In 1975 Jennifer Berman and Carole Lazarus began Glorafilia and brought a new freshness and excitement to this much loved gentle art. They are renowned for the quality and beauty of their needlepoint designs.
We are delighted to present a stunning collection of designs. We hope that the kit you choose will give hours of pleasure - they are suitable for either a beginner or a needlepoint enthusiast.
The Tapestry Kits
A visitor to the Glorafilia shop in Mill Hill Village (now sadly closed) watched a canvas being stitched and said “All you are doing is filling in holes with wool. Is that it?” Yes, that is it. Some elaboration is needed to explain the glorious fun it can be, an adventure in texture, colour and experimentation, the relaxing effect of placing one stitch after another to build a picture of richly interwoven threads. That’s what needlepoint is. Some people call it tapestry, which is not correct. Tapestries are woven - and have been for centuries - to decorate and keep out draughts in baronial halls!
‘Canvas work embroidery’ is a more accurate term if you stitch the canvas with a variety of stitches. But this term conjures up a picture of formal discipline which is not what we are about. Our kits, tapestry or needlepoint, whichever you prefer to call it, often use different stitches, BUT YOU CAN STITCH ALL OUR KITS IN SIMPLE TENT STITCH IF YOU WISH, so making them easy or more challenging. Our easy to follow instructions are intended only as a guide – do not be restricted by them, but use them as a stepping off point for your own creativity.
Needlepoint can be compulsive fun. It can make hours spent in travel fly by and it is the epitome of creative contentment to stitch by a fire in winter or in summer in the garden. It can make you feel virtuous if you’re not used to doing nothing.
It is in short, the delicious art of filling in holes with wool!
Each kit contains a cotton canvas printed in full colour, all the yarn to complete the design (some of our designs use wool or stranded cotton or a combination, and this is detailed on the website for each kit), a colour picture, needles and easy to follow instructions for the stitches used, but tent stitch can be used throughout. A black glossy bag is included so it makes a perfect present or indulge yourself. So, you can get going straight away once you have mastered simple tent stitch.
Stitching Diagrams
Here are some stitch diagrams for TENT stitch (continental for small areas and basketweave for larger areas). There is a full do’s and dont's leaflet in your kit including instructions for 21 different stitches.
Continental Tent Stitch
Basketweave Tent Stitch
Finishing Service
Once you have finished stitching your tapestry, we are delighted to offer you a finishing service to transform your unstretched stitched canvas onto a beautiful cushion. For further details about our finishing service click here.
