Nuts about Needlepoint » picture frames

Frames for Maggie Co and Ewe & Eye

Janet Perry — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:52:04 +0000

Deux Bijoux Bijoux makes amazing frames for Maggie Co and Ewe & Eye canvas. They are intricately painted and do a wonderful job of extending the design onto the frame.

There is plenty to see and plenty to love in the gallery of Maggie Co and Ewe & Eye frames.

Framing Needlework Tutorial

Janet Perry — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:36:44 +0000

Originally posted 2010-01-16 07:23:16. Republished by Blog Post PromoterShout out to Laura Perin for telling us about this lovely tutorial on how to frame needlework. It’s not hard to do and if you learn to do it yourself you can take advantage of sales and less expensive frames. The instructions are in three languages, with English being the second. Also spend some time looking at the posts and on the lovely projects she has done and framed. Related posts: Bath Mosaic — Framing and Finishing Mounting Needlework through Lacing Tutorial New Products at On-line Needlework Show Do You Work in Hand? Project for a Needlework Keeper Some Tips & Ideas for Framing Needlepoint Related posts:

Clippings – Holiday Weekend Edition

Janet Perry — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:43:24 +0000

Considering we went to friends on Thursday, so I didn’t have to cook, and that we didn’t go shopping, I’ve been pooped since Friday afternoon. I’m figuring it’s been all the household chores and organizing my DH and I did all week.

So today I have a clippings post with an assortment of intriguing and useful blog posts I came across over the weekend.

Threadworx Journal was immensely popular in its on-line version. Happily, Threadworx has decided to make each issue of the magazine available in a printed version. You can buy them each here. Each issue is $11.99. They use PayPal for the sales.

Finding ornament patterns that work for boys can be tough. But the Cross Stitch design Kell Smuthwaite of Kincavel Krosses has an adorable whole stitch Little Samurai chart available free on her site. These would make such cute ornaments.

I saw these bottle top ornaments on Craft Gossip (thanks Denise!) and was thinking they were made on soda bottle tops, so they wouldn’t work well for needlepoint. But when I looked at the tutorial, I found they were made from milk or juice bottle tops.

The instructions talk about fabric. But you can easily adapt them to needlepoint by stitching on Congress Cloth or by doing needlepoint on evenweave fabric. I love the look of these little guys. They would make such great little gifts.

Finding great mats for your needlepoint can be a real challenge. Often it’s easier (and more interesting) to find a fabric that sets off the stitching perfectly. But fabric does not a mat make. Thanks to Denise at Craft Gossip I discovered this great tutorial on how to make fabric-covered mats. While she suggests cotton, any light-weight fabric will work.

If you follow my thrifty needlepoint idea of stitching in standard frame sizes, you should be able to find mats with openings that size that fit standard frame sizes. Buy a fat quarter of a great fabric, the mat, and a frame you like and you have the makings of a completely unique gift.

On the BeStitched blog there is the start of a series on beginning and ending threads. This post covers Basketweave.

Many of my friends have stitched Maggie Lane’s Kimono using the little book published that collected more than 90 stitches in one place. And it is stunning indeed. I have the book, but haven’t gotten to it. John Waddell has updated the piece from its restrained ecru colors to a bright and bold collection. He will be offering the class through the Shining Needle Society next year. You can read about it in this post and sign up on the SNS Home Room. This may be enough to get me working on it at last.

How to Make Needlepoint Fit Ready-made Frames

Janet Perry — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:54:18 +0000

Originally posted 2009-09-02 07:36:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

I finished this Bargello cupcake last week and decided it would look fantastic in a rough wood frame I have. It’s great to use frames you find inexpensively to frame your needlepoint and it can cut finishing costs dramatically, but, as my friend Marianne learned, it isn’t as easy as it looks.

First, be aware that the stated frame “size” is the size of the opening NOT the size of the picture on the front. Depending on how much lip there is on the frame the size of what shows can be considerably smaller. Therefore, unless you “test” your design by fitting the frame over it, plan of having white space all around your design.

My problem here is that I have a pretty center and a frame, but I need to know how much background to stitch.

If you have cardboard in your frame place it under the needlepoint, center the design on it and mark a little line of each side. connect the lines. If you have glass only, put it on top of the design, center the needlework and mark. Draw the lines without the glass or cardboard in the way.

Use a light colored thin marker safe for fabric to mark. Let dry overnight and stitch. I always stitch over the lines, just to be sure.

