I’ve been thinking about this over the past week or so because I got an email from a younger woman asking where was the needlepoint for people in their 20’s and 30’s. It’s an excellent question and one we should be considering.
Like many of you, I’ve been needlepointing so long (almost 45 years) that I don’t have a good perspective on this. So much has changed in the needlepoint world since 1970 that I sometimes think I wouldn’t recognize something new if it hit me.
That being said, I do see encouraging things in the form of new independent designers creating interesting items, charts, and design you probably won’t find in shops. I see new shops opening and older shops changing owners to a younger generation.
We see news articles about the growing interest in needlepoint. But are we creating the needlepoint version of scarf knitters? I mean people who try needlepoint because it’s cool but don’t come back.
Are our shops appealing to a new stitcher or are they places where “good needlepoint goes to die?” I’ve seen many of those shops with unwelcoming owners, poor lighting, carpet that makes even good designs look boring, and shopworn canvases. Would you go back to a shop like that?
Would you do a second or a third needlepoint piece if you were more punk than preppy? Is there a designer you would turn to?
What if you had artistic leanings and wanted to use needlepoint to express them? Mr X Stitch gives plenty of blog space to people doing interesting things in cross stitch but you find little regard or coverage of needlepoint in his world. Is it because he doesn’t understand needlepoint or because those people aren’t out there?
I look at needlepoint as an artist would and I’ve had more than my share of people looking down at me because it’s an “old lady craft.” When unprejudiced eyes see our work they see art, but do we present it and ourselves that way? By not doing so do we harm the needlework we love so much?
If we knit and wanted to share our designs and ideas with the world where would we go? If we knit we’d go to Ravelry and find a huge welcoming community of other knitters. We’d find tons of free patterns, help, and support. But where is this in the needlepoint world? Judging from what I hear, read, and see, is it anywhere? One group is difficult to navigate technically. Another is too rigid and judgmental. A third has too much advertising. A fourth seems to have a favored group of people. If I was starting out and wanted to find a community of stitchers — where would I go?
Knitting and quilting have both solved this problem. While they may not be the current “it” craft, they have vital welcoming communities with newer designers and younger people taking up these kinds of needlework.
Needlepoint does not.
I see partial reasons for the problem in many places: the frumpy needlepoint shops, the “not invented here” syndrome of many in the needlepoint community at all levels, the snobbery that exists when a person can’t spend oodles on a new canvas and great threads, the “I’m too busy to help my industry” attitude of many.
The whole thing bugs me and I don’t see a path out.
But I’m sure you do.
What kinds of designs would you like to see made? Where do younger crafters hang out and how can we reach them? What can stores, guilds, and teachers do? What topics should magazines and blogs address? What would you like to learn?
In other words, what are your ideas?
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
I think you are right about some shops not being forward-thinking, but some are. While I haven’t been there in a while due to changes in job location, Rittenhouse Needlepoint in Philadelphia has done a great job of creating a light-filled store full of different designs and threads. (I’m still not sure how they manage to get so much in there and still have decent open space.) They offer various classes in beginning needlepoint and more advanced techniques. I attended several classes where we were encouraged to be artistic and “go with it.” There are some great canvases out there which are a lot of fun – yours and Ruth Schmuff’s immediately come to mind — and they can be done in straight continental or basketweave or all sorts of fun stitches and threads.
I guess what I’m saying – rather long-windedly – is that the options are there, but more stores need to make them available to people. I think that’s the key to getting younger people involved, as well as using YouTube tutorials and social media outlets to show them the cool stuff they can make, that it’s not just about pillows and cushions stitched in wool. If more shops would embrace technology instead of being afraid of it, and treated beginners like they would treat return customers, it would make a big difference.
Painted canvases are expensive, though, and I don’t know a way around that. The painting of the canvas is an art form itself. Printed canvases that are less expensive are helpful, but I think are sometimes difficult for beginners to stitch because it can be difficult for beginners to decide where a stitch goes if a canvas isn’t “stitch-painted.”
Thanks Mindy, these are great ideas.
