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This is most definitely one of those “Do as I say, not as I do” posts (Mom said there would be days like this).

Kreinik spools can be a real bear to keep organized. Recently on Facebook, Elaine Withrow Stevens had a picture of the compartment box she uses to store her Kreinik spools. She lets us know where she got them and the picture shows how well they store the spools, either flat or upright.

I had forgotten about this method of storage. That’s dumb because at least two stores I know of store them this way. As a customer it irritates me because I can’t see the threads easily. It was especially bad at the place where the boxes weren’t clear AND she kept them behind her desk out of sight and out of reach (that shop is no longer open).

But it’s fantastic for storage if you have space.

I keep mine, sorted by size in some of my card catalog drawers (not good for knowing how much I have of something.

See the original post here:
Storage Tips for Kreinik Spools

Wicked? – Sneak Peek

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Halloween,Nuts About Needlepoint

Originally posted 2007-11-15 15:15:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

This is my current project, another great Raymond Crawford design. One thing I like about this design is the clean and very modern graphics.

We wanted so real contrast in extures between the two witches. This was achieved, as you can see, by picking radically different textures for the threads.

The white witch is stitched in Fyre Werks, a very sparkly thread. The wicked witch is stitched using Petite Very Velvet, about as matte a thread a you can get.

I think the combination is very effective.

Velour threads of any kind are so fun to use for needlepoint. They are matte, but not lifeless. The other thing I love about them is the way many stitches “disappear” when stitched with this thread.

The first time I used one, it was for a background. I was on an extended business trip and needed something to stitch. I picked a set of fruit coasters and wanted them to look as if they were on cloth. The shopowner sold me a velour.

I couldn’t believe the result, the background, done in Basketweave, looks just like fabric.

The black Very Velvet here has the same effect. You may not be able to tell from the picture, but it’s stitched in Woven Plait, a stitch with a strong texture, although small.

With this thread you get only a slight and unrecognizable texture. I’m so excited I can’t wait to stitch!

Original post:
Wicked? – Sneak Peek

Patchwork of Peace – Needlepoint Book Review

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Nuts About Needlepoint

Originally posted 2009-07-28 07:02:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

I know this book has been out awhile and is very popular. I’ve not looked at it because I didn’t want to stitch the project. But I looked at it recently and have to say that it’s a disappointment.
In order to get enough out of the book to make it worth the cost, not only do you need to stitch the project, but you also have to be an experienced needlepointer, able to read stitch diagrams and also decipher a stitch from a sample. Why? Because every stitch is charted and many of the charts have mistakes in them so you need to do the stitch from the picture of the block.
The book says it has 247+ stitches, but far too many of them are simple variations of each other. This is fine when I’m using it as a guide to stitch the canvas, but limits its usefulness after. Without a guide or table to stitches and how they relate, how can I use this for another canvas? The two indexes there are include one with stitches to use for particular areas and another with a listing of stitches with the stitch and page numbers.
Information needed to stitch the canvas is sketchy as well. There is a table showing you thread types and colors, but no indication of amounts or where they are used. As a result, I am left completely to my own devices to decide which two blues are used for stitch 18 and which of the blue threads is used for stitch 26. Maybe I should just be willing to use whatever takes my fancy, but it might have been nice to have added a line telling me what the model used, since the picture of the block is right there.
There is a full color picture of the finished project after the thread table and then another table, with no explanation, that shows, I think, which stitch (by number) is used where. The stitches in the book seem to be put into the book with no rhyme or reason. Stitch 1 is in the upper left, stitch 2 is in the lower right, 3 is in the lower left, but where is stitch 4? It’s two thirds over in the middle. Having a variety of block colors on each page makes for a pretty book, but not a useful one. I’d hate to try to stitch the project from this book.
The diagrams are in color with two thread stitches being diagrammed in two colors. But often the diagrams are poorly drawn or have obvious mistakes I opened the book to a page at random; there are three stitches diagrammed. One stitch is correct. Another one has stitches that charted so that if you didn’t already know the stitch, you couldn’t know how it was made. There is no text to help me with the stitch, so I can’t even try to figure it out. The third stitch has colors and stitch outlines that don’t line up, making it look like the stitch is vibrating there on the page. Many pages have mistakes such as these.
The pictures are uneven in quality with some being very fuzzy.
My feeling after examining this book is that it was put together quickly after the project was stitched without any real thought about how to make it a successful project book or stitch guide, and with no consideration about how people might use it later. Just because the original piece is good, doesn’t mean you can slap a book together and expect stitchers to pay over $60 for the book when you can’t even be bothered to give people enough information to stitch the canvas.
We, as stitchers, deserve better than this.

