My Design is Featured in Needlepoint Now Magazine

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I designed and stitched a decorative pillow for my daughter Leah.  It’s fluffy and feminine, and most of all, fun to stitch! I submitted an article about it to Needlepoint Now magazine, and it was published in the current issue. The stitches are simple, and the article explains how to stitch a name needlepoint on a blank canvas. Of course, you can have us do the designing work for you.  See some samples at our Names category.

Meanwhile, my daughter, whose birthday is today, is thrilled.  Not only does she have this fancy pillow to show off, her name is now published in a real life magazine.  Quite an accomplishment for a ten year old!

Beethoven’s Birthday

Ludwig van Beethoven

On December 17th the world celebrated Ludwig van Beethoven’s 245th birthday. Google created an interactive doodle for the home page, which had the famous classical composer’s name discussed all over the Internet. But did you know that we’ve had a beautiful needlepoint design featuring Beethoven‘s likeness? Surely had Lucy known about it she’d have stitched it by now for her good friend Schroeder.

My Nephew’s Bar Mitzvah Gift: Needlepoint

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A Needlepointed Tefillin Bag

This is my nephew’s gorgeous tefillin bag.  He celebrated his Bar Mitzvah a few months ago.  He visited our website, Judaica Needlepoint, and chose a design he liked.  His maternal grandmother offered to stitch it for him.  We supplied the canvas and threads as a birthday gift.  Mazal Tov! Keep us proud!

No Smoking in Needlepoint

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This is the “No Smoking” sign in my doctor’s office. It was hanging near the front entrance. When I asked permission to photograph it, the office staff was fine with it. However they are not familiar with the original “Ellen” who stitched this nice piece. Ellen, if you are reading this blog, I love your work! A finished needlepoint work stays around forever.

Pepita Trunk Show Now at Needlepaint Nook in Merrick, NY

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The Needlepaint Nook in Merrick, NY, is currently featuring a Pepita Trunk Show.  They have many of our designs in stock for you to see in person.  Visit this fabulous store and send Janice and Pat my best regards.  The address is Merrick Mall, 2110 Merrick Ave, Merrick, NY 11566. Call them at (516) 623-0250 for hours and directions.  Happy Shopping!

The Abandoned Needlepoint

In the course of traveling the world, one may come across abandoned artwork. My daughter took this picture of one such lonely masterpiece while touring the ancient city of Safed, Israel. It is a framed floral piece, forgotten in a desolate corner of a dusty stairwell.

In a forgotten corner of a mystical city

Whose were the skilled hands that stitched this piece? Which simple home did this art grace while hanging on the wall, and for how many years did it bring its viewers joy? It will surely forever remain a mystery, taking its place among the many secrets of this mystical city.

 

My Needlepoint Kitchen Moldings

before after kitchen-molding

My kitchen recently reached its 17th birthday, and some parts are not aging gracefully.  The cabinet base molding (also known as toe kick board) is awfully scratched.  I decided to needlepoint new moldings for under the kitchen cabinets.  I chose earth tones that match the cabinets and colors that would not look dirty if they get soiled.   They are DMC 451, 840, 407, 613, 315, and 922. I used 951 for the “grout” between the tiles.  Some math helped me figure out dimensions and pattern.  I stitched up my design on Darice 10 mesh plastic canvas.

 I began a year ago with a small area, and my friends laughed at me. “The next thing you’ll stitch are the kitchen floor tiles themselves!” exclaimed Sarah R.  Another was horrified and could not understand how I would keep them clean.  My motivation deflated.  But the cracked peeling moldings kept urging me to persevere, so I revisited the project. The moldings get stitched one panel at a time, so I stitched on the subway, while waiting on long lines at Marshalls and Burlington Coat Factory, and other similar opportunities.  When I completed a segment, I attached it to the existing molding using a glue gun.
Suddenly my kitchen is gorgeous!  I still have a few more areas to complete, but I love, love, love the results.  When I’m entirely done, I’ll post more photos. And I can’t wait to watch my friends drool the next time they visit.
Enjoy the creativity!

The Stories Behind the Stitches

closeup1As an avid needlepointer, I take a great interest in the motivation of a stitcher.  I know what motivates me; needlepoint relaxes me, and I feel creatively rehydrated from it.  But what’s it like for others out there?  I have been inspired by many of my customers, and here I share their stories. (Please note that names have been changed.)

Adam orders needlepoint kits for his wife.  She suffers from  Alzheimer’s, and she stitches for ten hours each day!  Needlepoint is therapeutic for her.  He is a devoted spouse, and we all have a lot to learn about loyalty from him.  When his wife loses threads or needles, he patiently and lovingly reorders them.  He pays for express overnight shipping if need be to keep her from getting agitated.

Mary is ordering a canvas to keep her brother’s hands busy.  Her brother has finally quit smoking after being addicted for 47 years!  He now needs something to keep his hands busy, so she is buying him a needlepoint as a gift.

Mrs.B, a kind women in her early seventies, lost two adult daughters to cancer a number of years ago.  She stitches daily.  She feels needlepoint is her only solace and helps her get through each day.

Mrs. E.  insists on leaving heirlooms for her children.. She feels her children will not fight over her jewelry; they will argue over who gets which needlepoint.  Her finished pieces are heirloom quality as I have personally oohed and ahhed over them.

Lisa stitches instead of eating junk. She keeps her weight down this way.  When she needs a canvas, she is always in a rush.

Tina  needed a needlepoint shipped overnight as well. She was leaving on a vacation and would not step onto the airplane without a project to keep her occupied.

My kids’ orthodontist told me that his wife also needs a needlepoint to stitch while traveling by airplane.  She uses the metal piece on top of dental floss to cut her thread in lieu of taking a scissor (TSA Safety) along.

Barbara prefers spending her money on new needlepoint projects rather than paying  her shrink.

Mrs. S. is a senior citizen and grandmother many times over.  She is retired and spends her monthly stipend from her retirement account on new needlepoint canvases. She mastered the technique of many different stitches and is on an advanced level.  She also does the finishing on her own.  She learned how to sew as a youngster.  When she finishes a project, she gives it to a grandchild as a gift for a special occasion.

Susan suffers from bad back pain and is currently recovering from surgery. Her stitching is stunning; she stitches wedding gifts for her relatives in Israel.

Jennifer brought along her dishes to match the color of thread exactly to coordinate her dining room.

Another customer confided in me, “Renee, I stitch because I’m tired of waiting.  Of waiting for buses and trains, of waiting at the doctor’s office, of waiting until I have free time.”

Last week I  mailed a needlepoint kit to a maternity ward in a hospital in Honolulu.  A customer purchased it for an acquaintance stuck there on bed rest.

I love to hear the stories behind the stitches. Enjoy them too, and feel free to share yours.