blackwork Archive

Originally posted 2009-08-20 06:36:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter The next two borders in the needlepoint reproduction of the Bath Mosaic combine Tent Stitch and Backstitch. Each will be shown as a straight border and then as the corner. The first border is made up of Backstitched squares with Tent Stitch squares in three colors of silk inside them. Remember: blue squares – blue Needlepoint Inc 325, red squares – terra cotta Splendor S925, green squares – gray Splendor S920. Being the border 3 threads rom the previous border. The terra cotta and gray stitches form “L’s” in one corner of the square while the blue is in the other corner. This means that at the corners, the blue squares will meet up on only one side. The corner chart, above, shows the placement of the border in relation to the previous border. The next border (the fifth counting from

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This lovely cross in Blackwork is based on Celtic Interlacing. I originally stitched it in gold on Levantine blue canvas, but it can be stitched in any combination of fabric and thread. Striking in it’s simplicity, it’s great pattern. You can get it free by contacting me to get added to my mailing list. Happy Saturday stitching!

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In this painting, the first thing you notice is how beautifully the pots are shaded. Translating it to needlepoint, you scratch your head and wonder if you are constrained only to stitching Tent Stitch. In my upcoming class for Art Needlepoint, the answer is a resounding NO! Using this canvas, Vessels, as the basis you’ll have a chance to learn the basics of shading with needleblending and so much more. You’ll have an opportunity to learn three different ways to shade using textured stitches, shading in techniques like pattern darning and blackwork, as well as a chance to try out different threads in cotton, wool, and silk. The class begins in just one week on April 9, 2012 and is complimentary with the purchase of the class kit. You can buy it here. I’m very excited about this class and how these simple techniques will create big bang effects on

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Originally posted 2006-04-25 06:44:17. Republished by Blog Post PromoterI decided that the Leaf Mask really needed a background and chose one of my favorite Blackwork patterns in white Elegance which matches the color of the canvas. The pattern is simple to do but results in a complex pattern. (The picture shows the chart). The result, since it’s stitched in white, is a richley textured background which highliights the difference between the open and “filled” places. Because it’s Blackwork it is less heavy than the stitching on the focal point. Because it’s white, the pattern doesn’t overshador the other stitching. In fact it is better than I had hoped and shows why Blackwork can be perfect for backgrounds. To make this kind of background you need to do two things. 1. Pick a Blackwork pattern which is an overall pattern, on the small side. 2. Pick a thread which is close

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Blackwork is an wonderfully effective technique to use as a background for needlepoint. By its nature Blackwork has several characteristics that make it great for backgrounds. First, it’s open, so it will almost always look lighter than the focal point, even if the focal point is stitched in Tent Stitch, as is the case with the peach’s background. Second, because the stitches are usually done in thinner threads, it is lower and looks more distant than the focal point. You can see this in the chicken wire background for the rooster. Third, if you do the Blackwork in a color similar to the background color, you can use busy patterns that may not work if done in other colors. The pattern behind the cats is elaborate and large. If it had been done in textured stitches, it would overwhelm the cats. Here are some wonderful Blackwork patterns (called fills) that

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Working from the seamless Japanese pattern I created a couple of weeks ago, I was inspired to create Blackwork patterns. Because the lines of the hemp leaf pattern are oblique, they can be hard to create in needlepoint. I think these lines look better when stitched as lines and that means Blackwork, either on its own or over Tent Stitch. Remember that the original pattern is based on the shape of the hemp leaf and is call asanoha. I have created two patterns based on this. In the first, below, you can see the leaves pretty clearly. The second pattern, below, is larger, so that the leaves will only be apparent in a larger area. Remember that these are charted as traditional Blackwork charts, not as needlepoint diagrams. Each square in the chart represents a stitch going over two needlepoint threads. Therefore, the short oblique lines go over 4 threads

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Originally posted 2008-08-02 07:53:05. Republished by Blog Post PromoterAre you frustrated with finding the needlepoint books you want? Do you wish you had a place where you could go immediately and buy the books you’ve heard about? Me too. So I’ve added a bookstore to the blog. You can also access it anytime by clicking on the “Needlepoint Bookstore” link in the upper right corner of any page in the blog. It’s in association with Amazon.com. I’m going to be adding more categories as time goes on (including books on other fiber techniques, color, clip art, and books for ideas). I also plan on checking out the offerings weekly, so stop back often to look for updates. Many of the best needlepoint books are out of print, so this gives you a way of finding them and getting them quickly and easily. In addition, whenever a book I review is

