Create Needlepoint!

Thread of the Week

 
EdMar Boucle

EdMar Co.

10.5 yard skeins

100% Rayon

This is a great dimensional thread. My go to texture thread. It can be pulled tighter or looser depending on how much you want it to twist and curl. I love it for leaves and flowers.

 

Barbara Bergsten Designs

http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/

What is needlepoint to you?

What is needlepoint to you?

Needlepoint:

embroidery done on canvas usually in simple even stitches across counted threads. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/needlepoint

embroidery upon canvas, usually with uniform spacing of stitches in a pattern. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/needlepoint  

More Needlepoint Stitches

 

I finished the "h". I used the decorative needlepoint Mosaic Stripe Stitch. I started the "t". I'm using the decorative needlepoint Diagonal Scotch Stitch.

 

Barbara Bergsten Designs

Choosing Needlepoint Stitches

 

I'm stitching some inspirational words. These words have large areas of color and instead of painting in the stitches I'm leaving them just as large areas of color. It's good practice for picking stitches that aren't already painted on the canvas. A good rule of thumb is the larger the area the larger the stitch.

 

For the b & e I picked Diagonal Hungarian Ground Stitch. So far I have the first step started. I will stitch all the first step of the stitch and then go back and fill in the second step of the stitch. This is the easiest way for me to count and make sure the compensation is right.

 

Barbara Bergsten Designs

"Painted Stitches" needlepoint

Yesterday I got a call from a stitcher about my "Painted Stitches" needlepoint canvases and Stitch Guides. Needlepoint Now magazine just did an article in the Jan./Feb. issues about my "Painted Stitches" needlepoint designs. They did a great job of explaining this type of design.

The gist of "Painted Stitches" needlepoint is that the decorative stitches are painted on the canvas in two steps. In at least two colors, so the stitcher knows exactly were to stitch the decorative needlepoint stitch. I recommend stitching all of the first step of the stitch in the designated painted area and then fill in the second step of the stitch. This way the stitcher really gets the rhythm of the stitch and the second step magically appears.

 

The compensation is painted on the canvas. Compensating decorative needlepoint stitches can be very challenging while learning a new stitch. Having the compensation painted on the canvas demonstrates how to start and stop the stitch in the painted area.

 
 
The caller also asked about Barbara Bergsten Designs Stitch Guides. All my stitch guides are online. They are free, just click, open and print! My stitch guides are simple. They are an aid to walk you through the "Painted Stitches" canvas. Some have thread suggestions, some don't. Many "Painted Stitches" canvases are great stash busters. I have given the stitcher the stitches and then hope they become a little adventuresome with picking their own threads. Some canvases do have threads listed when I have painted the canvas with particular threads in mind.

 

Stitching "Painted Stitches" needlepoint designs are great practice for trying these stitches on all your other needlepoint canvases. All my "Painted Stitches" stitch diagrams are online. Click the name and print the large diagram.

 

Barbara Bergsten Designs

Why decorative needlepoint stitches...

 

The main reason I decided to learn decorative needlepoint stitches was to learn something new. I like learning a new skill. Trying it over and over until I feel confident. Once I learned to stitch decorative needlepoint stitches I learned to paint them. That's how my "Painted Stitches" canvases evolved. I wanted other needlepointers to have a fun, successful experience. My hope is that each stitcher takes the skills they've learned and adapt them to their next project! I believe each stitcher is an artist and each canvas is uniquely their own!