Needlepoint Specialty Threads will do the work for you! I used Rainbow Gallery's Water n' Ice for the window panes. Windows are a great place to use a specialty thread for a reflective look. I used Edmar Boucle for the flower vine next to the window. I am "French Knot" challenged. Boucle is the answer!! Hope you try a Needlepoint Specialty Threads to give your next canvas some punch.
http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/
A little more progress on PS15 Needlepoint Beach House!
http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/
This is my progress on PS15 Needlepoint Beach House. I love the decorative stitches and the specialty threads!
These are the threads I pulled for the border:
These are the threads I pulled for the house:
These are the threads I pulled for palms & plants:
I'll keep you posted on my stitching!
Everyone needs a little beach house! This is mine...PS15 Needlepoint Beach House. It's a "Painted Stitches" canvas. I'm going to try some decorative stitches in some other areas too. I'm also going to try and use some specialty threads.
This is how I work out my stitches before the Stitch Guide is written. Helps to keep me on the right track. Next is the thread pull. I'll keep you posted!
X41 Wreath Mitten is off to the needlepoint finisher! I can't wait to see how this new shape looks completely finished!
More progress on the Needlepoint Wreath Mitten. The wreaths are the Criss Cross Hungarian Stitch. In my experience this is a hard stitch to learn. It is a really easy stitch to follow with the two color stitch steps painted on the canvas. I used two colors of green Caron Snow and 002L gold Kreinik Holographic Thread for the wreaths and three colors of red Rainbow Gallery Very Velvet for the bows.
I started the next section of X41 Wreath Mitten. This area's decorative needlepoint stitch is the Jacquard Stitch. I'm stitching all the first step of the stitch in Kreinik Holographic Gold, then I will fill in the second step of the stitch. I love doing decorative stitches in two steps. It makes it so easy to follow the diagrams.
I finished up the Corduroy Stitch on the cuff. Below the cuff was a big block of solid color. I wanted to try one of the Threadworx overdyed Vineyard Merino threads to coordinate with the cuff. WV1025 was perfect! I decided to use the Parisian Stitch in this area. You can find this stitch in any stitch diagram book. It is a simple upright stitch that works for this area. I will also do the Parisian Stitch on the thumb and the lower big block of solid color. Next I will do the background around the wreaths in basketweave. I'm using a decorative needlepoint stitch for the wreaths so I want the background to be quiet so the wreaths will pop!
Sometimes you want a couple of decorative stitches to accent your needlepoint. Two stitches that come in handy are the Mosaic Stitch and the Scotch Stitch. I used the Mosaic Stitch to highlight the small dots on the claw dots. Using the Scotch Stitch in two colors gave some interest to the crab legs. Try a needlepoint accent stitch on your next canvas! Here is the link to all my stitch diagrams:
http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/new_page_1.htm
I stitched the tent stitch around the outside of the Scotch Stitch so the finisher would have a plain stitch to sew on and not take part of the decorative stitch. BB01 Madras Large Crab is off to the finisher. I can't wait to see it finished as a bean bag! I'll keep you posted!
This time of the year I always seem to have lots of needlepoint WIP's. I plan to spend more time stitching so I can get caught up. Also I need to have a finishing plan so I will have all the stitched models I need for the June show. Yes, the June TNNA Show! As soon as the Winter Show is over designers need to think June!!
Yesterday I finally found some time to needlepoint. I made some progress on BB01 Madras Large Crab. I'm getting excited to see this canvas finished. I have designed a group of crabs that will be finished as bean bags. They can be found on my web site, click on Bean Bags.
http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/new_page_4.htm
Next I'm going to try some little "Painted Stitches" crabs that could be used as frame weights or paper weights, even as ornaments. Also these would be a good class. Three different stitches?? I'll keep you posted!
I'm almost finished with the gold and silver bows on the packages of X31 Small Package Needlepoint Wreath. I really like the way the red bow turned out. I was a little hesitant to use pink on the red bow but I think it really adds the highlight I'd hoped. The velvet was a good choice too. The red bow does appear to sit forward off the wreath. Giving a real feeling of dimension to a flat object is a challenge.
