V I V A Z I V A ! n e w s l e t t e r

▪volume number: 1110▪ FREE NEEDLEPOINT BELT DESIGN ▪

Thanks so much for subscribing to the VIVA ZIVA! Newsletter.
This newsletter celebrates ZIVA’s 10th free design for you to stitch!

I’ll be issuing a newsletter regularly, with a new free design each time... exclusively created for this newsletter.

Learn the Eyelet Stitch and create this ART NOUVEAU design ‘BLACK NARCISSUS’ :an elegant needlepoint belt to stitch for the holiday season!

WHAT’S IN EACH VIVA ZIVA! NEWSLETTER?

• New Designs & Updates
• Your Stitch to Try
• FREE Design
• Ask the ZIVA DIVA!
• Next Issue

NEW DESIGNS & UPDATES

PRAIRIE STYLE SEAT COVERS ,SEAT PADS AND FOOTSTOOLS

These simple dynamic designs, with their natural colours, create striking accents for to-day’s contemporary interiors and furnishings.

I’ve created 6 Prairie Style needlepoint seat cover/pad designs for you. Remember, they will also work as piano bench covers!

Click here to see how well these uncluttered elegant designs work well with diverse furniture styles.

What about using these designs for your favourite footstool?

I’ve also I’ve added two striking Prairie Style designs to the ZIVA Footstool Collection… timeless designs from the early 20th century American architectural style.

Click here and have a look at these bold geometric footstool designs!

SITE UPDATE

I would like to update you on a few items:

EXCHANGE RATE CONVERTER

I’ve added an exchange rate converter to each SHOPPING PAGE for your convenience. You can use it to convert to the currency of your choice.
Note: all the prices on the shopping pages are in EUROS.

SHOPPING PAGES

As a follow up to the last newsletter, I’ve now dedicated a complete page called ”HOW TO VIEW YOUR PAYPAL PAGES IN ENGLISH”. This page will help you enormously when shopping on PayPal.

ZIVA’S NEW LOOK!

Do you want to see ZIVA’s new designs at a glance? What about checking what the next free design will be?

A new RIGHT COLUMN has been added to all the pages giving you an update on all the latest designs!

SCHEDULING THE NEWSLETTER RELEASES

The date for next newsletter will announced in the NEW YEAR.

I’ll issue a blog then on what I’ll be designing for you for free! Keep checking or sign up for the WHAT’S NEW Blog on the site for news about new designs and the next newsletter release date.

YOUR STITCH TO TRY

THE EYELET STITCH

I wanted a burst of colour on the black narcissus bud and the 'EYELET STITCH', works perfectly!

For this design, I just needed one circular eyelet stitch, to give this desired effect.

However, for other projects, you could make the eyelet stitch in a square or even lozenge shape.
Also, in a cluster, it gives an wonderful elegant lacy look, as shown top right.

METHOD:

Study the chart to the right. Take a piece of scrap canvas and yarn and practice the stitch, following the steps below

Note: The chart shows the stitch worked over 3 threads.

1. Bring your needle up through A to the right side of the canvas. Count three threads and put you needle down at B, which is the centre of the eye.
2. Bring your needle up through C, and again back down into B.
3. Continue in this manner to create the circle.

The photo to the right of the black narcissus bud, shows how the eyelet stitch for the belt should look when completed.

What are the differences from what you’ve practiced above?

• You will be using three strands of embroidery yarn
• The stitch is worked over 5 threads
• You stitch it on top of the black tent stitch.

PRACTICE FIRST!

Keep practicing until you feel confident that you’ve got it! Then you are ready to stitch the free design.

FREE DESIGN

‘BLACK NARCISSUS’ BELT DESIGN

This fluid Art Nouveau belt design of graceful green and turquoise leaves is accented by a bold ‘Black Narcissus’ bud. A selected range of purples completes this harmonious palette.

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO WEAR IT!

If you want to stitch it once, this graceful needlepoint belt design is approximately 5” long x 3” high (13 x 7.5 cm). It will work perfectly as a central accent on a belt.

If you stitch it twice (as shown in photo to right), with one side mirroring the other, the dimensions for the tapestry part of the belt would be approximately 10.25” x 3” (26 x 7.5 cm).

HOW ELSE CAN IT BE EMBELLISHED?

Here are some other options for wearing it……..

Give it some glitter for evening wear! Sew on small purple seed-beads in clusters on the black narcissus bud, surrounding the eyelet stitch. You can see this idea on the photo at the top of the newsletter.

In addition, to add some depth and more texture to the design, accent some of the leaves in the Gobelin Stitch.How to do this stitch is in the VIVA ZIVA newsletter # 1007.

Go to the Free Needlepoint Belt Design page to see photos of all these options!

