Needleweaving Online Lesson #2 Learning the key elements of design and looking at needleweaving's

Welcome to Online Needleweaving Project #1 Lesson #2
Looking at ideas for Needleweaving
and reading about the elements of design

Welcome to Lesson #2
 In this lesson you will see (Inspirations from nature, patterns made with computer art and some new projects in process).  
Lesson #2 you will get some ideas on designing and look at more needleweaving ideas.
Read the guidelines of design below to help in your designing process.  Hopefully you have thought about the colors of threads or yarns that you might want to use.  If you have a theme or just a color scheme will work fine for now. You can check out Inspiration Book , "Beads and Threads", "Fiber & Bead Jewelry" for lots of inspiration.  I look around for ideas in many places, here are a few. See these pictures larger. (New Idea Pictures from nature)

The threads are placed close to get ideas about color. Send some of your ideas that inspire you. I'll add them to a special new page just for ideas.

Try keeping a scrapbook with pictures, color ideas, with threads and beads in zip lock bags. Before long there's more ideas than time in the day to complete them.  Playing music helps to keep me in focus.  If it's an indian design, beautiful flute music sure does help.  Creating these wearable art pieces can involve into some research of different cultures. It's like going on a "Treasure Hunt" finding all the beautiful beads and elements that add so much interest to the necklace. Try placing different elements together to see how you like it.  With all this thought and planning you can see why one gets attached to these art pieces.  If I get good photos of the needleweaving they are easier to let go.  

Computer art programs make designing fun because you can see more how it's going to look. See what you think. Larger pictures click Pictures of computer art

I I found this picture, the bright colors inspired me to design the computer pattern

Finished weaving called "The Dancer"

Check out the three projects that I've been thinking about. Hopefully this will help in your designing process.
(Pictures of Ginger's new projects in process)

It helps to cut out the pattern and hold it to the neck to see if this size and see style will work for you.

I have always wanted to use this crystal as a centerpiece.

Another idea for a beautiful large crystal. place crystal on pattern to get an idea about the size.

Combining some beads to go with the crystal.

Here I'm drawing around the crystal. This will give me the outer edge of the weaving.

I have added orange dots along the top. This is where the top pins will go. The new green dots will be where the bottom pins will go.

Guide lines of design below to help in your designing process.

Designing your Necklace
Designing the pattern is so much fun and sometime the most time consuming process of needleweaving art. Think about the following guidelines.  You will be creating your own necklace with the colors that go with your wardrobe. Sometime just looking at the fabric is enough to get the inspiration started.  Remember this is FUN, these are just guidelines, it's meant to help.

FOCAL POINT:  The beads and collectable items you may want to add as centerpieces or focal point will cause your project to evolve in it's own way. It will even control the colors of yarns and beads that you use because you may not want them to distract from your focal point or center piece. I like using unusual items for the center area that can help with the theme of the necklace.

COLOR:  Many of you have worked with color and know what colors go well together. Natures array of colors always inspire me.  When you learn the techniques that are needed you will be able to visualize your next project with no problems. Color wheels are available in the art supply stores, one is located in "Beads and Threads".

LINE: You will be using beads and threads to create a line, whether thick, thin, or the outline for a certain bead or collectable item. My "Tiger Face" necklace didn't start out to be a tiger, but when the single beads were spaced equally across from each other, I broke up the "line" and it had a tendency to look like "eyes". Normally I would not do this but I liked the tiger so I kept it as a tiger. Straight across lines are restful and sometimes boring to the eye, stair steps, angles, zigzags, rounded lines add interest. Look in Ginger's Inspiration Book to see the different lines in each necklace. Also "Beads and Threads"and "Fiber and Bead Jewelry" have fantastic examples.

SHAPE: Shape can make you think of certain associations, such as a triangle with the point at the top can look like a Christmas tree. One lady did create a christmas tree necklace with beautiful beads for bulbs. It was very stunning. Wish I had a picture to show you. The finished class necklace at NeedleweaversNecklace1, has stair steps that look like Indian design "shapes". You will learn to adjust the inner steps.

TEXTURE: The feel or your necklace with the threads and beads gives it "texture".  All the wonderful novelty yarns and DMC perle cottons available will inspire you. Nubby type yarn needs special care when weaving. The metallic threads make great accents for a jewel look.

SCALE: Variety of bead sizes and shapes gives interest to your creation. If every element is too small they will be lost in the threads and if every item is to big it will become overpowering. Also, if you are a small framed person a smaller designed necklace looks good. If you are larger frame you will be able to wear a larger necklace. In my view the pattern we are using is a medium size. The ties in the back allow you to wear the necklace high or low on the neck. Some time you want to wear the necklace with something that has a collar, the ties can then be adjusted to the length that you need.

BALANCE: The "balance" you want will be a symmetrical design where the right and left side matches. The "Lava Flow" and "Tide pool" necklace in Hawaiian Gallery 1 have an asymmetrical type of design. With every element you add it takes continuous analysis to create the balance and rhythm that you want. I really enjoy this look but it does take more time.

RHYTHM: Repeating elements in line or shapes will give "rhythm". When graduating colors from light to dark or dark to light is another way to get 'rhythm in your necklace.

On to Lesson #3 Click below  * Sue and I enjoyed a Needleweaving class, please join in and follow the instructions.

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If you are new to Needleweaving Online you might have noticed the "Join" button It's a great meeting place for people that want to get together and share ideas and fun with a group.  We have members from all over the world learning this fascinating art. Lots of fun activities are planned for the future. All lessons will stay posted since there are new people coming in at all times.  You can always catch up at your own pace, you won't get left behind.

Needleweaving Lesson Index Page All Lessons listed on one page
Click to go to Lesson #1 (Introduction to Needleweaving)
This is Lesson #2 (Get foam core board ready and check beads to see if they fit the waxen linen)
Click to go to Lesson #3 (A fun day with Sue). We gathered threads and beads for needleweaving.
Click to go to Lesson #4 (More on designing and placing pins)
Click to go to Lesson #5 African Needleweaving Project #1 Pictures show the necklace progress on one page
Click to go to Lesson #6 (Add linen warp, (Vertical Threads)
Click to go to Lesson #7 (We will be adding the beads and the fun begins)
Click to go to Lesson #8 (We are going to start Weaving)
Click to go to Lesson #9 (Learning to make a Lark's head Knot and finish off the bottom warps)
Click to go to Lesson #10 ( Adding warp threads for the straps and finishing

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