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.”
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
