The Art Needlepoint Co.
Needlepoint Canvases, Needlepoint Kits, Needlepoint Rugs, Artists on Needlepoint, Flowers, Paul Brent Collection, Old Masters, and much more!
So many things to do with a letter - needlepointed letter that is!
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Thomas Lawrence
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Right after his election to the Royal Academy a the minimum required age of twenty -five, Lawrence was given the commission for the portrait of Sarah Goodin Barrett Moulton. She had just turned eleven and arrived from Jamaica. The adolescent looks like she is about to perform a dance step in the wind, a wind ruffling her hair and blowing about the ribbons on her hat. She comes toward us, in front of a vast cloudy sky, looking at us with a candid expression (and an innocent ambiguity). The color of her dress explains the nickname Pinkie which at a very early date, as soon as it was painted, was given to the picture (and of course in contrast with Gainsborough's Blue Boy)
Nothing in this portrait foreshadowed the story's sad end: Pinkie died at the age of twelve, a week before Lawrence showed her portrait at the Royal Academy(at the time the work failed to win the huge popularity it still enjoys today).
(p158 of Only in America by Pierre Rosenberg)
Faces of Needlepoint
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
What Sports figure or Celebrity Would You like to Needlepoint?
Check this link for Hockey Needlepoint.
Fall 2011 Free Online Technique Classes
Friday, September 16, 2011
Oct 1 - Three Christmas Ornaments - Reproduce these three vintage wooden
Christmas ornaments in needlepoint using a variety of stitches in silk
and metallic threads. In addition to over 15 stitches, you'll learn: how
to make ornaments that are easier to have finished, techniques for
stitching hair, textured stitches to replace Tent Stitch
Oct 15 - Basic Shading with Needleblending - A charming Art Nouveau Iris
is the basis for this class that teaches even brand new stitchers how to
create shaded needlepoint easily.
Nov 1 - Shading the Face - Faces are one of the most difficult items to
create realistically in needlepoint. In this class for the advanced
stitcher you'll learn how to use needleblending and stranded silks to
make a lovely realistic face.
Some of our Spring Summer classes will repeat - so don't despair if you missed a class you were thinking of taking.
More classes will be scheduled for the new year!
Exhibits
Monday, September 12, 2011
Fall is often an exciting
time for galleries and museums world wide - a time when new art is
installed and exhibitions on view.
This
fall there are many regional and large museums with some fabulous
exhibits - too many to name here - so we are highlighting a few that may
tickle your fancy.
A
regional group show in CA hosted by the Getty Foundation. There will
be 68 exhibits in nearly all of the art institutions between Santa
Barbara and San Diego - all focused on regional artists. It is called
Pacific Standard Time - and the link will show you all the exhibits.
For those who love modern, there is a retrospective of Georges Braque spanning his five-decade career at the Acquavella Galleries in NYC.
The Met in NYC is about to open 19,000 square feet displaying Arab Treasures and Art spanning 13 centuries. We are planning a retreat to the MET in 2012, and we will be sure to see this during our visit.
London's
National Gallery will be showcasing 69 of Leonardo da Vinci's works. It
begins Nov 9 and runs until Feb. 5. 2012. While this was not one of
our sites for a retreat in 2012, we would very much like to see these
surviving works, many of which have not been in the public.
If you would be interested in joining Art Needlepoint in November or in January in London, please let us know so we may reserve an appropriate number of tickets.
In Cleveland (and then later in January 2012 at the MET), Chinese Art in the Age of Revolution opens on Oct 16th.
Helpful Clips for a Needlepoint Canvas
Thursday, September 08, 2011
Thank you Janet Perry from Nuts About Needlepoint for this post. Be sure to check out some of her other very helpful posts!
Canvas Clips – Product Review
If
you don’t mount your needlepoint on a frame, you have an on-going
problem. I find that I feel as though I’m battling with the canvas all
the time to find the place where I am stitching. I’m afraid I’ll stitch
the canvas to itself and get cramps in my hands from scrunching up the
canvas.
Canvas Clips from Dream House Ventures can solve many of these
problems. The package has two pairs of clips in it, small and large.
Like bobby pins, they are wavy on one side and straight on the other.
