purse

Clutching at Needlepoint

November 18, 2012 by NutsAboutNeedlepoint · Leave a Comment

You can easily finish your own needlepoint clutch as blogger Fergustuff did with this.

Are you one of those people who wish you had a lovely needlepoint clutch?

Maybe you have a long piece of stitched needlepoint around that would look great finished this way. Maybe you found a lovely bit of vintage needlepoint that would make a great clutch.

Clutches, even very large ones, are big fashion statements this year, as is needlepoint. It’s a perfect time to make a clutch for yourself or as a gift. How often can we show off our love of stitching and be au courant at the same time?

If you have some basic sewing skills, you can finish this yourself.

This delightful illustrated tutorial shows, step-by-step how to do it. The author used a table runner, but the instructions can easily have a some of pre-work steps added to make them work for needlepoint.

The needlepoint needs to be blocked so it’s square.
Measure the size of the needlepoint.
Buy trim to fit the outside, if desired, a big snap, a decorative button, and lining fabric.
Assemble the clutch “sandwich.” This is lining and needlepoint with the wrong sides of the lining and needlepoint facing. If needed tuck under the raw edges of the lining. Pin this.
Pin the trim to the lining. I would do this by replacing the pins holding the sandwich together with pins holding the trim on.
Sew the sandwich together, near the edge of the needlepoint.
Finish as in the tutorial.

While this clutch is big, the instructions will work or any lined, rectangular piece of needlepoint.

You can also do the sewing by hand. I’ve made clutches this way & they look great. So, as the British would say, have a go!

Read the rest here:
Clutching at Needlepoint

Filed Under: Nuts About Needlepoint Tagged With: british, clutch, instructions, lining, love, needlepoint, pillow-ornament, purse, review, sandwich, trim, tutorial

What is Loft?

September 17, 2012 by NutsAboutNeedlepoint · Leave a Comment

Originally posted 2006-10-12 07:58:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

I got a question today asking about why a silk/wool blend covered the canvas better than a rayon.

The answer to this question brings up an aspect of threads which we, as stitchers, donâ€™t think about much — loftiness, or loft.

Loft, quite simply, is the amount of air spun into a thread as it is made.

Knitters think about loft, because the more air spun into a yarn, the warmer it will be (the trapped air stays warmer than the surrounding air.

Threads which have lots of loft have a wonderful characteristic in needlework, they expand along the length of the stitches. You can see this for yourself very easily. Make a line of stitches four threads or so long using a wool or silk/wool blend. Now make another row of stitches the same length using pearl cotton.

The wool stitches fill up the space and sort of become indistinct from each other. They also sit above the canvas a bit. The pearl cotton stitches remain distinct and you might even see white space between them. The wool has more loft than the cotton and so puffs out a bit where it isnâ€™t compressed by the canvas to fill the space better.

All kinds of threads have a place in needlepoint. But remembering about loft can turn a blah piece into one which looks lovely.

Continue reading here:
What is Loft?

Filed Under: Nuts About Needlepoint Tagged With: beginners, fill-the-space, flower-design, learn-stitches, promoter, purse, question, question-today, space, stitches, stitches-remain, surrounding, the-surrounding, threads, vineyard-merino

Fashion & Needlepoint

September 3, 2012 by NutsAboutNeedlepoint · Leave a Comment

click image for Jessica Wu’s blog post on this collection

Needlepoint, especially vintage looking designs, has attracted the attention of the high fashion world. Several designers, including Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino, had pieces in their fall collections that were, or were inspired by needlepoint. Doc Marten’s has a pair of needlepoint-covered boots. I now see needlepoint pop up often in fashion magazines as something on editors’ radars.

If it’s in high-end fashion now, there is a real possibility that it will trickle down to the masses within a couple of years.

In the meantime we can be in the forefront of fashion.

Do you have some vintage needlepoint? Do you have needlepoint waiting to be finished? Here are some ideas of what can be done.

Take two rectangular or square pieces the same size, sew them together, line them and add fringe and a heavy chain strap. You’ve got a fashionable bag.

Turn a belt canvas into trim at the waistband of a dress.

Take a long envelope fold it over and turn it into a clutch purse (clutch purses, especially oversized ones are big this year).

Gather a bunch of pieces, and sew them into a unique slouchy hobo, like the one here.

needlepoint slippers are a big fashion trend

Make a pair of needlepoint slippers. This kind of slipper is also a big fashion trend and needlepoint ones keep showing up.

Collect some vintage needlepoint bracelets, If you do silk gauze, make some inserts and add them to your own bracelets, especially using bracelets with channels.

Finally why not cut up some old needlepoint and use them to cover a pair of shoes? Click on the picture to see how.

I’ve seen needlepoint strappy sandals (from Tory Burch), custom needlepoint cowboy boots, needlepoint furniture (chairs and footstools).

