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Archive for the ‘Needlepoint’ Category

Custom Wedding Needlepoint

We love helping design custom needlepoint kits for our customers!

This week’s blog post features some custom wedding needlepoint designs that we’ve done recently.

Below are four canvases for pillows, and a cummberbund needlepoint canvas.  We’ve also done a lot of belt canvases recently.

We post a lot of our customer reviews on our blog, and if you are interested in reading some we’ve recently recieved, see the botttom of this post.  We love to hear from you and help make your ideas come to reality.

Wedding Needlepoint

Wedding Needlepoint for Pillows

Next is a custom needlepoint cummerbund canvas we did featuring the old well at UNC.

Needlepoint Cummerbund Kit

Needlepoint Cummerbund Kit

Last are two foxes taken from a wedding invitation.  We helped create these desgins from a sketch!

Wedding Needlepoint Foxes

Wedding Needlepoint Foxes

Last but not least, are some recent reviews from our customers:

“I received the needlepoint canvas and stitch guides in the mail today.  I am so happy with the way it turned out and appreciate the extra information that you sent with the canvas.  I’ll be sure to send you a picture when it is finished.  I’m sure it will take awhile but I’m looking forward to getting started. Thanks again for doing such a great job.  I will be happy to recommend NeedlePaint for custom canvases.”  Susan 2015-07-13

“It looks great and I’m excited to get started.” Jessica 2015-07-13

“Just received my kit… Can’t wait to start it. Thanks again for being so helpful. Will be ordering more soon”  Deborah 2015-07-10

“Thanks so much for everything, I am loving working on the canvas.” Mills 2015-07-05

“got it. love it. will keep in touch. thx again”  Gloria 2015-06-23

“needlepoint arrived today and it looks fantastic.  Thanks for doing on awesome job.  Hope to have another project for you soon.”  Sylvia 2015-06-16

“I received the canvas this morning and have already got to knitting!  It’s beautiful, thank you for the help.”  Joanna 2015-06-16

“I received the needlepaint of the Ganesha image- looks great!”  Jyoti 2015-06-16

and onto some older feedback I just found that was never posted.

“I received the needlepoint kit. It looks great! I hope I can do it justice.”  Eileen 2015-04-18

“Just wanted to let you know I got the canvas Monday and it looks awesome.  I got thread and have begun to stitch.  Thanks so much for your help on this. I will definitely recommend you to others and order more canvases”  Ilese 2015-04-15

 

Category:

NeedlePaint Inspiration, Needlepoint, Needlepoint Pillows, Personalized Needlepoint, Testimonial Reviews, Wedding

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Quick Open-Stitched Custom Needlepoint Belt Kits

Plate 119, The Needlepoint Book

Plate 119, The Needlepoint Book

If Jo Ippolito Christensen can leave backgrounds unstitched as shown in this piece from the 3rd Edition of  The Needlepoint Book, why shouldn’t I? (Click on the image to view the detail of the background. It is only partially stitched and the printed canvas is exposed.)

I was almost there with my Four Hour Needlepoint Ornament but this is one step further. A belt would be my test piece. Many of our Needlepoint belt designs are ideal for this technique. The backgrounds are solid and the images, like the surfboards and sailboats, are colorful and sharp.

Stitching Detail

Stitching Detail

Stitching these two belts went as fast as riding the waves. The only thing one needs to pay attention to is keeping on the thread ends within the stitched areas because the background will be unstitched canvas through which the thread ends will be visible.

Looking closely at the stitched surfboard, you can see that I also look the liberty of slanting the continental in two different direction. The top slants to the left and the bottom to the right, while in the center I used a straight stitch over one canvas thread. (Note: a straight stitch over one thread needs to be worked very loosely, and only works here because it was worked after the top and bottom of the surfboard was completed.) Working the top and bottom of the surfboard with two different slants has the advantage of giving smooth edges to the circle and rounded edges of the design. I used this technique on some of the surfboards and on part of of the sailboats. I was please with my finished canvases!

Quick Stitch Needlepoint Belts

Quick Stitch Needlepoint Belts

Category:

NeedlePaint Inspiration, Needlepoint, Needlepoint Belts, Needlepoint Inspiration, Uncategorized

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Nantucket Needlepoint Belt

We just finished a new Nantucket needlepoint belt design this week.  The timing is perfect for the upcoming holiday!  This design features a silhoutte of Nantucket combined with the American flag.  If you live on another island or would like us to incorporate an American flag into a state silhoutte, let us know, we’d love to help!

Nantucket Needlepoint Belt

Nantucket Needlepoint Belt

The image below features the Nantucket design and 3 other American favorites from our shop.  Just in time for the 4th of July!

The other designs are the Stars and Stripes Belt, 4th of July Flag Belt, and the personalized Airforce Belt.

4th of July Needlepoint Belts

4th of July Needlepoint Belts

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NeedlePaint Inspiration, Needlepoint, Needlepoint Belts, Needlepoint Inspiration

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Time to share your Prep! Needlepoint Belts

We love getting photographs back from our customers with them wearing our needlepoint belts!

