Library mouse (02)

I feel much richer as a person for having learned more about William Morris (1834-1896). I knew of him as a...More......multi-talented artist and craftsman, but never realized that his aspirations to improve and uplift our daily lives by insisting on beauty in the making and using of everyday things also had extended into poetry, narrative and political activism. (For more on Morris, go directly to http://www.morrissociety.org.)

Arthur Clutton-Brock’s William Morris (New York: Parkstone Press International, 2007) is largely concerned with exploring Morris’ interests and beliefs, with particular attention to Morris’ own writings. The book is not dedicated to translating his art into needlepoint, or cross stitch, designs, though the ample and beautiful illustrations will be an inspiration for your work.

The book spends less time than I had hoped on analyzing Morris’ approach to art, in order to be able to apply it to our own work. Even if the style of his art may not please you, after learning about his goals, you may find that you like his art better, even if you already adored it before learning more about him, as I did.

The text, despite its in-depth attention to Morris’ writings, is not for scholars, who will lament the rambling text without footnotes and the too short bibliography, but it is suited for interested fans wishing to understand Morris’ works, better, and is a good source of some beautiful images full of inspiration for your needlepoints.

Better understanding his goals helps us to better translate his art into designs. Unexpectedly, but more importantly, it helps us, like Morris, to be uplifted by making beautiful things and to insist on living surrounded by beauty, even in all our everyday objects, not just because it gives aesthetic pleasure, but also because it refines our spirits.

Library mouse (01)

Do you love books? Me, too. Real ones...More......that you can hold and touch and annotate and in which you easily can hold your place flipping back and forth to coordinate information on the various pages (that’s why books were invented in the first place; scrolls were good for from-start-to-stop reading, but not for page-to-page-in-the-same-book consultation…I haven’t tried digital books, as I just can’t focus my thoughts reading on a computer, as I can when reading a book, yet). Then, like me, you’re what the Italians call a “library mouse”…so much nicer than “bookworm,” I think. I recently found some needlepoint books that I can hardly wait to share with you one-by-one, as they arrive. (When they’ve all arrived, I’ll put them in the bibliography.)

The first one to be shared is Barbara Hammet’s The Art of William Morris in Cross Stitch, n.p.: David & Charles, 1996. It’s 128 pages packed with great photos, some basic information about the fascinating fellow William Morris (who wanted to fill everyone’s everyday lives with soul-uplifting beauty, bless him), and with about 50 charted designs for imaginative projects, complete with sewing instructions and some basic information for cross-stitch starters (though the complexity of most of the designs makes them suitable only for those with cross-stitching, or needlepoint, experience, in my opinion).

With some practice at interpreting charts for doing needlepoint, I think that most of the designs (those that don’t rely heavily on outlining) can be adapted for needlepoint fairly easily. I particularly like the way that she envisions the background as an active part of the design (more on that when I talk about the book on the Beggarstaffs, which I am awaiting eagerly).

Her approach to cross-stitch and the final effect of her designs are so akin to the look of needlepoint that I’m tempted to try cross-stitching one of her designs. Because the cloth background and final product of cross-stitch projects are so much thinner and flexible than needlepointed ones, cross-stitch also can be used for lots of things that needlepoint can’t, and that makes for happy gift-planning, for example, a personalized book marker. That’s tempting, too.

Is there life after cushions? (04)

Ever in search of some outlet for my needlepoint projects that isn’t a cushion, or something to hang on a wall, as well as the happy opportunity to use up larger scraps of canvas, I’ve designed this ...More......little sewing scissors case using my StitchPainter program. Substitute your initials for mine. Print out the design as close to real-size as possible, and compare it with the loops of your own scissors to make adjustments in the design (including color choices) before stitching.

The idea was to coordinate the size of my scissors with the case so that the finger loops stuck out at least halfway, so the scissors could be pulled out easily without having to fumble with the case, itself.

That, by the way, is an excellent example of why THINKING about the project before doing it is so important. If you had to stop, put everything down, fumble with the case to squeeze it open, fumble to get your fingers into the case and around the scissors, before pulling them out, just how long do you think you’d actually use the case so lovingly needlepointed and sewn up? Me? Maybe a maximum of two lunges at the scissors, and that would be that. Such a waste of creativity and effort. Instead, resisting the urge to plunge into the fun part, and planning ahead, instead, really pays off, after all.

