Italy has always been a dream destination for me, and this summer, I finally explored its stunning landscapes and vibrant culture. From the serene waters of Lake Como to the majestic peaks of the Dolomites and the bustling city of Milan, each stop was filled with unforgettable moments. Highlights included a magical boat tour and picnic on Lake Como, hiking the stunning Seceda mountain in the Dolomites, and exploring the vibrant streets of Milan. This whirlwind Italian adventure was everything I hoped for and more.

Add depth and elegance to your needlepoint with the Wicker Stitch, mimicking the look of woven wicker for a textured, basket-like appearance. Perfect for both large canvases and smaller projects, this versatile stitch complements any coastal style. Dive into our easy-to-follow guide and elevate your next project with this sophisticated stitch.

Discover the story behind our Fourth of July Bar Cart canvas!

I've recently felt inspired to share a more personal side of my life on the blog. I just turned 27 which is such a special age, I'm loving the coastal life with my dog, Captain, and am enjoying the sense of self-discovery and confidence this chapter in life has brought!

Many of my friends and followers are in different stages of life, with significant others, marriages, and relationships. While I'm cherishing my own phase of independence, I'm also finding humor and relatability in the world of modern dating.

So, you'll probably notice a few more dating stories in future blog posts, to give you a glimpse behind the curtain of the heart flutters, mishaps, and adventures in the world of romance. In this technology-centric, social media-driven world, there can be a lot to unpack!

(Shout out: If you have a son/brother/friend who is mature and you want to nominate him to be my boyfriend, please send him my way and you can win free needlepoint for life!!! Sort of joking but not really joking.)

In line with that, I'm thrilled to introduce a new collection that's close to my heart (literally!), in partnership with Needle Nola aka Needle Arts in New Orleans! As a lover of 13-mesh canvas, I've always admired their playful heart series, especially the cheeky, "You Up?" heart. I reached out to them with the idea of collaborating and together, we've created a collection that captures the humor and spirit of our conversations.

Inspired by the modern, funny sayings that get us through the ups-and-downs of love and relationships, this series features a range of funny quips for single girls, those in serious relationships, and some for the girls who want to celebrate their friendships!

The Tortured Sweethearts Department series launches at Noon on Tuesday, April 30th and includes eight canvases on 13 mesh. The canvases are approximately 8" x 8" with the heart designs being approximately 3.5" x 3.5". Each canvas can be purchased for $48 or kitted with DMC for $55 and are available on our website, as well as needlenola.com (if you see that a design is sold out on one site, check the other!).

So, whether you're patiently waiting for a ring (after all... "Size Matters!" 💍), or giggling through the dating journey like me, Needle Nola and MJD hope you enjoy stitching this sweet collection, regardless of where are you are in life!

I'm headed back to the Courtly Canvas on March 16th! I cannot wait for a weekend of cowboy boots, cowboy hats, Ranch Waters, and finally getting to see Mutton Bustin’ at The Rodeo! (Have you heard of this?!?) 

I thought I'd try something new this year and and pull together some fun things on my wish list that would make great gifts this holiday season! 

We're dropping anchor with our newest accessory! This is a product that I’ve been very involved with for the past 6 months, so I’m thrilled to share these new “Captain’s Clippers” with you all and hope that you love them as much as I do. 

One of my favorite parts of my job is how involved I get to be in all my products, and while canvases are definitely my comfort zone, the same holds true for my accessories. As I was thinking through areas that I could improve in my collection, I wanted to introduce a more substantial scissor that is a bit higher in quality. Not only was aesthetic important to me, but function as well. I wanted these scissors to really feel good in your hand and be a trusted tool for all your future projects! 

In order to bring this vision to life, I worked with a scissor manufacturer to create a design, prototype, and finished product. Because this project was so much fun, I thought I’d share some photos + a bit more about the steps and process of bringing these “Captain’s Clippers” to life! (P.S. for those of you who are new around here, the name Captain's Clippers is a nod to my Goldendoodle named Captain!)

The Process

April: I contacted the manufacturer to articulate my goal and vision. It was important to me that these scissors reflect our brand so naturally, nautical was the way to go! 

May-June: I went through several design iterations which incorporated the anchor and rope design. What I learned is that there are so many factors to consider: the weight, the spacing of the handles, the size of the scissors, how the design impacts the hinge, etc to name a few. It took several prototypes and testing on my part to get this piece to be something that I thought would feel good in a stitchers hand - while also maintaining a high level of function and detail! 

July-August: Once we had the final design, we created the molds for the scissors. Finally, production could begin!

