Cat’s Project for Bella – Come on! – 1st Layout

Here’s a concept layout.  I think this is the photo you liked, and the font for Faith is Harrington.  The rest of the quote would be in plain block letters.

Hebrews-11-1-Come-v1, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.

In 20 point, this would be 9″x6″, and is just at the limit of what I think will provide good detail on her face.

If you were willing to go finer, it could get smaller or more detailed.  Going to a larger size would also allow more detail.  Maybe standard letter size, in landscape?  Or would you want to keep the book smaller?

Cat’s Project for Bella – Hebrews 11:1

Here’s a layout of the verse for Bella.  It takes up about 175 pixels in width.   So on 20 point canvas, it would be about 9 inches wide.  I don’t know how this compares on cross-stitch fabric…

Hebrews-11-1, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.

Prayer: Father, we lift Bella up to you.  Please be with her, and help her to walk with you.

Cat’s Project for Bella – How Much Time?

Now that we’ve got the verse for Bella, Cat needs to decide how big a project she wants.

NeedlePrayer

One of the first questions that must be answered when starting any design is “How much time do I want to devote to this project?”  Time limits many design options.  If you want something to give tomorrow, there’s no way a large elaborate design will work.  If you want beautiful lettering, an intricate image, subtle shading, you’re not going to get it in a bookmark you can complete in an afternoon.

I want to stress here that bigger, time-consuming designs aren’t always better.  It can be hard to sustain the effort needed to make it to completion.  It is dispiriting to start with high hopes for a project and end up with it sitting half-finished in the closet.  It’s best to pick something you can encompass.

Also, you need to consider how the person you are making it for will use it.  A big framed piece may not work for…

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Cat’s Project for Bella – Whither Thou Goest…

Might make a nice image for Bella to feel her mom still with her?

Maybe superimposed on a sunrise image?

Whither thou goest…, a gallery on Flickr.

Cat’s Project for Bella – O Taste and See…

Once I have a verse or two chosen, I start looking for images that work with them.  For this, Flicker is a great resource.  But remember only to use images according to their licensing.  Creative Commons licensed  images can be used for personal projects, and many Flicker photographers use it.

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!”
Psalm 34:8

I like the idea of this image, especially if you have cats.  Pick one with a distinctive face, or one that Bella particularly likes, and put something yummy on your fingers so the cat licks them.  Get a friend to take a bunch of pictures and I’ll pick the best.

This is another neat idea.  God is light – taste his beauty!

While I’m not sure the guy is right, the idea of not just tasting, but licking up every last bit of God seems yummy!

Tasting the snow might be nice…

Peaches anyone?

Or even windows…

Taste and see that The Lord is good…, a gallery on Flickr.

Cat’s Project for Bella – How Much Time?

One of the first questions that must be answered when starting any design is “How much time do I want to devote to this project?”  Time limits many design options.  If you want something to give tomorrow, there’s no way a large elaborate design will work.  If you want beautiful lettering, an intricate image, subtle shading, you’re not going to get it in a bookmark you can complete in an afternoon.

I want to stress here that bigger, time-consuming designs aren’t always better.  It can be hard to sustain the effort needed to make it to completion.  It is dispiriting to start with high hopes for a project and end up with it sitting half-finished in the closet.  It’s best to pick something you can encompass.

Also, you need to consider how the person you are making it for will use it.  A big framed piece may not work for everybody.  Cat wrote:

I would like something small she can keep in her room, or in a memory box as she matures.

Small size means we need to look at trade-offs between length of verse, simplicity of lettering, and size of stitches.  If you’re willing to work very small stitches intricate words are possible, but will take time.

Cat, I had an idea which I’m not sure if you would like.  How about stitching a book?  Maybe a book cover that would hold photo pages.  Or maybe a book that you could add to over time, and maybe even other people would stitch pages for her?  She might even add to it herself in time.  It could be bound with ribbons, and the edges whip stitched.

So, what we need to figure out is how elaborate a project do you want?  I can do embroidery bookmarks that will take a couple of hours:

Insp Unfailing BM, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.

I can do 5″x7″ 10 point designs which might take a weekend:

Rheba Flamingoes, a photo by Carmen CS on Flickr.

And it goes up from there…

Cat’s Project for Bella – A Verse to Grow Into

Cat has written:

“I would like to make something for a young girl who was given up for adoption, and then lost her adoptive mom to cancer.”

…

“She was facing issues of fitting in, as she noted her skin is not the same color as her parents or siblings (adults). She knows she is adopted. But then her mom died after a brave fight with cancer. In preparation for her death, her mom moved the family to a friendlier place, where she fits into the neighborhood better. So, Bella also misses her home and neighbors.”

…

“I would like there to be a verse she can grow into. Because she comes form a Catholic-Jewish home, I am considering the Old Testament as a possible source. I thought I’d ask my cousin (a minister) and wonder if you have any suggestions.”

Children Footrace DA Blodget Adoption Picnic August 19, 201010, a photo by stevendepolo on Flickr.

When I got the first message from Cat, I was thinking of:

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! – 1 John 3:1

which incidentally is my favorite verse.  But that’s not Old Testament.  I’m praying on this, but I wonder if any of you have suggestions?

Cat’s Project – Kickoff!

Thank you, Cat, for taking me up on my offer to design a NeedlePrayer piece!

To get started, I will need some information. You need not share any or all on the NeedlePrayer blog; anything you want to keep private can be sent to me privately via the link below.  I never want to breach privacy with NeedlePrayer.

Here are some starting questions:

1) It helps me pray if I have a name, and preferably a picture.

2) Please share as much of her circumstances as you are comfortable with, to help me focus both my prayer and my design thoughts.

3) Are you planning to needlepoint, cross-stitch or do some other craft?

4) How big a piece are you thinking of? How much time do you want to spend? Are you interested in fancy stitch guides?

5) Is there any text you want to include? A poem, bible verse, name, something like that?

6) Do you have any ideas for what kind of image you want?

These last 2 questions, it’s OK if you don’t have ideas, but if you have something in mind let me know up front!

This is enough to get the ball rolling, but please feel free to share anything else that comes to mind.

Oh, I’m _so_ excited about this! Thanks for the opportunity!

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