More Patterns for Sea Shells

I actually found the file folder with my sea shells in it, so will present them here for your use and enjoyment. There are plenty of tutorials and instructions on this blog, here and there, to get you started drawing and painting on canvas. The outlines, of course, could also be used for other things, both needlework and other painting related crafts.

The outlines are the shapes of actual shells, (in the range of 5 1/2" high) but I had a lot of fun painting them in exotic colors instead of the realistic ones. You could always consult a shell dictionary for that if you would rather do the "real thing."




















I can see the potential here for some really pretty threads, such as the DMC Satin Floss in the "pearl" interior of the shell.

























Please excuse the tilted drawing - it's late, and I was too tired (lazy) to remove the thing from the scanner and straighten it out. I hope you enjoy these, as I have several more I want to show in the next day or two.

Patterns for Sea Shells!

Digging in boxes again, I have found some small canvases and drawings I had forgotten about - my sea shell collection from several years ago. I will also post the pictures of the painted ones if I can find the files.

I have loved seashells my entire life - from the time I saw the first one when I was about three years old. I used to paint them on needlepoint canvas their true and original colors, but a few years ago, after seeing some jewelry, I decided to use "Caribbean colors" and add pearls, etc.

The first picture is actually a green tree snail, but I took liberties with it. I found a treasure of pictures in a gorgeous encyclopedia of shells, plus a few other books on the subject. Marine biology is of great interest to me, so I've really enjoyed these books. (It's nice to be able to justify expenditures).

The second picture has only been partially painted, and the jewels added - I hope I have a photo of this one in color. It's about 5 1/2" high.

The next two are the drawings on canvas, ready to paint, with the little "pearls" drawn also. The long, skinny one is 5 3/4" high. The shorter one is 5 1/4" high.

These are all that I have on canvas with the pearls, but there are more that are drawings of the actual shapes but without jewels. Also I found lots of just drawings on paper that I'll pass along in thenext post (while I'm still working on trees).

All of these shell shapes are drawn from pictures of the actual shells, so you might paint them realistically (leaving off the jewels) or do them in your choice of colors and do the pearls too.

Stitching the Scallop Shell and Fish

Be sure to see the jeweled fish and the scallop shell on the other blog (Possibilities, etc.) with stitching in progress, as they're coming alive now with color!

Another Scallop Shell

This shell is rather small - perfect for an ornament for a small tree, maybe at one's beach house (or in my case wishful imagining of being back in Tallahassee).

Anyway, I'm planning to stitch some of these and show progress on the other blog after I determine which threads to use. At the moment, I'm looking at one of my favorite combinations: RG Petite Very Velvet, Kreinik metallic braid (#12 for the 18 mesh canvas) and Renaissance Shimmer to make "pearls" and "coral."

Originally, I painted these little ones for a friend here in Austin, who wanted to do a small "nautical theme" tree, so this is only 3 1/4" high as is - but could easily be enlarged by either enlarging the tracing or by using the counted canvas version on larger than 18 mesh canvas.


This, again, is a tracing of an actual scallop shell from one of my books on the subject. It's easy to imagine and place "jewels" on them and change to colors to suit! Of course, many times, the actual colors are gorgeous.
The drawing on canvas is symmetric and counted, as this is a must for a small piece, especially. Also, this could be done in counted cross stitch by simply substituting the dots on canvas with an X on graph paper or fabric. Quite simple. Play with this one and see what color combinations you might devise!

Designing a Jeweled Fish (in Needlepoint or X-Stitch)

While looking at the painted canvas, I realized that this could also be done in counted cross-stitch on a colored fabric! The model is on 18 mesh canvas, so each little dot/stitch can be reproduced with a X-stitch on the fabric - on graph paper, this would appear as one square, so you might want to chart it that way first.

Anyway - this is a fish I traced from a book on tropical fish (can't remember the name of it right now), and then played with it a bit on doodle canvas to get an idea for embellishment - and voila! "jewels"!!

The jewels are on a 90 degree angle, which follows lines I drew first to get some ideas - and it worked! The jewels are in a setting of Kreinik metallic braid - #12 both in 002 gold and in silver for the little smyrna cross "beads." These are marked in blue on the canvas to easily distinguish from the gold settings.

To do your own, you might just follow what I did - or trace the outline of the fish (or find yourself a new one in a book or on the internet) and figure a wonderful and original pattern.

I'm planning to stitch several of these, as well as some shells I drew a number of years ago, on the other blog soon. On this fish, I'm seeing petite Very Velvet (Rainbow Gallery) with my favorite effect of the 002V metallic braid and lots of sparkle in the jewels. Also some DMC Satin Floss here and there for a great contrast in texture. I'll have some more shell freebies soon - I've been awfully busy lately, so am running behind.

