I first shared this custom needlepoint canvas that Will’s mom had painted for me back in February 2021 and I am so happy to finally have the finished piece back home with me! My mother-in-law sent a photo of the Millie’s matchbox to the artist (linked in the blog post above but not sure if they are still doing custom work — it might be best to ask your local needlepoint shop if you’re interested in something similar!) and had it painted onto a large canvas that I needlepointed throughout my pregnancy with Peter. This was the largest canvas I had stitched prior to starting the boys’ needlepoint stockings and I decided to have it finished as a lucite tray!
My finished needlepoint lucite tray
The needlepoint lucite tray finishing took over a year (!) at my local needlepoint shop Stitch Stash (formerly known as House of Needlepoint) in Darien, but they handled the process from beginning to end. My understanding is there are two steps: backing the actual canvas in the same manner as you would a needlepoint ornament, and then sending it off to a lucite company that makes a custom sized tray to match the dimensions of the canvas. Both the actual needlepointing and the wait time of receiving the finished piece were not for the faint of heart but I think that’s part of what makes needlepoint so special! I like to think Grandy would be proud. 🙂
P.S. How I started needlepointing, framed needlepoint canvases in our home, Teddy and Peter’s finished needlepoint stockings, and 20 fun canvases if you’re looking for a new project.