Anna Pearson's Needlepoint Blog

The period before Christmas is frenetic, however the excitement of the children, homes all decorated, makes up for the cold weather, terrible traffic and dark evenings. As a result, I am only writing a short blog which hopefully you might have time to read! AS always I manage to stitch a little each day– I think it keeps me sane and anyway, I love every minute. Two of my more zanier designs Two new pieces to show you – first an additional panel for my leather clutch bag – over the years these purses in black leather have been popular as one can stitch panels to match different outfits. The new one cheers up many of my evening outfits and, better still, only took me an evening to complete;   seen here it was worked on 18 mesh black canvas with two shades of metallic. So, if you have one of these bags, may be from way back when I taught panels on American Needlepoint Guild annual events in Scotsdale and somewhere else – so long ago I can’t remember exactly where get them...

Just back from our 11 th trip to Pirapora close to Tropea in Calabria southern   Italy   Robert and I had a great week in Puglia before driving across from the east coast to pick up my stitching friends on the west coast to arrive at Pirapora.   Crossing from Puglia, interesting villages, churches and trulli houses but very flat we appreciated just how dramatic and beautiful the Calabria countryside is.   After a very wet summer it was amazingly green – fortunately the weather changed as we arrived and we enjoyed warm sun and blue skies for our whole visit. On or trips to Tuscany , usually in April/May, we always have a design that everyone works, on this trip people are able to choose what they wish to stitch. Both work well, this year in Tuscany we all stitched the venue’s logo, a pair of pheasants under an olive tree;   in Calabria there was a wide range from a large wall hanging worked in silks on 18 mesh canvas to a hussif and all things in betwee...

August, they say is the ‘silly month’ when editors and journalists scrape around for news, ‘Man bit Dog’ can become front page news!   Schools are out, Mothers seek to entertain their children, (we used to set off on our bikes with a packed lunch, sadly not possible in many areas now)’ Grandparents plan day outings or even spend time with the family on a ‘bucket and spade’ holiday; Robert has taken two of my grandchildren to Whipsnade Zoo to day and they, fortunately, couldn’t hope for better weather. So, with, I imagine most people being bored with Brexit and Trump I should like to share some of my thoughts with you and share the Autumn class programme. Firstly, and after all I am a devoted and   enthusiastic stitcher – what have I been doing? This new technique of Shadow stitching – allowing the detail of a hand-painted canvas to show through a ‘veil’ of lacy stitches – has completely intrigued me.   I have just completed 2 designs, an Elderflower and a Lilac ...

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...

I know no-one who doesn’t love flowers, the colours the smell so little wonder, flowers have been a favourite subject with artists and embroiderers throughout the ages. My own Boots. Purchased in Turkey. In Elizabethan times, the English, well known for their love of gardening, have used flowers often in a naturalistic style than most other countries – vegetables and fruit   were almost as popular.   The larger pieces were often planned and sometimes worked by professional men but these too frequently hade flowers and foliage as part of the design. My favourite reference books The Needleworker’s Dictionary’   - Pamela Clabburn ‘The Embroiderer’s Flowers – Thomasina Beck. In Victorian times, with the increased leisure time among the middle classes, embroidery and watercolour painting   were practiced and flowers particularly popular.   Berlin wool work designs printed, hand coloured in the early days were worked with a special wool and sometimes ...

When searching for a title that both described a growing trend in needlepoint design and encouraged you to read it, ‘new’ was not perfect as ideas and techniques continue to grow and have always done so.   From my own designs you will see antique tiles, Tudor embroidery and Victorian Ladies journals have inspired me. My first designs that took the colour of the canvas as part of the design many years ago was a range, the Gazebo collection, stitches   worked in white and ecru on antique (brown) canvas, the individual stitches – including Skip Tent – allowing the deep shade of canvas to offset the design.    Nowadays the exciting range of coloured canvases would lend themselves beautifully to this simple idea – oh for the time to play. Next came two Patchwork designs, the canvas painted in a crazy patchwork of colours.   Each area has stitches, often old favourites in threads to compliment the painted area below.    Either the stitches had space...

A very Happy New year to every one; let’s hope that we all enjoy good health and success in 2018 Having just had a lovely family Christmas with my daughter in France (freezing and cold outside but log fires and warming food in) I have taken stock of projects, ideas and goals that have, for whatever reason not been done in 2017.     Not that I wasn’t stitching when even possible but there was no telephone, doorbell or email essential to respond to. A response we had from a recent article was from an American now living in London whose step-grandmother worked the most amazing three fold screen during the Second World War.    The theme was Alice in Wonderland and one can see from these illustrations the Mad Hatters’ Tea Party, Alice and the Queen with the Jam Tarts.    Fortunately the stitcher’s initials and the date 1944 are visible.   The lady was obviously a proficient stitcher as among the photographs I was also sent a French style...