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Here is a sampling of the many designers working in the field of needlepoint. I have linked each name to the Kits/Charts database so you can click on the name and view their designs in the database. (Click on the name of the piece to view a photo.)

Bahouth, Candace

Candace Bahouth is a master of medieval and romantic imagery. She has a tendency to use rich, darker colours in her designs – jade green, maroon, gold, dark blues – giving them the feel of an old tapestry. Her designs often have interesting backgrounds and borders. She has published two books on needlepoint and collaborated with Kaffe Fassett on a book on mosaic. Her designs are available in her books or as kits from Ehrman Tapestry.

Carolyn Barrani has been designing crewel and needlepoint for over 20 years and her designs have been featured in Women's Day and  Family Circle.  Stitcher's World featured her Poinsettia cushion in their January 2004 issue.  Her website carries a small line of her needlepoint kits / painted canvases.  

Bradley, Elizabeth   (www.elizabethbradley.com)  

Elizabeth Bradley is an extremely prolific designer of Victorian needlepoint. Her designs have floral or animal themes and are worked in Victorian cross-stitch (Berlin woolwork). The backgrounds are usually solid (often black) and most designs are part of a series of similar designs. She has published three books on needlepoint. Her designs are available from her books or as kits through a wide variety of needlework stores and WebPages.

Anette Eriksson has several lines of kits that are available  in retail stores and on the net.  In addition to her tapestry, cross-stitch and knitting kits, she has an unusual line of needlepoint designs stitched on hemp.  Less of the surface of the canvas is stitched, allowing the background fabric to be an integral part of the finished piece.

Fassett, Kaffe   (www.kaffefassett.com)

Kaffe Fassett is a man of many talents and eclectic interests who first became known to the public for his knitting designs. His needlepoint designs are on an extremely wide variety of subjects - flowers, fruits, animals, shells, faces, porcelains - and are often strikingly realistic. His designs show an amazing use of color. He has published several books either on or related to needlepoint. His designs are available in his books or as kits from Ehrman Tapestry.

Glorafilia (Carole Lazarus and Jennifer Berman) 
   (www.glorafilia.com)

Glorafilia, the partnership of Carole Lazarus and Jennifer Berman, has produced designs of exceptional quality on a wide variety of topics. The pieces are often not the standard size and shapes we have come to expect for pillows etc. but are often intended for framing. Most designs use a variety of stitches making these pieces more textured than most. The colours are subtle and they seem to favour muted tones. Glorafilia has produced five themed books that are reviewed in our Books section. Their designs are available from the books or as kits either from retail stores (stockists) or their Website.

Gordon, Jill   

Jill Gordon is a painter and designer of vividly coloured needlepoint designs inspired by nature and natural things. In addition to very bright colours, she often uses large canvases and her books contain designs for screens and wallhangings. If she uses borders they may extend halfway to the centre of the canvas and often dominate the piece. She has published several books of her needlepoint designs. Charted designs are available from her Website.

Julie Hasler is a prolific designer of both needlepoint and cross-stitch designs. She has published numerous books of designs including five devoted to cats.

Raymond Honeyman is a designer and instructor at Cumbria College of Art and Design in England.  His designs feature rich colours and are often reminiscent of textiles.

Wendy Hope-Falkner designs often have a 'countryside theme'.  From homemade, stencilled tapestry kits, she has graduated to a successful tapestry kit company she calls 'One Off'.  The line includes some interesting lumbar cushions, brick covers and pincushions.

Kooler, Donna  (www.koolerdesign.com)

Donna Kooler is the founder and president of the Kooler Design Studio Inc., a California based company of designers.  They have published several books of designs and recently produced an excellent Encyclopedia of Needlework.

Leavitt-Imblum, Marilyn   (www.tiag.com) 

Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum is an American designer best known for her cross-stitch designs which are marketed in retail stores under the labels: Told in a Garden (Amish designs), Lavender & Lace (Victorian designs) and Butternut Road. The designs are sold as charts and many are suitable as needlepoint designs. Her designs are available for viewing on her Website.  

Elian McCready is a painter and designer from North Wales. Her striking  designs, featuring flora and fauna, are vividly coloured and fill the canvas.  They are available as kits from Ehrman Tapestry and her first book of designs published in 2002. 

Murton, Margaret

Margaret Murton is a watercolourist and designer whose subtly coloured needlepoint canvases are often inspired by old tapestries. She is considered one of Britain's top designers and much of her work is available from Ehrman Tapestry. 

Oxton, Jill

Jill Oxton is an Australian cross-stitch designer and editor of a quarterly magazine: Jill Oxton's Cross Stitch and Beading. 

Pendray, Shay    www.shaypendray.com

Shay Pendray is a well-known designer, author and teacher.  Her sophisticated designs are available as hand painted canvases at her website.

Alice Peterson is best known for her wonderful line of Stitch and Zip kits for the beginners or seasoned stitcher.  These kits include pre-assembled eyeglass cases, change purses, scissor cases. She also has a line of painted canvases that are widely available on the net and in retail stores. 

www.onlinestitchkits.com is a site that specializes in Alice Peterson kits and canvases.  

Welsh artist and designer Michael Powell is known for his whimsical landscape designs like the one shown here. He currently sells charts and cross-stitch kits but is considering adding needlepoint kits to his business.  

Pudney, Jennifer   (www.jennifer-pudney.co.nz)

Jennifer Pudney is a textile designer from Wellington, New Zealand. She is widely known for her Needlepoint Postcards, kits of brightly colored, funky designs mostly of women.

Russell, Beth   (www.bethrussellneedlepoint.com)

Beth Russell is a designer of elegant needlepoint designs based on the work of William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement.  Her London-based Designers Forum, manufactures and distributes kits of her designs.  Many are also available in her books.

Graham Rust is an English artist and muralist who has published a wonderful book of needlepoint designs taking their inspiration from nature and the decorative arts. His designs often incorporate both gros point and petit point with striking results. Several of his designs are available as kits from Ehrman Tapestry.

American designer De Selby has an imaginative, striking line of stitched purses.  Not only does she supply kits for both cross-stitch and needlepoint, she sells the charts for many of her designs as well as the supplies (i.e. handles) to finish the design as purses.  

Fei Trapnell designs are simple, yet elegant and often on animals themes.  Her kits can be purchased with painted canvases or as charted kits (at a reduced price).  She has a wonderful line of pincushion kits that come with backing material, stuffing and cording for the mot complete kits I've seen.

Jim Williams is an American freelance designer and author of American Country Needlepoint. His style, as indicated by the book, could be considered folk art and his subjects tend to be natural things – flowers and animals. He has a real flair for using texture as part of the design and the unique patterns in his book include not only a variety of stitches, but beading, trapunto and areas of unstitched canvas.

Erica Wilson is perhaps one of the best known American designers. She has published over 20 books on the many forms of needlework. Her designs covers a broad range of subjects and are widely available.

Zermanski, Andy  

In addition to his wonderful paintings, English artist Andy Zermanski has created some of the most elegant designs for needlepoint that I've seen in recent years.