Saturday, February 18, 2012

Needlepoint Ring


Needlepoint Ring. 
from start to finish
Add some fun colors to your wardrobe this spring!
Supply List:
13 Mesh Needlepoint Canvas 
Ring Blank in Gunmetal 
Orange Thread (to match DMC)
Small Beading Needle

 

Stitch a 1" x 1" square (for 13 Mesh this will be 13 x 13 rows) out of Gloriana. I also taped the edges of my canvas so it wouldn't fray, but it's not necessary. See our podcast on YouTube for stitching help.


 Next, I added a few french knots in the DMC and then covered those knots in seed beads. I attached the beads with the matching thread. 


Cut your needlepoint leaving approximately 5 rows all around. Then cut each corner on the diagonal making sure you do not cut any of the needlepoint.


 Dab a small amount of glue on the back of your needlepoint and fold under all four edges.


 Let dry for a few minutes. 

 Add glue to the ring blank.
Use just enough to coat the bottom.


 The needlepoint should fit snugly into the ring.
Press in edges making sure no white canvas is showing.

Let dry and enjoy your new instant accessory!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Neon Colors

NEON

If you've been following this years fashion trends you already know - Neon Colors are back in style! These colors can brighten any needlepoint canvas and bring some more life into it. We offer a variety of these colors here in our shop! Try replacing a basic orange and green with something like tangerine or chartreuse.

Pantone's Color of the Year - Tangerine Tango
 Here are just a few of the items we have in the shop that follow this color trend. 

From Left to Right: Birds Nest Needle Rest in Green, River Silks in Greenery, Silken Ribbons in Pond Scum, DMC in Moss Green, Soie D'Alger in 2142, Splendor in Lite Neon Green, Sparkle Rays in Apple Green, Sparkle Rays in Citron, Gloriana in Halloween Green Pastel, Waverly Wool in Yellow, Kreinik in Lemon, Zecca Tape Measure, Silken Ribbons in Phoenix Rising, Soie D'Alger in 646, Sparkle Rays in Tangerine, Splendor in Brown Orange Red, Silk and Ivory in Big Orange, DMC in Pansy Orange, DMC in Sunset Orange, Sparkle Rays in Mango, Appleton Crewel in 446, Planet Earth in Sparks, Splendor in Brite Coral, Kreinik Silk Mori in 1112, Burmilana in Dp Carnation, Soie D'Alger in 1034, Silk and Ivory in Red Hot, Boucle' in Red 154, and Whisper in Shocking Pink.


 The Asparagus Brick Cover and The Sushi Platter canvases that we have in the shop would really benefit from using neon colors. These would both add a nice touch to any room.

  These two canvases are from the Leigh Designs trunk show we have in right now. They are wonderfully painted designs. The dark backgrounds really make the colors pop. Call the shop if you would like to place an order!


  Coming Soon! How to create needlepoint ring from start to finish. 
See also - Gone Finishing
  

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Valentine's Day


If you're a long time follower of our blog, you may remember a post I did last year about great Valentine's Day projects for your sweetie (or for yourself! :)). Since then we've received some new great projects that are perfect for Valentine's Day. They don't require much finishing, and in some cases, you can finish them yourself!


Similar to the couple of the projects we had last year, this year we once again asked our custom painter to create a couple heart shaped canvases that can fit into heart shaped paperweights we have. The finishing is so simple that if you're so inclined, you can do it yourself! You basically just slide the finished piece in and voila, you're done! One of our new designs is a sweet and simple phrase canvas similar to the heart candies you get for Valentine's Day. You can see it above with the paperweight on top to give you an idea of what it will look like finished. Below is the other piece Jia created. I love it. The swirly branches with heart shaped petals surrounding the phrase "Be Mine" really complete this piece.



We had the Kathy Schenkel trunk show in November and December. There was a whole series of bauble ornaments among the many fabulous canvases from that show. She has entire lines for all of the holidays, including Valentine's day. We have ones with hearts with arrows through them, a "bee mine", and One that says "I Heart (with a heart symbol) U" You Can see each of them below.



"Conversation Hearts"

"Be Mine"

"Valentine Hearts"


Each of them comes with a bead pack and instructions on how to finish them. They're really sweet gifts and look great finished!

All of these projects are great because they are quick, and you can potentially finish them yourself. Of course we also offer finishing services, so if you want us to finish one for you, we can do that as well.

Valentine's is a fun holiday, and it's nice to know that there are small projects that are pretty quick and easy and would be great gifts. Let us know if you like any of these or have any questions!