Do both sides the same, put something of your own design on the back, do a single color, or use a stiff piece of upholstery-thick cloth for the back.

Since the piece of canvas is so small, it is practically impossible to sew it with right sides together then turn it. The yellow border is there to indicate where you can needlepoint using tag ends of colors to fix the canvas because that’s where you’ll sew the border.

To finish it, using needlepoint yarn, cast the upper edge thickly, covering the rough canvas edges. Turn the upper two rows down towards the inside (avoid ironing needlepoint, if you can; if you must iron it, use a lot of steam and only a little pressure, or you irretrievably flatten the little bumps). If you have invisible thread, it would be worth your trouble to tack the lip down permanently. Put the back and front wrong sides together, carefully fold and pin a ribbon over the three remaining edges, fix the ends of a loop (long enough to go around your neck) of the same ribbon inside the two upper corners, and carefully sew through all layers (you should be able to do this on your sewing machine) watching carefully to catch the ribbon on the front and back; sew a straight line just inside the edge of the ribbon, in order to fix the ribbon and sew the case. If you plan your ribbon and background colors carefully (either as a coordinating, or a contrasting, color), you’ll be able to—if desired—go back with a narrow zig-zag stitch over the edge of the ribbon to keep it from buckling up without compromising the size of the opening.

If you have an emergency gift to give, and use a piece of cloth for the back, this could be ready within a few hours.

Appliqués and scraps...it's later than you think!

Aaaaaah, the first real and delightful days of summer in this year of oddly tenacious cool weather and rain, here. "Thumbing" through other needlepoint web sites, however,...More......I saw Christmas patterns, already! "That's cute," I found myself saying, "but there's still lots of time." The small Xmas ornaments and the like didn't trigger any particular emergency messages in my adrenaline system...the Christmas tree skirt did.

I'm just guessing, but the total space to cover seems like it would be equivalent to at least two chair seat backs, seats and arm rests. For me, that's about two years of work in "needlepoint time."

How to remedy this problem? While using scraps of left-over canvas, too big to toss out, but too small to use easily, probably will provide you with small objects, such as tree ornaments, thinking "appliqué" also may let you kill two birds with one stone: use up those odd bits and pieces AND have a personalized tree skirt in time for Christmas.

Though not a Christmas theme, here's a good example of just such concepts. I needlepointed this image seen in a stained glass window, then used black trim to imitate the leaded canes around the crest, rather than needlepoint the whole surface of the pillow.

Is there life after cushions? (03)

As long as we're talking about pincushions, here's the one...More......I made with my initials for myself. It is filled with the sand intended for creating sand pictures in decorative vases (I have to get very creative about coming up with product substitutes, as craft stores don't exist here; needle work stores concentrate on cross stitch and, for needlepoint, DMC, which has threads either too big, or too small, for 18-pt; and postage costs are prohibitive).

Lining it and adding a zipper would make it just the right size in 18-pt for a change purse, too. (Because of its small size, it might be too hard to sew with right sides together, then turn...with the wrong sides together, fold a ribbon around the circumferance; sewing it down--being sure to catch both edges of the ribbon, front and back--will close up the little purse.)

Is there life after cushions? (02)

Searching for non-cushion/framed piece projects for my needlepoints, I consulted...More......all the books I have. Some provide possibilities so--for me--bizarre for needlepoint projects that the promising long lists ended up not helpful after all. Cover a brick with my precious and long-in-the-making handwork to make a doorstop, subject to dirt of all sorts? Are you nuts?! I even have resisted doing a footstool for that same reason!

Here, instead, is my design for a small strawberry pie seen from the top, just right for an 18-point (covered) coaster, or a pin cushion. If you work on a larger-holed canvas, the design will end up bigger, of course. (More about other objects ready for hosting your needlepoint projects, later).

Is there life after cushions? (01)

Once your house and the houses of your friends are full of your needlepoint cushions and framed pieces, what can you do with your needlepoint projects? My...More...pug dog and folded ribbon needlepoint became an evening purse with a silky black rope trim for the shoulder strap. It's just the right size (8 1/2" x 11"). Not too big, not too small, and the old-fashioned theme is a nice touch for all but the most formal of dinners.