If your frame has no glass or cardboard, measure the inside dimension of the frame as well as the dimensions of the opening. Center the design using the inside dimension (You can do this by putting the frame on top of the needlepoint. But use the size of the opening for stitching the background.

Last Day for Early Bird Price on Stash Club

Janet Perry — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:54:17 +0000

Today is the last day to sign up for my stash busting club — the Easiest Needlepoint Club Ever.

The special price of $30 for a whole year of delightful projects designed to help you use your stash of threads ends at midnight Pacific.

The first stash busters project

Each month, beginning tomorrow, you’ll get emailed to you a PDF of a great stash-busting project, usually including finishing instructions, so you can create unique projects such as the two shown here.

Even better, participants will have a chance to order finishing items, threads for backgrounds, and selections of scrap bag threads at special prices.

If you live outside the US, this club is great because all projects are sent to you electronically — no long waits for the mail, no customs hassling, no extra payments for international shipping.

I love using up my stash and I think you will too. Click on the button below to pay with PayPal or a credit card, or contact me (using the link in the masthead above) to arrange for payment via check.

Remember, the price goes up to $45 for the year tomorrow, so don’t delay!

Adapt this Idea to Display Needlepoint

Janet Perry — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 08:15:00 +0000

One of my great frustrations as a needlepointer is finding frames that are deep enough to display the pieces properly.

Christine of the blog Les petits croix de Christine created this magnificent display for her cross stitch pieces using matboard and fabric.

Not only can you make these plenty deep to display your stitching. You can make them any size you want. Unlike store-boought frames, odd shapes (even a square is an odd shape) aren’t hard to find or more expensive.

And you can make then with any fabric you like.

Visit the blog post from Denise at Craft Gossip to find out more.

Thanks Denise!

Lacing Tutorial

Janet Perry — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 14:16:06 +0000

Many people find lacing the back of needlework essential to keep the stitching taut when framed. But finding good information on how to do it has always been a struggle for me. This outstanding lavishly illustrated lacing tutorial from Plays with Needles shows you how to lace step-by-step. Although she is lacing fabric, the process is the same for needlepoint. Thanks to Denise at Craft Gossip for pointing this out. Related posts: Mounting Needlework through Lacing Tutorial Make a Tassel from Embroidery Floss Learn to Stitch Turkeywork Framing Needlework Tutorial Tutorial on Creating Charts using Photoshop Related posts:

Charted Needlepoint from France

Janet Perry — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:00:28 +0000

Annick LaTourelle is a French designer of charted needlepoint. Her charming geometric designs can be seen (and ordered) from her website. To get it in English, click on the UK flag in the right column.

Her needlepoint designs include geometrics and three charming picture frames. She sells some as charts only (click on charts in the left column), and some as kits (needlepoint kits are listed in both embroidery kits and complete kits). She also sells Threadworx floss and needlepoint canvas.

While some of her designs are featured on the home page, click around to see more delightful designs.

If you are in France, Germany, or Belgium, click on the news link in the left column to get the schedule of fairs where you can see her.

A big shout-out to Jane in Chilly Hollow for setting out on the search for this.

Make your own Easel to Display Needlepoint

Janet Perry — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 14:07:15 +0000

Use a drapery hook to make this easel

If you are like me, you love small needlepoint designs. In fact that is most of what I stitch. But finding ways to display them can be difficult.

Sue Dulles has a post on her blog with detailed instructions on how to reuse a drapery hook to make this charming easel. I just love it and, to tell you the truth, have bought ones that look just like it.

Now I don’t have to! I’m thinking of making a bunch to display my twinchies. With some of my little boxes and a small bouquet, this will look so wonderful on an end table.

Anna Marie Winter’s Outstanding Technique Site – Web Site Review

Janet Perry — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:38:17 +0000

I have long been an admirer of Anna Marie Winter’s work. She’s a phenomenal stitcher, teacher, and designer, and is based in Canada. She has a lovely gallery of her needlepoint at Stitch Amaze as well as a gallery on her own site. She teaches at national seminars, and through workshops, both on-line and in person. Her designs are available through Bedecked and Beadazzled.

But what I love best about her site is her innovative set of needlepoint tips and techniques. All of them are listed on this master page and are done as PDFs, so they are easy to print out. Included among them are articles on organizing, finishing, and most recently, one on transfer printing for canvas.

Check them out, they’re great!