September: Working through packaging was one of my favorite parts of this process -  these scissors will arrive in a blue branded box, with foam padding inside. 

October: The final prototype arrived at my home in Florida; you can see my excitement opening these in the last picture!

After 6 months being heavily involved in this design and production process, it is so rewarding to see a project become a product! Below are some photos that walk you through the last few months. 

Product Details

We’re launching 3 different types of “Captain's Clippers” which will be available on our website this Thursday, October 26 at 7:00pm EST. 

The scissors will be available in 3 colorways and are shown from left-right above: Gold, Broze with a Silver Tip (to look like a true 'anchor'), and Silver. 

The Gold Scissors will be available for $40, and the Bronze with Silver Tip and Silver Scissors will be available for $35. 

• All scissors are Stainless Steel
• The Bronze is Plasma Coated, and the Gold is 24 Carat Gold Plated
• All Scissors are approximately 6" tall by 3.25" wide (when closed)
• The blade is less than 2" tall, making them TSA approved
• Each pair weighs approximately 4 oz
• All of Captain's Clippers are packaged in a branded blue box with foam insert that is molded to the shape of the scissor. 

I hope you enjoyed the behind the scenes look into bringing this product to life! I hope these new scissors will help you elevate your accessories and that you are equally as excited about the quality and design as I am.

I’m headed to Texas, y’all! I am SO excited to share that I’ll be visiting The Courtly Canvas on Saturday, October 28th for a Meet & Greet Trunk Show event! 

The Details

I'll be at The Courtly Canvas from 10:00-3:00pm on Saturday, October 28th!

Not only is The Courtly Canvas offering 20% off all MJD Canvases on Saturday during this event, we’re also thrilled to share that we will be launching an exclusive Texas themed canvas and accessory! (Please note, the 20% off discount will not apply to the exclusive canvas). Scroll to the bottom to see a sneak peek of the canvas!

If you're not in the area, you may order the new exclusives and the trunk show on The Courtly Canvas website.

Where to Find Us 

3637 West Alabama, Suite 320, Houston, TX 77027 

The Holiday Shopping Card

The Courtly Canvas is thrilled to be participating in the Holiday Shopping Card 

For a $75 donation to the American Cancer Society, you’ll receive a Holiday Shopping Card to use for discounts at hundreds of retailers around Houston from October 19-29th. 

With your card, you’ll receive a 20% discount on in stock canvases, threads, books, and accessories. Though this will exclude the trunk show (20% discount) and our exclusive canvas, it’s a great way to get a kick start on holiday shopping and browse in stock supplies. 

Additional exclusions apply: see store for details. 

https://shoppingcard.cancer.org/

Sneak Peek

I had SO much fun working with The Courtly Canvas team to create this one of a kind design- I won’t ruin the surprise but it’s a classic MJD canvas with a Texas twist! The canvas is on 18 mesh; we will be offering kitted canvases for grab and go shoppers but I’d also be happy to help you make thread selections while you’re in the shop!

I have loved connecting with so many wonderful members of the stitching community virtually, so I am even more excited for the chance to meet some new friends in person! Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 28 - you won’t want to miss this event! 

See you soon!  

XO, 

Morgan 

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that Morgan Julia Designs is launching a line with Emily NDLPT Stitches! Emily is the first artist joining “MJD Crew” a group of talented creatives whose canvas designs, brand, and vision we are bringing to life under Morgan Julia Designs. 

Emily and I have been working on this line since spring 2023 and I couldn’t be more excited about the canvases she has created. Playful, vibrant, with a touch of whimsy, Emily’s canvases compliment the Morgan Julia brand perfectly; I know you’ll love them as much as I do! 

Emily's line will launch on Friday, October 13th at 12:30pm EST. Customers who purchase an Emily NDLPT Stitches canvas will receive a Chicago Goose needle minder as gift with purchase while supplies last! 

Meet Emily: 

Hi everyone! I’m Emily from Emily NDLPT Stitches and I am thrilled to be joining Morgan Julia’s Crew! I grew up and spent most of my life in West Texas, where I learned to needlepoint from my mother when I was 12 years old. Needlework has been in my life for as long as I can remember with my great aunts stitching mine and my siblings’ Christmas stockings. After college I delved back into the hobby and haven’t looked back! When I’m not stitching or designing you can find me decorating my home or spending a lot of time outside with my three kids; Harry, Pierson, and Florence, my inspiration for my first collection. It is so special to see my first collection come to life with the support of Morgan. 