The first two photos were taken by Carly’s (AKA the College Prepster) family.  We’ve worked on a few projects with her, and will hopefully have more in the future.  This design features the University of Florida Campus Needlepoint Belt in Gainsville, FL.  The details and buidling names can be seen on our website, just follow the link above.

University of Florida Needlepoint

University of Florida Needlepoint

Florida Needlepoint Belt

Florida Needlepoint Belt

Next we have a Washington and Lee Campus Needlepoint Belt.  This features the blue ridge mountains as a backdrop and many campus highlights.  And to answer his mother’s question “Do you think he was proud?”  I think so!  Congraudations Yates!

Customer Spotlight Washington and Lee Campus Needlepoint Belt

Customer Spotlight Washington and Lee Campus Needlepoint Belt

Last is a series of photos from Amber, who had a lot of great input in this amazing gift.  The perfect accessory for summer!

Customer Needlepoint Belts

Customer Needlepoint Belts

To read some more testemnial reviews from some of our customers, see below or click here.

Click the following link to learn more about desiging your own custom needlepoint belt or DIY needlepoint canvas.

“We received the belt on Friday, and could not be any happier with it! It looks AMAZING and Ken was blown away by how special and unique it is. Thank you for making this process so easy, and for creating such incredible products”  Jeana  –  2015-06-08

“You did an amazing UGA belt for my father and now I am ready to order his fathers day present!” –  Gabby 2015-06-11

“The belt looks amazing – I’m sure I’ll be back for others”  Chaka – 2015-06-08

“amazing!! Thanks so much for the quick turn around :)!!!  i will take pictures of my dads and my boyfriends and post them asap!  I will definitely be ordering in the future!”  Bailey  –  2015-06-08

 

 

 

 

Category:

NeedlePaint Inspiration, Needlepoint, Needlepoint Belts

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Customer Spotlight – Surfing and Nautical Needlepoint

Our customers do some amazing work, and helping them create custom needlepoint belt designs is what makes this job fun!

Attached are a few projects recently finished.

Jenny in CA has stitched the Surfer’s Healing Belts and Key Fob which are going out for a great cause.  She also needlepointed the nautcial designs shown at the bottom of the post.

Allie in NY has finished another surfboard needlepoint belt!

I love working on these projects and thanks to Jenny and Allie for sharing the photos!  Jenny has recommend hilltop leather as they did the finishing on Red and Khaki belts.

Surfing Needlepoint Belts

Surfing Needlepoint Belts

Nautical Needlepoint

Nautical Needlepoint

 

Category:

NeedlePaint Inspiration, Needlepoint, Needlepoint Belts, Personalized Needlepoint

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Landscape Photos on Congress Cloth 24 count Needlepoint Canvas

Last week we finished up some fun needlepoint canvases that have a LOT of detail.

The customer wanted as much as possible, so we decided to use 24 count congress canvas.

The detail is amazing!  The other request from the customer was that instead of stitch counted, she wanted “photo” canvases.  She still is using the stitch charts, but likes to improvise so wanted to catch all the detail possible.

She was very excited and wrote back to us after they arrived “THE CANVAS’S CAME AND THEY ARE WONDERFUL. SO FAST POSTING, SO WELL PACKED AND SO WELL DONE. THANLKYOU, THANKYOU, THANKYOU.!!!!”  Patricia 2015-06-02

Landscape Photo Needlepoint Canvases

Landscape Photo Needlepoint Canvases

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NeedlePaint Inspiration, Needlepoint, Needlepoint Inspiration, Testimonial Reviews

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University of Missouri – Mizzou – Campus Needlepoint Belt

We continue to suprise and delight every time we design a new college campus needlepoint belt.

This blog post features the University of Missouri Campus Needlepoint Belt.

The Mizzou columns take a prominent place in our Mizzou campus needlpoint belt along with, Memorial Stadium, Student Center, Tiger Plaza, Jesse Hall w/ statue to left, Mizzou Columns, Memorial Union, Mizzou Arena and one of Columbia’s favorites, Shakespears’s.

Mizzou Needlepoint Belt

University of Missouri -Mizzou – Needlepoint Belt

Check out our other college campus needlepoint belt designs.  And if you don’t see the school that you are looking for, click the link at the top of the post to comission a custom college campus design!  All of our belt designs are available as fully stitched needlepoint belts, or as DIY needlepoint kits.

Last note in this post, is some feedback we recieved recently from our customers:

“From the moment Seth and I connected about my custom belt project, it was so fun to collaborate with him. We went back and forth on design a few times and he was always accommodating, provided helpful recommendations, patient when answering my many questions and set my expectations clearly. As we progressed into the production phase, Seth kept me well informed of how the belt was coming along and what kind of a shipping date we were looking at. The belt ended up arriving earlier than expected – a big thanks too since it was for a birthday. And the belt arrived in a velvet pull-string bag. The presentation was beautiful as was the final product. A belt with complete leather backing, incredibly detailed needlepointing and it fit perfectly (Seth’s sizing guide is incredibly helpful). Highly recommend NeedlePaint!”  –  Amber  2015-05-18