Take your needlepoint out from under the bed, upcycle it, wear it and be in the forefront of fashion.

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Fashion & Needlepoint

Filed Under: accessories, Fashion, Jewelry, Nuts About Needlepoint Tagged With: collection, color, Fashion, needlepoint, purse, sandal, slipper, two-rectangular, under-the-bed, valentino

Napa Needlepoint Garage Sale

June 8, 2012 by NutsAboutNeedlepoint · Leave a Comment

I had a few things returned from a shop and want to sell them at bargain basement prices. There is only one of each, so it’s first come, first served.

The prices follow the item name.

Hearts of Gold Needlecase (stitch guide for Whimsy & grace canvas) $2
Hearts of Gold Scissors Case (stitch guide for Whimsy & grace canvas) $2
Bargello Basics (hand out from class with several Bargello patterns) $3
Bargello Mini-socks (comb-bound book, patterns from Bargello Revisited) $3
Scrap Bag Needlepoint (comb-bound book) $3

If you want any of these, please contact me. Shipping will be either first class or media mail in the US, whichever is cheapest, and global priority mail outside the US.

Originally posted here:
Napa Needlepoint Garage Sale

Filed Under: Nuts About Needlepoint Tagged With: class-or-media, comb-bound-book, follow-the-item, heart, metal-evening, needlecase, needlepoint, purse, sale, scissors-case, sneak, sneak peek, stitch guide

Turning a Bargello Purse into a Pillow

March 3, 2012 by NutsAboutNeedlepoint · Leave a Comment

Several different Missoni patterns, from the blog OC Family

I got a question last week asking about how you would turn my Missoni purse pattern into a pillow. If you look at the pattern as charted, you see there is a line of six stitches on one step, followed by three stitches where it moves up or down. A repeat of the pattern goes for the middle of one long step to the middle of the next step that is one the same level.

Missoni patterns, several of which are pictured here make great candidates for creating your own Bargello pattern as well.

You can easily extend any Bargello pattern as long as it repeats.

Here’s how:

First find a pattern where the chart (or picture) has a repeat, so you know how the pattern continues. Most Bargello patterns have repeats, but if you are taking another Bargello-like pattern, it might not. You can check this by using some graph paper and charting the pattern.

If it doesn’t repeat you can still do it as Bargello and extend it by taking some of the pattern and adding it onto itself at either end. I do this on graph paper first to be sure it looks good.

Now that you have a pattern, figure out the color sequence you want. In this case you could use the sequence on the purse or use a picture of another Missoni piece. Write it down, so you have it when you are looking for threads. Sometimes I even print the picture as a reference.

Mark the edges of your pillow on your canvas and find the center and mark it.

Start stitching at the center with the center stitch of the pattern. Stitch to one side, then the other.

Follow the color sequence you wrote down to stitch the other rows.

Missoni patterns are pretty good for this because as clothing or fabric, they do repeat. If the pattern doesn’t it’s harder to extend, since you have to make assumptions about what it will do.

See more here:
Turning a Bargello Purse into a Pillow

Filed Under: Nuts About Needlepoint Tagged With: bargello, color, Fashion, fashionable needlepoint, pattern, picture, purse, school

The Portable Needlepoint Tool Kit – One Woman’s Essentials

November 10, 2011 by NutsAboutNeedlepoint · Leave a Comment

In my recent epiphany about organizing my studio I realized some things about me and stitching on the road. I have optimized many of my choices for tools to be portable. The stuff goes into project bags or my purse and comes with me.

Here’s how I deal with my essential stitching tools.

First off let’s talk about needles. I lose them constantly. I also tend to use mostly one size of needles (22) and so about a year ago I stocked up. John James makes 25 packs of needles you might be able to find. Many of them live in a little tin that goes in one project bag. It’s the size of an Altoid minis tin and I bought it on Etsy. Usually there are a couple in every project as well, but not always. I was stick waiting someplace in the car and lost my needle. Usually there is one on the floor, but not that day.

So now I have a second, zippered needle case in my purse. I keep it there stuffed with even more needles, just in case I run out. It doesn’t take up much space and I know I’m always ready to stitch.

Scissors are another important things. You need to have them, but many scissors have points that will pierce even a reinforced project bag. I like these little titanium scissors. They are small with sharp, but not too sharp points and big comfy fingerholes. I have four pairs of them and usually they all are in project bags.

Since I found the little flat Lantern Moon ORT container (reviewed here) I take that with me. I’ve looked at other portable ORT containers, but this is the one that works for me. Another one might work for you.

The newest edition to my traveling kit is my iPodTouch. It has several stitch dictionaries on it and so I can look up stitches easily on the go.I also use the note pad for ideas, Weave (a free to do application) to keep track of projects, and if I had time to do it, thread inventories — all in the size of a small notepad.