These pieces are very close to my heart; they’re inspired by my children’s love of their favorite books, their stuffed animals, and their ability to find adventure in every day. I hope you enjoy stitching my designs as much as I enjoyed creating them! I cannot wait to see how you finish these and make this collection your own. 

Background on the Canvases: 

To celebrate our newest artist, we will be launching 15 new Emily NDLPT Stitches canvases on Friday, October 13. Emily’s canvases will be available for wholesale + retail exclusively through Morgan Julia Designs. Customers who purchase an Emily NDLPT Stitches canvas will receive a Chicago Goose needle minder as gift with purchase while supplies last! 

We sat down with Emily and asked her to describe the inspiration behind this collection and its mini series. 

Lunar Series: 

Sweet dreams are in store with these darling signs and door hangers! Inspired by the books my kids only allow me to read (not Dad)! You can personalize the 4” squares or stitch as is, the options are limitless.

The squares (top row) are 4" with micron pen corner markings on 18 mesh. The Signs (bottom row) are 5” x 7” on 13 mesh. 

• Bunny Lunar Lullaby will be available as a canvas for $60 or a kit for $94 with Vineyard Silk, Petite Very Velvet, and Essentials. 
• Elephant Lunar Lullaby will be available as a canvas for $60 or a kit for $87 with Vineyard Silk, Petite Very Velvet, and Essentials. 
• Dreamy Bunny Sign will be available as a canvas for $90 or a kit for $152 with Planet Earth Silk
• Snoozy Cow Sign will be available as a canvas for $90 or a kit for $139 with Planet Earth Silk

Feathered Friend Series: 

Who doesn’t love the porch goose that gets decked out for the holidays? These sweet feathered friends are inspired by our neighbor’s goose we love checking out each season. Available on 4” rounds on 18 mesh. 

• Festive Feathered Friend will be available as a canvas with stitch guide for $65 or a kit for $114 with Pepper Pot Silk, Silk Lame Braid, Petite Very Velvet, and Essentials.
• Spooky Feathered Friend will be available as a canvas for $60 or a kit for $83 with Vineyard silk, Petite Very Velvet, and Essentials.
• Feathered Friend will be available as a canvas for $55 or a kit for $89 with Petite Very Velvet, Pepper Pot Silk, and Essentials. 

Hopper Series: 

These little toads were inspired by our adventures down to our pond, exploring, catching, and learning about the different phases of the toads. Dressing these cuties up for the holidays just made sense! Toads are all 18 mesh on 4” rounds.

• Shroom Hopper will be available as a canvas for $55 or a kit for $95 with Pepper Pot Silk, Petite Very Velvet, and Essentials. 
• Hooked on Hooper will be available as a canvas with stitch guide for $65 or a kit for $120 with Pepper Pot Silk, Petite Very Velvet, Silk Lame Braid, and Essentials. 
• Holiday Hopper will be available as a canvas for $60 or a kit for $112 with Pepper Pot Silk, Petite Very Velvet, and Essentials. 
• Haunted Hopper will be available as a canvas for $60 or a kit for $107 with Pepper Pot Silk, Petite Very Velvet, and Essentials. 

Christmas Series: 

If you love untraditional Christmas colors like I do, then these are for you! Each of these canvases includes room for you to customize with names, dates, etc - making each holiday extra special. 

The top row shows 4” rounds on 18 mesh which have room to personalize in the middle! The mini stockings (bottom row) are approximately 5.7" tall by 4" wide on 13 mesh. 

• Rosy Wreath Round will be available as a canvas for $60 or a kit for $82 with  Pepper Pot Silk, Petite Very Velvet, and Essentials.  
• Blue Bough Round will be available as a canvas for $60 or a kit for $82 with Pepper Pot Silk, Petite Very Velvet, and Essentials. 
• Rosy Wreath Stocking will be available as a canvas for $65 or a kit for $90 with Planet Earth Silk and Petite Very Velvet.
• Blue Bough Stocking will be available as a canvas for $65 or a kit for $90 with Planet Earth Silk and Petite Very Velvet.

Please join me in welcoming Emily NDLPT Stitches to the MJD Crew! If you love what you see, just wait until you see what she’s working on for her next drop…..!

XO,
Morgan & Captain

Mark your Calendars: I am so excited to be coming back to Chicago for a meet and greet at Third Coast Stitches this Saturday, July 22nd!

We're having a mini launch this Thursday, February 9th, at 7pm EST: launching Snowy Day at the Chalet & our needle threaders!

We're coming to a city near you!

Join PLD & MJD as we host events across the US this year in Atlanta, Charleston, New York, and Dallas.

