Celtic knotwork and interlacing is so lovely and complex. It always makes for lovely designs. But charting it from scratch can be tedious and time-consuming. Trolling around the web Thursday I came upon a totally cool product — a program of knotwork already charted on a grid.
That means from your computer you can just type and create the pattern. You can find (and buy) the product, Charted Grid Style Set, just past halfway at Highland Creative Stamps. While there take a look at their other sets which create knotwork in other crafts and media. Right below it there is another charted font, this one for diagonal or rectangular grids. This could be used as well as long as you use rectangular-shaped stitches.
If you want to see examples (other than the one at the beginning of the article) made from patterns created from this font, look at their companion site, The Celtic Knot Font. The picture is of machine embroidery, but think how cool this would be in needlepoint! Or what about this amazing needlepoint box top by Maria Lee, below?
There you can find examples and links to companies selling charts based on this work, tutorials both on using the software and on designing knots, a gallery of designs, and a network of people designing with the software. I’m enchanted.
I’ve already bought mine.
Related posts:
- Celtic Art in Cross Stitch – book review
- Stitching Inside the Box — Book Review
- Free Clipart Alert – Resources to Design your Own Needlepoint
- Sneak Peek – Little Quilt Blocks eBook
- Adapting a Rug Design to Needlepoint
Go here to read the rest:
Design Celtic Knotwork for Stitching on your Computer
The knitwear of the Italian fashion house Missoni, is always one that is a wonderful springboard to needlepoint. Because they design knits and are renowned for their zigzag patterns and bold color choices, often you can use high fashion pieces as the starting point for needlepoint, especially for Bargello.
My recent free pattern for The Caron Collection is a wallet insert with colors taken from a Missoni pillow that used a similar zigzag pattern.
Although I’m too swamped to stitch it now, this Missoni purse from 2004 is a Bargello pattern that is easy to do.
It’s a shallow scallop pattern. The purse, a clutch bag, uses many different colors. Instead of trying to reproduce it exactly, I would pick 10-12 solid colors in one thread, I’m thinking Silk & Ivory or wool, and put them into a paper bag.
For each new row, pick out a color from the bag. Put it back when you have finished the row and pick another color. If you pick the same color, put it back and pick again.
Otherwise anything goes.
Once I get caught up, I’m going to do it as an insert to a Stirling tote in my stash.
The result will be something as unique as you are and for a fraction the price of the original.
Related posts:
- Bargello Mirror or Luggage Tag
- A Different Sort of Needlepoint Bargello – Patterned Satin Stitch
- The Pink of Perfection
- Bargello Theme & Variations
- Make a Bold Initial Bargello Boxtop!
Go here to read the rest:
Missoni Bargello Pillow – High Fashion Inspirations
Originally posted 2004-07-17 22:12:21. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
1. How did you get the idea for Rhapsody and Romance?
Though I am not a quilter, I love the color patterns quilters achieve using fabric. I worked to at find a way of adapting a quilting pattern intoneedlepoint.
2. Part of what I love about stitching these is the way they are so geometric. How did you figure out the lines of the curves you wanted to do?
I first had to decide what size blocks I was going to use in the design. I first decided that each column would be 6 canvas threads wide and that I would need 20 of them. I then decided on the four different lengths. Thus, I came up with blocks measuring 3×6; 6×6; 9×6; and 12×6 canvas threads.
I then decided on the 10 skeins of Watercolours each having different degrees of dark and light. Five of the skeins had little variegation of color and were used for the flat stitches. The other 5 had greater variegation and were used for the pattern stitches creating the mottledeffect of quilting fabric.
The curves are created by working several color paths, from the top of the canvas, diagonally back and forth to the bottom. Then work the partial ones that ended at the margins.
3. Another thing which is so fun (and unusual) is the way the colors in the threads create a pattern of color. But I have always found it difficult to do things like that with Watercolours. What did you do to find this progression?
