How to Write a Stitch Guide (Robin King)

Writing on the Needlepoint Study Hall blog, Robin King tells us a bit about how she writes a stitch guide.  It's fun for other stitch guide writers to see how a peer approaches the task of documenting their road map to a canvas.

http://needlepointstudyhall.blogspot.com/2011/02/do-it-then-write-it-down.html

Review: Vintage Pears Stitch Guide

Beverly Churchfield's Vintage Pears Stitch Guide

Through the kindness of a friend, I've borrowed a copy of Beverly Churchfield's stitch guide for the Vintage Pears canvas (design by Melissa Shirley on either 13 or 18 count) to review for you.  Please note that the stitch guide doesn't specify whether it is for the 18 count or the 13 count version of the design but I understand the guide is for the 13 count canvas only.
http://melissashirleydesigns.com/galcol/index.cgi?index=1235692312_5378&col=123

This is a comb-bound booklet, with clear plastic protector sheets on the front and back sides.  There is a color photo of the finished canvas on heavy paper inside the front plastic protector sheet.  Inside the booklet is a list of the necessary threads and beads on one page, followed by a black and white copy of the canvas with the pears numbered for reference purposes, and ten pages of instructions with hand drawn charts for the stitches that go on each pear or in the background.  There is space at the top of each instruction page for you to make notes.

A peak inside....

This is a straightforward and bare bones guide without any tips on beading (there are a lot of beads on this piece),  information about the stitch path you should take,  or any tips on securing threads on this light coverage design, all of which makes it unsuitable for a beginner.  There isn't much explanatory text at all.  The photo above of a page chosen at random, is pretty typical.

The stitches are both unusual and lovely, and the finished piece is gorgeous.   The hand drawn diagrams are clear but the stitches are not always numbered.  It is up to the stitcher to figure out how best to execute the recommended stitches.  This guide sells for $20-25 depending on where you purchase it.

I would certainly buy one of Beverly's guides for a canvas I wanted to stitch but I am not a beginner.  If you are, I can only recommend this guide if you are very determined and have access to a good shop that can help you understand what you should do.

Beverly Churchfield writes several stitch guides for Melissa Shirley painted canvases.  Search on Melissa Shirley to see the guides she has written that I know about.  Beverly can be reached via Aristeia Needlepoint.
http://www.aristeianeedlepoint.com/

Thanks for the loan of the guide, Marj!