Needlepoint designer, Judy Harper, has started a new blog called, “Freebies, etc.!” She plans on sharing patterns and tutorials that she has developed over the years.
She’s already posted several examples and designs already.
http://needle-crafts.blogspot.com/
Have fun! :-)
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Showing posts with label designing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label designing. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
ANG Baltimore Seminar Name Tag – Stitched! #2
Hi,
Forgot to post the second picture.
Here you are!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Originally Posted: August 4, 2007
Forgot to post the second picture.
Here you are!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Originally Posted: August 4, 2007
ANG Baltimore Seminar Name Tag – Stitched!
After a lot of hard work, a family vacation, and our house cable going down for several days it’s finally finished! My ANG Baltimore Seminar Name Tag is finally stitched!!!
And there was much shouting, laughing and general celebration! Happy Dance!!!
I’m planning on taking my stitched name tag over to my local LNS tomorrow so that it can be made into a finished name tag. They’ll place it over mat board, add a backing, and then sew on cording around all four sides and for a necklace. I picked out a nice tan batik this afternoon that will be used for the backing fabric. I’m not sure what colors we’ll pick out for the cording as we’ll have to see what will work. I definitely want to have the main color of the cording be the tan but somehow I also want to add in the blue or the subtle green color that’s in the background.
I posted earlier that I was going to change the design. I do appreciate the hard work of the volunteers who designed the original name tag but I decided that I wanted to make it more mine and more reflective of the Chesapeake Bay area. That’s one of the reasons I love needlepoint. It’s harder to modify a cross stitch pattern (or at least in my opinion it is), but I love that you can change stitches, threads, and colors in needlepoint and still add up with a fun design!
The original lighthouse looked too much like a New England lighthouse to me instead of what is found locally in the Chesapeake Bay area. My inspiration for my lighthouse was the Hooper’s Strait lighthouse which is now part of the St. Michael’s Maritime Museum. I’ve also placed it on my name tag close to where St. Michael’s is located. I changed the sailboat from the original design so that it looks more like a Chesapeake Bay Skipjack. Or at least to my eyes!
I also changed the shape of the Chesapeake Bay to show the major rivers that flow into the Bay. The original design did not show any rivers and was stitched in a solid color. I stitched mine with a variegated thread (1 strand of Water Colors Night Sky) to try to show some of the movement of the water. I did try a pattern stitch but nothing worked very well so I stitched the Bay in continental so that the color would change horizontally. To add more of a watery feel, I also added a strand of blending filament (Kreinik’s #006) which is a teal/blue color to try to show some of the water sparkles.
I also added some stitching to show the Chesapeake Bay Bridges. I couldn’t fit both of the twin spans on my name tag, but one will show the connection between Maryland’s Western and Eastern shores. It will also add a metallic element to the design and a subtle sparkle in the center of the Bay.
The background is stitched in a Horizontal Brick Stitch in Vineyard Silk’s Tone on Tone in T-808 Sand. This is the first time that I have used Vineyard Silk threads and I thoroughly enjoyed this new thread. I didn’t have to worry about laying threads and since I needed to stitch this quickly that was definitely a consideration in what fibers I selected. Vineyard Silks has a very nice hand and covers 18 count very well. I’m looking forward to trying their other two lines of threads.
I’m very satisfied with how this turned out but if I was going to stitch this design again I would change one thing. I stitched the bay with a straight left side as when see from high above, there isn’t much curve or large rivers on that section of the bay. If I was doing this again, I would curve the bay more on the left so that it doesn’t look quite so rigid. Unfortunately, since I was stitching with a variegated thread by the time I realized what was happening, it was too late to add a little more curve as the new stitches would never have blended in with the original stitches.
I also carried the Brick Stitch throughout the ANG Baltimore Seminar and the lettering for my name. This gave a softer less distinct look which I do like. If I was going to do this again, I would consider basket weave stitching with DMC #5 a small area around the lettering. The lettering would be more distinct and it would be easier to stitch the Brick Stitch through this area.
