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where you can design your own Needlepoint!

NeedlePoint Kits and Canvas Designs | Design your own Needlepoint Kit!

Today, it’s quite popular for individuals to research their family history. Only to discover that their “last name” was once represented with a family crest, used to identify their family. We’ve designed several NeedlePaint canvases that you can stitch, to celebrate your family name. 

Your crest will be modified to our design, featuring the knights helmet, shield and scroll with your family name. The colors and design will match your crest, and the ornament on the helmet will be changed to match, too. Not sure what your family crest looks like? We would be happy to help do the research for you.

 

NeedlePaint family crest pillow

Our Family Crest needlepoint pillow canvases, are customizable with your choice of overall canvas size, mesh size, and thread options of DMC embroidery floss or Waverly wool.

NeedlePaint family crest flask 1.4        NeedlePaint family crest flask 1.4-2

Let us create a custom family crest flask canvas for you to stitch, for that special family member on your gift list! 

 

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Decorate your holiday tree, by stitching several family crest ornaments including each of the historic crests that make up your family.

 

.Family Crest Belt 1.5

Family Crest Needlepoint Belt 2

Stitch a special belt canvas with your family crest! Although a belt canvas isn’t quite as tall as what an entire crest design might require, we can use the center shield or even individual elements from the original crest for your design. 

 

Family Crest needlepoint wallet

Create a one of a kind family crest wallet, by stitching your family crest on the front, and your family name on the back.

 

Don’t have a traditional family crest associated with your last name. Why not let us invent one for you? Our designers can create a crest from scratch, specific to your families interests, hobbies, sports, pets, philosophy or religion.

Ask us about our finishing services for pillow, flask, ornament, belt and wallet canvases. We also can stitch and finish any of our family crest needlepoint products for you, just let us know. Please send us a note at info@needlepaint.com, we would be happy to help you with your family crest project.

Happy Stitching!

 

 

 

 

 

Carrying a purse starts from a very early age; we want to be just like Mom! The ability to bring our “treasures” along with us where ever we go, young or old, is a comfort and essential to our happiness.

The options are unlimited! Purses come in all sizes, shapes and colors, and now you can customize your favorite with a stylish needlepoint purse strap. NeedlePaint has designed purse strap canvases for you to stitch, along with a totally customizable canvas design option, for that special idea you may have in mind. We also offer fully finished purse straps if you would like for us to do the stitching.

NeedlePaint purse strap one

The Martini” fully finished needlepoint purse strap!

“Not only do women hold up half the sky; we do it while carrying
a 500-pound purse.” — Gina Barreca

NeedlePaint purse strap izzy

The Colette” fully finished needlepoint purse strap!

“She opened her purse which was like a small autumn field and near the fallen branches of an old apple tree, she found her keys.”
— Richard Brautigan

Purse strap leather finishing

We offer a leather finishing service for your needlepoint canvas!

“My biggest fear is that when I die, my husband will sell all of my bags, for what I told him they cost.” — unknown

With the options of a 1.5″ or 2.5″ width, these needlepoint purse straps are also great for using with that larger weekend bag, or dog carrier. Let us help you with your needlepoint purse strap options! Please feel free to contact us at info@needlepaint.com. replica ladies watch tag heuer watch australia replica
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There are so many great choices and personal preferences involved when planning a new needlepoint project to stitch. NeedlePaint would love to help you plan your next project!

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NeedlePaint offers Zweigart Mono Deluxe needlepoint canvas.

Project size:
Choosing the overall design size of your canvas — do you want to stitch a belt, pillow, key fob, wallet, flask or maybe even a guitar or purse strap. We can create very large canvases, small canvases and everything in-between.

Canvas Mesh size:
Choose the canvas mesh size that works best for you — The mesh size of the canvas represents the number of stitches per inch. An 18 mesh canvas (with 18 stitches per inch) is usually used for smaller projects that require more detail; and a 10 mesh canvas would be used on something like a large floor pillow. It often depends on what type of thread you want to use, or maybe even what you can see visually.

