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About this Product
Retro Zig Zag Needlepoint Bookmark: This is a great project for anyone who's a reader or a great way to create a personal gift for a favorite reader in your life.
You can choose:
1. Canvas alone
2. Canvas with embroidery floss only
3. Complete bookmark kit including canvas, embroidery floss, leather backing for the completed bookmark, needle, travel scissors and needle threader, all in a durable waterproof project pouch. Everything you need to get to work right away and take your project to go!
Details
#18 mesh, design size 1.5 x 6.75 inches, canvas 5.5 x 8.5 inches. Embroidery floss is reclaimed and hand measured and carded to ensure quality. Includes metallic threads. Leather backing for bookmarks is repurposed scrap leather from a local artisan. Kits ship in reused padded envelopes whenever possible to reduce waste.
Can I do this?
Worried needlepoint is too hard or complicated? No way, it’s super easy; much easier than embroidery or hand sewing. Think of it as paint-by-numbers, but with thread! I want this to be fun and easy so the threads provided are based on using the Continental Stitch. There are tons of stitches, but the most common (and easiest) is the Continental Stitch. The thread with your kit has been measured based on this stitch. The canvas has been hand-painted to make sure it is clear which color each “X” is so there’s no confusion about which color to use.
How to finish your bookmark:
Use the "Binding Stitch" to finish all the edges
Trim any extra mesh canvas at the corners to allow the leather back to lay flat
Use craft glue or a glue gun to fix the leather backing. Don’t use so much it squishes through the front of the design
Use a heavy book or clips to hold it in place while the glue sets
Stuck? Youtube is your friend! There are many videos about this process out there, here's a great one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcFqDFOz7Cc
Feel free to reach out if you have difficulty.
Cascadia Stitch & Stone
Portland, OR
Welcome and thank you for visiting!
Meet the Maker
About me: My name is Sam and I'm glad to share my projects with you! Though not technically a native, I've lived in Portland Oregon for almost 20 years and can't imagine any other place I'd rather be. The natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest is absolutely magical from the coast to the mountains to the desert. Every place from the smallest towns to the big cities are quirky and interesting. All of these things inspire the designs and colors I use in my creations. It may seem an unusual combination, needlepoint and jewelry, but it's what I love to make!
Needlepoint: My mother and grandmother taught me needlepoint as a little girl. It's so satisfying, to watch a design come together. It's almost like paint by numbers but more tactile. I have a variety of design projects for various tastes. Some complete kits for small, quick portable projects that end with a useable item to use- bookmarks and fridge magnets (they also work great as presents after you've made them!). I also have a few larger canvases for a longer, more traditional needlepoint project.
Jewelry: I learned to make wire-wrapped jewelry from a friend in nursing school many years ago as a fund raising project for a medical mission. I've collected beads over the years from many places, and I love playing with color, texture and pattern combinations. There are two basic groups of jewelry I make, seed bead-based and semi-precious gemstone and sterling silver. The stones are my favorite with all subtle variation in individual beads of the same mineral, the formation and composition, and the meanings and history attributed to each.
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How it’s Made
I hand-paint all my canvases with acrylic paints. It's a painstaking process where I transfer the outline from a design to the canvas, then paint in the details. At each intersection of color, I make sure that the color of that "x" is clear to remove any guesswork.
In my family, we joke that my daughter is the "artist" and I am the "crafter." She draws for herself and will share some of her art with me for needlepoint. The more organic designs are hers and the more geometric ones are mine (I was a science major!). Unfortunately not all art translates to canvas, especially when working within the confines of a small project like a bookmark, keychain, or fridge magnet- things tend to become pixelated. Details at that level have to be very carefully considered. It's a long and sometimes frustrating process, but so exciting when it works out well.
I love creating and sharing these canvases and I hope you enjoy stitching them!
Shop Policies
Full refund on receipt if returned (postmarked) within 30 days.
I'm always looking new ideas or ways to improve. I welcome all feedback.
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