- Custom Lettering
Lettering & Monogramming
Need to personalize a canvas with a name or monogram? We can add those elements to any canvas including Christmas Stockings, Birth Samplers, Wedding Samplers, Ring-Bearer Pillows, Ornaments, Pet Collars and more. We have a variety of font styles from which to choose – print or script options, or just ask for “Designer’s Choice” (we will choose the best style to complement the design and to fit the space).
All Lettering and Monogramming is $25.00.
Custom Canvas Design
Custom design by Gail Hendrix, Squiggee Designs
3 Kittens Needle Arts is pleased to work with one of our industry’s finest needlepoint designers for our custom work – Gail Hendrix. Your custom design will be painted “on the stitch” and on the finest quality canvas – Zweigart’s Orange Line Mono Canvas. Gail has been in the business for over 40 years and is the creative inspiration for her own hand-painted canvas line, “Squiggee Designs”. Visit her website www.squiggeedesigns.com for a tour of her design line or stop in to look through her catalog in our shop. We have many examples of her custom work to share with you as well.
Supreme Court Building
Bring us your idea or photo – a child’s drawing, a family home or cabin, a favorite pet or hobby (fishing, golf, sailing, gardening) – you name it, we can paint it! We have designed pillows, serving tray inserts, ornaments, belts, dog collars and leashes, coasters, bean bag frogs, chair seats, footstools, Christmas stockings and more. If you are interested in a custom design, please contact us at 3kittens@3kittensneedlearts.com or stop by the shop and ask for Julie. Allow extra time for a consultation; she will discuss your project with you, determine if a more detailed outline sketch is recommended before your design is painted on canvas and give you an estimate for your project.
Pricing: Please inquire for an estimate for any design; sketches are optional and are $15.00; we ask for a 50% deposit with all custom orders once an estimate is approved.
Life Portraits
Custom design by Gail Hendrix, Squiggee Designs
We have worked closely with organizations like the Junior League of Saint Paul to create custom canvas designs such as their unique “life portrait” canvases that are stitched and finished as a pillow and presented as a gift to their outgoing leaders. “Life Portraits” are a montage of significant people, events, weddings, children, travel, accomplishments, hobbies and interests in a person’s life – all captured and stitched on needlepoint canvas. This wonderful idea has spurred others to have them designed for their loved ones to commemorate a milestone birthday or anniversary. Call us or stop by and ask for a consultation. Do you love this idea but are not a stitcher? We also offer a Stitching Service (click here for details).
Schools & Sports
High Schools, Colleges & Universities, Sororities & Fraternities, Sports Teams
We work with a number of designers who have retained the rights to reproduce certain of their designs featuring the name of select schools, colleges or universities, as well as Greek organizations and sports teams. These designs come as Pillows, Ornaments, Belts, Key Fobs, Wallets, Credit Card Cases, Coasters, even Flasks! These are just a few examples – we have more to show you when you visit our store.
Personalized Designs: Initials & Names & Phrases
Many canvas lines feature designs that can be ordered with an initial or can be personalized with a name or a phrase – Ornaments, Mini-Sock Ornaments, Tote Applique Squares, Pillows and more. Squiggee Designs Flip Flops can be painted in any color combination and make great ornaments, box inserts, eyeglass cases and checkbook covers. Most personalized designs will need to be ordered so please inquire about ideas and timing when you visit our store.
NOTE: We respect copyright and will not reproduce, copy or duplicate copyrighted work without express, written consent by the owner of the copyright.
Stitching Service
We are pleased to offer a professional stitching service to help you complete an entire canvas or finish stitching those pesky UFOs (unfinished objects). Whether you just can’t find the time or the desire to finish stitching a project, or you just aren’t a stitcher, 3 Kittens Needle Arts is here to help.
Stitching rates will vary depending on canvas mesh size and whether tent or pattern stitches are involved, so we are happy to provide an estimate for you. Bring in your piece anytime for a consultation. Once we determine an estimate for your project, we will ask for a 50% deposit to get your project started. If you need threads, we can help you pull those together as well.
Stitch Guide Design Service
Using pattern stitches on a canvas has a way of bringing it to life! Canvas and stitch guide designers have been collaborating for years to give us wonderful pattern and embellishment ideas all wrapped up in a little package called a “stitch guide”. If you’ve been introduced to this level of creativity, you have probably fallen in love and just want more.
Select canvases can be purchased with a stitch guide already done, and they are well worth the extra money. Although the presentation varies, all stitch guides include a recommended thread list as well the suggested pattern stitches from the designer. Beyond the tent stitch, their ideas give the stitcher a whole new perspective – especially for those of us who have been happily stitching Continental or Basketweave. The pattern stitch possibilities are endless – Mosaic, Criss Cross Hungarian, French Knots, Pavilion Diamonds, Rhodes Square, Parisian, Woven, Nobuko – they all start to sound like foreign countries!
The world of pattern stitches is indeed vast and can be challenging to navigate. Sorting this out and determining which thread and pattern stitch combinations are right for your canvas can be either exhilarating or daunting. Here are some ways we can help you on your journey:
- Classes – take advantage of the expertise from our instructors in either a Studio, Skill Building or Project class.
- Designer Stitch Guides – many canvas artists work collaboratively with stitch guide designers to provide a stitch guide with select canvases from their line. Some artists include the guide with their canvas, others offer the guide at an additional cost. This is a great way to learn new stitches and work with different threads. Bring your project into the shop anytime you have questions or need brief instruction, or attend a Studio Class for concentrated stitching time with an instructor.
- Books & DVDs & Blogs – there are many outstanding pattern stitch books, instructional DVDs and needlepoint bloggers you can reference for inspiration. We regularly have our favorite books in stock and will be happy to give you some suggestions. Click here for a list of our recommendations for Books, DVDs and Blogs.
- 3K’s “Go To Stitches” – we have favorite stitches that we use time and time again – they create the perfect effect for some of the most common areas on our canvases – animal fur, trees, sky, water, clothing and Santa beards to name a few. We have created handouts that are complimentary with any 3 Kittens canvas purchase; our staff can make a few suggestions while you are in the shop to get you on your way (please allow some extra time for consultation).
- Custom Stitch Guides – we can create an original stitch guide for your canvas that includes recommendations for threads and pattern stitches that use stitches in one of our recommended stitch books. We will include additional pattern stitch charts for stitches not included in our recommended books. If you don’t own a stitch book, we have several in stock and you may purchase the one that best suits your project.
The cost of a custom stitch guide starts at $50 ($25/hour). We will ask for a $25 deposit when you leave your canvas with us. You can expect a brief, initial consultation in person, via email or over the phone to chat about your thread preferences and level of experience. Delivery is roughly in 2-4 weeks, when you will pay for the balance of the guide and any threads pulled for your project. Please note that all threads are a final sale – no returns or exchanges.
Whether you work with an existing designer’s guide, take classes or work with us on a custom guide, you will soon be choosing your own threads and planning your own stitches. Let us help you get on your way!
