Patterns

In this outstanding library of counted patterns (thanks to Denise of CraftGossip for pointing it out), you’ll find dozens of motifs from the riches of traditional Middle Eastern embroidery.

The index page for the designs breaks them into technique. It shows a thumbnail of each design,describes it, and provides information about the source.

Click on the title to get the full-size chart. The pieces cover a broad range of dates, from the 12th Century to today and come from many countries.

It’s a marvelous resources and a wonderful source of ideas.

More here:
Gallery of Free Middle Eastern Patterns for Blackwork, Pattern Darning & Counted Needlework

Free Project Alert – Plastic Canvas & Dyed Floss Necklace

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in accessories,Jewelry,Nuts About Needlepoint

Michael’s has complete instructions for a simple pendant stitched on plastic canvas using white floss. More floss is used for the necklace itself.

The intriguing thing is that the whole thing is dyed after it’s put together.

The necklace is pictured here and there is a link to the downloadable pattern at the bottom of the page.

Read the original:
Free Project Alert – Plastic Canvas & Dyed Floss Necklace

Lots of Free Needlepoint Patterns

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Halloween,Nuts About Needlepoint

Originally posted 2008-11-03 07:41:21. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

This week I came across two delightful needlepoint patterns.

The first is a Flickr gallery of patterns from an antique needlepoint book.

These books are old, out of copyright, and fantastic sources of needlepoint charts. I particularly like their border ideas.

The second is a Halloween (I know it’s a little late) set from Laura Perin of a bat and a cat. They are at the top of her Free Patterns page. They are made from Scotch Stitches and are just adorable. If you wanted a Christmas cat, just change the colors of the borders to Christmas colors and get a great design. I like that idea so much I think I’ll do that.

Happy stitching!

Blackwork: Royal School of Needlework Essential Stitch Guides – Book Review

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Nuts About Needlepoint

Becky Hogg, Search Press (Turnbridge Wells, UK, 2010) ISBN:978-1-84448-551-2, $21.95

This book is one in a series on different techniques done under the banner of the Royal School of Needlework. In fact the author has both studied and worked there. This book is an excellent introduction to Blackwork with a strong emphasis on the use of the technique as a fill for outlined shapes and for shading.

The stitched examples lavishly illustrate the book. Many are astonishingly complex and show off the use of Blackwork in classic and contemporary designs. Your jaw will drop (mine did) at the level of detail and shading you can get with this technique.

The book begins with a history of Blackwork, then follows with a discussion of materials and how to frame your fabric so it is tight. Here they use a type of traditional embroidery frame called a slate frame, where the fabric is bound with twill tape and then laced onto the frame (as an aside, this is about the best explanation of how to do this I’ve seen).

Then it’s on to topics specifically applied to Blackwork. You’ll learn about design principles, transferring the design, the two main stitches used in Blackwork and other stitches that are used for outlining and emphasis.

There is an extensive section on Blackwork patterns, with each pattern show both stitched and charted. As is traditional in Blackwork, the stitches are shown on the lines and the diagrams are not numbered. Over 30 Blackwork patterns are shown, along with some darning patterns. Throughout you’ll see examples of completed Blackwork with short explanations. Many of the patterns here are simple, but they do a wonderful job of conveying texture and shading and would be lovely done on needlepoint canvas.

The next section discusses shading, which is a fundamental technique when using Blackwork in needlework. You’ll learn about the two main ways to shade:by changing the thread thickness or by breaking up the pattern. You can also combine the two to get even more subtle effects.

The final section has ideas for how you can expand your use of this technique.

The book is spiral bound in a hard cover so it can lay flat.

Although there are no projects for you to stitch in this book, it is a wonderful guide to traditional Blackwork and will fill you with ideas.

Excerpt from:
Blackwork: Royal School of Needlework Essential Stitch Guides – Book Review

Great New Book on Blackwork in Needlepoint – Book Review

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Nuts About Needlepoint

Blackwork is used as a background in this canvas from Tink Boord-Dill, with a stitch guide by Janet M. Perry

Everything ‘Blackwork’ is New Again, Julia Key Snyder, self-published, 2011 (available at needlepoint shops)

I love Blackwork and love to do it on my needlepoint, so I was very excited when I read about this book. When it arrived I was a little skeptical because, it’s just pages and pages of patterns with no names and no text. After having looked at it, I am now a fan of this approach.

Each pattern is numbered and the diagrams are large. They are big enough to show several repeats of the pattern. That’s great because you really get a feel for how they will look. For one part of the pattern, the stitches are numbered, but arrows showing the direction to use for each stitch are shown on every single stitch in the diagram.

That is the most incredibly helpful thing!

Blackwork as a technique on needlepoint canvas has two stumbling blocks and Snyder addresses them both beautifully in this book.

First many blackwork patterns look like the diagram above, with the stitches on the lines of the grid. Since in needlepoint the convention is to have the stitches begin and end in the holes of the grid, this can be very confusing. In this book all the diagrams are like good needlepoint diagrams; the stitches have curved ends so you see every stitch and they begin and end in holes.

