Nuts about Needlepoint » charts

Downloadable Needlepoint Book – Needlepoint A Foundation Course

Janet Perry — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 15:22:56 +0000

Originally posted 2010-02-04 07:28:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

This book, Needlepoint A Foundation Course, is by Sandra Hardy and was originally published by England’s Guild of Master Craftsman in 1998. The complete book is now available as a download in Hotfiles or Depositfiles format (click on the link to go to the page).

This book is a good overview of needlepoint, with simple, clear explanations of basic stitches and techniques. While not all of her information is correct, there is lots of good stuff in this book. Some of the techniques, like shading, beadwork, and waste canvas are more advanced. Each technique has clear pictures illustrating it and a project to follow.

In general the 18 projects are traditional in design, calling on traditional and folks art for their inspiration. All of the projects have complete materials lists and working instructions. All are charted. This is my biggest problem with the book. The charts are in black and white with symbols and can be very hard to read. if possible, enlarge them before stitching.

For the more adventurous stitcher there is information about dying your own yarn and canvas as well as a chapter on design. The design chapter covers design, color, borders and the technical aspects of getting your design onto canvas.

Tiny Treasures – Product Review

Janet Perry — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:57:30 +0000

Originally posted 2010-07-13 07:53:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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.

Video Games and Needlepoint

Janet Perry — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:06:53 +0000

Originally posted 2009-10-19 07:26:21. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Sprite Stitch is a completely delightful site working at the intersection of the video gaming world and needlework.

The pixelated graphics of video games are perfectly suited to becoming the basis for needlepoint or cross stitch.

In fact one of their moderators has just posted a list of Sprite Stitch projects, organized by topic. This links to patterns in the forums as well as comments and inquiries about patterns.

It’s a wonderful starting point for exploration.

Thanks to Denise from Craft Gossip for letting me know about this.

Quaker-Inspired Ornament Design – Freebie from Kincavel Krosses

Janet Perry — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:30:42 +0000

Kell Smurthwaite of Kincavel Krosses has free designs that are often witty (like her seven deadly sins series I wrote about here) and always just lovely.

I’ve been looking at many Quaker-inspired designs that are good sizes for ornaments because these simple, geometric patterns make great needlepoint. But, at the moment, I don’t want to buy any since I’m trying HARD to use up stash not add to it.

That’s why I simply love Kell’s charming Quaker freebie ornament. You can get the chart here and it is free to make for your personal use,

Introducing Happy Threads

Janet Perry — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:38:38 +0000

Originally posted 2009-08-29 07:03:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

There is a phenominal new resource availble on the Internet for people who like to stitch from charts. Happy Stitch is from Australia and the designs are all original, contemporary in style, and free.

In the free needlepoint charts,there is “Basement Cat,” a term familiar to all those reading about LOLCats. You can also find hearts, flowers, a delightful ladybug and more.

There is a section of beginner’s charts as well. The cross stitch charts are found in several places. Some of them are listed under “free cross stitch charts” in the top menu bar. A more complete selection can be found by looking at this summary of posts and clicking to see the complete article.

The charts are available as free PDFs, so you can print them easily for stitching. A clickable summary of everything available is in a widget on the right side.

Poinsettia Quilt Block Ornament – Free Design

Janet Perry — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:13:50 +0000

This bold;y graphic ornament is loosely based on a quilt block. Using all straight stitches and surrounded by a border of Straight Gobelins and Continental, this is a quick to finish project for the holidays.

I stitched mine on 18 mesh canvas using Kreinik 1/16″ ribbon (gold), Planet Earth wool (white), Gumnuts wool (green), and two of the new High Cotton colors (reds).

I made some changes from the chart. It’s charted for red, green, and gold. I took the green triangles in the center of each side and made them dark red. This gives the blossom some depth.

click for full-size chart

The border has one round of Straight Gobelin over three (remember to miter the corners), followed by a single row of Continental in green.

Four Needlepoint Gift Tags – Free Pattern

Janet Perry — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:51:07 +0000

Get these free gift tag patterns at My 365 magazine's site.