I use Watercolours for a lot of my designs because of its subtleness.
I think my construction sequence of the pattern stitches creates the smooth progression of color.
Example: When I work cross stitches at the same time, I will complete each one before going on to the next one. This keeps the colors closer together. If I were to complete all the half crosses first and then go back, the color difference between the first half
cross and its completion would be greater thus creating a mishmash of color.
4. Are there more patterns like this coming?
As far as Rhapsody and Romance, nothing is on the horizon. I actually did Romance as a companion piece to Rhapsody due to many requests. BUT, I have another piece called Bouquet. It is also done with a lettered and numbered grid. The grid measures 14 squares wide by 14 squares long. Each square measures 12 canvas threads by 12 canvas threads. I have included charts for 42 new pattern stitches. It may be worked on either congress cloth or 18 ct. canvas. This is a great piece to use up your stash of left over
threads. I give suggestions for what threads are good to use.
This will not be available for purchase until January 2005. It is being piloted in October by Arizona’s Saguaro Stitchers.
5. Amybear’s Adventure seems to take the ideas in these two pieces and expand them into a more individual design, can you let our readers know more about how they can use this book as a springboard to their own designs?
I am REALLY excited about this workbook and it is available now. This book reaches the beginning stitcher and challenges the advanced one. I have included all the stitches from both Rhapsody and Romance and written step by step instructions to create an original design. For those who don’t feel brave enough to work their own, I have stitched a model that can be reproduced. For the intermediate stitcher, I have supplied a set of design
templates. Stitchers select a template, and go to the back of the book to choose the stitches patterns they will use to complete the design. For the challenged stitcher, I have included pages that have labeled blocks (same size blocks as used in Rhapsody and
Romance) that may be cut out and manipulated into a design template, then glued in place. The stitcher then goes to the back of the book and selects the stitches to complete the design. I have also included graph paper with the same size block for the stitcher who has a stitch pattern idea of their own. This can be drawn on the gird. This is another “stash” project. Bring your stash and trade with others. This is a GREAT workshop or sit-and-stitch party. Also at the back of the book, I have included the designs that were completed by my pilot group. They really had a great time!!!
Related posts:
- Observations on Romance and Rhapsody
- Fancy Carole – designer profile
- Designer Profile: Carrie Wolf
- Orna Willis – Designer Profile
- Carolyn Hedge Baird – Designer Profile
The rest is here:
Amy Wolfson – Designer Profile
Sara, from The Scarlet Quince has a phenominal interview with Ruth Dilts on her blog. They have a lovely selection of Ruth’s charts in their on-line store and have a special going on. It is of Sunrise, pictured above, available as a chart or as a complete kit, based on your selection of Watercolours. It’s on page 3 of the Rith Dilts charts at the shop.
You may know Ruth from her wonderful books, Needlepoint 101 and Needlepoint 202, the best books out there on stitch guides. You may have also stitched some of her wonderful charted canvas designs, available from Rainbow Gallery (find them by looking for needlepoint and the term “Ruth Dilts” on the search page) and on her own site. She has a series I just love of quilt blocks and my favorite of all is her Alexanderia ball, with its lovely plaid (pictured above).
I love the many stitches and techniques (especially Bargello) shown off in so many of her pieces. Every time I look at her designs, I see another one I want to do.
Quilt Square free needlepoint chart by Ruth Dilts from Rainbow Gallery
You can get a taste of Ruth’s work in Quilt Square, pictured above, a free needlepoint design from Rainbow Galery.
Related posts:
- Needlepoint 202 – book review
- Charted Needlepoint Trunk Show in Pheonix
- Needlework Gazette – Website Review
- Liz Morrow and Bargello Needlepoint – Designer Profile
- Fancy Carole – designer profile
See the rest here:
Ruth Dilts – Needlepoint Designer Extraordinaire
You want to be more spontaneous in your needlepoint. You’d like to feel comfortable picking color schemes, mixing threads, and trying new ideas. But when it comes down to it, you seem always to pick the same colors and the same threads.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a way to venture out in exploring colors and threads that didn’t involve using an expensive hand painted canvas needlepoint from your stash?
