Lace for All Seasons (in needlepoint)

I found this little black swatch as I was trying to make some order out of chaos today, and cleaning out drawers, etc. I made bracelets and earrings with this last year, and used lots of beads - but actually developed the lace thing back in the 70's, as with most of the things I'm doing now. These are soooo easy to do, as the little "bumps" are simply Smyrna cross. You can just draw where they go from the picture/canvas chart, and make lots and lots of different things!

You can see the other lace goodies and get some ideas on my other blog under "Needlepoint Lace." The black swatch looks, without the mirror image at the bottom, like a division between stocking and cuff for a mini-stocking. You might also make napkin rings, etc. with these - or, if you are now proficient with drawing circles and other ornament shapes onto canvas, these would decorate them well in bands going across the middle. I used, on the black piece, Kreinik metallic braid - including the little red flowers.


This mini-stocking also is an unfinished piece from long ago - probably about ten years ago when I got on a lace binge again. You can see where smyrna crosses go, and the larger "crochet popcorn" lace elements are Leviathan stitches.





The lace thing can go on and on when I get started doodling on needlepoint canvas with my drawing pen, as so many different arrangements can be made. Mostly, I use it for framing monograms, quotes, or names on pillows - marvelous effect! To make a small border, just draw the corner first, so that you can miter it when you get to the diagonal - for symmetry! This is where you can play around with it and get some interesting effects.

I like to use perle cotton or silk on the lace when using it this way so that it really resembles the crocheted Irish lace that inspired it - preferably white or ecru. I forgot to mention that the edging on the black swatch, which was intended for a bracelet, is long-armed cross stitch, which rolls over so nicely for the finishing. On any other use, you might use a row of smyrna crosses, or simply make stitches over 2 x 2 threads - a really nice effect.

If you find this project interesting - don't forget to go to the other blog and click on "Needlepoint Lace" to see lots more.