If Blackwork diagrams have defeated you in the past, this will help you understand the technique.

Second, because canvas is so open, it can be hard to figure out a path to take so that threads don’t show on the back. Snyder acknowledges this as a problem with Blackwork on canvas and in her numbering schemes she has worked out paths for most patterns that aren’t double running (used for Blackwork on cloth) but that don’t leave thread trails.

There is a one-page introduction that talks about some ways to use Blackwork as well as some working notes on the diagrams. Then it’s on to the patterns.

The patterns are wonderfully varied and I can think of tons of projects sitting in my stash where they would work.

Many of the patterns are variations of other patterns and this is the source of a small complaint. I’d love to see related patterns next to each other. Occasion ally this happens, but mostly it does not. Having related patterns next to each other would make it easy for me to decide if I wanted to add more stuff to a simple pattern or not.

There are a few patterns in her that are not strictly Blackwork, I saw a laidwork pattern and some textured stitches, but there aren’t many of these.

All in all it’s a simply fantastic book and I’m so glad I have it.

Wealth of Free Cross Stitch Patterns at Cyberstitchers

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Nuts About Needlepoint

A chart is a chart is a chart — or at least that’s what I red someplace.

And if you’re doing needlepoint that’s true — up to a point.

While you can’t put a quarter stitch from counted cross stitch onto needlepoint canvas, you can stitch directly from any whole stitch cross stitch chart on needlepoint canvas. Backstitches can also be done on needlepoint canvas as long as this isn’t too extensive.

Which brings me to this phenomenal library of charted patterns from Cyberstitchers, the online chapter of EGA. There are over 1000 patterns there, mostly small, many whole stitch.

Best of all, they are free to download in either PCStitch or PDF format.

I’ve spent so much time there looking and downloading. Now I need to find time to stitch.

Thanks to Denise at Craft Gossip for pointing this out.

See more here:
Wealth of Free Cross Stitch Patterns at Cyberstitchers

Inspiring Ideas – Indian Folk Art

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Nuts About Needlepoint

Originally posted 2009-05-29 05:40:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Are you looking for some lovely designs as a jumping off point for your work?

The new blog, Indian Folk Designs, has lovely free drawings of all kinds of Indian art.

They are classified by area and can be used as drawings to trace of as inspiration.

While many of them are too detailed to be used for needlepoint as is, they could be a great starting point.

What is a Diaper Pattern?

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Design,Nuts About Needlepoint

Originally posted 2007-11-30 09:25:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

You probably think the word “diaper” refers to something babies wear, but it doesn’t. They are called diapers because the fabric often used for them had diaper patterns woven into it.

Diaper patterns are geometric patterns which have regular repeats in both diagonal directions. They also generally have regular repeats horizontally and vertically as well. But the diagonal repeat is what is critical here. So a stripe isn’t a diaper pattern (no diagonal repeat), but a check might be.

Many kinds of stitches, think of a block of Scotch Stitches, are diapered by nature. But in order to be a diaper pattern there needs to be come contrast in color as well. A background of Scotch in one color is not a diaper, but coloring the same block of stitches to look like gingham fabric does make a diaper.

The repetition is, I think, what makes diapers so lovely and compelling. Most diaper patterns are small, so that you can really see the repeat. I think the prettiest ones alternate two of more different repeats in a regular pattern.

In general diapers are usually small patterns and are abstract (though they don’t have to be).

Once you learn to recognize diaper patterns, you’ll start seeing them everywhere.

Oh and the baby diapers, the fabric often used for them was a pattern called Birds-eye, which has diamond units repeated all over. In fact when my kids were little 20+ years ago you could still buy cloth diapers with this pattern. Since it’s been awhile since I needed to do this, I don’t know if they still do.

Lots of Free PLastic Canvas Patterns

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Nuts About Needlepoint

There’s a big list of plastic canvas patterns, over 125, available from Craft Stew. The list has been collected from all over the Internet, and all are free.

They are listed by name according to categories. Click on the name to go to the site with instructions.

Many of the patterns say “link” after them and, as near as I can tell these go to pictures of the project on freepatterns.com. The pictures aren’t linked to instructions, so I’m figuring you need to go to their homepage to find out how to get the information.

Thanks and a tip of the hat to Denise at Craft Gossip.

Go here to see the original:
Lots of Free PLastic Canvas Patterns

Free Heart Needlepoint from Laura Perin

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Nuts About Needlepoint

Originally posted 2009-02-08 13:38:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

laura perin needlepoint pattern free of hearts for valentines days

Laura gave us a delightful Valentine’s Day treat on Friday (giving us time to stitch it).

It’s thie charming heart pattern.

I’ve been in a real pink, red, and white Valentine’s Day mood lately (it could be a reaction to looking at all those white walls). So I’m thinking that I’ll be stitching this tomorrow.

To get your copy go to the Free Patterns section on her website.

The rest is here:
Free Heart Needlepoint from Laura Perin

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