ADDENDUM: For right now, I have the comments cut totally off, as a few nights ago, I had a horrendous spamming episode - and the only way I could stop it was to block and remove the entire comment section. I did this on the other blog also to take no chances. After this, I'll do the comment moderation thing, which I really didn't want to do. Oh well.

Sea Shells for Needlepoint: With or Without Jewels

I promised a while back that I would provide some patterns for sea shells for putting onto canvas yourself.

I finally dug out two rather fat files labeled "Jeweled Critters" and "Small Sea Shells." I had forgotten about many of them, as that binge of designing for me came and went about 12 years ago. Since then, I have found many many new threads to use to really enhance these things, and make them much better than they were the first time.

The first picture is a simple scallop shell - the first one I did when I departed from painting realistic sea shells on needlepoint canvas. I had pulled out a lot of threads in what I call "Caribbean Colors," and it seemed only right to paint some shells in these colors - but what was lacking, was "pearls."

The second picture is in the actual colors of a scallop shell which is native, as I remember, to somewhere in the south Pacific. Later, I added pearls to it, and painted it in several different color combinations - my favorite, of course, the aquas and green.

Enough of that. My purpose here is to inspire you to create your own, and it's actually quite simple. I have had a love and fascination for sea shells since I saw my first real ones as a small child at Ft. Pierce in Florida, during WWII, just before my father went off to the south Pacific.

When I moved to Tallahassee in my early 40's, my favorite recreation was going to the beach "in season" and picking up shells, and going out onto the sand bars to pick up sand dollars with my toes. Of course I then had to put them onto canvas for stitching.

All of my fantasy "jeweled" shells are from actual shapes, most of which I traced from several wonderful books of shells I own - one of them is a gigantic "coffee table" book. (I'm back in Austin now)

You can do this - or look for shells on the internet. Mine are here for you, and my suggestion is that you print them out, size them as you wish, and draw them onto canvas. Then see what you can do with adding jewels and beautiful, unusual colors.

This shell is a green tree snail - it was in my giant book of shells, so I traced it and added the pearls. I'm already pulling out threads to see what I can use to really make it special. Maybe Petite Very Velvet with the pearly coral colored area in DMC Satin Floss. The gold outlining will, of course, be Kreinik 002V #12 braid, as this is on 18 mesh canvas.

This is not the color of the actual green tree snail, as the real ones are very very bright green - gorgeous things!! I"m giving you both the tracing, and also the scan of the actual canvas, marked for the addition of the "pearls."

As I don't like to paint the canvases I'm going to stitch unless I have to, I'll just mark the areas of color with the Sharpie ultra fine permanent drawing pen, so I'll know where to stitch each color. Thank heaven for colored drawing pens these days!!

To show the transition from sea shell book to painted canvas, I've photographed the two pictures together to give you an idea of what you can do. This is a "banded tulip" - one of my favorites.

Earrings for the Season: Needlepoint or Counted X-Stitch

This is one of those almost mindless activities that could keep me happy and busy for the whole day if I don't make myself put it down. I just call it "doodling on canvas," as I never use graph paper for designing. That takes time to color in little squares, and it doesn't give me a true picture of the way it will look on the correct size canvas anyway.

These little pictures will work on size 18 needlepoint canvas (you wouldn't want to use larger mesh for earrings) or 18 count Aida for counted X-stitch. For the X-stitch, just make the little X on the square wherever there is a dot on the needlepoint canvas - it's a very simple transition.

One converts X-stitch charts to needlepoint the same way - where there is a colored square, just make a tent stitch on the canvas.The four earrings in the top photo were drawn onto canvas on the odd number - 11 or 13, so that the heart would work, as it has to have a center stitch. These are small enough that one could add still another row of border.

The next photo shows the earrings a bit larger - by one or two threads, as they must be kept in the 3/4" diameter range to be attractive. They may be left square, or with the corners taken off, as in the kpicture of the Christmas set in the previous post.

Again, these are either odd or even count - the even count is necessary for the little blue flower (the red one in the previous post), as the center is a Smyrna Cross, as are the petals around it.

I have used Sharpie ultra-fine point permanent drawing pens to do this, as they are not for commercial purposes, so the drawing pens are fine - just not very pretty.

You might use beads, sparkling fibers of all kinds - just use your own imagination and make something special. I don't know how to finish needlepoint, but I've seen people on other blogs do this - and the earrings simply involve backings one can purchase at craft stores, I believe. Anyway - have fun with this! They are quick to do, so there is still time to wear them for a Valentine party.