NeedlePaint DMC thread

NeedlePaint offers DMC embroidery floss, or Waverly wool for your canvas!

Types of thread:
Choosing the type of thread depends on your canvas mesh size and your preference. 10, 12 and 14 canvas mesh sizes work great with wool thread. 14 and 18 mesh sizes work great with DMC embroidery floss. Thread choices are varied, and at Needlepoint we offer two types of thread. You have the option to of DMC embroidery floss, which is a 100% pearl cotton six-strand thread; and Waverly wool, which is 100% wool, and a three ply thread. We also will be happy to create a canvas for you without supplied thread. We know that a many of you like to use thread from your own stash, or simply like to pick the thread type and colors yourself. 

original cat image       NeedlePaint canvas

Original photo on the left, and a printed canvas of that image on the right.

Printed needlepoint canvas: 
NeedlePaint offers a huge selection of stock designs. If you’re looking for custom needlepoint; we can draw it for you, or we can print an image directly onto the canvas for you from a photo, drawing or graphic. We create your design image in a computer file, which assigns each square on the canvas a color. We then print your image onto blank canvas with a heat transfer process, and our computer generated file creates a stitch chart color guide. These charts help with the process of stitching; letting you know what color to use in each square. This is especially helpful if you have a background in cross-stitching, but not needed if you are used to following the colors on on the canvas.

handpainted needlepoint canvas

This is a hand painted needlepoint canvas we did for a customer, who preferred a solid lavender background and wanted to add a decorative border, using the original photo.

Painted needlepoint canvas:
NeedlePaint would be happy to provide you with a hand painted canvas. This is a great option if you prefer to stitch following the colors that are painted on the canvas and you don’t need stitch charts for reference. Although a printed canvas is more cost effective if you are on a budget, a hand painted canvas is always a great option. Let us know if you would prefer a painted canvas, and we will be happy to give you a price quote for your project.

There are so many great options when planning your next NeedlePaint project, feel free to contact us and let us know how we can help at: info@needlepaint.com. replica relogios rolex best replica watches sites
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At NeedlePaint we have created some new key fob needlepoint canvases for you to stitch, which are fun, quick, and will make the perfect gift for men, women and the kids in your family. We will certainly be adding to our design selection over the next few months, with great designs for all. The designs we are showing here, have a little something with the women in mind.

embroidery floss and keys

Key fobs canvases are achievable! Sometime the size of a project can be a little daunting. A key fob canvas is adorably small, and is definitely a quick project to stitch. All skill levels will enjoy stitching these canvases. If you’re a beginner, they are the perfect project to learn on without becoming frustrated. In addition a key fob canvas is small enough to slip into a project bag and take with you anywhere.

Fancy Floral NeedlePaint Key Fob

Jade Gingham NeedlePaint Key Fob

“Fancy Floral” key fob (above) and Jade Gingham” key fob (below) 

A fun project needs to have great colors and good design! It’s always fun, if you are stitching a project with colors and a design that speaks to you. Each colored stitch makes your design come to life, and will keep your interest in the project. We would be happy to make a simple adjustment to a color or background color on your canvas . . . . don’t be afraid to ask. Also, if you have an idea for your own design, let us know, we would be happy to translate it onto a custom needlepoint key fob canvas for you. 

Quilt Stars Needlepoint Key Fob

Hugs and Kisses NeedlePaint Key Fob

“Quilt Stars” key fob (above) and “Hugs and Kisses” key fob (below)

Key fobs are the ultimate in usable needlepoint! Everyone has a set of keys! It’s fun to personalize these little accessories, with images that reflect your personal taste and style. They are also big enough to locate in your handbag or backpack, but not too cumbersome, as they will still fit into your pant pocket.

Under the Sea NeedlePaint Key Fob

Kaleidoscope NeedlePaint Key Fob

“Under the Sea” key fob (above) and “Kaleidoscope” key fob (below)

Key fobs are the perfect gift idea! If you have already stitched a key fob for yourself, consider stitching one for the other members of your family. They make great birthday gifts, graduation gifts, or Christmas gifts! If you have a large number of people on your holiday list, this is a great way to give something heart felt, handmade, and a gift of equal value for everyone on your list, and yet each with a different design.