You use the by rolling the canvas and placing them (wavy side in) at
either end. This creates a smaller item to hold and protects the canvas
from the wear scrunching it can cause.
I tried the clips on two different canvases and compared it to
stitching the same canvas without clips. By and large they did what they
are supposed to do; made the canvas easier to hold while making the
area to be stitched clearly visible.
One of the canvases I used is an older canvas so it is very soft.
While the clips did keep the piece in a roll, it still flopped around.
Although it was easier to stitch, the flopping meant that the clip on
the end away from where I was stitching popped out, repeatedly.
Admittedly this canvas is in very bad shape, but this is something to
note because not all canvases will have a good tight fit.
The second canvases was newer. There were no problems here with the
clips coming off; they worked beautifully. However newer canvas still
has lots of sizing in it. It still kept the roll after I removed the
clips, so even my stitching without them went well.
This is a great and useful tool for those who like to stitch their needlepoint in hand.
Stitching with Silk Threads: A Primer
Monday, August 15, 2011
Silk threads have a lot of great qualities. It is one of the strongest fibers. It is easy to clean. It reflects light beautifully. And it is easy to use!
This Silk Primer refers to threads which are 100% silk, rather than the threads which are a combination of fibers, such as silk and wool for example.
Here are a few things you may want to keep in mind when using silk threads.
- Your hands should be clean and as smooth as possible. Very dry skin and ragged edges around your cuticle can snag the fiber as you stitch.To remedy this, try some hand lotion before stitching.
- When you use a stretcher bar with silk threads you may want to lightly sand the edges of your stretcher bars or wrap them with either artists canvas tape. or bias tape. However, if you put the stretcher bars on the edge of the canvas (the plain border area) rather than on the stitching area, you will not snag the threads.
- The needle you use with silk threads is also important. The eye should be smooth, and large enough so that the thread glides through, but not so large as to distort the canvas you are working on. A number 20 needle is a good size for many counts.
- Cut the threads either a maximum of 18 inches or from the tip of your middle finger to your elbow. A longer thread can knot up a little easier and may become fuzzy with repeated pull through - however, a good quality silk should never become fuzzy or split.
- There are two type of silk threads. One is divisible, such as Needlepoint Inc. silk threads, and silk threads which do not need to be divided, such as Vineyard Silk threads. If you are using a silk that needs to be divided it allows you more control over color placement and allows you to blend colors through the needle per stitch. When using a divisible fiber be sure to separate the plys to the appropriate density (number of plys) before you begin your stitch.
- A two step or stab motion is better with silk threads than a hand sewing in and out motion.
- Silk threads can untwist as you stitch. If this occurs you can turn the canvas upside down and let the needle hang freely. This will reset the thread and be ready to stitch with again.You can also roll the thread between two fingers (the thumb and forefinger is often the easier) after a few stitches, but a good quality silk when stitched with the dab motion/stitch should not cause you any twisting or splitting. Some recommend a laying tool, but using a laying tool is not for
everyone. Using the right needle, a good quality fiber and the right
motion works!
- Do not wet the silk threads to clean or to untwist. The dyes can bleed. We will discuss cleaning and blocking a canvas with silk threads in a future post.
- Some suggestions on when to use silk versus cotton or wool will be in a future post.
If you have never stitched with silk threads, now is the time! With so many beautiful fibers available, and thousands of colors, your canvases will be stunning and you will be very pleased with the result.
The Late Edo Period
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Hiroshige stands without equal in the ability to evoke the poetry of daily life amide the Japanese Landscape.
By the River above is a terrific example of his sense of color, composition and light and one of his many hundreds of paintings and woodblocks which include everyday Japanese activities.
On the 
Rapids is one of the more familiar of his many works of the ocean and the Japanese coastline.
Some of his work has been adapted to needlepoint canvas. It is best translated with silk threads for the more complicated imagery.
But there are others, such as the Bird below which are terrific for beginners who would like a sophisticated project without all the fuss!
Starting Up
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Hi, I took a needlepoint class when I was in my 20's, now I am in my
60's. In cleaning out my Mother-in-law's home we found knitting yarn, crewel embroidery and needlepoint kits. I picked up a needlepoint pillow
canvas that had been started by Mother and
now I work on it every chance I get.