Earrings for February in Needlepoint!

This is something I've shown before - and is actually for Christmas - but it gave me an idea! I'll see what I can do with some tiny hearts or something especially for "the day." Maybe tonight or in the morning - and then post the pattern.

It is a cuff bracelet and a pair of earrings I did two years ago - with lots of beads, of course, for sparkle. The earrings are tiny, so would be quick to accomplish, and easy to finish with a backing glued in place.

Actually, the flowers could be a different color on this one, and change to forget-me-nots.

Garnets (in beads) for January!

I didn't get this piece finished, yet again. I started it last year, and really enjoyed creating the antique "garnet" lavolier - just had to do a necklace, as garnets seem to require it. This one is made with my "beaded solid but isn't really" technique - just looks that way. (very easy) Anyway, I think my problem with January Birthday Crazy Quilt Heart is that I could not figure out how to do effective carnations - the flower for the month. I have silk ribbon in the appropriate colors, but wanted a flatter effect than I've seen in any instructions - and couldn't work it out myself. Oh well. I didn't want to fail to at least show a bit of January - with ice crystals and snow and "fir tree green."

A "Jeweled" Butterfly in Needlepoint

I rarely get to see any of my designs with the stitching finished - but today I went to borrow one of my Celtic Crosses from the world's finest finisher (here in Austin) - Vikki Pinson. I actually spotted a design I did about ten years ago or more when I was in my binge of adapting antique jewelry to needlepoint all stitched - and stitched so beautifully. What a surprise!!

Anyway, I dug into my files and found the chart I had made for this thing, so thought it might be of interest as a Freebie. I didn't take a picture of the original painted canvas, so this color scheme is a nice surprise! Very pretty, and probably chosen by the lady who stitched it.

To re-create this for yourself, just follow my instructions in previous posts about drawing on canvas - I'm showing two different shots of it on canvas - one with the green leaves outlined to make it easy (also the gold around the jewels). I have no idea what threads she used on it, but it's really sparkly and glittery. I think the background is maybe Kreinik braid #032,, and it's worked in skipped basketweave. This sparkling butterfly is intended for a tree ornament - and I do hope I'll get to see it finished. Vikki will transform it!!

More "Jeweled Critters": Bees!!

I don't have the stitched models I did of these - they were on black canvas, and quite "jeweled" and glittery. I don't remember what I did with them or where they are, as it's been a number of years ago that the antique jewelry binge occurred with my needlepoint.

This little bee is 2 1/4" high x 2 7/8" from wing tip to wing tip on 18 mesh canvas. I do remember that I used Renaissance Shimmer and Sprinkles for the colored jewels and the enamel on the body.

The gold and silver were done with Kreinik #12 braid in the HL finish. The wings were stitched with something kind of iridescent, in white, but I don't remember what it was. Of course, any color jewels could be done, according to the stitcher's taste.

The chart for this one is simple - and remember, it's not any more difficult to count the little dots and put them onto canvas than doing counted X-stitch. I drew this in color to make it easier to see (and actually less confusing for me.


The second bee is a bit more complicated - apparently, because I miscounted several times, and had to dot out mistakes with white acrylic paint and the end of a paint brush.



The entire body where the jewels are, was done with "bump" stitches - Smyrna cross and Leviathan on the big red ruby on the abdomen. Incidentally, I am aware of proper insect anatomy, but used the antique pieces as they were - the first bee, I will pretend, has the second set of legs under the wings. The second one is a mutant, with the legs coming out from the lower abdomen. Oh well - for the sake of art........

As I had a bit of trouble marking the canvas for the chart, I am showing it in stages to make it easier.
These two bees could be used in the same ways as I suggested with the spider - and do
try it on black canvas! However, you have to find a white paint pen that will work - not an easy task, so I don't have one to recommend. Anyway - enjoy! Do them on clothing with waste canvas - whatever suits you.

Along Came a Spider! (a "jeweled" one)

Another little "jeweled" critter hiding in the filing cabinet! As I remember, this is also derived from my binge of reproducing antique jewelry in needlepoint a number of years ago. I didn't finish it , obviously, probably because the gold I used doesn't show up well and/or I got distracted by another project.

It was actually, as I remember, an exercise working out backgrounds in beads. (You can clearly see the dots made for bead placement.) Anyway - The spider itself without background is only 2 3/4" high on 18 mesh canvas, and has all kinds of possiblities for use.