I need to expand my decorative needlepoint stitch knowledge. I downloaded the iphone app, "SuZy Stitch". The stitches can be viewed alphabetically or by use. I picked PW08 Beach Chairs to use as my learning canvas because there is sand, sky, etc. that I can look up for stitches. I pulled threads from my stash. I picked as many different types of threads as possible. I'll keep you posted!
PS08 Small Retro Flower Stitch Guide
The canvas will be ready for the Destination Dallas Show, April 25 & 26. Hope to see you there!
(click on name for printable stitch diagram)
1. Tent Stitch
2. Mosaic Stitch (without the frames)
With this canvas I tried to give a wide variety of decorative needlepoint stitches as well as balance the design. The stitches range from easiest to more difficult and build on the skill learned in the previous stitch.
I painted the flower petals in combinations of pink and aqua. I was hoping by mixing up the pink and aqua I would gain a consistency throughout the petals. Instead of one petal all pink one all aqua, etc. The vertical green stripes help the design pop against all the diagonal stitches. The yellow center become a resting point, or focal point if the stitcher chooses to add a monogram or initial.
One of the things I love most about needlepoint is the ability to personalize it. A date can be added, a name, initials or monograms. Threads can be pulled in different colors than painted on the canvas. Each canvas is an opportunity for the stitcher to really make the canvas their own!
Thread pull is Vineyard Silk:
Decorative stitches are:
PW05 Poppy Plaid Needlepoint is off to the Finisher! I took it to the framer yesterday. I don't usually do framed pieces, but I think this will be a good show and tell for different decorative stitches. I'm having it frame without glass so it can travel to shows with me.
Poppy plaid progress
T Stitch Stitch (top)
Nobuko Stitch (bottom)
Diagonal Hungarian Ground Stitch (top)
Staircase Stitch (bottom)
Framed Stem Stitch (top)
Corduroy Stitch (bottom)
I'm using "sister" needlepoint decorative stitches for the Poppies. These are stitches that are similar but somewhat different.
Diagonal Scotch (bottom) -Moorish Stitch (top) stitched
Jacquard (top) -Byzantine (bottom) Stitch stitched
Just wanted to post my progress!
I'm packing every area of this canvas with decorative needlepoint stitches. (except the inside background which was stitched in basketweave) I want to show how decorative stitches can be used on any hand-painted needlepoint canvas. I wouldn't normally put 20+ decorative stitches in such a simple canvas. Or use so many thread colors. I've continued to use two colors for each stitch step. I'm hoping this makes it easier to see the stitch steps. This whole project is a learning tool. Hopefully I'm showing another way to look at the hand-painted needlepoint canvas. Each stitcher can look at their own canvas and say, "I'll try this stitch here". The Mosaic Stripe Stitch is my final stitch for the Poppy Plaid Needlepoint Pillow plaid border. I like the stripe effect and since it is technically a "box stitch" it ties into the other box stitches used in the border.
Mosaic Stripe Stitch
Stitch diagram:
Type: Box Stitch
Count: over 4
Pattern/Texture: Stripe pattern, medium texture
Ideal for: Focal points, borders and medium to large blocks of color
Last night I taught the first of 3 two hour classes for the Painted Stitches Butterfly. The class description was: " Painted Stitches Butterfly is a great way to learn to use a variety of threads and stitches on the painted canvas. The 11 specialty stitch blocks are stitch painted, two-step decorative stitches on this 8" x 8" canvas on #14 mesh.. Painted Stitches Butterfly design helps the stitcher learn how to compensate stitches because the compensation is painted on the canvas. We will be stitching with a variety of specialty threads. 2 step color stitch diagrams included. " Each bag had the Butterfly canvas, Stitch Guide, #22 & #18 needles, and I kitted up the threads ahead of time in little bags for each block. We went through the first 4 blocks. I talked about using a larger needle for specialty threads, using thread straighteners to relax fibers, how these blocks were about stitching regular and in mirror of the stitch diagrams and how to compensate the stitches. I also showed everyone where threads were located in the shop and picked canvases from the shop walls to show where decorative could be used on other needlepoint canvases. I think it went well, I hope everyone had fun! I did.