Golfing Girl NeedelPaint Key Fob

Painted Ladies NeedlePaint Key Fob

“Golfing Girl” key fob (above) and “Painted Ladies” key fob (below)

You’ve quickly finished stitching your key fob canvas, now let us do the leather finishing for you! We would love to give your beautifully stitched key fob canvas a professionally finished look. We also offer all of our designs as finished key fobs, if you would like for us to help with both the stitching and the finishing. 

NeedlePaint Key Fob Finishing Service

“A very little key can open a very heavy door.” 

Remember we are here to help with all of your needlepointing needs. Feel free to contact us with any of your questions at info@needlepaint.com

Enjoy!

Written by Peggy Bond

It’s 90 degrees in Maine and my 12 Days of Christmas Ornament are finished. Thought I would hang them on a tree and see if the weather would cooperate. All I got was more sultry weather and some thunder and lighting.

Hanging NeedlePaint Ornaments

Clearly when Christmas comes, these ornaments will make any tree shine.

In finishing the ornaments, I learned a few things that I would like to pass on:

Order all 12 of the hoops at one time so that they will be of the same quality. There is a wide variation in hoops. I had ordered only 2 from Cloud Craft to see if they would work. That was when I was in France. Back in the US, I ordered 10 more the same brand from a different supplier but they were not of the same quality. So, I placed another order with Cloud Craft. The hoops arrived a week later and matched the originals perfectly.

Foam

 ½ inch foam makes a perfect padding. It is easy to cut, fits nicely into the hoops, and provides a smooth but firm filling. 

The ornaments are fun to stitch and using background stitches such as the Diagonal Mosaic,  Straight or Slanted Diagonal, or Medieval Mosaic will speed up the stitching.

There is plenty of time to stitch NeedlePaint’s Twelve Days of Christmas Needlepoint Canvas Set before Christmas!

12 Days of Christmas 3%22 ornamentsWritten by Peggy Bond

It’s not basketball season, but time to start planning new decorations for Christmas. At NeedlePaint, our 12 Days of Christmas motifs have been resized to be 3-inch Christmas tree ornaments. And, embroidery hoops are a great way to finish them.

The designs are printed on an 18-point canvas of 2 columns and 6 rows. Each row can be cut and each row of 2 worked individually on a scroll frame or stretcher.  When stitching, cover the grey circular boarder to ensure that there will be no unstitched canvas.

Our previous blogs for the 12-Day blocks have suggestions for a variety of stitches that can be used but I found myself using the Continental stitch because of the small size of the ornaments. 

DIY Christmas Ornament Supplies

Supplies for finishing the ornaments are:

• 3-inch bamboo hoops which are available from several suppliers including JoAnn Fabrics, Etsy, and Amazon and in Europe Cloud Craft.

• Fabric for the back side, preferable felt or felted wool. It is best to use a fabric that does not ravel.

• Padding such as quilt batting or polyester stuffing (optional).

• Strung glitter sequins, ribbon, or similar for hanging the ornament.

• Fabric glue.

Stitched Ornament 

Once stitched, cut the ornaments apart leaving them as squares with at least 1 inch of unfinished canvas around each ornament.  It is tempting to trim the finished canvas into a circle, but having the long corners makes it easier to place  evenly around the inner hoop. 

Before hooping the canvas, use the inside of the inner hoop as a guide to cut padding. The padding will give the ornament some roundness and makes affixing the felt backing easier.

Folding back

 Loosen the screw fastener of the outer hoop as far as possible. Position the canvas over the inner hoop. Then put the outer hoop in place and tighten. Turn over the ornament and fold in the edges of the canvas. I found that steaming the canvas helps make it more pliable when trying to get the edges turned to the backside of the hoop and once it dries, it will hold its shape. 

Finished Oranments

 If you are using padding, place it inside the inner hoop on top of the back of the stitched canvas. Then, trace the hoop on your felt backing and cut it out. Glue the felt backing to the outer hoop’s edge, following the instructions of the glue manufacturer. 

