A return to Needlepoint (with a little help from Anna Maria Horner)

Talking of heroines (as I was in my last post), a more modern day heroine for me is definitely Anna Maria Horner. From when I first began quilting I was drawn to her bohemian floral style and the mass of colour and pattern all heaped in a jumble that became her quilts. When we lived in Sweden and I had long days to fill, Anna Maria’s videos on Creative Bug were amongst some of my favourite classes. She has a seemingly endless stream of ideas and her love of embroidery and needlepoint, all mixed in with her fabrics is just inspirational. Her ‘Needleworks Notebook’ is one of all time favourite sewing books and is full of all different kinds of projects. I have made a few of them and one of my most treasured possessions is this pinwheel clutch bag which is just so gorgeous to use.

Another project in the book is a needlepoint pincushion and I have had this on my ‘wish to do’ list for about seven years. She often used this pincushion in the videos and it was eye-catching and just something any needleworker would lust after. So to today and lockdown and clearing out drawers and what do I find but some canvas for this very project. I have a hat box filled with tapestry wool too, so I thought…now is the time and it is good to have some small projects on the go that can be finished quickly.

It did not go to plan. I think I am a competent needleworker….. but could I make this design on my canvas - nothing seemed line up. It took me two days and alot of unpicking to realise that I was stitching it the wrong way on the canvas - cross ways. Duuuuuuh - bit of a blonde moment there, but anyway swiftly on. I decided I couldn’t face unpicking it AGAIN, so decided to deviate from the one in the book and just wing it a bit. Actually it worked out just fine because after all, it is only a square (well almost). Her book and the class on creative bug illustrate some different stitches that you can use in needlepoint and this is where there fun is. The rich wool used in different ways produces a sort of structural piece and it feels so warm and durable. The textural look of interlocking these patterns is just wonderful to work and I have to say, a whole new world. Sometimes it is hard not to think of tapestry as something you might find in great aunt Ethel’s house along with potted aspidistras and doilies, and I confess I do tend to think of tapestry as just rows of boring tent stitch, but it absolutely does not have to be like that at all.

It was a great project just to have around and in the evenings as supper was cooking, I would add a bit more, Some of the more interesting stitches like the Wicker Stitch or the Byzantine stitch fill the canvas up really quickly too. As I worked my little square, I decided not to do the needlepoint on the bottom as I figured it wouldn’t fold in like the one in the book anyway, but instead opted for some lovely red wool fabric that I bought in Sweden.

It is just like making a small pillow really and it turned out to be really beautiful in the end and just makes me smile every morning that I walk into my sewing room. I think Anna Maria would approve and I loved doing this project so much that I am already on to another needlepoint project which I hope will be popping up here soon. It is so good to revisit something in needlework that you had all but forgotten and to find that there is a whole new and modern world going on with it. Needlepoint might be a centuries old pastime but it is really a glorious thing.

You can find Anna Maria’s classes on www.Creativebug.com and her instagram is just a happy place.

To see my freestyle garden box cover in needlepoint click here