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In this outstanding library of counted patterns (thanks to Denise of CraftGossip for pointing it out), you’ll find dozens of motifs from the riches of traditional Middle Eastern embroidery. The index page for the designs breaks them into technique. It shows a thumbnail of each design,describes it, and provides information about the source. Click on the title to get the full-size chart. The pieces cover a broad range of dates, from the 12th Century to today and come from many countries. It’s a marvelous resources and a wonderful source of ideas

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Laura J. Perin Designs,2005, $40 While you may know of Laura’s work from her lovely and popular quilt adaptations to needlepoint she also has many wonderful Blackwork designs. She compiled all the patterns and variations of patterns she has designed into this wonderful book. There are over 600 designs in all, divided into three groups of small, medium, and large patterns. The book begins with a short introduction, explaining the consistent symbols she uses throughout. Unlike traditional Bargello, which uses one color with only occasional accents, these patterns are designed to use up to 3 color plus beads. There is also a short chapter explaining the different stitches in Blackwork. Each of the patterns is shown three ways, with 1, 2, or 3 colors (or 3 colors with embellishments). Sometimes the patterns are just alternate ways to color them, sometimes they have additional stitches that give them a different look.

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Becky Hogg, Search Press (Turnbridge Wells, UK, 2010) ISBN:978-1-84448-551-2, $21.95 This book is one in a series on different techniques done under the banner of the Royal School of Needlework. In fact the author has both studied and worked there. This book is an excellent introduction to Blackwork with a strong emphasis on the use of the technique as a fill for outlined shapes and for shading. The stitched examples lavishly illustrate the book. Many are astonishingly complex and show off the use of Blackwork in classic and contemporary designs. Your jaw will drop (mine did) at the level of detail and shading you can get with this technique. The book begins with a history of Blackwork, then follows with a discussion of materials and how to frame your fabric so it is tight. Here they use a type of traditional embroidery frame called a slate frame, where the fabric

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Everything ‘Blackwork’ is New Again, Julia Key Snyder, self-published, 2011 (available at needlepoint shops) I love Blackwork and love to do it on my needlepoint, so I was very excited when I read about this book. When it arrived I was a little skeptical because, it’s just pages and pages of patterns with no names and no text. After having looked at it, I am now a fan of this approach. Each pattern is numbered and the diagrams are large. They are big enough to show several repeats of the pattern. That’s great because you really get a feel for how they will look. For one part of the pattern, the stitches are numbered, but arrows showing the direction to use for each stitch are shown on every single stitch in the diagram. That is the most incredibly helpful thing! Blackwork as a technique on needlepoint canvas has two stumbling

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This is going to be a very black and white week, with reviews of Blackwork books the next three days. To start the week off right, I want to let you know about a book available to download free (in four parts). Ensamplario Atlantico is 40 pages long with 35 pages of plates. It is split into four parts and can be downloaded here. The book is made available through the blog String or Nothing. They ask that you let them know about things you make with these patterns and that they not be used for commercial purposes. Thanks to Denise at Craft Gossip for pointing this out

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

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Originally posted 2009-08-13 07:07:06. Republished by Blog Post Promoter This week we’ll start stitching the Bath Mosaic. The chart for this week will cover the central medallion, the square around it and the first two borders. The chart is shown in parts, in a small size below. To get the full sized charts, click on the picture below. To help you find your place, each chart builds on the other ones. The design, when stitched on Congress Cloth is stitched using one strand of silk. If you are using 18 mesh canvas use two strands. The key to the charts is as follows: blue squares – blue Needlepoint Inc 325, red squares – terra cotta Splendor S925, green squares – gray Splendor S920 The design uses Tent Stitch and Blackwork only. Since the Tent Stitches are only single or in straight lines, continental stitch will be the best choice. This

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Originally posted 2009-08-06 07:37:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter Wherever the Roman legions went, they left their mark on the area one way or another. You find Roman aqueducts in Spain, a Romance (i.e. Roman) language in Eastern Europe, and, in England, floor mosaics from the time Rome ruled the island. When I was in England about 10 years ago, I fell in love with this mosaic that hangs in the Bath Museum. I thought it would make a great needlepoint piece and it did. The picture is of the finished piece. It’s one of my favorite projects ever with the strong curvy center of the design is surrounded by seven different borders, each with a different pattern in them. In addition to being a very nice design on its own, the Mosaic has lots of ideas for border designs for other work. I did it as a free project

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