I used strung glitter sequins for hangers. I had originally purchased the sequins to glue to the outer hoop but decided that I like the look of the natural bamboo. One could also stain or paint the outer hoop. Many more options out there. Let your imaginations go wild!

I love opening a new email, to find a fabulous new creation, stitched by one of our NeedlePaint customers!  Recently Brenda T. in Georgia, sent a request for NeedlePaint to design another playing card canvas similar to the Queen of Hearts needlepoint pillow canvas she has just finished stitching.

Queen of Hearts Needlepoint canvas

Brenda’s finished needlepoint canvas has gone way beyond the basic. She uses a variety of stitches and is embellishing with beads!

Brenda says, “she will study the stitch book for days and try out one or two stitches to see if they work well.” She has taken workshops to learn how to embellishing using beads as well as victorian silk ribbon.

I think Brenda’s life time love of textiles and textures really shines through in her needlepoint work! Her creative background began after receiving her first sewing machine, a hand crank Singer, on her 6th Christmas. She went on to study at Virginia Tech, with a degree in Clothing and Textiles, and has sewed most all of her clothes. Although she never used her degree while working full-time for IBM, after retiring she did help friends with some interior design projects. She’s dabbled in knitting, watercolors, silk painting and has made sixteen or more needlepoint stockings for all of her grandchildren, grand nieces and nephews.

Now Brenda joins workshops at her local senior center. She enjoys the other women who sign up each time, with a solid core group of six or so. They help each other, learning to embellish with beads and ribbons, and have a variety of talents and abilities. She feels like this workshop has taken her needlepointing to a new level, and mentions that she might take up designing a pattern or two. 

Queen of Spades Needlepoint PillowQueen of Heart Needlepoint Pillow

We’ve just finished Brenda’s request for a new Queen of Spades canvas, and can’t wait to see what she does with this queen. Wouldn’t it be fun to put these two pillows at opposite ends of your sofa, perhaps with a King in between! Which card would you pick to stitch?

Please let us know if we can custom design something for you, or if you need help translating your design onto a custom needlepoint canvas that you can stitch!

We love to see what you have been stitching, please feel free to send us your creation photos at info@needlepaint.com.

Happy Stitching!

It’s a great time of year to start some new needlepoint projects! NeedlePaint.com is excited to offer new self-finishing kits which are the perfect size for traveling with; to stitch while waiting (let’s face it, we are always waiting for someone), or to get a jump start on those Christmas gifts for everyone on your list. Here are just two examples of our new self-finishing kits among the many that we offer.

NeedlePaint self finishing card wallet

NeedlePaint Loon card wallet

Self finishing card wallet kit!

Stitch your own needlepoint card wallet canvas, for your credit cards, license, or business cards. This is a complete, self finishing do-it-yourself kit, including: a needlepoint canvas for you to stitch, DMC thread (optional) and a colorful leather wallet. (Color choices: black, brown, red, blue, lime)

NeedlePaint self finishing card wallet colorsSimply insert your stitched canvas into the card wallet and your ready to go.

Two design options to choose from when planning your card wallet canvas insert:

Choose a monogram, initials, or we’ll create a custom design just for you:

Great gift idea!

NeedlePaint self finishing luggage tag 1

NeedlePaint luggage tag canvasesNeedlePaint self finishing luggage tag colors

Self finishing luggage tag kit!

Stitch your own needlepoint luggage tag canvas, and create a finished luggage tag for yourself or the traveler in your family.

This is a complete, self finishing do-it-yourself kit, including: a needlepoint canvas for you to stitch, DMC thread (optional) and a colorful leather luggage tag. (Color choices: blue, lime, black, red, light blue or pink)

Two design options to choose from when planning your luggage tag canvas insert:

Choose a monogram, initials, or we’ll create a custom design just for you:

Great for the traveler!

Check out all of our self-finishing kits on our Etsy shop. Card wallets, luggage tags, checkbook covers, iPad covers, purses of all sizes, Christmas ornaments, coin purses, and more!