I was looking at it last night, and thinking it would make a fun napkin ring for a Halloween party table, but with less vertical background, and maybe ruching with elastic on the back or something of that nature. I tried it out around a napkin, and the spider shows up well, considering the napkin rings are about 5 1/3" long before finishing.

I also used to use these small pieces as "plant stakes" for either gift plants or to decorate my own houseplants in pots. They can be finished like ornaments to hang, but with also a little pocket on the back for insertion of a skinny dowel. The body is made with just long, horizontal stitches in Black Frosty Rays with a gold thread inside that gives it a bit of sparkle. The green eyes are Kreinik #12 braid, as are the silver " bump" stitches (Smyrna Crosses).

Here is the chart for the spider - use your imagination and have fun with it!!

By the way, this chart will also work on waste canvas, as maybe on clothing or on a quilt block. Just stitch it as it is in needlepoint, then remove the canvas threads - OR you could also do it in counted X-Stitch by making the X's on your fabric where the dots are on this chart. I dealt with the "bump" stitch in a previous post on converting.

Bugs! ("Jeweled for Needlepoint")

As promised on the other blog, here are patterns for the "jeweled" bugs. The ladybug, as I remember, is inspired by one of the miniature Faberge' eggs, as I saw it on a charm bracelet in an art museum catalog. I didn't stitch it myself, but it was very popular as part of my wholesale line about ten years ago.

The red, of course, is enamel, and the diamonds could be stitched either with glittering beads (Sundance #250 hexagonal clear) or with something else sparkling from your stash. The yellow beetle with black dots was taken from a piece of jewelry I saw in a magazine several years ago - and would be a fun scissors fob, key ring, or just an ornament. The little bumps on the ends of the legs and antennae are smyrna crosses in metallic gold. This is where the new DMC Satin Floss could be well used, as the shine approximates the enamel of the original piece.

To draw your own onto canvas, use whichever canvas size you prefer - mine were on 18 mesh, and the ladybug was 3 1/4" high x 2 1/2" wide. (including the legs, which I added - they weren't on the original jeweled egg) Remember that instructions for drawing are somewhere else on this blog if you haven't seen them before.

This first drawing has the gold parts outlined with a gold pen to make it easier to see what goes where - but you also need the scan of just plain black ink drawing on canvas.



















Next, the yellow beetle, which could be any color you wish - I did the background with beads, as you can see where I drew the dots for placement in the picture at the top. The oval itself is 3 1/2" x 2 1/2". This bug has lots of possibilities!!


I have done lots of bugs and butterflies and even spiders over the years - from antique jewelry, mostly. I hope to dig them out of the filing cabinet and boxes, and maybe even create some new ones, as one can do so many things with threads, etc. Besides, bugs are cute!!

New Napkin Ring Charts

Now the napkin ring charts! My good friend and co-conspirator Pat Miller suggested that these could also be made longer - about 7" for a cuff bracelet, and a bit longer for a bangle - and make wearable jewelry. When I have time, I'll also see if I can make little earrings to match like I did with the beaded cuff bracelets last year on the other blog.

This first scan is the "set up" for the napkin ring (or bracelet). As I determined it should be approximately 1 1/2" high, I marked 27 threads, and then marked the center of the 27, which is the 14th thread. Also folded the canvas to find the vertical center and marked it at the top. By doing this, I was assured that the "jewels" would come out even - or stop at the same place on each end. A tiny bit of juggling a few threads doesn't hurt, as it doesn't have to be exact. Sometimes I just get lucky and it happens anyway. Also, I always mark two threads at top and bottom for the "edge" stitch, which is long armed cross stitch. It makes a lovely binding, and rolls over easily to make the finishing neater. (See the patchwork post for this edge stitch)

I decided to show the marked canvases lengthwise, as the resolution could be made larger so you can see what's going on when you print them out. i.e. easier to see and to count. The first scan is of the April jewel - the diamonds.

The second is the January garnets, and the third is the "string of pearls" for June. I hope soon to have time to stitch these things, but can't seem to do it in double time as I wish. (like the old Charlie Chaplin movies, where everything moved very fast.)

As for stitching, I always outline the jewels first - that is, stitch the gold mountings. (or silver if you prefer). The "jewels" may be made with beads or with bump stitches and sparkly thread. I love using the Renaissance Shimmer for pearls. The little "picot" edging I put on two of them may be done with a single bead or just left plain and background color inserted.

You may use your own ideas for color on these - and even change the jewels. I try to draw them the most typical cuts for the particular stones - except the garnets, which I always "see" as antique lavoliers, etc. I'm already seeing "Emeralds."