“Shipped earlier then expected. Really wonderful belt – exactly what I was looking for. Shop was really great at accommodating my custom request. So impressed!”  –  Laila – 2015-05-14

“Just received belt!! It looks fabulous!” – Nancy 2015-05-14

“The belt arrived yesterday and it looks great.  The detail is amazing.  Once again I am quite happy.  Thanks!” –  Kyle 2015-05-14

“Got the belt! Looks great!!” –  Lynn 2015-05-21

Read more reviews here

 

Category:

NeedlePaint Inspiration, Needlepoint, Needlepoint Belts, Needlepoint Inspiration, Testimonial Reviews

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A New Bible for Needlepoint

The 3rd edition of Jo Ippolito Christensen’s The Needlepoint Book is out. I hadn’t imagined that this bible of needlepointing could get any better but it has!

Needlepoint Book Cover

Needlepoint Book Cover

The new edition includes expanded discussion of techniques for stitching and design as well as 225 new color plates and over 40 new stitches. I haven’t absorbed even half of the new material, but I have already spotted some new ideas for my next Needlepaint project — open work on belts. (Give me a couple of weeks and I will let you know how it works.)

I have both the print and eBook version and I like them for different reasons. I am a bit of a book snob and I love my paper versions — thus the print. However, I travel a lot and in order to keep my suitcase light, I got the eBook. I am delighted with both. A plus to the eBook is the color plates which can be enlarged on the screen to view details. The plus to the print version is ease of finding and comparing stitches.

And, this is not all that comes with the new edition. There is going to be a stitch app for our mobile devices. It isn’t out yet, but for those who by the print or eBook you need to go to www.needlepointbookapp.com  from your mobile device and enter your  information. Simon & Schuster will notify you with your download code as soon as the app is made available. I can’t wait!

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How to NeedlePoint, NeedlePaint Inspiration, Needlepoint, Needlepoint Inspiration, Uncategorized

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A DIY Crafty Family

I guess you could say that I come from a DIY family. There has always been someone doing some project or another. As a teenager, my father had me grouting tile and my mother had me making all of my own clothes. My siblings were likewise involved, as were my aunts and uncles.

The DIY nature of the family was brought to my attention when I showed my daughter-in-law this picture of the Pansy quilt and rug.

DIY Needlepoint Tapestry

Hand Made by Family Members includes the Pansey Quilt, Pansey Needlepoint Rug, Wood Furniture, Tiffany Lamp, and Bird Embroidery

As I mentioned in my previous post, my sister Mary Sue Suit (https://marysuequiltgallery.wordpress.com/) designed and pieced the quilt, Judy Woodworth (http://www.judywoodworth.com/index.html) did the quilting, and I made the needlepoint rug using our website www.NeedlePaint.com. The furniture was made by my father at the end of World War II. My Uncle Frank took up leaded glass after he retired in the ‘70s and the Tiffany lamp is one of his.

The embroidered bird hangings were stitched by my great-aunt Mrs. Jo. Mrs. Jo was a nurse who served in France during WWI. She took her lace tatting everywhere with her on the coal-puffing trains of Europe. She complained that all her lace was grey and needed to be washed several time before it could be used. When she retired, nothing pleased her more than a needlepoint or embroidery project. When my mother would take her a new project, Mrs. Jo often would say to her, “Don’t you need to be somewhere else?” The signal that she was ready to be stitching….

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NeedlePaint Inspiration, Needlepoint, Needlepoint Inspiration, Uncategorized

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Needlepaint a Quilt

After Needlepaint began carrying the Brown Sheep Waverly wool, I decided that I needed to attack a large project — a 20” by 24” rug on 12 point canvas. For design ideas, I turned to my quilting sister, Mary Sue Suit https://marysuequiltgallery.wordpress.com/, who never ceases to amaze me with her unique designs based on triangles.

We finally chose her Pansy Quilt which was quilted by Judy Woodworth. Why we chose it, I don’t know, but maybe it had something to do with pansies being one of my favorite flowers and my granddaughter loves purple. Usually Mary Sue gives her quilts names but this one is nameless…. We welcome suggestions.

Pansies Quilt

Pansies Quilt

The straight lines of the triangles meant the quilt design transferred easily to a custom needlepoint canvas.  I worked the canvas with all 3 strands of the Waverly wool and chose one of the variegated colors for the light lavender of the above design. For the backing we used medium-weight wool. The finished rug makes a beautiful accent to the spectacular quilt.  The same pattern could be down sized for an 18 point miniature needlepoint hanging. Or, one could turn the center pansy medallion into a 12 or 14 point pillow. The possibilities are limited only by one’s tolerance for pansies which don’t have to be purple.

 

Pansy Quilt Rig Color Guide

Pansy Quilt Rig Color Guide

 

Needlepaint can print canvases up to 36” by 40” and we recommend 10 or 12 point canvas for rugs. I chose 12 point canvas because I wanted the finished rug to be firm without having to use a heavy backing or filler.

Needlepoint Rug and Quilt

Needlepoint Rug and Quilt

Category:

How to NeedlePoint, NeedlePaint Inspiration, Needlepoint, Uncategorized

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