Ideally it would be something easy and small to stitch. Something charted to save on costs, something that has lots of options, and something with more than one design.
I think I found it ins The Caron Collection’s chart pack, Tiny Treasures.
I bought it to stitch something to try out Sundberry’s mini box, and I was delighted to find that it is so much more. The chart pack has eight little designs, all geometrics, ranging in difficulty from something that could be a first project to ones with five different stitches. Even these could be done by a beginner.
The projects are small, under 2″ square, and use from 2 to 6 threads. None of them use much thread, so they are perfect for scrap bag or stash projects. Are you thinking about a color scheme for a larger project and wondering if it will work?
Try one of these projects. You can test it out by making something that only takes a few hours to stitch. And you’ll know if it works.
The instructions are clear, most only taking a page. The diagrams are large. There’s plenty of options for doing your own variations. I like it that the threads for all the projects are summarized on one page, but that such a variety of threads is used that I can feel good about making my own color and thread choices.
This is a great project pack, one that should be in your stash.
Related posts:
- From Molehill to Mountain – Book Review
- Stitch Notebook – Product Review
- Threadworx Journal – product review
- 3-in-1 Color Tool – Product Review
- Product Review – Backgrounds CD
Originally posted here:
Tiny Treasures – Product Review
Originally posted 2008-02-14 08:15:38. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
For almost as long as I’ve been doing needlepoint, I have loved geometric patterns which aren’t really abstract but are some kind of code. I like them so much I even have my Personal Plaid mini-sock which is, in effect, a code based on a name and a date.
This morning, while surfing the Web I came across QR Codes, which are the successor to bar codes. But they do so much more. There is a project to encode Wikipedia articles as QR Codes, people have made QR code scarves, cakes and even needlepoint.
I found a free QR Code generator and encoded the basic information about this site. That’s the tiny QR Code you see above. Here’s a link to a simpler QR code for Needlepoint.
I’m leaving it up to you to decide how to translate it into needlepoint. For myself, I’m going to do it in Mosaic Stitches, and I’m thinking about using Rainbow Gallery’s new Silk Lame or SoftSheen Fyrewerks. I may make it the front of a needlepoint tote bag.
If you make your own QR Needlepoint, send me a picture and I’ll tell the world.
Related posts:
- Scrap Bag Diamonds – Free Stash Buster Needlepoint Pattern
- Great Free Alphabets on the Web
- Needlepoint Patterns Free Directory Now Open
- Free Torah Needlepoint Pattern
- Free Embroidery Patterns
Read the original here:
Free Needlepoint Chart – QR Code
While Mae West may have said “Too much of a good thing is wonderful.” She was wrong. I’m definitely of the “Less is More School.” It’s a good rule in dress (think fashion victim), in food (think overly fussy restaurant dishes), and even in music (Too many notes, Mr. Mozart!).
And it’s especially true when it comes to needlepoint.
When you pile on too many threads, colors, and stitches on one canvas, you get a mess. You get what Gay Ann Rogers call “goop.” She explains it in detail in her post, but essentially it is Mary Shipp’s 1,2, 3 rule.
You rank the different aspects of the design so that there is a majority of one (3), a minimum of the other (1), and the middle amount of the third (2). For Gay Ann, the three aspects are line, color, and texture. For me they are stitch, color, and texture.
Whatever you call it, this ranking is important. It gives direction to the person viewing the piece. The needlepoint doesn’t have six things shouting “Look at me!” making it the visual equivalent of all those windows in the AT&T wireless commercial.
It creates balance and makes your needlepoint, as a work of art, look better. By taking away some things, you create a design that has more.