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Patchwork of Peace – Needlepoint Book Review

Inspiration for Creating a Color Palette

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Design,Nuts About Needlepoint

One of my favorite blogs is design seeds, a blog that puts together several color schemes each day from all kinds of sources. I’m alway getting neat ideas from it.

BUt not only is it inspirational but the Palette Search tool can help you to put together your own schemes.

There are three sections to the tool. The top section classifies all schemes by theme. There are thumbnails of one scheme in the theme as well as text links. Click on the subject and you find all schemes of that type.

The Allsorts scheme pictured here is from edible color and there are schemes from wine, cake, fruit, and lots else.

Below this is a section where schemes are classified according to season. THere are no text links here. I don’t know why some schemes are one season and some another but I felt as if the autumn schemes were all muted while spring schemes were bright and cheery overall.

The final section might be the most useful for putting together a specific scheme. It’s organized by color, with 12 color choices. Click on one and you’ll find the schemes with that color, even when used as an accent. The color choices are not the usual color wheel colors, but reflect a more sophisticated set.

Take the picture of the scheme you like and print it out. Then use the swatches to match thread. Use the picture as an idea of the proportions of each color and you’ll have a lovely needlepoint piece.

I love this tool. You’ll find so many good ideas here!

View post:
Inspiration for Creating a Color Palette

Nature’s Palette Canvas – Product Review

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Nuts About Needlepoint

How often have you thought to yourself that the standard colors of canvas just aren’t what you need? Of course, you could color the canvas yourself, but that’s lots of work and, like me, you might not be that good at it.

These canvases are painted so that the background is colored, so you are free to stitch them lightly or not at all. There are 30 colors available and they come in two standard cuts, 10 and 20 inch squares. Needlepoint designers can order other sizes, so you will find designers, such as Leigh using them for their designs, often in special colors.

There are four groups of colors: solid, custom, premium, and jewel.

The solid colors are an almost even color. You would almost think they were dyed, but turn the canvas over and you’ll see the white of unpainted canvas.

Custom colors are either a solid with flecks of a second color, or mottled shades if two or more colors (the picture above is on a custom canvas).

Premium canvases come in three colors; blue with sliver, red with gold, and harvest. The metal/color combinations are more edgy with the metallic looking as if it had bee splashed on.

There are twelve colors in the Jewel Collection, but I haven’t tried them yet.

In stitching these two ornaments, I found the canvas took a little getting used to. While the layer of paint is very thin, it is still there, making the canvas a bit stiff. You also need to think out, before you begin to stitch the placement of the design so that the canvas is used to its best advantage.

But I liked them and will be using them for some of the needlepoint club pieces coming in 2012.

You can see swatches of all the colors and order the canvas at Nature’s Palette website.

Read this article:
Nature’s Palette Canvas – Product Review

What Are Japan Threads?

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Nuts About Needlepoint

Japan Thread is a term for a type of metallic thread that is similar to the metals used in traditional metallic embroidery. Over the past several years Kreinik has greatly increased the number of colors of Japan Thread available (the picture is of the four newest) and the number of sizes.

Kreinik recently posted an article about Japan Threads and how to use them.
Japa Thread isn’t strong enough to go through needlepoint canvas much, but, as you can see by the picture in the article, it’s great for couching. There are lots of other great ideas in the post

Follow this link:
What Are Japan Threads?

Shadow Stitching example

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Nuts About Needlepoint

Originally posted 2006-08-22 06:58:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

SuZy Murphy has a book about it (SuZy’s Lite Stitching), dede Ogden teaches it, but I had never tried Shadow Stitching.

Shadow Stitching is a technique where extremely thin threads are used, often with open stitching to create needlepoint where the painting shows through.

This technique works extremely well on canvases which are heavily shaded or detailed.

And, I’m finding it can make pretty cool backgrounds.

I bought this HP Designs canvas because I’ve been wanting to do one of their canvases and I am challenged by the delicacy of their painting. I worry that stitching it will ruin the delicacy.

So I made some decisions at the outset. The background would be shadow stitched (more on this in a minute). And I’d use shading for the cherries (see the picture) and overstitching for the leaves and branch (still unstitched).

The background is stitched entirely in T Stitch using a single strand of floss. The background below the branch is done and above the branch partially done (one direction complete). You can see the lighter color next to the branch and leaves and the darker color around the moon through the stitching. In addition, shadow stitching is much lighter in feeling than the bird and cherries, which helps preserves the delicacy of the design

For most people the entire background, including the moon, would be stitched in the same color. But I can’t help but tinker, so while the moon will be the same stitch, it is going to be stitched using a color closer to the color of the moon. I want the moon to be accented, so I think this will emphasize it a bit more.