I also removed a stitched crab that was in the original design. I felt it made the design too busy and since the pattern included a silver crab charm, I felt the stitched crab wasn’t necessary.
To create my design I spent a lot of time with graph paper, maps of the Bay, pictures of the Hooper’s Strait lighthouse, and of Skipjacks. It took apx. 8 – 10 hours to design my name tag. Once I had it graphed, I was able to decide on the colors I would need for the various elements and I started stitching. I didn’t keep track of my time, but I would estimate that it took between 15 – 25 hours to stitch. The compensation slowed me down a little but the real time was spent stitching the Bay. Somehow I got off in my counting from the graph and I was adjusting the stitching from then on. So I guess you can say that from the middle to the top of the Bay, I was designing as I was stitching! And after all of that hard work on the design. Sigh…
There is also some subtle back stitching on the design, around the lighthouse and to show the ropes on the Skipjack. These may not show up very well in the pictures but they do add to the look of the design when seen in person.
I’ll post pictures of the name tag once it’s finished!
Jane, you were curious as to how I would fit everything on this small space. What do you think?
Jane, Pat, and Kelly, pictures as promised!
By the way, our house cable was nicked by the cable company while running new cable throughout the development. They repaired it very quickly but have you ever lived with three other people (two of them teenagers) all going through Internet and email withdrawal? It’s not a pretty sight!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Original Comments:
- It is great! I really like all the details you designed. And, you have my sympathy for the cable withdrawals. Hard to believe a few years ago, we all managed just fine. LOL
And there was much shouting, laughing and general celebration! Happy Dance!!!
I’m planning on taking my stitched name tag over to my local LNS tomorrow so that it can be made into a finished name tag. They’ll place it over mat board, add a backing, and then sew on cording around all four sides and for a necklace. I picked out a nice tan batik this afternoon that will be used for the backing fabric. I’m not sure what colors we’ll pick out for the cording as we’ll have to see what will work. I definitely want to have the main color of the cording be the tan but somehow I also want to add in the blue or the subtle green color that’s in the background.
I posted earlier that I was going to change the design. I do appreciate the hard work of the volunteers who designed the original name tag but I decided that I wanted to make it more mine and more reflective of the Chesapeake Bay area. That’s one of the reasons I love needlepoint. It’s harder to modify a cross stitch pattern (or at least in my opinion it is), but I love that you can change stitches, threads, and colors in needlepoint and still add up with a fun design!
The original lighthouse looked too much like a New England lighthouse to me instead of what is found locally in the Chesapeake Bay area. My inspiration for my lighthouse was the Hooper’s Strait lighthouse which is now part of the St. Michael’s Maritime Museum. I’ve also placed it on my name tag close to where St. Michael’s is located. I changed the sailboat from the original design so that it looks more like a Chesapeake Bay Skipjack. Or at least to my eyes!
I also changed the shape of the Chesapeake Bay to show the major rivers that flow into the Bay. The original design did not show any rivers and was stitched in a solid color. I stitched mine with a variegated thread (1 strand of Water Colors Night Sky) to try to show some of the movement of the water. I did try a pattern stitch but nothing worked very well so I stitched the Bay in continental so that the color would change horizontally. To add more of a watery feel, I also added a strand of blending filament (Kreinik’s #006) which is a teal/blue color to try to show some of the water sparkles.
I also added some stitching to show the Chesapeake Bay Bridges. I couldn’t fit both of the twin spans on my name tag, but one will show the connection between Maryland’s Western and Eastern shores. It will also add a metallic element to the design and a subtle sparkle in the center of the Bay.
The background is stitched in a Horizontal Brick Stitch in Vineyard Silk’s Tone on Tone in T-808 Sand. This is the first time that I have used Vineyard Silk threads and I thoroughly enjoyed this new thread. I didn’t have to worry about laying threads and since I needed to stitch this quickly that was definitely a consideration in what fibers I selected. Vineyard Silks has a very nice hand and covers 18 count very well. I’m looking forward to trying their other two lines of threads.