We've decided to bring back our "Mystery Canvas" Listing that we launched last year for 2 days only! 

Our Final Launch of 2022 is this Wednesday, December 14th, at 7pm EST. We're launching our Winter Collection with 13 NEW Canvases! 

We're excited to announce a small launch this upcoming Thursday, November 10th, at 7pm EST! 

This launch is a final farewell to Summer & is centered around everything "sweet" that I love!

We're having a virtual studio sale this Thursday, September 15th, at 7pm EST! It's a great way to shop flawed canvases & accessories for up to 60% off. 

We're sharing our deals and plans for Cyber Weekend so you can be prepared to shop for every stitcher on your list!

Have you always wanted to learn how to needlepoint but don't know where to get started? If so, this guide is for you! I'm sharing resources on where you can learn how to needlepoint. 

Here I go again, raving all about how I love the design process lol! But in all seriousness, I try to look at needlepoint finishing as an art form. I take my finishing very seriously – and often hold on to stitched pieces for months before I send them for finishing just so I can find the perfect fabric, trim, accessories, etc.

This canvas was a gift from my boyfriend over the summer. We were in Disney one weekend and he called up Lycette and spoke with Mama L (who is just the sweetest!!!). The canvas was waiting for me at home when we got back & I stitched it up so fast. If you’re interested in this canvas, it is by Jessica from Lycette and you can purchase it by calling her shop or online! I try to support other needlepoint designers when I can because that’s how we keep this industry growing.

Back to the canvas. I stitched this canvas fairly quickly and knew I wanted it to be my vacation clutch. The best part about a clutch? It has two sides so each side can be a statement! I knew I wanted to make something completely unique for the other side.

In my early e-commerce days before I was a needlepoint canvas designer, I created patterned fabric. I loved the challenge of designing repetitive patterns. I studied under Kaeli Smith, who has her own apparel line that you’ll love if you love Lilly Pulitzer. She actually produced a line with a pattern I designed one summer! Some images are below. I honestly think that wearing a fabric that you created is one of the coolest feelings in the world. I still create patterns for fun from time to time, and if you’re interested you can shop them here on Spoonflower. I also have a Pinterest board that I am constantly updating with my favorite fabric. 

So for this finish, I knew I wanted the fabric on the other side to be beach or tanning related. I spent weeks looking for a fabric but couldn’t find anything that I loved. I tried to design some patterns and came close to ordering this one, but it just didn’t feel right for this finish. The only rule I had was that I wanted a fabric that had similar colors to the needlepoint.

I went back to the drawing board. I was scrolling through Instagram and came across this photo from The Skinny Confidential. Unfortunately, I did a reverse-image-search and couldn’t find it anywhere. I was hoping it was an art print and I could contact the artist to purchase – but I think Lauren’s team created it. I started to look into vintage maps to find something similar. Maybe an artist had created a cool map design of a beach I had been to? But again, I couldn’t find anything I loved.

As I was searching for vintage map, somehow I came across old Coppertone ads and it clicked. I loved the irony of having a Coppertone design on a “Gone Tanning” canvas because I am crazy about sun protection. I attempted to find vintage Coppertone fabric, bags, or anything of the sort. The only thing that turned up was this Coppertone bag. I came across 3 online, but all had discoloration, stains, and the color palette didn’t fit the needlepoint canvas. I was hesitant to use a fabric that had been stained to create a clutch. 

Because I’m obsessed with Captain (my goldendoodle), I thought “How cool would this be if the dog could look like Captain?”. I decided to use the bag as inspiration and create my own sketch with custom colors. I spent a few hours drawing a similar design on my iPad and trying to match colors to the canvas. Below is the final sketch I created!

Next, I needed to find a shop who would print my fabric. I considered creating a canvas from this drawing, but decided it would be better to just have it on fabric. I didn’t want to turn this into a pattern because I wanted the sketch to be a large motif on the fabric. I reached out to several different stores and finally decided to work with this Etsy store because they totally understood my vision. As you may have guessed from above, I’m really picky about fabric and finishing, so I was really happy to work with a company who just understood and delivered. 

About 2 weeks later, the fabric was at my door and it was perfect! I will definitely use them again to order again. This isn’t a sponsored post and I paid full price for my fabric – I was just thrilled to find someone who understood my vision, was responsive, and helpful. I’m already dreaming about my next project through them!

Now, this stitched canvas and fabric is off to Lycette for finishing! I will post a final picture & update when it’s finished, but I am so excited to see the results. Stay tuned!