Taking the Craftsman Trees tile pictured above, let’s analyze it. Color is the smallest aspect of the piece. It’s mostly green, with only small bits of the other colors. The greens are mostly similar in value as well, further narrowing the colors. They are also mostly blue-greens, another narrowing.
Stitches are the focal point, with many variations of Cashmere Stitch used.
Texture is in the middle. While many threads are used, they all have a similar matte texture. Think how it wouldn’t look as good if one tree was stitched in shiny rayon, or semi-transparent Flair.
Taken together the piece is balanced.
If you are interested in the chart pack either as a PDF or in print, let me know.
Related posts:
- Stitching Order & Focal Points in Needlepoint
- Changing Colors
- Substitutions in the Abstract Needlepoint
- New Ways with Backgrounds – Tent Stitch
- Salvaging Stitching Disasters in the Making
See the original post:
1,2,3 It’s Easy! Balance in Needlepoint
This eight-pointed star pattern has everything going for it as a way to test color combinations and threads in needlepoint. It’s easy (just one stitch), fast (you can stitch it a couple of hours (even if you are slow or distracted), and it can be the basis of many variations (look in quilt books for some of them)>
Connecticut Star variation
I’ve made versions of this star for years as a test bed for needlepoint. Once year I made 20 of them using various color combinations in Silk & Ivory and metals and gave them as Christmas presents. Another year I used some variations in red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July.
Click for full-size chart
The chart, pictured above, is really simple. To make this variation, one color is the solid lines. The other color is the open lines. By stitching them in two threads, you get a good feel for how they both behave.
Color combinations in needlepoint ornaments
I stitched this on 18 mesh, but if you use Congress Cloth, it will fit perfectly to finish on the largest size (100) of button forms to cover. And, because it’s straight stitches, any thread that works for diagonal stitches n 18 mesh will work here.
Think of this little project the next time you need to test something in needlepoint.
Related posts:
- Come Stitch with Me – Celebrate Star
- Stitch your Stash – My Colors
- Scrap Bag Diamonds – Free Stash Buster Needlepoint Pattern
- Beginner Needlepoint Project Book Out this Weekend!
- Rhodes Stitch Free Project
Read the rest here:
Eight-point Star – Project for Trying Threads & Colors
Originally posted 2002-12-07 22:22:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
A crying need on the Internet has been for a place where outstanding needlework teachers could showcase their work and make it easy for us as stitchers to find those glamorous projects like the ones we do at Seminar. When Needle Artworks opened in 1998, it was (and still is) an answer to a prayer. Many outstanding teachers like Carole Lake, Jane Zimmerman and Ann Strite-Kurz have pages on the site, showing off their lovely designs.
The books and charts available can be sorted by technique, or by author and you can print off and order direct from the author. Since many of these designs are not distributed widely, this is a wonderful resource for stitchers. Sometimes I just like to go there and feast on the wonderful designs.
Since one of the founders (and the designer) of the site, Jennifer Ashley Taylor, is a whiz at photographing needlework, the pictures are always superb. If Jennifer’s name isn’t familiar to you, her work is. She does most of the photography for Needlepoint Now.
If you look at a designer’s page, you see a text listing (by techniques) of all designs available. Clicking on a particular design gives you a detail page with a picture, description and information about ground, technique, level, price and ordering information. A detailed materials list and an index of other designs by this teacher is also included. Besides this wealth of information, I just love the way the page comes up so quickly.
If you search by technique, the page includes thumbnail pictures of all designs using the technique. Clicking on one of these gives you the same detail page.
This only begins to delve into the riches of this site. While designers and techniques are listed on the left side of the home page, many resources for stitchers are listed on the right. Many designers on the site have cyberclasses and they are listed with pictures and detailed information (with starting dates) on the site. A listing at the top (with teachers’ names) links to the more detailed information further down the page. There are also details on cyberclass scholarships.
