My favorite canvases at the show were a series of vintage travel posters available to order from Painted Pony. These are large and in a style that reminds me of the great TWA travel posters of the 1960s. You’ll find them for many great cities and travel destinations here and abroad including London, Washington DC, Paris, Route 66, Nantucket, and San Francisco. In addition to their totes made from recycled plastic, HSN has woven totes made from natural materials. They come in two sizes and look great with a belt canvas finished as a band near the top. The bags each come with a 3-foot length of grosgrain ribbon for finishing.
Kirk & Bradley has six new Florentine baubles and new floral rounds. Since the earlier rounds all had stitch guides featuring ribbon flowers, I’m hoping these do as well. They also have a fantastic and clever seasonal canvas — the Manor House. The basic canvas is a lovely white stone manor house with unadorned windows. Then for each season, you have different windows and plants to stitch to decorate the house. I saw a picture of the Christmas house and some of the flowering bushes for the spring house and they are delightful. I figure the Manor House is finished over a metal sheet and the windows have magnets inside them. It’s a real treasure.
Anne Fisher has a lovely Cape Cod Marsh landscape canvas that is very different from her geometric designs. Patricia Sone has a lovely blue butterfly square that’s on 13 mesh. Princess & Me has a turkey ornament with tail feathers in a rainbow of colors. Shelly Tribbey has a lovely four seasons canvas with four trees in a mid-century folk art feel against a blue mosaic tile background. Burnett & Bradley has four sleigh rounds with each sleigh a different color.
There are plenty of great fall and Halloween canvases out there. Brenda Stofft has two wonderful series. The first are ornaments in the shape of Halloween treat bags. With beaded handles and interesting threads, canvases such as the black cat, owl, and pumpkin come alive. They all come with stitch guides Mellisa Shirley has a series of fall flower-topped pumpkins as well as five cute pumpkin houses as well as some fall wheelbarrow canvases. JP Needlepoint has a bright Halloween woven ribbon square in bright colors that would make a great stash buster.
Kelly Clark has two new fall birdhouses duos, one with a night sky and one in the day, along with two single fall birdhouses. She also has eight different pumpkins and gourds, each with wonderful patterns, including plaids, swirls, and houndstooth. Finally, she has half a dozen acorns in a slightly muted fall color palette. One has a sunflower, one a Jack o’Lantern, and the others are geometric patterns.
Labors of Love has three three-part round ornaments, a snowman, Mrs. Santa Claus, and a decorated tree. They also have a 3-D igloo ornament with Eskimos on each face. Point2Pointe has Christmas light bulbs that come with stitch guides. Judi & Co has a lovely large l’chaim design that is in the style of millefiori beads. Danji has a Christmas mouse house with six figures and a series of bonnet-topped dog and cat rounds. Raymond Crawford has a pattern-filled hand making a peace sign.
Melissa Shirley has several new canvases in their botanical illustration style, including two with moths. Flower & Vine has a lovely wreath ornament that’s made entirely of prickly pears! Strictly Christmas has sock monkeys dressed for different holidays. Kirk & Bradley’s new sports round is for the Tour de France. Kristine Kingston has 6×9 clutch fronts in several geometric patterns. She also has a Love design specifically for tennis players with a tennis ball O and rackets making the V.
Love You More has three outstanding Christmas canvases. One is a tree in soft teals in a Scandinavian/hygge style. The others are a delightful three kings canvas and a magnificent angel (she fills the square), both in a 60s folk art style. To this, they added six holiday rounds, mostly with pines trees in part or complete. They are united also by the simple snow ground and a clear light blue sky. 3K Designs has licensed the creative quilt designs of Sue Spargo (one of my favorites) and has translated them to needlepoint. The eight canvases all have black backgrounds.
Needle Crossings has a charming ornament canvas of a city ice skating rink. They also have a by the sea quilt collage that mixes typical beachy objects with geometric patterns in a summery, but not cliche, color schemes that will work in any cottage or beach house. A Bradley has an adorable series of state mini-socks. Each has the same format: the state bird is at the toe, the year of admittance on the heal, and the flag across the top. Doolittle Stitchery has new travel rounds and squares as well as a new series of lake rounds that are a beguiling shade of blue.
Sew Much Fun has added to their 3-D animals a puppy and an adorable shark. They also have lots of new baby canvases in bright colors and pastels. Birds of a Feather has brought back their glorious needlepoint yokes for denim jackets. One of them has elements taken from one of their colorful paisleys. A new designer to this market, Bad Bitch Designs has edgy canvases, several of which were displayed on denim jackets and vests. Pepperberry has added new sports hearts with designs taken from the balls for seven different sports. Rachel Donley has added graduation letters to her letters designs; they can be painted in school colors. She also has some destination postcard backs.
Kathy Schenkel has new travel rounds including some great destinations such as the Outer Banks, Prague, and Casablanca. She also has new mini-socks of baseball (with a stuffed baseball) and a tractor (with a stuffed ear of corn). Labors of Love has a set of three lovely African women in colorful dresses and jewelry. Tina Griffin has come out with a slightly wider belt designed to be a tray surround. She also has a clever series of round ornaments with different breeds of dogs at Christmas.
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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
Elizabeth Goodman says
Janet, thanks for the excellent coverage of the market. Living in Sun City, and with so few needlepoint shops in town, and since a store can only stock so much merchandise, I sincerely doubt that I would have heard about Bad Bitch Designs. Although a lot of their designs were not to my taste, I found two delightfully, fun canvases. One of a bagel, lox and cream cheese and one of a pastrami sandwich. And their pricing is within budget.
Over the years, I’ve discovered a number of new designers and canvases thanks to your market coverage. It is greatly appreciated. Libbi Goodman
Janet M Perry says
Thanks so much. I’m so glad that the coverage is helpful to you.
Keep stitching,
Janet