When did you first learn needlepoint, and who taught you?
I learned to needlepoint in 2019 from my dear friend Rudy after years of encouragement from him to give it a try. In typical "me" fashion, my first project was a 14x14" pillow I designed (not stitch painted) of my cat, wearing sunglasses, sitting in a teacup. I somehow managed to finish it (with a ton of errors) and it lives on the benches in my dining room. From that first project I was hooked. My second project was even larger and I continue to stick to large canvases, usually pillows.
Who or what inspires you when it comes to needlepoint?
My designs have a personal story or motivation behind most of them. The Cork was designed when I got engaged, the Watermelon Tourmaline was a special gem from my path to becoming a jeweler, the Grand Central Ceiling was designed because GCT was where I met my husband, and the Sequins are a theme from my fine jewelry line, Olivve.
What are your needlepoint ins & outs for 2026?
My forever "in" is Big Projects - pillows, purses, wall hangings, etc.
My 2026 "out" is frogging. I get very tied up in perfectionism and will restitch too many times. I need to remember it's just stitching and not to let my de-stressing activity cause me more stress!
What inspired you to start designing needlepoint?
I have always been DYI girlie, and the ability to create exactly what I wanted to stitch was irresistible. I thought gemstones lent themselves very well to needlepoint and I launched What a Gem in April of 2020 with 8 designs and an Etsy shop.
Favorites
Thread
Silk & Ivory and anything with sparkle
Canvas
13 mesh because I like large projects, but I'm currently stitching an 18 mesh pillow and I'm loving the detail!
Spot to stitch
Realistic - the couch, I live in an NYC apartment so I don't have many options.
Aspirational - the beach, under an umbrella with a frozen cocktail.
tv show to watch while needlepointing
Whatever is popular the week between Christmas and New Years. That's my favorite time to stitch all year!
Loved reading about this talented artist and stitching her work. I too am a “large canvas” fan and am looking forward to a rug from What a Gem… so many possibilities! Love your talent! (And your cat!)
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