Ideas for Canvas Work

Mary Rhodes was world-famous for her contributions to needlepoint design, not the least of which is the Rhodes Stitch, just one of the creative stitches that she created. Mary worked under the tutelage of Constance Howard in England, the same woman who helped shape the trajectory of work by Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn. Mary taught needlepoint from the 1960's to the 1980's and it was her students who brought contemporary needlepoint to the United States, along with her many books written on the subject. Mary focused on stitches. She explored and gained knowledge of how different stitches worked together and textures they produced. She demonstrated and pushed for the resurgence of the use of the tent stitch in a skillful manner. A rich texture can be achieved by combining tent stitches with other canvas stitches and using effective variations in color and tone. Mary felt that the knowledge of how stitches were best used in conjunction with one another to interpret a design was much more important than the simple knowledge of how to work individual stitches. Mary took the art in new directions with abstract designs based on line and shape. Using simple stitches and layering them allowed the emphasis to be placed upon the beauty of the design. She uses deep, rich colors which enhance the impact of the central area of brilliance. Canvas work has been popular since Tudor times. This book restores the freedom of design to canvas work and makes it once again truly creative. While making full use of the more conventional stitches and materials, she also explains what can be achieved by using less orthodox materials (including the employment of 'found objects'), and by modifying the canvas background by cutting shaped into it and so allowing a further background to show through. Ms. Rhodes devotes individual sections to Design; to The Transition from Conventional to Modern Methods; to Colour, Texture and Stitches; to the Transferring of Designs to Canvas; to Materials am