Keep Stitching,
Janet
As someone brand new to this art form, my comments might be helpful. I picked up my first project at a large chain store just after the New Year. I got it in to my head that I wanted to try needlepoint. I wasn’t even quite sure what I wanted so I also purchased a cross stitch project at the same time. Of course, the instructions in the kit were not sufficient for someone who has never done anything like this before – so I turned to the Internet for guidance, and now I am hooked! What I found about the possibilities of needlepoint is beyond what I ever imagined. I am drawn to needlepoint both for the technical aspects and for the art form that it is. Needlepoint is much like painting – with a much greater variety of media to apply to one’s canvas. I am still working on my original piece – continental stitch after continental stitch – but I am OK with that because I see that as an important foundation for what is to come. Thanks to you I am working on the Stitch Sampler in your beginning course – but already see other possibilities as I am working. I have played around with several types of threads and have even sketched out a potential design on paper to work on a blank canvas.
So – what does this have to do with your post today: I am joking with my friends about my new “old lady hobby.” I am in my 40’s – and many of my friends have picked up hobbies, mostly knitting and crocheting. I think needlepoint does have that reputation – because it is not marketed well. It is not a fast hobby – maybe I will get faster, but it takes me about 30 minutes for one length of thread. It is not cheap – silly me that I thought I would accomplish anything with a $10 kit. Couldn’t see the pattern – now have a craft light. Needle was missing from the kit – realized I needed some basic supplies. Then realized I needed some stretcher. Supplies are not easy to come by – went to a local needlepoint shop and bought canvas and thread for a couple of beginning projects and realized how much the canvas alone costs. Now I want to take classes and learn more – and so I can see the dollar signs adding up. The supplies available at the big chain stores are very limited. The local stores are not so convenient for me for a variety of reasons.
The first shop I have been to was nice and they were very helpful, but it was an intimidating experience because nothing was out in the open to just browse anonymously. The other shop nearby – is not close. Have not had the time to get there yet. I am signed up for a class but the first one that fit my schedule was late March. I am excited about the many online opportunities – but most seemed to be aimed at a much more advanced needlepointer. I am trying to figure out the best way to get my skills to that point.
I will not be deterred – like I said before – I am hooked. I am inspired by needlepoint as an art form and as a creative outlet that is also very relaxing. Am entertaining blogging my journey but not sure I have time – plus uncertain how interested folks would be in my beginning attempts. Glad you raised this issue.
Thanks Gail great comments!
Keep Stitching!
Janet
I’m late to the party, but wanted to chime in. My mother embroidered — quilts, ornaments, etc — as did her mother and sisters and felt strongly that every girl should learn some form of needlework. I never had the patience for cross stitch but she let me try lots of things — and needlepoint was my medium. I’m in my 40s now and still love creating an entirely new textile from canvas. However, I will say that it’s hard to find shops with contemporary interesting canvases. I am not interested in holiday themed pieces, ornaments, or bargello designs — and this seems to be all shops carry! (I think people must like smaller pieces they can finish quickly.) And I totally agree that too many shops are intimidating experiences for beginners! Why do these folks not create a welcoming environment for those new to the needle arts?
At a loss for interesting pieces, I started to go online to seek out younger contemporary needlepoint designers (like Emily Peacock in the UK). These designers often don’t stitch paint (why do you need it?) and I’ve gotten adept at following complex charts. I’ve also gotten adept at designing my own pieces — large pillows, bolsters, etc because I’ve had to learn. I’ve also learned how to seek out books (often from the 80s and 90s and out of print) that feature needlepoint designers with patterns and larger format works I like and also keep a library of borders, alphabets, and more for designing monogram, name and birth date pillows/gifts.
I’d love to see more coverage here of larger projects — rugs, tiled carpets, wall hangings, even contemporary versions of bell pulls. It’s tough to find tips/tricks on canvas size, best thread for wear, finishing, and other needs like frames. Where best to wholesale order big quantities of wool.? How to adapt existing designs? Spacing and proportion? Also, a comprehensive listing of needlepoint shops in the US would be great — there just aren’t that many. (I recently found a cute one in Aspen with a lot of contemporary canvases.)
Forgive me if there’s a repository of this information already available. Love the blog!