Anna Pearson's Needlepoint Blog

Painting by Hugh Barnden ‘It is how you feel about your home rather than the way it looks’ an interesting comment read recently – when I got to think about it, it makes a great deal of sense.    It is the personal things, the items you have collected on holidays or trips to the country or treasures handed down from your family - and of course things like your needlepoint either made by you or your children or friends given as special gifts. Certain colours in rooms give me a thrill, in a previous home we inherited a deep blue bath (having always said there was only one colour for vanity wear – white) it was tempting to replace it but I decided to work with it, so pleased I did, teaming it with Moroccan tiles and this painting. Our present bedroom is shades of soft blue, the reason for many of my needlepoint designs being shades of the same colour.    Calm, peaceful but full of stitching memories that give me pleasure every time I go in.   Besides two...

Recently back from our third visit to Borghetto Calcinaia following much the same programme as in our previous visits and with three new people to join those who had been before. Special interest holidays work well, needlepoint and stitching are no exception, all the participants have a passion in common and I find needle pointers love flowers, gardens and visiting interesting art museums and quaint villages. They also enjoy their food and sampling recipes and fresh ingredients’ from the area.   A win win situation. Possibly the most important feature of the trip is the stitching project on offer; ideally everyone working on the same design – even if some details are adapted – works so much better with cross fertilisation of ideas and swapping of threads.    On our previous two visits we have worked on panels by the Del Robbia family – a famous family of potters from the area who produced their panels in the 16 century.This year we chose the attractive logo from th...

Well we did have the special celebration needlepoint exhibition here last week and many thanks to those of you who came but a extra special thanks to those who lent me their beautiful pieces. My aim for holding the event – besides of course catching up with students past and present – was to display some of the most exciting uses that my needlepoint designs have been put to.   Many people chose a cushion for their first ‘proper’ project but after a while they become over-cushioned and are keen to stitch something else but for it to still have a practical purpose. To make the show as self-explanatory as possible there were areas linking to various aspects.   One was some of the pieces worked during our annual trips to Italy;   we have often had a ‘theme’,     Themes give people a starting point but not a fixed project that has be followed slavishly.    Thus there were two lovey Elephant pieces, Lilly on midnight blue canvas and another wor...

On 1 st June there will be an exhibition of needlepoint, new designs, old favourites, custom designs and interesting making up.   Do join us; full details anna.pearson365@gmail.com In this year of celebrating 45 years needlepoint it got me to thinking just how much had changed little since the time in the 70s when I started the first classes in a rented location in Victoria! Right from the start there were certain aims to try and adhere to; First people enjoy the class situation, having friendly help with their stitching, meeting like-minded people and seeing and trying out accessories.    Here in Spain (one of our earliest trips) we enjoyed delicious meals too! Students attending class or ordering by post (now from our web sites) appreciate being able to have a design in different colourways or even order it without threads so they can create their very own scheme.     WE have never designed an item without knowing a reliable professional ...

45 years, I can hardly believe it myself but it all started with a large stool which I worked in Florentine while my youngest daughter, Tamara was in play group – she is now got 3 children of her own with Victoria the eldest just 21! 1st ever Design.. Right from the start I wanted people to learn different stitches incorporated into a pleasing design   that would fit in their home as well as being fun to work.    Our first design Annette (we hoped to go though the alphabet and have done many times) but had difficulty with some letters, X and Z – Zuleika, not easy even if you adore Max Beerbohn!    Annette is still available and a popular design,    Interestingly the design I am working on at present is also an A, Aleppo. From our design lists you will notice that girl’s names are widely used, frequently stitcher’s names many of whom are still enthusiastic but also names of places and historical techniques. Aleppo Newest Design. ...