A blank canvas.

Starting a new project is one of needlepoint’s many pleasures.  Having chosen a new canvas, we are faced with a tabula rasa, a clean canvas that offers us myriad opportunities to bring our creativity to the forefront and make decisions about color, texture, threads, and stitches.  While actually stitching a needlepoint canvas relaxes us and enables us to exercise our skills; our thread and stitch selections allow our creative spirits to shine.

While the decisions offered by a new canvas might seem daunting to some, they don’t need to be.  In this series, we will consider the questions we ask when beginning a new project.  We will reflect on what we think about when you come into the shop in preparation of beginning a new canvas.  And while these questions are intertwined (of course),  we will do our best to sort them out for purposes of our discussion.  

First and foremost, keep your planning experience pleasurable; Do. Not. Stress.  Keep in mind that:

• • You do not need to make all of your decisions about color, thread, and stitches at the outset.  In fact, you might find some of these decisions easier (and more fruitful) to make once your stitching is underway.

• •You can let possibilities simmer.  Leave your canvas on the table with the color choices you are considering and walk away.  Walk around a bit and come back to your canvas and possibilities with a clean set of eyes.  Ask yourself what strikes you when you first see the possibilities again.

• •You can experiment with color and texture in the margins of your canvas to determine whether they are a good fit.

• •No decision is irreversible (as long as you are willing to take out a bit of stitching).

• • The canvas is for you to make your own.  If you want to choose a version of a color that appeals to you a bit more than what is painted on the canvas, go with the color that pleases you.

““Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.”

— Michelangelo

Remember, there is always more to discover and learn. So, as you pick up your needle and thread, let your imagination soar and create something truly extraordinary. Happy stitching! - Leslie

It’s not easy choosing green.

For most of us, the color green brings to mind growth and rebirth, and freshness.  It evokes visions of spring grass and deep forests.  The greens that surround us as we walk outdoors bring us peace and comfort.   As a mixture of blue and yellow, green is both warming and cooling.  It’s no surprise, then, that green is considered one of the most restful and relaxing colors to the eye.  But also the most complicated to use.

I have always been drawn to  the impressionist movement, and maybe my attraction to green is why:  they seemed to have mastered the use of nature’s most complex color in their work.  Although the use of green in art can be traced back to the Egyptians, it was not until well into the impressionist period that green became ubiquitous.  Before that time, most green paint contained toxic chemicals and was very expensive.  Once green pigments became safe and affordable, green appeared everywhere.  Artists became able to  truly mimic nature - finding the perfect combinations and balance of greens.  

At least once a day in the shop, I am challenged with the question,  “What green (or greens) should I use?”.     Sometimes the color choice is straightforward.  A “Christmas green” for a holiday canvas is typically fairly easy to find.  But “grass green” might be more difficult, and a canvas with several variations of green even more difficult yet.  Consider the the number of greens in this stunning canvas stitch painted by Carol Curtis:

Typically when I am pulling  threads for a complex canvas I begin by looking at sections.  I might begin with the crab, for example.  But given the complexity of this canvas - and particularly the complexity of its greens - I might narrow my approach even further, starting with the bottom right and examining the greens and considering their shades and their values (darkness or lightness).  Sometimes I place a possible thread on the canvas and realize that I’ve identified the shade correctly but I need a thread that is lighter or darker.  If I’m lucky, I’ll find just what I need right next to the shade I originally pulled.  I repeat this process for each of the green shades on the canvas.  

From time to time I need to push myself not to shy away from greens that are not my favorite.  Nature and art have taught me that the spectrum of greens can often be mixed together to have a pleasing effect, and almost always, the artist’s choice is one that works.  Before I consider my thread choices finished, however, I stand back and make sure that none of my choices are jarring - that all of my colors play nicely together .

We are always happy to help you choose the greens for your next canvas.   I encourage you, however, to dip your toes into the pool of experimentation.  Take some greens off the wall and see how they look on your canvas.  Sometimes I begin to stitch and realize I’m not entirely happy with my choices, take it out, and try a different thread or shade.  We can learn from our  choices.   Play around.  You’ll gain confidence quickly.

My Inspiration.

Welcome to my first blog post. I am sure I will get the hang of this soon. Today I have been thinking a lot about why I love needlepoint, embroidery, and really anything that has a thread to pull. I have always loved animals, flowers, color, sewing and the list goes on. As a child, I was all over the place, never sitting idle and driving those elders around me a bit crazy. What to do with this child - keep her busy - so, what started out as a parenting device, was something that I have taken with me throughout my life. In a self-reflective moment, I see that “stitching” indulged my creative side while needlepoint has helped my uptight side by following the rules of the grid. A perfect balance.

Inspiration is everywhere. I love going to zoos. Where I see the way fur lays on the backs of polar bears, or the subtle colors of a hedgehog’s coat. In museums I study the colors of the paint, and the history of the subject. When I flip through magazines, I notice the design and page layout. I make mental notes of these observations- sometimes I just rip out pages, or take a photo on my phone, to later become a post-it note.

Through the wonderful community that has resulted from a simple needle arts shop, I am able to help others create and fulfill my need to stay busy. We all learn from one another. Over time, relationships are made. What started as choosing threads and colors, turns into sharing the latest book, a favorite recipe, a family milestone, current binge watch and so much more. Hillside Needle Arts has become a place of so much joy, creativity and long lasting friendships.

My hope is we will continue to create together, and inspire one another.

til the next time - Leslie