I’m very satisfied with how this turned out but if I was going to stitch this design again I would change one thing. I stitched the bay with a straight left side as when see from high above, there isn’t much curve or large rivers on that section of the bay. If I was doing this again, I would curve the bay more on the left so that it doesn’t look quite so rigid. Unfortunately, since I was stitching with a variegated thread by the time I realized what was happening, it was too late to add a little more curve as the new stitches would never have blended in with the original stitches.
I also carried the Brick Stitch throughout the ANG Baltimore Seminar and the lettering for my name. This gave a softer less distinct look which I do like. If I was going to do this again, I would consider basket weave stitching with DMC #5 a small area around the lettering. The lettering would be more distinct and it would be easier to stitch the Brick Stitch through this area.
I also removed a stitched crab that was in the original design. I felt it made the design too busy and since the pattern included a silver crab charm, I felt the stitched crab wasn’t necessary.
To create my design I spent a lot of time with graph paper, maps of the Bay, pictures of the Hooper’s Strait lighthouse, and of Skipjacks. It took apx. 8 – 10 hours to design my name tag. Once I had it graphed, I was able to decide on the colors I would need for the various elements and I started stitching. I didn’t keep track of my time, but I would estimate that it took between 15 – 25 hours to stitch. The compensation slowed me down a little but the real time was spent stitching the Bay. Somehow I got off in my counting from the graph and I was adjusting the stitching from then on. So I guess you can say that from the middle to the top of the Bay, I was designing as I was stitching! And after all of that hard work on the design. Sigh…
There is also some subtle back stitching on the design, around the lighthouse and to show the ropes on the Skipjack. These may not show up very well in the pictures but they do add to the look of the design when seen in person.
I’ll post pictures of the name tag once it’s finished!
Jane, you were curious as to how I would fit everything on this small space. What do you think?
Jane, Pat, and Kelly, pictures as promised!
By the way, our house cable was nicked by the cable company while running new cable throughout the development. They repaired it very quickly but have you ever lived with three other people (two of them teenagers) all going through Internet and email withdrawal? It’s not a pretty sight!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Original Comments:
- It is great! I really like all the details you designed. And, you have my sympathy for the cable withdrawals. Hard to believe a few years ago, we all managed just fine. LOL
NC Pat – Needleart Nut
- Hi Pat,
- Hi Pat,
Glad you like the details on the name tag. I also have some very small buttons that I'll add to it once it comes back from the finisher. We have to add our Windy Meadow details!I'm crossing my fingers that they can have it finished in time for seminar. If not, I'll probably change it into an ornament.
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
- Good luck with getting it, and have a wonderful time at seminar!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
- Good luck with getting it, and have a wonderful time at seminar!
NC Pat – Needleart Nut
- And a lovely picture it is! Love the nametag Cynthia. The lighthouse looks just like the one in St. Michaels.
- And a lovely picture it is! Love the nametag Cynthia. The lighthouse looks just like the one in St. Michaels.
Kelly W.
- Hi Kelly,
- Hi Kelly,
Thanks!Glad to hear that you think I managed to make my lighthouse look like the Hoopers Strait lighthouse!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
- Hi Pat,Thanks!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Originally Posted: August 4, 2007
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
- Hi Pat,Thanks!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Originally Posted: August 4, 2007
ANG Baltimore Seminar Nametag
I'm still working away on my ANG Baltimore Seminar Nametag. I ordered the nametag and though I appreciate the hard work that the volunteers put into the design, I decided to tweak a few things. You can see a picture of the original name tag here;
http://www.needlepoint.org/newsletter.php#cyberworkshop
I removed the crab from the design. It was stitched in a coral color and everyone knows that's a cooked dead crab who obviously will not be stitching anything! I originally planned on redesigning the crab so it would be an uncooked Blue Crab. Actually it was going to be a "She" crab as she was going to be a lovely shade of aqua blue with red tips on her claws. The "Boy" crabs do not have red tips on their claws! I came up with a design that looked like a blue crab but I still thought it looked way too big in comparison to the other elements on the name tag. So scratch one blue crab. I’m planning on putting the crab charm in the lower portion of the Chesapeake Bay to take the designed crabs place.
