Originally posted 2009-07-21 06:48:19. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Last week, Dee posted a comment which said, “Love all the different styles you do in needlepoint and mixing the stitches but what do you do with all of your needlepoint? ”
That’s a great question and one which most of us stitchers face. For years, like so many of us, I stitched but didn’t turn the finished items into anything. In other words I completed UFO’s but I didn’t actually finish them. And I have two stuffed full boxes of needlepoint to prove it.
About two years ago I made a decision to finish the stuff I made. I’m doing pretty good at this by following some not very rigid guidelines.
1. Stockpile finishing items. If I see a box or album or something at the store (especially thrift stores) which could have needlepoint in it, I buy it. I have a basket in my studio and a box in the garage with stuff to finish. When planning new projects I look to these first.
For example the Haida feather is going in a Lee Tote Bag I bought last month. Some of the Bargello I have in my pile to do is going in an album from Target.
2. Plan your needlepoint for finishing. I’ve written about this before, if it’s going to be a picture, make it the size of a standard frame or matte (and you do stockpile frames when they are on sale, don’t you?)
3. Before you begin a project, figure out where it will go. The reason I have those boxes of stitched needlepoint is that I didn’t stitch with a purpose. I’d pull something from the stash which I liked and stitched it. It went from unstitched stash to stitched stash. Big difference. Now
I don’t pull something from the stash unless I have a plan for it. Yes, the canvases mostly stay there, but they did before and I do look through that stash more often.
Does this always work? No. But I am getting better and have added significantly to the boxes under the daybed.
You can see all my posts about finishing, organized by topic in Let’s Get . . . Finishing.
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Janet,
I enjoy your column daily. My problem is not unfinished finished projected but all the unfinished projectes I have! I am trying not to start new ones but that is difficult. I have a lot of canvases not started in my stash at home. I just want to complete my unfinished stash. Unfortunately, I am not a fast stitcher but a pretty steady one except when the “down” cycle in my life hits. I have been working on the goal and making some progress for which I am pleased and rejoice every time I complete one. I am then overjoyed to have it framed or whatever. I often give pillows to dear friends who appreciate the time and effort which go into the process. I have also quite buying new projects except for a very precious few. I am trying to do ornaments for my grandchildren and special things for them that hopefully will be handed down in the generations. Keep writing and expanding your ideas.
great topic. I always follow your #3 rule – determine the final project before you get started. My favorite project is where I have a vision of the needlepoint – a picture, a stitch pattern (I do alot of bargello) and then I FIRST pick the fabric that will accompany the piece (for a pillow, tote bag, whatever). If I don’t like the fabric, how can I ever like the needlepoint project? Then I pick threads using colors from the fabric. It’s alot easier to match threads to fabric than to match fabric to pre-stitched threads. This sounds kinda corny but I think of my fabric as my muse and I keep it nearby to inspire me to make the needlework sing. I just bought a yard of indigo dyed Bali-type batik fabric and can’t wait to start the stitching that will match it. And I have stitched Janet’s cat scrap bag pattern using bits and pieces of other fabric – making a small pin cushion or bookmark.
Excellent advice, Janet!
You can also share a photo of the finished needlepoint on my website. I’m collecting photos of the best patterns. http://www.embroidery-methods.com/needlepoint-patterns.html
Please share your favorite, and I’d be happy to exchange a link back to your blog!