Developing Patterns for Needlepoint

While working on this project and getting more and more addicted to it, I realized that many people don't know why we designers charge such high prices for some of it - it takes a long time and a lot of thought and effort to get it right!

As the ideas keep coming and I keep working, I'm getting excited about the possibilities here with these conical shapes. I think this form, rather than the painted canvas version, started with some Murano blown glass trees I saw in the catalog from The Art Institute of Chicago. These images kind of "implant" in the brain.

Anyway - playing around today with the poster board cone and the white paper, I decided I needed to do something with "tinsel" swags going in a continuous diagonal line around the tree. The first photo shows a squiggly freehand line I drew. I had tried several things that didn't work, but we won't go into that now.

Bear in mind I was sitting up on my bed, watching a movie on the DVD player, so the line isn't perfect. Opening these things out is sometimes the fun part, as it's a big surprise.


It occurred to me that the curved lines appear to have their ends on a straight line, which would be great for making sure they connect at the right place on the back. So - out came the green marker and the straight edge - and Voila!!

Now to put it onto canvas with this as a guide. Obviously, the canvas will be oriented with the point at the top, and it will only require running a fingernail across to get the marks in the correct places on the edges. (I'll show it on Freebies, etc. when I get it drawn correctly)



Next, I decided to be clever and see what I could do with using my diagonal laces and trims of two years ago - so first I drew a series of straight lines parallel to the edges of the tree, as the laces were worked on the 45 degree angle of the canvas.. I didn't measure or anything, as this is just an experiment.


I couldn't believe what it looked like on the back when I put it onto the poster board cone!!

You can see that the lines are drawn straight and parallel to the edges. Again, I didn't measure anything - just random straight lines made with my plastic ruler.

Looking at this also gives me another idea - using my laces that are stitched on the horizontal and vertical. It can be done with a bit more time playing with paper and scissors.

I won't stitch one in lace unless I come up with something different, as this lace binge lasted quite a while - I first did that in the early 70's, and then again about 12 years ago. I'm all laced out and drained dry, but still love it! (However, I'm working on replicating Bavarian lace in needlepoint for another "ethnic doll" I have planned.)



















I'm showing the diagonal laces for anyone who missed them, as they were made in May, 1998. The diagonal "rollie" shows how well they translate for something like this. I went on to do mini-stockings with "jeweled" chains - all kinds of fun and glittery things. I have put the booklet of these at a discount price on Freebies, etc. for anyone who wants to try it.