I also redesigned the lighthouse so it reflects the style of lighthouses that were and still are on the Chesapeake Bay. I based my lighthouse design on the Hoopers Strait lighthouse which was moved from Hoopers Strait to the Chesapeake Maritime Museum. You can see the lighthouse here;
http://www.cbmm.org/ab_main.html
Click on the “About us” link to see the lighthouse.
Another picture of the lighthouse is her.
http://www.cheslights.org/heritage/hoopers-str.htm
Of course I then couldn’t leave well enough alone with the boat either… So I worked up two designs for the ship. One is based on a Skipjack and you can see an example here;
http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/boat.html
The second ship design is based on the “Lady Maryland” which is a pungy schooner. You can see the “Lady Maryland” and read about her here;
http://www.livingclassrooms.org/Facilities/LadyMD.html
After tweaking the ship designs, my daughter and I decided that I should stitch the Skipjack as it doesn’t look as busy with just two sails as the schooner with three. The Skipjack is also more reflective of the Bay’s history.
I've finished the designing portion of this project and I was able to start stitching a few nights ago. I don't have a lot to share yet as I was able to stitch only the "ANG Baltimore 2007" and my name on the nametag.
Later in the week I began stitching the lighthouse but it’s not going to look like much until I can add in the backstitching. It looks like a UFO right now!
I then decided that the letters, which are stitched in a very dark midnight blue, need a little accent. I've pawed through my stash and I've found a couple of colors of Kreinik blending filament which I hope to try tomorrow. I did consider ripping out the letters and replacing with a Kreinik braid but I finally decided that I just want to add a little glisten to the letters. Plus I need to get this done if I have any hope of finishing it in time so it can be finished for Seminar!
If what I've pulled from my stash doesn't work, I may have to go to my LNS on Monday. Now that will be fun!
I also redesigned the Chesapeake Bay for the nametag. This was the most challenging part of the project as I wanted it to look like the outline of the Bay instead of just any old body of water. The Bay does have a distinct shape and feeder rivers which are hard to stitch on such a small scale. I finally came up with a design that I’m happy with. I’m just crossing my fingers that it stitches up well!
As soon as I get more of it done, I’ll post a picture. Yes, Kelly, Pat and Jane I promise!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Original Comments:
- Wow! What a lot of work! How large is the nametag going to be? Sounds like a lot is in one small area. We look forward to pictures, of course.
Jane of Chilly Hollow
- Hi Jane,It's been fun to redo the design and I'm enjoying the stitching and seeing it all come together! Plus it's helping me to keep my interest in this project. The nametag is going to be 4.4" by 3.2" and of course the finishing will add a little to the size. This is just slightly bigger than the badge I wear everyday to work. I used my work badge for comparision to make sure I didn't make anything too big! I like the larger dimensions of the design on 18 count than the size it would have been on congress cloth which is one of the reasons I started redoing the design. Since I'm stitching on 18 count, it's working up fairly quickly. Or it was until I ran into my thread dilemma which I plan on solving today. As soon as I stitch the main motif's and start working on the background, I'll post pictures. I promise!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
- Thanks for all the information, Cynthia. I look forward to photos. Your nametag is about the same size as the one I'm stitching on congress cloth so I am eager to see how all those motifs are crammed into that small a space.
Jane of Chilly Hollow
- Pictures, pictures, pictures came the chant from the mountains...