On a day to day basis, my favorite part of the site is the Thread Inventory System. Form this page, you will find listed a huge number of different threads. Most of them are links which go to pages which list one or more threads with color number and name. Permission is given on every page to print the off and there is a box by each thread where you can note your own inventory or needs. And at the top of each color chart, you’ll find a brief description of the thread.
Shay Pendray has been a participant in the site since the beginning and an important part of the site is devoted to her TV show, Needle Arts Studio. You can find a detailed listing for each series of programs with information about each programs and project and how to order the kits. Video tapes of the programs can also be ordered here.
The home page for the series tells you how you can ask your local Public TV station to carry the series and a listing of current schedules for the show. Shops participate in the site as well, so you can use them to order materials for your projects. A program for threadaholics showcasing different fibers and stitchers is available (Stitch & Fiber)There is also biographical information on the designers and teachers, information about proficiency levels, listing of guilds, and links to other resources.
Social Bookmarking
Related posts:
- Kreinik – Website Review
- Needlework Gazette – Website Review
- Painting with Stitches – book review
- Dyed and Gone to Heaven – Caron Collection Web Site Review
- Lani Enterprises – Web Site Review
See the original post:
Needle Artworks – Website Review
koi needlepoint purse from Clara Wells
Clara Wells Needlepoint has an interesting approach to designing her canvases, She has seven different “collections”, each using a similar print, available in several different forms to make needlepoint fashion accessories. The Koi Collection bag is pictured above, other piece ins this collection include a belt, mule, clutch band, and cuff. The other collections include similar items. This a such a cool way to get a coordinated look.
Robbyn’s Nest Designs has a neat series of ornament-size Mandalas in lot of colors. These geometric pieces would make great needlepoint. The Artist’s Collection has new witches from Mile High Princess and HeartStrings as well as new trees from SHEAR Creations.
Patti Mann has an adorable baby sampler. It takes the iconic “Hello My Name Is . . .” name tag, put it in pink or blue and adds the baby’s information. Too Cute! The Eilizabeth Turner Collection has banners available for any university.
As always, Melissa Shirley Designs has tons of new stuff. Highlights include simply luscious single flowers done as purses or as pillows. There are also a set of the lovely geishas, in a traditional Japanese woodblock style in several versions. Two new sets of pears, this time in gold or pink, and brightly colored candy canes have been added to those popular series. There are also new stitch guides, more of her realistic birds and bugs, and some wonderful butterfly purses. For Halloween there is a candy corn tree skirt, candy canes, and a great series of ribbon candy. There is just too much here to list.
CBK Needlepoint Collection has a series of kid’s designs that a bright, clean, and are so fun you’ll want to stitch them. What’s the Point? in Ohio has some great needlepoint boxes that come with Fimo flowers to attach to the top.
patchwork needlepoint canvas from JP Needlepoint
JP Needlepoint has lots of new designs, including a series of affordable, yet elegant, canvases. Some of their things I liked best included a line of 4″ round state flags (I just adore Arizona), lots of whinsical figures, and these wonderful “patchwork” patterns, available in several different colors.
Custom House now has a chartpack of Karen Hauck’s King of Beasts available. The Caron Collection has a painted canvas version of their lovely charted Starry, Starry Night available, along with several other quilt-inspired pieces.
Frosty needlepoint canvas from Associated Talents
Associated Talents has lots of new stuff, including new bracelets, lots of new ornaments, a charming new set of initials in bright citrusy stripes, I just love these “sayings” pieces. There are five designs in all, available in two sizes. The small is on 18 mesh and the large on 13. The design is exactly the same, so you can choose the mesh size you prefer.
That’s it for this year’s June TNNA. I hope you found lots of new goodies to stitch, I know I did.
Social Bookmarking
Related posts:
- TNNA Round-Up, Part 1
- TNNA Round-Up, Part 2
- TNNA Round-up Part 3
- More New Canvases from TNNA
- TNNA January 2007 Round-up
View original post here:
TNNA Round-Up, Part 4