On a personal mote, we’ve been having MAJOR maintainance done on our roof. They come at 7 and stay until about 6, so it makes for plenty of time to work or stitch. They are starting to put the tiles back on today, so the end is almost in sight.

The rest is here:
Shadow Stitching example

December Twinchy Gallery

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Nuts About Needlepoint

Originally posted 2008-12-31 06:18:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

needlepoint and blackwork twinchy of christmas ornaments in a tree

This Twinchy is of ornaments hanging on a tree. I made a stocking of it with much larger ornaments, all in blackwork on dyed canvas, but I wanted something simpler, easier, and faster.

It uses another technique to make differently colored areas. I began by using a quarter to trace out the ornament shapes, making sure they overlapped. Then I stitched in background in Encroached Gobelin using Gumnuts Blossoms. The soft shading of this wool allows the ornaments to stand out.

blackwork fill pattern connected squares

Each ornament is stitched in a different Blackwork pattern (pictured above). You can click on the picture to get a full size chart for all four. All but the pink and blue one are stitched in Kreinik metallic. The remaining one is stitched in an Anchor peal with metallic from my scrap bag.

Once the ornaments were stitched I felt it looked a bit abstract. So, for a finishing touch I stitched some bunches of random Diagonal Gobelins to be the bunches of pine needles, covering the edges of the ornaments. This was the perfect touch, making the whole thing look life-like.

needlepoint blackwork twinchy of snowflakes

This first Twinchy is called Snowflakes and it uses an easy overstitching technique to do Blackwork on needlepoint canvas. I began by coloring the background blue (or you could use blue canvas but I didn’t have any). Then I stitched T Stitch over the entire area using one strand of Impressions.
Over this, using white (100HL) Kreinik metallic, I made snowflakes in Blackwork. None are centered and they overlap. The charts for the snowflakes will be available around Jan 12, once I get the manual I need unpacked.

Last, but not least, is this unassuming Twinchy. It will be finished with a wired ribbon bow and will look like a real package.

I divided the Twinchy into quadrants and stitched a ribbon down the center. Notice how the ribbon “overlaps” to look realistic. The rest of the Twinchy is stitched in Jacquard using Very Velvet for the Byzantine and metallic for the Tent Stitches.

This is a really simple Twinchy to do, just use any stitch and thread combination you like.

These three Twinchies give you lots of ways to exercise your creativity.

Link:
December Twinchy Gallery

Blog Link — Doodle Needlepoint

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Nuts About Needlepoint

Originally posted 2007-12-31 07:07:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

I’m taking a short break from blogging about TNNA (back later today) to share with you a great project on another blog. It’s called Doodle Needlepointand is one the blog, Pins and Needles.

Click on the picture to see the project in more detail.

This stitcher just took a pile of floss, and made some doodles in Tent Stitch. It’s great — I love it!

Read more here:
Blog Link — Doodle Needlepoint

LAS Mini-sock Double Cross

by NutsAboutNeedlepoint

in Nuts About Needlepoint

This mini-sock features five cross stitches, all that have “double” in their names.

I tried something different with this sock, Tahiti is used in every patch, along with a red thread. I did that because I wanted some consistency. But I got too much consistency. If you look at the picture, it can be hard to see the border between adjacent blocks.

I will be fixing that by adding some ribbon or thread borders in another color. I think a better choice would have been to combine Tahiti with two different colors, alternating them in the patches.

Anyhow, onto the stitches. To make things easier, I’ve done a new outline, below (click for full-size) with numbered patches.

Patch #1 uses Double Dutch, an oblong cross stitch. The rows alternate vertical stitches between two stitches or in the center of the stitches. I used Tahiti with JL Walsh silk/wool for the ties.

This stitch looks kind of open until you get the ties in. I think it makes a nice subtle pattern.

Patch #2 uses Double Straight Cross, above, an amazingly versatile stitch. Upright Crosses, in Tahiti here, are made and then tied down with a diagonal cross, done in overdyed perle. You can vary the ties, the Upright CRosses, make checked patterns, lots of things. It’s also a fun stitch to do.

Patch #3 uses Double Rice, above. I used Tahiti for the Cross over four threads and Ty-Di Just Cotton for the ties. I like Rice but often find it a bit too open. By adding additional tying stitches, the stitch pattern becomes more dense.

Patch #4 uses another favorite stitch, Double, above. This stitch alternates a thin oblong cross with a tiny cross stitch over one thread. When I’ve done it in the past I thought it looked rough and rustic, but here, donee in Tahiti Waterlilies and Soy Luster, it’s very delicate.

Patch #5 uses Double Smyrna, above, using Tahiti for the diagonal cross and candy glass Kreinik for the horizontal and vertical stitches. You can make this stitch look less rigid by alternating the direction of the top stitches.

Not my best color choice all in all but fantastic stitches!

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