READING THE CHARTS:

CHARTS # 1

• This first charts below show the Black Narcissus Bud motif as you would stitch it once in 14 mesh canvas in a Basketweave Stitch.
  And as you would stitch it twice, to create a longer belt accent.
• Please note that there is one stitch missing on each black bud. That’s the centre for creating the eyelet stitch, so don’t stitch it!
• I’ve added codes to the colour charts, so that you can distinguish the various green colours. Refer to the yarn colour lisiting below.

CHART # 2

This chart below shows the same motif in shades of grey, and I’ve highlighted where you could stitch the Gobelin Stitch, if you want to.

CHART # 3

• This chart right shows the EYELET STITCH, which you have already practiced!


• Use 3 strands of embroidery yarn in one of the colours from the rest of the tapestry. I chose a rich purple colour, to accent the stitch against the green of the surrounding leaves.
• Stitch the eyelet stitch after you’ve completely finished the narcissus bud in the Basketweave Stitch. (See In Progress photos below)

YARN COLOURS

All colours are DMC Cotton Yarns from the range of Mat Soft Cotton.

They are readily available at your local needlepoint shop or online.

To stitch the motif once, you will need two skeins of # 2310 Black and one skein of the remaining colours. To make the longer belt motif, i.e. stitching it twice, double the quantities.

OTHER MATERIALS

You will also need :

• mono interlock canvas at 14 gauge,
  Size: 5” x 7” (13 x 18 cm) to stitch it once or 5” x 12” (13 x 30 cm) to stitch it twice.
• Needlepoint Needle: For 14-mesh canvas, use size 20 needle
• Masking Tape
• Scissors
• Purple embroidery thread
• Black satin or light weight wool fabric for sewing rest of belt
• interfacing
• purple seed beads (optional)
• black lining
• hooks and eyes, clasp or black Velcro for fastening back of belt

Go to the ZIVA site for more detail info on the MATERIALS required.

STITCHING IN PROGRESS

• As usual, start by putting masking tape on the canvas edges to protect the yarns from getting frayed.
• In the photo above left, I am in the process of stitching the Gobelin Stitch in light turquoise green (far left) . Everything else to this point is stitched in the Basketweave Tent Stitch.
• In the photo above right, I have completed the soft blue-purple in the Gobelin Stitch. Also I have just stitched the Eyelet Stitch, which is stitched on top of the black tent stitch of the Narcissus bud.

MAKING UP SUGGESTIONS

After blocking the canvas, you are now ready to finish the belt!

If you’re used to sewing, here’s what you do:

• As I have shown you in other newsletters, trim the canvas around the tapestry to about ½ ” (1.5 cm) on all sides.
• As an option, you can add the decorative seed beads in random clusters on the black narcissus bud at this stage.
• Cut out the fabric of your choice into two lengths approximately 4” wide. Allow for the two lengths of fabric to comfortably fit around your waist, remembering to allow for the dimension of the tapestry. Make sure you add enough to the two lengths to allow them to overlap. (approx. 2”)
• NOTE: The lengths of fabric will depend on whether you stitched the narcissus motif once or twice.
• Add interfacing to the back of the fabric, to give it weight, if necessary.
• The canvas edges at the ends of the tapestry will be your seam allowance to sew on the fabric.
• Sew the two fabric lengths to the two ends of the tapestry.
• Cut a piece of black lining 4” wide and the full length you have determined for the belt and sew it on the back. Fasten the back of the belt with hooks and eyes, a clasp or Velcro. If you like to sew, you could add a beaded button as the fastener at the back

If you’re not a sewer, take these instructions, your tapestry, and your fabric, and have a professional make it up for you. It will be worth it!

ASK THE ZIVA DIVA !

Who else!

QUESTION:
Dear Sylvia, I really enjoyed stitching your Black Chrysler handbag. I’m going to get a friend, who is an excellent sewer, to make it up for me.

Your instructions in your kit said to mark the canvas shape on a piece of paper, before starting stitching, but I forgot! Now I need to block the canvas, but the shape of the bag is curved. How do I block it, and be sure it’s straight? Cynthia, Minneapolis USA

Dear Cynthia,

Don’t worry, it’s not too late!

I’ve found a way to make sure your curved canvases will block properly.

Here’s how:

On the back of the stitched canvas, with a WATERPROOF black pen, mark a grid both horizontally and vertically every 3” (8cm) or so all around the stitching.

Then go through the same blocking process as you usually do, using the black lines as your guide to be sure the canvas is ‘true’.

This system works well. Please send me a photo when it’s made up!

WHAT NEXT?

In between your orders, I’m stitching some collar necklaces that I’ll introduce to you as soon as I can. I’m trying to finish at least one, so I can wear it during the party season at Christmas!

I’m also developing Art Nouveau designs for seat covers. I’ll keep you posted.

The next VIVA ZIVA! Newsletter #1211 will be issued in the early spring of 2012 .

I’ll be including:

• New Designs & Updates
• A new Stitch to Try
• Free needlepoint design: to be announced on my What’s New blog in the new year, 2012.
• And lots of other features!