accessories Archive

Originally posted 2009-11-23 07:01:57. Republished by Blog Post PromoterAbout a month before Christmas is not the best time to start thinking about making Christmas gifts. But, judging from my email, many of you are procrastinators, just like me. I went into my usual panic (even though I’m in remarkably good shape at the moment) and got thinking about what to look for to make needlepoint into gifts. In no particular order, here are some ideas: needlepoint bookends Get a set of inexpensive metal bookends and some 14 mesh plastic canvas. Stitch the canvas to be about 1″ bigger than the bookend on the sides and top. Make two of these. Cut two more pieces the same size, but don’t stitch them. Spray paint the bookends another color if desired. Stitch one stitched and one unstitched piece of canvas together and slip the bookend in. Photo Albums Look for albums with

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Originally posted 2010-11-07 07:29:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter Do you have some rounds of needlepoint sitting around stitched but not made into anything? One idea I’ve thought about often is using them to make pincushions. On the craft blog, Creations by Kara, there are great instructions on using an old tunafish can to make a pincushion (pictured above). As you can see she used fabric for the top, but needlepoint would work just as nicely. The critical thing here is the size of the needlepoint (a 9.5″ circle), including 1/2″ of unstitched canvas. Put your gathering stitches 1/4″ inch from the edge and use a REALLY strong thread like heavy linen or perle cotton. Otherwise the instructions should be followed. You could also do this with smaller cans, like small cat food cans to make a group of dainty pieces. They will also make great gifts for sewing friends!

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Even if you have never tried your own design before you will learn how easy it is to create lovely personalized gifts in this Initial Needlepoint Mini-Class. In this two-lesson class you’ll create two gifts: the initial ornament and the super-size initial boxtop. You’ll learn: how to enlarge a letter for needlepoint how to transfer a design to needlepoint canvas how to pick an alphabet that works for monograms using Bargello needlepoint as a background using metallic effectively as a background self-finishing for boxtop or ornament Because the class is on-line, you don’t ned to travel to learn or even learn at the time the class is held. Nothing could be easier. The class begins May 5, 2013 and is only $20. This is an early bird discount. On April 4, 2013, the price goes up to $25. Use the PayPal button below to enroll now. If you would prefer

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Originally posted 2009-08-28 07:39:50. Republished by Blog Post PromoterI’ve come across some delightful new needlepoint products for you to look for at your local shop. Here’s a round-up of some of them. Painted Canvas CBK Needlepoint Collections has added a new artist, Designs by Karen. These designs feature animals against light backgrounds on 18 mesh. Lucinda Gregory Rice is doing custom portraits of your pet in hand-painted canvas. The size of the design is 12″ x 16″. She is also doing a series of monthly Bargello ornament leaflets, printed on cardstock and three-hole punched. Raymond Crawford has a charming set of destinations canvases. They are 9″ x 3″ and spell out the place with reminders of what makes it great. Projects & Kits River Silks has a stunning new Kit to Go featuring a pansies design by Leigh Richardson (Designs by Leigh). The kit has everything you need to stitch

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Originally posted 2008-08-05 08:08:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter I’m a big fan of being thrifty in needlepoint. I have so much thread that shopping my stash first is always an excellent idea. But using your thread stash should include more things than just needlepoint. I found this podcast from CraftyPod on how to use scrap thread to make pendants from washers. It’s a great idea and doesn’t use much thread. I’m thinking about going to the hardware store and getting an assortment of washer, wrapping them and putting them together on some fabric to make a cool Christmas ornament

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Originally posted 2010-05-30 07:04:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter This bold needlepoint Bargello cell phone case is designed to hook on your belt. It’s the free pattern in the quarterly newsletter from Ziva Needlepoint. Ziva’s designs have a clean contemporary style and are geometrics based on historic design periods. They design needlepoint accessories for the home and for you and I’m bowled over by how wonderful the designs are. In addition to the lovely designs on the site, you will also find information about finishing many of the items. The designs come as hand-painted canvas with a guide to the amounts and colors of wool needed, a needle, and instructions for finishing the project. There is also a free bracelet design, Anatolie, done in Basketweave available from the first newsletter. A big shout out to Denise from Craft Gossip and Althea from Bargello Needlepoint for pointing this out to me

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This lovely project is Ziva Needlepoint’s tribute to Monet. This needlepoint scissors case free pattern features a cloisonne waterlily, stitched in Satin Stitch. It also includes French Knots and STem Stitch. On Ziva’s page for the design, you get information about the background of the design, Satin Stitch instructions, and all the instructions you need to make the project

