-professional Category.

Needlepoint is a cozy, beautifully finished pillow, warm and inviting. The traditional colors, burgundy, rose, blues, and neutrals, so close to those of a faded antique rug, invite us to touch the softness. Every stitch is in place, and the beautiful cording which binds it together is closely matched to the dominant colors in the rug. Persian Rug Design won third place in the Painted Design without Instructions, Non-professional Category.

Needlepoint is a simple delight. The mice are seeking sugarplums! Simple threads and stitches on canvas in a few Christmas classic colors – a wrapping paper printed repeat as the background. The mice are playful, eager, and hiding, with clever metallic accents and embellished pairs of eyes. Merry Christmouse won honorable mention in the Painted Design without Instructions, Non-professional Category.

Needlepoint is creativity. Swaddling cloth and cuddling arms - warm animals cuddling close – tender looks from watching, loving eyes – magnificent rams horns and furry fleece – we are invited to linger and ponder by the marvelous embellishments, textures, threads, and stitches. Holy Family won first place in the Painted Design without Instructions, Professional category.

Needlepoint can be stylized. Austere lines, color, and stitch control combine in an asymmetrically balanced piece. There appear to be luxurious furs and jewels here but it is really beads, metal, and thread. Look closely and you will see the hearts repeated in the fabric of the gown and in the shadow on the wall on the right. Stop in the Name of Love won second place in the Painted Design without Instructions, Professional category.

Needlepoint can be exuberant. Here is a myriad of special stitches. The train tracks are loaded with presents – the engine is ready – candy canes and ornaments and ribbons and bells adorn the train – surely the sugar plum fairy is aboard. Careful silk shading makes the Christmas trees look real. Jingle Bells Express Train won third place in the Painted Design without Instructions, Professional category.

Needlepoint is perfect control. Every thread coordinates with the canvas beneath. The stitches are darned, tent, colors are in the Japanese style. We study quietly, and learn and listen. Kimono Dream won first place in the Painted Design without Instructions, Non-professional category.

Needlepoint can be ethereal. Petit point and fancy stitches - flowing lines - lustrous threads - metallic and iridescent thread used for ethereal wings. A beautiful angel in flight. Leila won second place in the Painted Design without Instructions, Non-professional category.

Needlepoint can be textured. The giraffe is perfectly stitched with lots of texture. The background is exposed canvas sparsely overstitched into beehive lozenges. Giraffe for Dan won third place in the Painted Design without Instructions, Non-professional category.

Needlepoint can be glorious color and texture. The queen’s gown on the tea cosy has jewels, beads, fancy stitches and carefully laid thread with lots of sheen. Queen Elizabeth at Tea won honorable mention in the Painted Design without Instructions, Non-professional category.

Needlepoint can be frolicking in the snow. Candy cane cording, applique, fancy scarf on the snowman, delicate shading on his cheeks, oh-so subtle iridescent snowflakes on the simple blue background. Padding and metallic accents. Fred Flurry won first place in the Painted Design with Instructions, Professional category.

Needlepoint can be sparkly and spicy. The lady snowman’s broom is fluffy and her necklace is shiny – a candy cane cord and iridescent snowflakes tie her design to her mate. Imaginative use of thread types, stitch combinations, and embellishments. Ginger Flurry won second place in the Painted Design with Instructions, Professional category.

Needlepoint can be illuminated from within! Every perfect lady on the shade has every stitch in place. The mastery of thread control is illuminated here. When backlit even a minor imperfection would show. But every perfect stitch is clearly shown. And Then I Knew won first place in the Class Project, Non-professional category.

Needlepoint is mathematical precision. Leaping green frogs and a Garden of Eden color of purple – quadrilateral symmetry in a design at rest with dragonflies under attack. Careful stitching – mastery of line, stitch, and control of thread. Bayou Bull Frogs won second place in the Class Project, Non-professional category.

Needlepoint is a simple sampler designed to show you know the stitches. Show your expertise, add a dash of seasonal color – create your own variations – show your mastery of techniques, and the band sampler becomes a seasonal decoration. Essamplaire I won third place in the Class Project, Non-professional category.

