Friday, April 5, 2013

Stitching Jimmy

I like using needle painting for animals but I have to admit you need to use close observation to figure out just now the "fur" lies.  Fortunately, Tanja Berlin takes the guesswork out of this with her needle painting kits. Tanja uses one ply of DMC cotton floss to create the most realistic birds and mammals imaginable!  Check out Jimmy, her sister's hamster.  If that amazes and interests you as much as it does me, click on any of the Past Projects listed at the top of the page to see more.  Some of these pieces are commissions and some end up as needle painting kits you can buy.
http://theneedlepointer.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=80&products_id=13825

All the current needle painting kits available are listed here.  I own the Field Mouse kit and pull it out and read through the instructions any time I am about to needle paint an animal on needlepoint canvas.
http://www.berlinembroidery.com/needlepainting.htm

Want to see an amazing needlepoint cat portrait?  Check out Anne Marie's Snowball, a custom portrait from Diane Dirks.
http://stitcherie.ning.com/photo/snowball-framed?context=latest

http://stitcherie.ning.com/photo/snowball-close-up?context=latest

Diane does a lot of custom pet portraits.  You can see a display of them on her website, including a photo of Snowball before the canvas was stitched.
http://www.dirksdesigns.com/ddc/dkd/design/des_pets.htm

Diane Dirks' work is distributed by Ruth Schmuff.   You can see several non-custom animal portraits on Ruth's website.
http://www.bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/needlepoint/--b-1.asp?category=243

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Finishing The Old and New

I love seeing how various pieces of needlepoint have been finished.  Stephanie shows off some of the new pieces stitched by her SWAN group.  Don't you just love the backing fabrics?
http://stephsstitching.blogspot.com/2013/03/tons-of-great-finishing.html

Horse Country Chic shows off a pair of needlepoint lampshades, which seem to be an old piece of needlepoint repurposed for just the right study.
http://horsecountrychic.blogspot.com/2013/03/old-and-new-equestrian-from-etsy.html

Seen any great finishing lately?

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.