So, how does one restart a hobby
such as needlepoint?
I love your web site, and your canvases.
I am
particularly entranced with the Irish Wolfhound canvas, as I live with
and show IW's. I am looking forward to the class
on fur and feather stitches to help me on the IW canvas.
Sincerely,Nancy
Nasca Needlepoint Rug
Monday, August 01, 2011
In Pre-Columbian traditions, nature and culture were one. Their heritage is rich with intense symbols and identification with the animal world. This pattern represents the sea and the fish and killer whales which were a part of everyday life in the Andean culture when they fished for food. Or is this an allegory describing the struggle between rival chiefdoms or regions?
This Nasca textile portrays an ocean teeming with marine warriors and will create an extraordinary piece for a wall or as an area rug.
So many things to do with a letter - needlepointed letter that is!
Thomas Lawrence
Right after his election to the Royal Academy a the minimum required age of twenty -five, Lawrence was given the commission for the portrait of Sarah Goodin Barrett Moulton. She had just turned eleven and arrived from Jamaica. The adolescent looks like she is about to perform a dance step in the wind, a wind ruffling her hair and blowing about the ribbons on her hat. She comes toward us, in front of a vast cloudy sky, looking at us with a candid expression (and an innocent ambiguity). The color of her dress explains the nickname Pinkie which at a very early date, as soon as it was painted, was given to the picture (and of course in contrast with Gainsborough's Blue Boy)
Nothing in this portrait foreshadowed the story's sad end: Pinkie died at the age of twelve, a week before Lawrence showed her portrait at the Royal Academy(at the time the work failed to win the huge popularity it still enjoys today).
(p158 of Only in America by Pierre Rosenberg)
Faces of Needlepoint
What Sports figure or Celebrity Would You like to Needlepoint?
Check this link for Hockey Needlepoint.Fall 2011 Free Online Technique Classes
Oct 15 - Basic Shading with Needleblending - A charming Art Nouveau Iris is the basis for this class that teaches even brand new stitchers how to create shaded needlepoint easily.
Nov 1 - Shading the Face - Faces are one of the most difficult items to create realistically in needlepoint. In this class for the advanced stitcher you'll learn how to use needleblending and stranded silks to make a lovely realistic face.
Some of our Spring Summer classes will repeat - so don't despair if you missed a class you were thinking of taking.
More classes will be scheduled for the new year!
Exhibits
Fall is often an exciting time for galleries and museums world wide - a time when new art is installed and exhibitions on view.
This fall there are many regional and large museums with some fabulous exhibits - too many to name here - so we are highlighting a few that may tickle your fancy.
A regional group show in CA hosted by the Getty Foundation. There will be 68 exhibits in nearly all of the art institutions between Santa Barbara and San Diego - all focused on regional artists. It is called Pacific Standard Time - and the link will show you all the exhibits.
For those who love modern, there is a retrospective of Georges Braque spanning his five-decade career at the Acquavella Galleries in NYC.
The Met in NYC is about to open 19,000 square feet displaying Arab Treasures and Art spanning 13 centuries. We are planning a retreat to the MET in 2012, and we will be sure to see this during our visit.
London's National Gallery will be showcasing 69 of Leonardo da Vinci's works. It begins Nov 9 and runs until Feb. 5. 2012. While this was not one of our sites for a retreat in 2012, we would very much like to see these surviving works, many of which have not been in the public.
If you would be interested in joining Art Needlepoint in November or in January in London, please let us know so we may reserve an appropriate number of tickets.
In Cleveland (and then later in January 2012 at the MET), Chinese Art in the Age of Revolution opens on Oct 16th.
Helpful Clips for a Needlepoint Canvas
Thank you Janet Perry from Nuts About Needlepoint for this post. Be sure to check out some of her other very helpful posts!
Canvas Clips – Product Review
If you don’t mount your needlepoint on a frame, you have an on-going problem. I find that I feel as though I’m battling with the canvas all the time to find the place where I am stitching. I’m afraid I’ll stitch the canvas to itself and get cramps in my hands from scrunching up the canvas.