Remember we are here to help with all of your needlepointing needs. Feel free to contact us with any of your questions at info@needlepaint.com

Happy Stitching!

 

NeedlePaint Flower pillow blog 1

This time of year I become very anxious for signs of spring and some fresh new color. The “winter like” weather still teases us with one warm beautiful sunny day, only to wake up the next day, with blizzard like conditions.

Spring is full of new beginnings! Why not learn how to needlepoint or teach a beginner how to needlepoint. If you’re a veteran stitcher, learn a new stitch or try a new type of thread. Here at NeedlePaint, we have needlepoint projects for all skill levels.

To welcome in spring, we have taken inspiration from those blooms; we are so anxiously awaiting to appear in our gardens. We have created some needlepoint canvases for you to enjoy stitching, and add that much needed color you may have been craving. You’ll love stitching one or all of these three new pillow designs!

Sunflower Needlepoint pillow canvas

“The sunflower is mine, in a way.” — Vincent Van Gogh

Sunflower Needlepoint Pillow Canvas
Truly brilliant and joyful, sunflowers say summer like no other flower!
In the language of flowers; sunflowers represent adoration, loyalty and strength.

Tulip Needlepoint pillow canvas

“A tulip doesn’t strive to impress anyone. It doesn’t struggle to be different than a rose.
It doesn’t have to. It is different. And there’s room in the garden for ever flower.”
— Marianne Williamson

Lacy Tulip Needlepoint Pillow Canvas
Awakening from a long winters nap, and gently announcing springs arrival;
the tulip is always a welcome sight for the new season!

Peony Needlepoint pillow canvas

Marco Polo described peony blossoms as “roses as big as cabbages”.

Peony Needlepoint Pillow Canvas
Layered, fluffy and papery, the peony has an unusually giant blossom. In the language of flowers;
peonies represent romance, prosperity, a happy marriage, riches, honor and compassion.

NeedlePaint Flower pillow blog 2

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold,
when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade.” — Charles Dickens

Remember we are here to help you with all of your needlepoint needs! We do offer a pillow finishing service, creating a finished pillow with your stitched canvas. Feel free to contact us with any of your questions at: info@needlepaint.com.

We hope your spring is full of new beginnings — and many colorful skeins of thread!

 

By Peggy Bond

So you have a 5-inch wide by yard long printed needlepoint canvas for a belt. Where do we go now? To a split rail scroll frame which will keep your canvas relatively square while allowing you to access sections of the canvas without having to remove and reposition it.

The F.A. Edmunds 6” x 12” scroll frame is a great option. 

Before putting the canvas in the scroll frame, create “end stops” along the short sides of the canvas. The end stop is made with a doubled length of thread (i.e., 12 strands of floss or 2 strands of wool). First, do running stitches along one row as shown below. Then stitch over that row with a 2 x 2 Continental stitch. The end stops will prevent the canvas from slipping through the slotted dowel rod of the frame.

End Stop

End Stop Diagram

The narrow ends of the canvas are slid into the slotted dowel rods and should go all the way against the end of the slot. Insert the dowel rods into the frame’s spreader rails as shown below. The spreader rails should be flush with the edges of the belt canvas to reduce warping the canvas while stitching. 

In the Frame

Even when the rails’ wing nuts are not tight, the end stops should not be able to be pulled through the dowels and the frame should be a rectangle. The dowels can be turned to roll the canvas as it is worked. After positioning the canvas to a section for stitching, tighten the wing nuts on the rails.

Read to stitch

Where to start the stitching and in what order to do it is a personal choice. Personally, I prefer to stitch all of the images before attacking the background. There is no reason why images and elements can’t be done together as the canvas is wound on the dowels. The only thing to remember is not to stop the background stitches at the same vertical spot on each row.

Belts are most frequently stitched with the Tent stitches. For the belt shown below, the Continental and Half Cross Tent stitches were used for the images and lettering, and for filling in where the background stitch couldn’t fill. The background stitch is the Upright Cross. 

CTF Belt Section

Look for our future post on background stitches.

Here at NeedlePaint, we have a large assortment of needlepoint belt canvases we know you will love stitching!