Create Needlepoint!

Needlepoint Color Blocking

Color Blocking is a huge trend for spring fashions. It’s right up my alley because I love big blocks of color! This is my take on this trend:

I stitched the darker colored blocks with Planet Earth Silk and the lighter colors were stitched with RG Silk Lame` Braid. 

Look for more needlepoint color blocking at the June Show!

 

 

Barbara Bergsten Needlepoint Designs

http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/

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#Needlepoint

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Easter Needlepoint

Happy Easter!!

Easter Kisses To All!

Needlepoint Kisses

Barbara Bergsten Needlepoint Designs

http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/

bbd Facebook page

#Needlepoint

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Needlepoint Inspiration

Where does my Needlepoint Inspiration come from? Everywhere! Sometimes I'm drawn to a color or a pattern, sometimes an object. If the idea stays with me for a couple of days then I work out some needlepoint details. Would other people like the idea too? What size? What will it be? Is it just one idea or can more ideas grow from it? That's what I call "Legs". I try to imagine it in my house. I imagine the threads and stitching it. This all happens before I even tape canvas to a board. Bathing Beauty 1 is a wind sock that hangings in my bathroom. She's been there for a couple of years! Yesterday I thought...she'd make a great needlepoint design! Maybe a door stop. Couldn't get the thought out of my head. She could have some friends!! Painted Stitches on her bathing suit?? Away I go! I'll keep you posted!

 

Barbara Bergsten Needlepoint Designs

http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/

bbd Facebook page

#Needlepoint

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Barbara-Bergsten-Designs/148547755178432

 

Valentine's Needlepoint

I heard last night, on a sitcom, that Valentine's Day is the official end of Christmas. I'm not sure that is the case in the needlepoint world because many of us are busy stitching Christmas needlepoint for those deadlines that are quickly approaching!

Valentine's Day is one of my favorites. My mom always surprised us with a gift that spoke of warmer weather to come. New flip flops, a bathing suit cover up...anything that wasn't winter! It didn't matter if the groundhog saw his shadow or not. We knew that spring was coming soon!

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Needlepoint Kisses

http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/kisses.htm

Barbara Bergsten Needlepoint Designs

http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/

bbd Facebook page

#Needlepoint

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Barbara-Bergsten-Designs/148547755178432

Needlepointing for Holidays!

The world of needlepoint has a crazy calendar. Needlepoint must be stitched far ahead of time. Christmas decorations are still up and the Easter finishing deadline is looming! I just have time to stitch up a needlepoint Kiss. Here is my thread pull for K08 Candy Kiss. It's on #14 canvas. All Kisses are now on #14 and #18 mesh. I'll keep you posted!

 

Barbara Bergsten Needlepoint Designs

http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/

#Needlepoint

New Needlepoint Ideas

 
I have a new theme going for new #needlepoint design ideas. All are works in progress. We've had very cool, gloomy, rainy weather here in Cleveland. I think I'm trying to paint BRIGHT to overcome the dullness here!

 

Barbara Bergsten Designs

http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/

New Needlepoint Project

 
(RI33 Blue Shell Round thread pull)

This is my newest needlepoint project. I need something little, easy to carry around, and simple to finish! A little 3" round is the answer. A trip to my stash and the thread pull was a snap. I also had the Lee Bag Tag in another drawer. I always like to have the leather piece when I pull threads. That way I can match the thread and the leather. Vineyard Silk C-197 English Ivy is a perfect match!

 

Barbara Bergsten Designs

http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/

Kiss Stitch Sheets Online

All the Kiss Stitch Sheets are now online!

http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/K01-K12%20Kiss%20Stitch%20Sheet.pdf

As always...Free PDF's. Just Click, Print, Needlepoint!

Barbara Bergsten Designs

http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/

 

Kisses Painted!!

 
All the kisses are painted. Next...complete stitch sheets!

Barbara Bergsten Designs

http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/

New Needlepoint Shape

 
Working out a new needlepoint shape is fun and exciting, but... what if it doesn't work out the way I'd hoped???

 

I came up with this "kiss" shape. Each canvas will have a different "Painted Stitches" top and a different word on the front. The half circle wraps around into a "kiss". The finisher would put a ribbon coming out of the top. I painted it, stitched it and sent it off. I think it turned out so cute!!

 
I was thinking of doing 12 Valentine's Day "kisses" but now think I'll do 4 Valentine's Day "kisses", 4 Halloween "kisses" and 4 Christmas "kisses" or should I do 4 Easter "kisses". Would love your opinion!! I need to paint FAST for the show.