These four almost Twinchie (34 stitches square) quilt blocks are really quick to stitch and can be finished quickly to make simple ornaments or gift tags.

They are stitched in colors to compliment the overdyed canvas colors, but any scrap of mono canvas will do.

I just love the bright bold look.

The patterns for the quartet are free and can be found in My 365‘s holiday issue, out today. The beautiful magazine is on-line and free.

As a part of the issue, I’m participating in a giveaway of my books. Visit the site to learn how to enter.

BTW to turn any of these into a true Twinchie, just add a one row “binding” in Continental as a border.

UPDATE: I was told the issue was posting today (it isn’t up as of about 9:30 Pacific), but I would check back daily until it’s up. As of late Friday evening (12/2), the holiday issue is up.

Crosspoint – A Different Kind of Needlepoint

Janet Perry — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 14:32:13 +0000

Crosspoint is needlepoint but needlepoint with a difference. It’s a great break for people who like charted designs and it’s a wonderful transition for Cross Stitchers who want to try something more like traditional needlepoint. It’s charted so the design is not printed on the ground. But the big differences are in the ground and the stitch. Crosspoint is not stitched on needlepoint canvas but on natural jute fabric. This fabric is worked in hand, not on stretcher bars. Like traditional needlepoint and unlike Cross Stitch, the background is completely covered. The stitches are complete Cross Stitches, not the Tent Stitch of needlepoint. If you have ever stitched an Elizabeth Bradley kit, you will have done this. If you are looking for a needlepoint change, try Crosspoint. Related posts: DMC Announces a New Kind of Waste Canvas Embroidery Traditions – Palestine Cross Stitch Basics Thinking Outside the Box – Adapting a Chart to Needlepoint Half-cross and the Difference between Needlepoint and Cross Stitch Related posts:

Classic Video Games as Needlework

Janet Perry — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:18:14 +0000

Originally posted 2008-07-24 07:45:38. Republished by Blog Post PromoterShortly after I got married we bought and Atari. Being two geeks, we played it — a lot. Enough so that when we got rid of it, we swore we’d never buy another system. A promise we have kept so far. But recently my kids have been talking about classic video games and how fun they are. and then we saw WALL-E on Monday night and it had Pong in it. All of this has gotten me nostalgic for those wonderfully pixelated sprites in classic video games. They’d make great little needlepoint. Sure enough, someone has a tutorial on how to make your own. Go visit it and spend some time exploring her site, it’s tons of fun. And then go make a millipede for yourself. Related posts: Video Games and Needlepoint Classic Needlepoint Recharted – Monday Series Learn from Needlepoint Now’s Huge Video Collection Fantastic Video on Beading with Great Eye Candy Great Needlework Videos Related posts:

Charming Free Patterns from Two Sites

Janet Perry — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:41:33 +0000

Originally posted 2010-02-27 07:59:03. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

be stitched heart sampler

Don’t you just love this hearts sampler? Even though it is intended for Cross Stitch, can’t you just see it on open canvas? I can and keep picturing it in several colors of Kreinik metallics. If you didn’t want to stitch the whole thing, why not make one block on perforated paper and put it on a card as a homemade Valentine for next year. Or make it in cream and gold for a wedding card.

The designer is Be Stitched and the designer is Erynne. She is offering her designs free for non-commercial purposes (i.e. you can’t republish or sell).

Currently there are six patterns, all wonderful, available. A big thank you to Denise at Craft Gossip for pointing Be Stitched out.

Happy Threads design

Click on over to Australia’s Happy Threads needlepoint site for this charming needlepoint color wheel design. I love the bright colors and the rectangular shape is so useful. I’m thinking three of them in a row would be a great bookmark (maybe for Funk & Weber’s Bookmark Challenge?). You can also find instructions for finishing a bookmark at Happy Threads.

While you are there, be sure to check out her wonderful collection of free charts. If you like something print it out. Charlie has announced that each year she will remove many of the previous year’s chart and repackage the best of them into a book for sale in her shop.

It is so nice to find such great free needlepoint design.