Shading needlepoint often seems complex, and many stitchers shy away from blending threads. But it is what I call a “Big Bang” technique — one which isn’t hard to master and which then gives fantastic results when you are finished — the Big Bang.
Anne Stradal is a master at needleblending and uses them often in her pieces. In her most recent lighthouses she has had lovely needleblended skies, as you can see from the picture at the top of this post.
I’m particularly fond of this one, as it combines needleblending with Nobuko, a textured stitch. This reminds us that we can needleblend with any stitch which is done in straight rows. And if a stitch has rows which encroach on each other, as Nobuko does, the effect is even more wonderful and subtle.
Anne not only does needleblending, she is showing you, step by step, how to do it, using this lighthouse and lots of pictures in this marvelous tutorial.
Skies are perfect for this technique because the sky naturally shades from light blue at the horizon to a deeper blue overhead. Don’t feel stupid if you haven’t ever noticed this, I didn’t until I moved to California because in Pittsburgh there were too many hills to see the natural horizon. Or, as I put it, here “the sky goes all the way to the ground.”
But you could use needleblending in just about any range of colors to create a lovely background for needlepoint.
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
Where did you find the Biloxi lighthouse needlepoint? I’m from Mississippi and would love to have this canvas to do for myself! Thanks,
Carol Norris
Anne’s designs are carried by many shops. Her list of shops is at http://www.absdesignsonline.com/where_to_buy.htm. I’m sure you could buy the canvas from one of them or have your local shop order from her.
The lighthouse canvases are very popular.
Keep Stitching,
Janet