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Home page Hand knitting order needlework designs
last updated October 2007
Need a custom grid for a special design?
I can produce a grid for a design of your own, or any image that is not copyrighted. Perhaps you want a grid for a picture of your house, or a club logo or something general like a tractor, say. (I cannot do copyrighted images such as Mickey Mouse, Rupert Bear, unless you have permission from the copyright owner). My rates are by the hour and designs usually work out very affordable. The fewer the colours and the less detailed the design the quicker I can do the grid. Contact me on Artika@compuserve.com.
Design collections -
Unusual charted designs suitable for Cross stitch, Needlepoint and stitch-based Rugmaking
As usual with Artika, do not expect traditional florals, landscapes or Victoriana. These themes are treated expertly elsewhere. If, on the other hand you are looking for something unusual to stitch, read on.
The designs in these collections are intended for stitchers who are fairly independent with many ideas for their own projects but who want some new, different and versatile fabric designs to call upon.
Art Deco Fans Rug suitable for all needlework projects Click here for picture showing the design worked as a latch hooked rug This Art Deco project can be worked in different sizes and in different fibres or threads on various materials and to differing fabric counts to produce a textile piece in any stitchbased medium. The design can be worked on a fine count fabric in cross stitch, a medium count fabric in needlepoint or tapestry or on a larger canvas or hessian backing, using a latch tool or rug hooking method to produce a rug or wallhanging. Presented as a comb bound booklet containing an overall design plan and a set of charts for the project itself. The project charts are divided into page-size charts in a comb-bound booklet which lies flat while you work. For rugmakers or those working on an ungridded fabric such as hessian, who want to mark out their fabric I can produce the design on A3 sheets of paper for a small extra charge, depending on your requirements.
The Art Deco Fans booklet costs £7 plus 50p postage in the U.K. For pricing and ordering details including ordering from overseas) click here
Art Deco Rug Project suitable for all needlework projects Click here for picture showing the design worked as a prodded rug Combining optical illusion and Art Deco lines, this project can be worked in different sizes and in different fibres or threads on various materials and to differing fabric counts to produce a textile piece in any stitchbased medium. The design can be worked on a fine count fabric in cross stitch, a medium count fabric in needlepoint or tapestry or on a larger canvas or hessian backing, using a latch tool or rug hooking method to produce a rug or wallhanging. Presented as a comb bound booklet containing an overall design plan and a set of charts for the project itself. The project charts are divided into page-size charts in a comb-bound booklet which lies flat while you work. For rugmakers or those working on an ungridded fabric such as hessian, who want to mark out their fabric I can produce the design on A3 sheets of paper for a small extra charge, depending on your requirements.
The Art Deco Rug booklet costs £6.50 plus 50p postage in the U.K. For pricing and ordering details including ordering from overseas) click here
Optical Mat Project
Optical Illusions and the Optical Mat Project Optical Illusions designs are not what they first appear! Different shapes come to the fore at different times, and sometimes all are perceived at once so that you might be seeing a series of circles, yet a series of squares or triangles at the same time. Alternatively you might see a series of blocks stacked up at first glance, but a series of flowers when you look again.
The two main sources of inspiration for this sort of design come from the Japanese optical tradition, and from American patchwork designs which delight in forming squares which, when pieced together, accentuate circular or other shapes or objects not apparent in the single square.
The Optical Mat design is just such a design. Based on a core repeating element featuring two interlocking triangles, the finished design at times appears to revolve around vertical lines, at others around a series of central lozenges, sometimes around refracting curved shapes and at yet others on a series of scallops.
This project can be worked in various materials and fabric counts to produce a textile piece in any stitchbased medium. The design can be worked on a fine count fabric in cross stitch, a medium count fabric in needlepoint or tapestry or on a larger canvas, using a latch tool or rug hooking method to produce a rug or wallhanging.
The project is presented in a 16 page comb-bound booklet comprising details of how to calculate the size of your project using various different counts of fabric to cover those usual for cross stitch, needlepoint and rug fabrics, an overall design plan and a set of charts for the project itself. The project charts are divided into 12 page-size charts in a comb-bound booklet which lies flat while you work, and a chart is provided for the repeating element of the design to allow you to create your own co-ordinating designs either to complement the main piece or as projects in their own right.
The Optical Mat Project booklet costs £6.50 plus 50p postage in the U.K. For pricing and ordering details including ordering from overseas) click here
Art Deco needlework and rug making designs
Click here to see pictures of the designs
The Art Deco style evolved during the 1920’s and 1930’s in contrast to the earlier softer and more fluid style of Art Nouveau. Art Deco celebrated new shapes and clean, even stark lines and incorporated a feeling of power and movement emanating from a confident post-war industrial society. Brought together in an international exhibition in Paris in 1925 - “Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et industriels Modernes”, the design style was to be found in every conceivable designable item of that period - buildings, objets d’art, interior design and fashion.
Art Deco sits well both with classic and minimalist themes and now seems to have come full circle. Once again at the beginning of the new century we have come to appreciate this unfussy, sophisticated and slightly quirky design style.
About the Art Deco Designs needlework and rug making collection
The shapes in this collection are varied, some linear or angular, some circular, rounded or oval, some designs incorporating a feeling of movement and energy others reflecting calm and order. The designs in this collection are intended for stitchers or rug makers who are fairly independent with many ideas for their own projects but who want some new and different fabric designs to call upon. The charts in the Art Deco Designs booklet are based around seven design themes and give the stitcher a varied library of complete projects, all-over repeating textile designs and borders from which to choose.
