What if your Chosen Needlepoint Doesn’t Fit?

UPDATED: 6/5/18
I use a leather ebook cover from Lee Needle Arts for my Kindle. I stitched a canvas from my stash, that I thought looked like the right size. It’s Dim Sum from Needlepoint for Fun.

But it isn’t the right size. It’s too big on one direction and too small in the other But I still think it’s the perfect canvas, so what do you do when this happens?

With an extra fine marker, an Extra Fine Sharpie in dark gary here, use the LNA item as a template. Figure out where you will want to cut off or enlarge the design and place the needlepoint there.

Try to line up at least one edge of the painted canvas with one edge of the open area. This will make your life easier. Since I wanted the open flower to stay in one corner, I used the top edge for this.

You should be able to see the edges of the opening through the canvas and lightly mark each side. Then, complete the open shape by drawing the sides from your marks.

You’ve got an opening now, but is this enough? Most of the time it won’t work to have bar blocks on one or more sides of your design. (it does sometimes though). Look at the design and see how it needs to be continued.

For my piece I had to continue the large flower in the upper left and the vine in the lower right. With your pen continue the line at the edges of the canvas. If the lines are straight, use a ruler to continue them. If they are curves (mine are) do the best you can, you can always adjust in the stitching.

Once you’re continued the design area, step back and look. Does it look too blank? If you look, you’ll see on this design a curved vine and those “leaves” floating around. I didn’t have space for leaves (and they are too hard for me to draw), but maybe I could make the upper branch of the vine curve.

Taking a cue from the painted vine, I added just the tip. Now there won’t be a simple expanse of brown.

Let dry at least 24 hours before starting to stitch.

The picture above is my Kindle cover today. I have used this cover daily for several years and it still looks great!