Back when needlepoint was mainly Tent Stitch our projects got texture by the use of stitched patterns. Now that we use a much wider variety of stitches, most of our texture comes from these stitches. But we shouldn’t neglect stitch patterns. If you are doing an all-Tent project, they are life-savers, giving interest to your needlepoint. If you want the look of a printed fabric, many of these patterns are perfect. If you are looking for an elegant background, try stitching these vintage needlepoint fill patterns in two contrasting threads in the same color, creating needlepoint damask. The picture above shows an example of a needlepoint damask that is charted below.
Today’s vintage charts have half a dozen fill patterns taken from Berlinwork charts. Originally these would have used several contrasting colors. Today we would pick subtler colors. They are charted in contrasting colors to make the charts easier to see.
You might be wondering what is a “fill pattern?” These are patterns, usually small, that repeat throughout an area, filling it. For example if you have a fancy room with a fancy border near the ceiling and a chair rail and you put wallpaper between the two, that paper is the “fill.”
Fill patterns do not have edges or borders; they are designed to be repeated until the area on your stitching is filled.
Open Woven Basket:
This is the patterns used on the piece at the top of the article. Because the open rectangles change orientation, the patterns has a woven look.
Zig-zag Stripe:
This stripe makes for an interesting pattern. First, the black lines that create the sections give the pattern a vertical feel. Second the colored sections use to shades of the same color, creating a 3-d effect. Finally,the uneven horizontal stripe gives the pattern a bit of a Bargello feel.
Rectangular Check:
We normally think of checks as being square but there is no reason why you can’t create a rectangular check. The chart shows the smallest possible check (2×1). But there is no reason why you can’t make bigger checks or even make them from rectangular textured stitches, such as Cashmere.
Sunshine and Shadow Check:
Sunshine and shadow is the name often given to quilt patterns that alternate light and dark areas. This fill has every other block in black. With the colored blocks in a diagonal woven pattern of related colors.
Endless Knot:
This pattern is often called Endless Knot because the motifs have no beginning or end.It’s an example of what is called a half-drop pattern because each column of motifs drops half the width of the repeat from the previous column.
The chart only shows the motifs for clarity. Fill with whatever color you like.
Diamond Reversi:
I call patterns such as this that reverse colors “Reversi” after an old board game. Although charted in two colors,this pattern is fantastic in contrasting textures in the same color.It is larger than the other patterns shown, so it needs a bigger space to shine.
Come back in two weeks for more great vintage needlepoint recharted and adapted for modern stitchers.
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
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