Like most needlepointers, I have a huge stash of hand painted needlepoint canvases, and also like most avid stitchers I will not be able to complete them in my lifetime (or my children’s for that matter). So, I had this simple yet incredible idea to re-cycle the hand painted needlepoint canvases I’ve collected throughout the years and use them to stitch Bargello designs.
Actually the idea is quite scandalous; but I’m appeasing my conscious with the fact that I’ll be putting to good use canvases that I know I have no intention of stitching. Recycling hand painted canvases depend on two factors—basic canvas condition including its age, and paint bleeding. To determine which hand painted canvases you should recycle consider these tips.
—Make an inventory of your hand painted canvases and separate them into three piles: a) ones you will definitely keep; b) those you’re unsure about; and c) those that could definitely be recycled.
— Look at the backs of the canvases to check for paint bleeding. Darker paints tend to show through more so than the lighter colors. For those hand painted canvases you choose to recycle, lightly paint the backs with white acrylic paint to cover any bleeding and wait until they are completely dry before stitching.
—Carefully repack and store the canvases you definitely plan to stitch at some point in the future. Place the ones for recycling in a stack on your craft table.
—Make a cup of tea or pour a glass of wine and sort through the middle stack again. If it’s still too difficult to make a decision, put them aside for another day.
Believe me, this is hard to do. Periodically I like to sort through the entire hand painted stash and reminisce about when, where and why I purchased each one. Although the nostalgia can sometimes overwhelm me, I must admit to feeling great satisfaction when I have re-used a canvas to make beautiful Bargello.
P. S. This post was not written to offend any of the poor innocent canvases and the needlepoint designers who so carefully painted them; so please don’t be angry (smile).