Canvas Clips from Dream House Ventures can solve many of these problems. The package has two pairs of clips in it, small and large. Like bobby pins, they are wavy on one side and straight on the other.
You use the by rolling the canvas and placing them (wavy side in) at either end. This creates a smaller item to hold and protects the canvas from the wear scrunching it can cause.
I tried the clips on two different canvases and compared it to stitching the same canvas without clips. By and large they did what they are supposed to do; made the canvas easier to hold while making the area to be stitched clearly visible.
One of the canvases I used is an older canvas so it is very soft. While the clips did keep the piece in a roll, it still flopped around. Although it was easier to stitch, the flopping meant that the clip on the end away from where I was stitching popped out, repeatedly. Admittedly this canvas is in very bad shape, but this is something to note because not all canvases will have a good tight fit.
The second canvases was newer. There were no problems here with the clips coming off; they worked beautifully. However newer canvas still has lots of sizing in it. It still kept the roll after I removed the clips, so even my stitching without them went well.
This is a great and useful tool for those who like to stitch their needlepoint in hand.
Stitching with Silk Threads: A Primer
This Silk Primer refers to threads which are 100% silk, rather than the threads which are a combination of fibers, such as silk and wool for example.
Here are a few things you may want to keep in mind when using silk threads.
- Your hands should be clean and as smooth as possible. Very dry skin and ragged edges around your cuticle can snag the fiber as you stitch.To remedy this, try some hand lotion before stitching.
- When you use a stretcher bar with silk threads you may want to lightly sand the edges of your stretcher bars or wrap them with either artists canvas tape. or bias tape. However, if you put the stretcher bars on the edge of the canvas (the plain border area) rather than on the stitching area, you will not snag the threads.
- The needle you use with silk threads is also important. The eye should be smooth, and large enough so that the thread glides through, but not so large as to distort the canvas you are working on. A number 20 needle is a good size for many counts.
- Cut the threads either a maximum of 18 inches or from the tip of your middle finger to your elbow. A longer thread can knot up a little easier and may become fuzzy with repeated pull through - however, a good quality silk should never become fuzzy or split.
- There are two type of silk threads. One is divisible, such as Needlepoint Inc. silk threads, and silk threads which do not need to be divided, such as Vineyard Silk threads. If you are using a silk that needs to be divided it allows you more control over color placement and allows you to blend colors through the needle per stitch. When using a divisible fiber be sure to separate the plys to the appropriate density (number of plys) before you begin your stitch.
- A two step or stab motion is better with silk threads than a hand sewing in and out motion.
- Silk threads can untwist as you stitch. If this occurs you can turn the canvas upside down and let the needle hang freely. This will reset the thread and be ready to stitch with again.You can also roll the thread between two fingers (the thumb and forefinger is often the easier) after a few stitches, but a good quality silk when stitched with the dab motion/stitch should not cause you any twisting or splitting. Some recommend a laying tool, but using a laying tool is not for everyone. Using the right needle, a good quality fiber and the right motion works!
- Do not wet the silk threads to clean or to untwist. The dyes can bleed. We will discuss cleaning and blocking a canvas with silk threads in a future post.
- Some suggestions on when to use silk versus cotton or wool will be in a future post.
If you have never stitched with silk threads, now is the time! With so many beautiful fibers available, and thousands of colors, your canvases will be stunning and you will be very pleased with the result.
The Late Edo Period
By the River above is a terrific example of his sense of color, composition and light and one of his many hundreds of paintings and woodblocks which include everyday Japanese activities.
On the
Rapids is one of the more familiar of his many works of the ocean and the Japanese coastline.Some of his work has been adapted to needlepoint canvas. It is best translated with silk threads for the more complicated imagery.
But there are others, such as the Bird below which are terrific for beginners who would like a sophisticated project without all the fuss!
Starting Up
So, how does one restart a hobby such as needlepoint?
I love your web site, and your canvases.
I am particularly entranced with the Irish Wolfhound canvas, as I live with and show IW's. I am looking forward to the class on fur and feather stitches to help me on the IW canvas.
Sincerely,Nancy
Nasca Needlepoint Rug
This Nasca textile portrays an ocean teeming with marine warriors and will create an extraordinary piece for a wall or as an area rug.
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