How to Make a Needlepoint Tapestry

#1 collage or painting to suit your tastes (see How to Make a Voodoo Collage post for additional ideas)


#2 a. Adobe Photoshop texture/patchwork feature


#2 b. Adobe Photoshop Pixelate/mosaic feature


#3 a. Adobe Photoshop Texture/patchwork feature


#3 b. Adobe Photoshop Pixelate/mosaic feature


Needlepoint stitch technique examples

About thirteen years ago I taught a needlepoint tapestry class for the U's fiber program offered through its continuing ed department. The class was a crash course in drawing, design, color theory and color-mixing for the non-art major. All of my students were female, which was not a big surprise, so I used a butterfly motif to teach basic stitch and color theory. During the course we completed value and full-color cartoons (basically, a color mock-up drawing which serves as the pattern), needlepointed small butterfly tapestries focusing on expressive color (think Vincent Van Gogh), color theory (think da Vinci), complementary (think Seurat - and because thread isn't paint, we employed a technique called split thread color mixing in which you take individual threads of one color and bundle them with threads of another color, which, if you stretch the technique a lot, is similar to how Seurat painted dots of complementary colors next to each other and let the viewer's eye do the mixing). The class culminated with a final project in which students completed an original autobiographical tapestry that featured elements learned in the class. In a few short weeks students completed amazing work. The university's fiber program was offered for a brief time, and sadly is no more, but it's resurrected every decade, so it's due to reemerge. Fingers crossed.

Needlepointing is an excellent stress reducer for both men and women. Queen Elizabeth I needlepointed in her spare time when she wasn't dodging assassination plots by contemporary stitcher and queen, Mary, Queen of Scots. Howard Carter found a needlepoint in King Tut's tomb, and although there's no evidence, i.e. tomb paintings, that Tut stitched the piece, he just might have. Check out these guys: Kaffe Fassett's Glorious Needlepoint and Rosey Grier's Needlepoint for Men. And if you still think needlepointing is just for gals, check out Kate Shoup's chapter, Women's Work, My Ass! chapter from Not Your Mama's Stitching: The Cool and Creative Way to Stitch It To 'Em.

Needlepoint Tapestry
Supplies:
18 count mono canvas
wool crewel yarn, rayon, silk, or cotton embroidery floss
#22 blunt tapestry needles
stretcher frame or embroidery hoop
collage, painting, or photo

Instructions:
I. Scan original image in Adobe photo shop
II. For patterns #2 a. & #3 a.: Click on filter, then texture, then patchwork. Save and print image.
III. For patterns #2 b. & #3 b.: Click on filter, then pixelate, then mosaic. Save and print image.
#3. a. & b.
IV. Follow your color pattern. I prefer to work from the center out, but you may begin where it suits you.
V. Once completed, removed from frame and steam to reshape.
VI. Frame needlepoint, (or turn canvas edges under and stich to a throw pillow).