Needlepoint Pattern

Looking for a needlepoint pattern can be a somewhat frustrating experience. There are a lot of places you can buy a needlepoint pattern from, but after awhile they start to all look pretty much the same.

Why not try making your own needlepoint pattern? It's relatively easy and will make a design that is completely unique.

Choosing a Needlepoint Pattern Design

Virtually anything can be used to make a needlepoint pattern, but the most effective designs are simple and involve mostly straight lines and gentle curves. More complicated designs are harder to translate to a grid.

Some good choices for needlepoint pattern designs are prints, wallpaper designs, simple photographs, even drawings that you would like to transfer to needlepoint.

Transferring Your Needlepoint Design Pattern

The easiest way to transfer a needlepoint design from a picture to a chart is simply drawing the design onto a piece of graph paper, letting each square of the paper represent a square of your needlepoint fabric.

Of course, if you're not a great artist or can't trace your design, this can be a little difficult. Another way you could to it is to scan your photo or design into your computer, print that out and cut it out and paste it to a grid or draw a grid over your design.

The idea is not to make a perfect representation of the design you are copying in your needlepoint design. So even if you don't have great art skills you can just try drawing the design onto a grid and using your slightly altered design as your needlepoint pattern.

Using Your Needlepoint Pattern

Now that you have drawn your needlepoint pattern on a grid, you can use it in the same way you would use any needlepoint pattern. Fill in the background with stitching if you like, or just choose to stitch the basic pattern.

The other fun part about using your own needlepoint pattern is that you get to pick your own colors and don't have to be limited by the colors that were in the original. Visit the crafts store and pick out the colors that you are drawn to and that you think will work well together.

Like a painter with her palette, you paint with thread. You can make what was a very naturalistic scene into something completely different just by changing the colors. An easy way to play with this is to redraw your design with a couple of different color ranges and see what appeals to you.

More Resources for Needlepoint Design

Do you have an inkjet printer? You can actually use your printer to print out a needlepoint pattern. Cats Who Quilt can show you how.

Here's a class from Caron all about using variegated thread to make a simple but beautiful needlepoint design that looks like a cool quilted design.

Tink has some cute little seasonal needlepoint patterns that can give you an idea of a way to use small designs. The motifs could also be blown up and used as wall hangings or on a pillow.

A great collection of free needlepoint pattern sites can be found at Aion, a British needlepoint site. No matter what you're looking for, you'll find something interesting. There are also embroidery and cross stitch patterns on this site, but they're pretty fun, too.

It's difficult sometimes to find free needlepoint pattern charts on the Internet. That's why it can be a lot of fun, and a lot cheaper, to make your own designs. If you're not keen on making your own needlepoint design, you can always look at your local library for books and magazines about needlepoint, or ask on your local Freecylce group if anyone has any patterns they would like to share. You can also look for online groups that are interested in needlepoint and see if they are interested in swapping patterns or sharing magazines they might have finished with.

Crafting does not have to break the bank; you just have to get a little creative to find ways to do your crafts without spending a lot of money. Don't be afraid to make your own needlepoint design; your friends will love your perfectly original gifts!