NC Pat
Orginally Posted: July 7, 2007
http://www.needlepoint.org/newsletter.php#cyberworkshop
I removed the crab from the design. It was stitched in a coral color and everyone knows that's a cooked dead crab who obviously will not be stitching anything! I originally planned on redesigning the crab so it would be an uncooked Blue Crab. Actually it was going to be a "She" crab as she was going to be a lovely shade of aqua blue with red tips on her claws. The "Boy" crabs do not have red tips on their claws! I came up with a design that looked like a blue crab but I still thought it looked way too big in comparison to the other elements on the name tag. So scratch one blue crab. I’m planning on putting the crab charm in the lower portion of the Chesapeake Bay to take the designed crabs place.
I also redesigned the lighthouse so it reflects the style of lighthouses that were and still are on the Chesapeake Bay. I based my lighthouse design on the Hoopers Strait lighthouse which was moved from Hoopers Strait to the Chesapeake Maritime Museum. You can see the lighthouse here;
http://www.cbmm.org/ab_main.html
Click on the “About us” link to see the lighthouse.
Another picture of the lighthouse is her.
http://www.cheslights.org/heritage/hoopers-str.htm
Of course I then couldn’t leave well enough alone with the boat either… So I worked up two designs for the ship. One is based on a Skipjack and you can see an example here;
http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/boat.html
The second ship design is based on the “Lady Maryland” which is a pungy schooner. You can see the “Lady Maryland” and read about her here;
http://www.livingclassrooms.org/Facilities/LadyMD.html
After tweaking the ship designs, my daughter and I decided that I should stitch the Skipjack as it doesn’t look as busy with just two sails as the schooner with three. The Skipjack is also more reflective of the Bay’s history.
I've finished the designing portion of this project and I was able to start stitching a few nights ago. I don't have a lot to share yet as I was able to stitch only the "ANG Baltimore 2007" and my name on the nametag.
Later in the week I began stitching the lighthouse but it’s not going to look like much until I can add in the backstitching. It looks like a UFO right now!
I then decided that the letters, which are stitched in a very dark midnight blue, need a little accent. I've pawed through my stash and I've found a couple of colors of Kreinik blending filament which I hope to try tomorrow. I did consider ripping out the letters and replacing with a Kreinik braid but I finally decided that I just want to add a little glisten to the letters. Plus I need to get this done if I have any hope of finishing it in time so it can be finished for Seminar!
If what I've pulled from my stash doesn't work, I may have to go to my LNS on Monday. Now that will be fun!
I also redesigned the Chesapeake Bay for the nametag. This was the most challenging part of the project as I wanted it to look like the outline of the Bay instead of just any old body of water. The Bay does have a distinct shape and feeder rivers which are hard to stitch on such a small scale. I finally came up with a design that I’m happy with. I’m just crossing my fingers that it stitches up well!
As soon as I get more of it done, I’ll post a picture. Yes, Kelly, Pat and Jane I promise!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
Original Comments:
- Wow! What a lot of work! How large is the nametag going to be? Sounds like a lot is in one small area. We look forward to pictures, of course.
Jane of Chilly Hollow
- Hi Jane,It's been fun to redo the design and I'm enjoying the stitching and seeing it all come together! Plus it's helping me to keep my interest in this project. The nametag is going to be 4.4" by 3.2" and of course the finishing will add a little to the size. This is just slightly bigger than the badge I wear everyday to work. I used my work badge for comparision to make sure I didn't make anything too big! I like the larger dimensions of the design on 18 count than the size it would have been on congress cloth which is one of the reasons I started redoing the design. Since I'm stitching on 18 count, it's working up fairly quickly. Or it was until I ran into my thread dilemma which I plan on solving today. As soon as I stitch the main motif's and start working on the background, I'll post pictures. I promise!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
- Thanks for all the information, Cynthia. I look forward to photos. Your nametag is about the same size as the one I'm stitching on congress cloth so I am eager to see how all those motifs are crammed into that small a space.
Jane of Chilly Hollow
- Pictures, pictures, pictures came the chant from the mountains...
NC Pat
Orginally Posted: July 7, 2007
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