I have started stitching the my new Gingerbread Farmhouse. I've mounted it on a scroll frame to keep it straight and help needlepoint specialty threads and decorative stitches lay flat. With this "Stitch Along" I'm going to try to talk about the threads as well as the stitches I'm using. The Night Sky is stitched in basketweave tent stitch. I used this stitch because the thread, Rainbow Gallery's GOLD RUSH, is very lively and I think a decorative stitch would fight the effect of the thread for the sky. Another option would be to use long stitches, but I wanted the sky to look tight and sparkly with lots of color change and depth. I learned the hard way to stitch with short threads, this is not a thread to "scoop stitch", a firm up and down is needed. I highly recommend Rainbow Gallery 237C Gold Rush for a beautiful night sky.
My newest Stitch Along is PS03 Painted Stitches Butterfly. I developed this canvas as a great way to learn in stitches by needlepointing a design not just learning blocks of stitches. Each of the 11 stitch blocks are stitch painted specialty stitches, similar to Stitch Your Stress Away. Painted Stitches Butterfly design will help the stitcher learn how to compensate stitches because the compensation is painted on the canvas.
|
Block |
Stitch |
Thread Color |
|
1 |
Tent Stitch |
Kreinik Medium #16 Braid 009 – Emerald Kreinik Medium #16 Braid 005 - Black |
|
2 |
Mosaic Stripe Stitch |
Rainbow Gallery Silk Lame’ Braid SL36-Chartreuse Kreinik Medium #16 Braid 009 – Emerald |
|
3 |
Mosaic Stitch (no frame) |
Kreinik Medium #16 Braid 005 - Black |
|
4 |
Milanese Stitch |
Rainbow Gallery Gold Rush 215C Yellow Shimmer Vineyard Silk T-813 Caribbean |
|
5 |
Staircase Stitch |
Vineyard Silk C-174 Hot Pink ThreadworX #12 braid 91018 - Baby Blue Eyes |
|
6 |
Diagonal Scotch Stitch |
Vineyard Silk C-173 Veil Rainbow Gallery Panache PN14 C’mas Red |
|
7 |
Framed Mosaic Stitch |
Vineyard Silk C-007 Aruba Kreinik Medium #16 Braid 9200 - Blossom |
|
8 |
Reverse Scotch Stitch |
Vineyard Silk C-091 Captain's Blue ThreadworX #12 braid 91049 Parrot Bay |
|
9 |
Byzantine Stitch |
Vineyard Silk C-174 Hot Pink Kreinik Medium #16 Braid 9294 - Periwinkle |
|
10 |
Rice Stitch |
Rainbow Gallery Petite Spark Rays PS29 C’mas Red Vineyard Silk C-163 Crème Brulee |
|
11 |
Cross Stitch |
Kreinik Medium #16 Braid 005 - Black |
|
|
Background – Tent stitch |
Caron Watercolours 000 Natural |
A stitcher requested a needlepoint stitch guide for ST04 Patchwork Small Tote 5" x 5" #14 mesh. I just put one together and hope this helps. Click on the picture and then print landscape.
Stitch Your Stash Around the World Workshop at Wool & Willow!
I received this email the other day and want to share this AMAZING piece of work!!! What great inspiration! Thank you Nancy.
Dear Barbara,
I just completed stitching Stitch Your Stash Around the World and thought you would like seeing a photo. I think it turned out all right. I have to tell you though that I made a rather major blunder. I misunderstood your instructions. Even though some colors repeated I thought each set of blocks working outward from the center would be a different stitch. I thought there would be a total of thirteen different stitches rather than eight. When I got to the set of blocks where color # 3 repeats I did it in Rosemary stitch, and then the following set where color # 4 repeats I stitched with T-Stitch. I continued merrily along until somewhere between your block 7 and block 8 blog postings when a little voice in the back of my head started telling me something wasn’t right here. Once I realized my mistake I didn’t know what to do. It really didn’t look too bad so rather than rip out all that work I decided to choose five additional stitches to add to your eight. My stitches are Scotch Checker, Fern, Criss-Cross Hungarian, Nobuko, and Double Leviathan. Thank goodness your design was versatile enough that I could recover from my blunder. Thanks for a fun project.
Nancy White
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