 

Barbara Bergsten Designs

http://www.barbarabergstendesigns.com/

PS15 Needlepoint Beach House Progress

 

This is my progress on PS15 Needlepoint Beach House. I love the decorative stitches and the specialty threads!

 

Barbara Bergsten Designs

PS15 Needlepoint Beach House Thread Pull

 

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!

Barbara Bergsten Designs

New Needlepoint Canvas

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!

 

Barbara Bergsten Designs

breathe Needlepoint Stitched

I just completed breathe Needlepoint.

 

I wanted to show how the stitcher can pick decorative needlepoint stitches for blocks of color. I used "Sister Stitches" (similar, but slightly different) except the center letter.

 

These are the decorative needlepoint stitches I used:

 

Barbara Bergsten Designs

Newest Needlepoint Stitch Guide

 

I just added PS12 Painted Stitches Ribbon Sampler Stitch Guide to Barbara Bergsten Designs website. This canvas is a great class canvas. The stitches are set up easy to more difficult. The finished needlepoint becomes a great reference for decorative stitches and samples of overdyed threads.

 

Christmas Needlepoint

 
X03 Holly Merry Christmas Needlepoint

Merry Christmas!

Barbara Bergsten Designs Holiday Collection

Holiday Needlepoint

 
X01 Tinsel Tangle Needlepoint

My wish for all on this last day before Christmas!

Barbara Bergsten Designs Holiday Collection

Festivus Needlepoint Sayings

 
X14 Happy Festivus Needlepoint Saying

 
X15 A Festivus for the Rest of Us Needlepoint Saying

 

Barbara Bergsten Designs Holiday Collection

 

Needlepoint Holiday Saying

 

X23 Be Naughty...Save Santa a Trip!

There's still time to be naughty! This is one of my favorite needlepoint sayings.

Barbara Bergsten Designs Holiday Collection

Needlepoint Gingerbread Farmhouse

 

X22 Gingerbread Farmhouse

 

Here is the stitched model of the X22  needlepoint Gingerbread Farmhouse

Barbara Bergsten Designs Holiday Collection

Needlepoint Wishes...

 

X16 Peace Needlepoint Saying

Barbara Bergsten Designs Holiday Collection

Needlepoint Packages

Christmas sayings on needlepoint packages... something for everyone!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Barbara Bergsten Designs Holiday Collection

Needlepoint Stockings

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...These are my first full size needlepoint stocking designs.

 
X40  Heart Ribbon Stocking

 
X39  Tree Ribbon Stocking

Barbara Bergsten Designs Holiday Collection

Needlepoint Crabs

S41 Little Crabby is the newest needlepoint design in my series of crabs. If anyone has more crab sayings please send them my way!

 

X24 Freezing Off Needlepoint Saying

We are just coming out of some very cold, snowy weather here. This needlepoint saying sums it all up! Keep warm wherever you are!

 

Wag More Needlepoint

 

This is my thought for the Holidays!!

 

S40 Wag More, new needlepoint saying is also a good companion to one of my favorite needlepoint sayings, S20 No No Bad Dog.

Remember...just change up the threads if your favorite No No is a different color!

Needlepoint Saying Fixed!

 

Here is the fixed needlepoint saying. Thank you so much to Barry Frank for catching the typo!

Needlepoint Sayings

I just finished painting two new needlepoint sayings.

 

A couple of weeks ago I was playing hooky with Jean and this saying was stenciled on the restaurant wall. Too good to pass up!

 

Jean also gave me the idea for this saying. It is my new mantra!

Needlepoint Madras Crab Thread Pull

 

Yesterday I chose the threads for Needlepoint Madras Crab. I pulled all Vineyard Silk threads. I wanted to have a consistency throughout my stitching by using one type of thread because of all the changes in patterns and colors. I picked thread colors that are very close to the painted colors. I love these colors so I wanted to be true to what I painted, but you could easily make this a more primary colored canvas or a more pastel colored canvas. Or even a monochromatic colored canvas as suggested by Joan: " This looks like so much fun. I'd love to try it monochrome with many varying shades of red rust. It's on my list. Joan" I responded, " Great idea. I love it when the stitcher changes the colors to make the design their own."

Needlepoint Crab

 
This is my newest design, a large bean bag needlepoint crab. I've always wanted to do a large bean bag frog shape, but there are so many great frogs on the market how to jump into that pond? I thought about doing a bunny, but sadly it looked dead. I have other crabs in my line and they are favorites of mine. Crabs are a beach icon. I'm a July birthday, etc. So crab it is. Also I liked how the split at the top (that gets sewn together) was between the large claws, bringing them together when finished. I also like the three design areas: crab back, large claws, little legs. This gives me three areas to play with instead of just one. I'm pulling threads today and will start stitching. I'll keep you posted.