These things sound small, and they are, but they have changed my stitching life. I can be organized, I don’t worry about not having a needle, a stitch idea, or a place to put my ORTs. I know my stitching will stay neat and I will be organized and that peace of mind is worth so much.

Go here to read the rest:
The Portable Needlepoint Tool Kit – One Woman’s Essentials

Filed Under: Nuts About Needlepoint, tools Tagged With: essential, lantern-moon, laying tool, little-titanium, making-time, organization, perfect-tool, portable, project-as-well, purse, stitching, tools, traveling, urban, useful tools

Final Peacock

December 10, 2010 by NutsAboutNeedlepoint · Leave a Comment

Originally posted 2006-05-05 17:49:13. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

I finished the peacock Wednesday night (missed House – bummer but finished the peacock).

Since I spent the entire day running around and having to wait at places, this was a perfect needlepoint to do, small, one color, a stitch pattern I knew.

I loved my DD’s comment, she wished it had different stitches, inspite of all that glitter. My other DD would have been happy with the stitching but would likely prefer less metallic.

This is why it’s ultimately for me not for them.

Go here to read the rest:
Final Peacock

Filed Under: Nuts About Needlepoint Tagged With: abstract-cross, creating, creating-charts, emily-peacock, house, peacock, peacock-tales, permanent-link, photoshop, projects, purse, stitch-finished, stitch-pattern, stitching, wished-it-had

Timeless Totes Self-finishing Clutch – Product Review

September 22, 2010 by NutsAboutNeedlepoint · Leave a Comment

Timeless Totes has come out with their first self-finishing product and it’s a real winner.

The clutch is made of high-quality leather or suede in several colors. It has a magnet clasp for the flap and a lovely double-ended brass zipper. Open the asymmetrical flap and inside there is an open pocket. The purse is lined in high-quality satin.

It’s just about the best made leather good for self-finishing I’ve seen.

And it is also the best for self-finishing as well. The area for needlework is sewn around with stitching about 1/4″ beyond the open area. This creates a firm border for the needlework and makes it easy to know if you have trimmed your needlework enough.

The adhesive film is covered with paper, thoughtfully cut into three pieces. This makes it easy to remove without tearing, a problem I often have with other products.

The adhesive is really strong, so place your needlework carefully on the exposed film. Then lift the sides and tuck in the edges.

With other self-finishing projects, I felt I could always remove the needlework easily and replace it with another piece, but this needlework isn’t going anywhere.

The Timeless Totes clutch is a wonderful product.

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Timeless Totes Self-finishing Clutch – Product Review

Filed Under: Nuts About Needlepoint Tagged With: beyond-the-open, bizzi-creations, clutch, lift-the-sides, makes-it-easy, needlepoint, needlework, product-review, purse, review, self-finishing, timeless totes

Fleur de Lis Tote – Free Pattern from Ziva Needlepoint

September 18, 2010 by NutsAboutNeedlepoint · Leave a Comment

Free tote pattern from Ziva Needlepoint

Isn’t this tote bag cool? This free pattern from Ziva Needlepoint is stitched in wool using Cross Stitch, this tote is available in two sizes a 7″ and a 12″ square. The 12″ square has additional borders to make it bigger.

“Fleur de Lis” means lily in French and traditionally it was the symbol of the French King. It’s bold style is timeless.

Have a ton stitching this great project and check out Ziva’s other free designs (they post a new one every quarter).

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Fleur de Lis Tote – Free Pattern from Ziva Needlepoint

Filed Under: Nuts About Needlepoint Tagged With: bargello, bargello-cell, charming-free, charted needlepoint, contemporary, cross stitch, diamonds, free projects, french, geometric, purse, tote bag, ziva needlepoint

Needlepoint Purses Old & New

July 11, 2010 by NutsAboutNeedlepoint · Leave a Comment

Fendi needlepoint bag

Needlepoint tote inset by Janet Perry

purse from Needlepoint, Inc

You may be under the impression that needlepoint bags look like the very expensive Fendi bag pictured top. Or that they are leather or canvas bags with a needlepoint insert such as my Haida Feather bag, center. Or even that they are made entirely from needlepoint, similar to this bag from Needlepoint, Inc., bottom.

vintage needlepoint purse

One thing they all have in common is that they are modern bags incorporating needlepoint. But needlepoint as a front for bags has been around a long time. Lovers of vintage fashion can often find needlepoint bags such as the one above because quite often they were kept for special occasions.

If you want to learn more about needlepoint purses, or buy one of your own, start with About.com page about needlepoint purses, written by Cheryl Fall, Needlepoint Guide.

Thanks to Jane from Chilly Hollow for pointing this out, I’m sending cool thoughts your way.

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Needlepoint Purses Old & New