I wanted to share how I design a needlepoint canvas for Barbara Bergsten Designs. The first things I think about are size, shape and color. This means I usually think finishing first. Most of my designs are functional and many of them fit into something. I wanted to design a new canvas for the new Stirling Bag which has an 8” x 8” opening and have it stitched and ready for the TNNA June Show in Columbus, OH. Now I have my size, 8” x 8” and shape, square. For color I knew I wanted to needlepoint the new canvas with Vineyard Merino, their new line of 100% wool. I haven’t stitched with all wool in a very long time (35 years!?!) and am very excited to try this new wool! I wanted to pick as many colors as possible to get a real feel for this new fiber.
I have been thinking about Anemones for a couple of reasons. 1) I don’t have a lot of flowers in my line 2) The colors would go with five of the six Stirling leather colors 3) I think Anemones would stitch up well in wool.
I pulled all the Vineyard Merino colors I would need to needlepoint canvas.
Then I pulled the corresponding paint colors.
I got together all my Anemone reference pictures that I have been collecting.
I work out the layout on the computer. Then I print a black and white layout, tape it to a board, and tape the canvas to the layout and start building the design.
I keep checking it from far away.
If all goes well I have a new canvas!
Wow! What a beautiful design. You probably need to be an artist to paint such a beautiful piece of work.
Althea
http://bargelloneedlepoint.com
Posted by: Althea DeBrule | March 31, 2009 at 11:43 AM
That is really interesting. I do something similar for little canvases I make for just Susan and I ( I wish i could paint like you do). I use a little program called Stitch 2008 which digitizes scanned images and will even print them out on a mesh-grid outline that one specifies. Do you use something similar or do you use your photo/graphics editor and then just print in black and white?
Posted by: Chris Battle | April 01, 2009 at 12:20 PM
I have not had much luck with needlepoint programs except to chart text. I usually work out the layout and size on the computer then print and trace by hand. I then "stitch paint" over the tracing.
Posted by: Barbara Bergsten | April 01, 2009 at 01:50 PM
Great, thanks for the reply.
Posted by: Chris Battle | April 01, 2009 at 02:06 PM
Thank you for sharing your process, Barbara. I don't paint, so my process is more complicated than yours. I'm enjoying seeing you design and stitch your beautiful canvases.
Posted by: Jan | April 03, 2009 at 11:05 PM