Needlepoint is careful Double Running Stitch. Precise stitches put in to "come out even" and controlling the location of hues when utilizing overdyed threads. Balance, imagination, variation on a theme. Blackwork Sampler II won honorable mention in the Class Project, Non-professional category.

Needlepoint can be dimensional and cast a shadow. The undulating surface has dimensional embellishments. The surface embroidery is so textured that were we without sight we could feel it and enjoy the piece. Soft inviting ultrasuede, brittle crystal, smooth silk, rough threads, hard beads. Textures II won honorable mention in the Class Project, Non-professional category.

Needlepoint can explore crewel and blackwork together. What are the ways to shade a blackwork pattern? They are all here: fewer stitches in pattern, lighter weight of thread, less dense patterns, different hues. How quiet and restful this crewel design seems, but only because asymmetrical balance is at work. The flower is a riot of tangled vines. The shaped frame holds it all together. Make a Joyful Stitch won first place in the Class Project, Professional category.

Needlepoint is fancy stitches and fancy threads, carefully chosen for effect. Father Christmas in his Nordic finery is delivering presents, with flowing ribbons, hearts and bells. There even is even embroidery beneath the purse flap. Look for the many subtle patterns in the midnight sky. Nordic Santa won second place in the Class Project, Professional category.

Needlepoint is spectacular thread and stitches. The stocking is done in winter wonderland colors creating a fairyland impression of shine and swirl. There is an incredible variety of imaginative stitches, beads, and threads to draw our attention. Surely St. Nicholas will leave a gift in this stocking! Visions of Sugarplums won third place in the Class Project, Professional category.

Needlepoint is many techniques and threads. Perfect stitches – 4-way Bargello – metallics – subtle color shifts – woven stitches – metallic overlays on Bargello – woven bands – carefully laid strands – a classic color combination. Angulations won third place in the Class Project, Professional category.

Needlepoint is subtle shading, perfect color, technique, design. The perspective of the scene pulls the viewer onto the island. Standing near the Greek columns we see the intense colors of sunset fading to delicate tints. Every Diagonal Tent Stitch is perfect. Sunset at Sunion won the Princess Grace Award.

Needlepoint is embellishment. Fantastic fantasy sea creatures seething on the surface: rich high relief of jewels, needleweaving, applique, beading, metallics, and lattices. Fanta-Sea won the Tish Holland Award for Best Use of Embellishment.

Needlepoint is design. Ordinarily our work is not shown under glass. But one of the things that move in the waters of the sea is the sand itself. Here there are two layers of glass. One layer of glass protects the highly dimensional and embellished needlework and another layer of glass lets real sand build up into dunes between our eyes and what is below the ocean surface. Even the frame moves before our eyes. O Ye Whales and All That Move in the Waters won the Barbara Mayo Grass Award for Best Use of Design.

Needlepoint is new materials that look antique. In this evening bag the shades of gold and copper were chosen to create a subtle effect of well-worn age. From a distance one would think the wearer had a beaded bag from the turn of the century. Vintage Evening Bag won the Kreinik Award.

The stocking shows the creative force of the needle artist. The original idea is changed and put to new use. This piece says come spend some time in the room with me and invites us to look again and again. The joy of viewing will become an annual tradition on this seasonal decoration. Puzzle Purse Stocking won the Altered States Award.

Needlepoint is young! They are all winners! We hope they enter a lifetime of stitching fun. Keep up the good work.

• The Apple Tree by Raquel Cahill
• Porky Pig by Alex Jording
• Teddy Bear by Jeremy Dixon
• Cheerful Clown by Jeremy Dixon
• Teddy Bear by Zachary Dixon
• Cheerful Clown by Zachary Dixon
• First Time by Kade Devine

Needlepoint is friendship.

This is the piece that brought a tear to my eye. So I decided my review of the exhibit would not be complete unless I picked the piece that affected me most strongly and commented. I can’t improve upon the letter that Donna Groves’ Michigan friends wrote to her when they gave her this piece, so I am simply sending it along to be quoted verbatim. Donna is a great courageous lady, and I just hope she realizes she has friends in Texas and all over the USA. I can’t say I wanted to take the piece home, I just wanted to take the friends home.