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Originally posted 2008-12-17 18:37:25. Republished by Blog Post PromoterLess than 10 days until Christmas and you still need to make some gifts. You don’t want to give an unfinished canvas, you want something you can stitch and finish quickly. All about Stitching has a series of delightful projects you can stitch and finish in plenty of time. They’re called Stitch, Slip & Go. They consist of a hand-painted canvas, done on 12 mesh canvas, so it’s quick to stitch and a tote bag. Stitch the needlepoint, slip it into the pocket in the bag and sew the pocket shut. And, instantly, you have a wonderful project. Besides these canvases, you can make something even more quickly by using one of their 7 mesh canvases for the bag insert. These come packaged in kits with their own project bag. Great stuff, great gift

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Originally posted 2008-08-15 06:59:03. Republished by Blog Post PromoterThe Needlepoint Belt Series Ann Cady Scott, self-pubished, 2003, $65 I have to say the I REALLY wish this book had more information. Needlepoint belts remain a popular item and a book covering them would be really welcome. There are several issues regarding needlepoint belts which need to be covered but aren’t. The introduction is very short and, I’m afraid, gives me little help in the questions most stitchers will have when they want to make a belt. Some of these things, for example, how do I know how wide the belt should be, could be answered with a phrase (measure another belt). Others, like adding rows for finishing, could simply have a range of numbers. I like that the book has so many charts of different motifs to put into a belt, but I’d really like to learn how to put

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Originally posted 2008-11-14 17:45:21. Republished by Blog Post PromoterOrna has just posted a fabulous free design on her site, Taltul. It is a glorious diamond-shaped geometric in Orna’s wonderful bright color palette. I love Orna’s designs because she packs so much into them. I thought I had seen it completely, but then I notice there are Crescents along the edges of the piece, layered stitches, and a little stitched “jewel” in the center. The design is available as a PDF and what a PDF. In full color, it shows how to do every stitch with large, clear diagrams. Every thread has a number, such as Thread #3. In the text Orna has thoughtfully used these terms and left a blank for you to fill in if you are using different threads. There is instruction on how to attach beads, and detailed finishing instructions. The finishing is done during the last

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Originally posted 2010-06-26 07:19:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter The Rhodes Stitch (named for legendary stitcher Mary Rhodes) is a very flexible stitch. It can be any size. It can be any shape. It also attracts attention wherever you use it. And for many stitchers learning to make Rhodes Stitches can be a problem. Kincavel Krosses has recently published this simply delightful Rhodes Stitch Biscournu. Designed to be done on fabric, it will give you lots of practice making squares and butterflies in Rhodes Stitches. Imagine how great this would be in a multi-colored thread! If you have never seen a biscornu, they are eight-sided pincushions often made from fabric. You can also make them from needlepoint. A lovely illustrated tutorial on making biscornu is at Own Two Hands. Another charming biscornu instruction site, with pictures of several biscornu is from Pretty Impressive Stuff. Thanks to Denise from Craft Gossip

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By using two colors of floss you like (wool would also work) and interlock canvas you can easily make this charming little Milanese Stitch pouch. The illustrated tutorial uses Aida fabric, but it can easily be adapted to use Interlock, or the even lighter garment canvas. With interlock canvas you can skip the FrayChek step because interlock won’t unravel. I would not recommend mono for this project because it’s thickness will make it hard to sew. A high five to Denise at Craft Gossip for pointing this out

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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

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Using products from your local chain crafts store, or maybe some leftover knitting yarn and this striking geometric pattern, Jenny Henry shows how to make this eyeglass case in a wonderful illustrated tutorial. You go from start to finish with pictures along the way showing you how too chart the pattern, as well as how to stitch, line and assemble the case. Great project, outstanding tutorial!

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Originally posted 2008-11-07 07:12:32. Republished by Blog Post PromoterAMH Designs has made a huge impact both in and outside the needlepoint world. Amy’s modern designs and inventive uses of needlepoint have been talked about everywhere. I just love her clean, modern style and the way she is making needlepoint easy for people who have thought they couldn’t needlepoint. She wrote to me recently about a new product — needlepoint iPod/phone cases. She said: “[They] are stitched on plastic canvas- which gives them a nice rigidity. And I use Paternayan wool thread (no acrylic junk) so they look really nice when they are all stitched up. People love them although many don’t want to take the time to make one themselves (at least that is what I am finding in New York where people seem not to have a lot of free time. Maybe with the economy going sour, they might

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