The booklet also includes instructions for projects. Depending on the material and scale selected these are suitable for rugs, a fire-screen, table runner or wall hanging, cushion cover or picture. As well as this the all-over textile designs can be used for rug centres, book covers, bookmarks, accessories such as purses, belts and hatbands, cushions, serviette rings, coasters, table runners and a host of other small decorative items.
For pricing and ordering details click here
Woven Designs A unique collection of modular charts for all-over designs, motifs and borders based around three design themes The charts in the Woven Designs booklet are based around three design themes - Trellis, Woven Rushes and Tapestry, all of which appear to incorporate strands weaving in and out of each other. Each of the designs in the Woven Designs collection is composed of a number of unique modular components - a central panel and a series of top, bottom, side and corner panels. Within the design themes, each of these panels can be combined with any of the others or with repeats of itself, in a variety of ways with automatic pattern matching at the edges. The booklet contains 28 chart modules and 28 "combination idea" charts.
This enables the stitcher to create different, but co-oordinated designs - the central panel with repeats in both directions can be repeated any number of times to form all-over designs of your chosen dimensions. If you prefer you can connect a single repeat, or multiple repeats of the central panel to the top, bottom and side border panels to create a compact or a very large motif. Even the border panels themselves connect - top to bottom and side to side, again seamlessly, to form separate designs.
You do not have to restrict yourself to mixing within design themes. You might prefer to use a border area from Trellis, for example with a central motif from Woven Rushes, or indeed any other combination. You can even experiment combining joining the central panels of diffferent designs, (the repeats are all 24 st in both directions) and while the joins will not be seamless, if you use a common colourway, you will obtain an interesting complementary design.
Click here to see the front cover and samples from the book For pricing and ordering details click here
The following are booklets containing a collection of unusual abstract designs. The patterns in the booklets are all repeating designs although they may not look like it. This means they can be easily worked onto projects of any size. Several repeats can be used to run seamlessly together for larger areas, as a single repeat for smaller ones and even for areas smaller than the repeat itself in one or both directions without losing any of the effect. The designs can be worked on any count fabric and there are two charts for each design - standard and large size so you can produce a larger bolder version whatever materials or stitching method you are using.)
Patchwork Designs Click here to see the front cover This series contains 16 charts for 8 traditional patchwork designs and offers a refreshing alternative to the more usual florals available for stitchers. It also provides some examples of the stunning abstract block designs and optical illusions for which traditional American patchwork is well known. As with the other two collections most of the designs are based on a single colour ground, (although they do not necessarily appear this way) so cross stitchers can again choose an approppriately coloured fabric and stitch the non "ground" colours only if they wish.
For pricing and ordering details click here
This booklet contains 14 charts, two sizes for each of 7 animal skins: Dalmatian, Large Leopard, medium Leopard and Small Leopard, (different styles of leopard designs) Tiger, Zebra and Giraffe, While these are stunning as fully worked cannvasses for needlepointers, cross stitchers can just work the "spots" on the two colour skins if they prefer, using an off-white fabric to provide the background. This collection is equally suitable for home projects, like cushions, serviette rings, coasters,table runners and for garment trims such as purses, belts, hatbands, pocket trims, self-cover buttons and buckles, collars, even cross stitch lampshades. (stitch first, stiffen afterwards with blind stiffening spray)
For pricing and ordering details click here
!8 charts for 9 different Tartan (plaid) and Check designs. While highly effective as fully worked canvasses for needlepointers, since they are all based on a single colour "base" (not necesarily the perceived background) cross stitchers can choose an appropriately coloured fabric, then stitch the remaining colours only, if they prefer.
How to order needlework designs
They cost £6 (approx $11.40 U.S.) each except Art Deco Rug Project and Optical Mat which are £6.50 (approx $12.35) . Postage charges are:
POSTAGE U.K. 50p per item, free for orders over £20 Europe outside UK: £1.50 for first item, then 60p each U.S. and Canada £2 for first item then £1 each
(approx $3.80 and $1.90 U.S.)*
Australia, NZ and SA £2.50 for first item, then £1.20 each
*I have listed all the prices and postage costs in pounds sterling and U.S.dollar equivalents where applicable. The U.S. dollar exchange rate has been changing constantly recently so please check if this is important to you. If you are outside the U.K. the most practical payment method is by credit card. I can accept Mastercard (Access) and Visa. I bill you in pounds and the company charge you in dollars (or your local currency), so it's a convenient way of doing the exchange. I will add a 50p charge (once per order) for credit card orders.
If you are paying by credit card, you can either fax me the card details or e-mail me and I will suggest an e-mail alternative. I will need:
Name as on the card
Address the card is registered at
Card Number
Expiry date.
Fax number is 011 44 1297 445029 from the U.S., 01297 445029 from the U.K. From other countries, dial the "international calls" code, then 44 1297 445029.
Don't forget to let me have your delivery address if different from the card address. It usually takes between 4 and 7 days after I send out, to get to the U.S, slightly longer to get to Australia, N.Z. and S.A. I aim to send out the same or the next day.
Contact me (Linda Jackson) at Artika Designs The Old Rectory Combpyne Axminster, Devon EX13 8SY, England Tel: +44 (0)1297 443918 Fax: +44 (0)1297 445029 E-mail Artika@compuserve.com
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