Meet Madeleine Harwell, a rising star in the needlepoint world who began her journey at just 14 years old. Hailing from Sarasota, Florida, Madeleine transformed her passion for art and stitching into a flourishing business, launching her own line of hand-painted canvases. Her designs, known for their vibrant colors and whimsical charm, have captivated stitchers nationwide.

Join us as we explore the world of Madeleine Elizabeth, where each canvas tells a story and every stitch is a step in her remarkable journey.

Shop her collection here.

Tell us about yourself!

I am 20 years old and am currently in my last semester at Florida State University studying Studio Art with a focus area in painting, and a minor in art entrepreneurship. I’m graduating this May and will be moving back home. School has taken priority over designing for the past few years, and I’m excited to see where the business will go once I can give it more attention. 

What led you to start designing your own canvases? What is your design process like?

Growing up, my Mom worked in a knitting/needlepoint store so I was always surrounded by the fiber arts growing up, and had admired all of the designers' work that hung on the wall for years. I learned to needlepoint when I was 9 and “worked" in the needlepoint store helping ladies with threads and picking colors. In return, I earned small needlepoint canvases and fibers to work on my own projects. I was also always involved in my art classes at school. So, it was a natural transition when Stephanie Ganey of Oasis needlepoint helped me to start my own line of canvases. After our first show in Orlando in March of 2018, we decided to take the jump on our own and became Madeleine Elizabeth. My design process has changed greatly over my time designing. Most often, I have a running list of ideas, and when I find time to paint, I pick the ones that are most interesting to me at the time. Lately, being in school, I haven’t had the time to design directly on the canvas. I work three other jobs when I am home, and the most recent designs are licenses of my paintings on stretched canvas. One of my jobs is live painting at a restaurant in Sarasota, Cafe Barbosso. This is a really fun experience that I enjoy and will be going back to after I graduate, and it doubles as creating new work that we have transferred onto needlepoint canvas. 

Where do you find inspiration?

I would say that my line is starting to take on a new life. Designing on needlepoint canvas is a very tedious, therapeutic process. Paying attention to thread cross sections and envisioning how the stitcher will interpret the canvas majorly slows down the painting process. I’ve stuck to simpler designs, animals, and sayings to create fun and whimsical canvases more geared towards beginners and intermediate stitchers; I would call this my commercial art. My mom is a major source of inspiration. She is constantly sending me pictures of different things she sees when she’s out and about to inspire, whether it’s subject matter, color palettes, or patterns. I find inspiration everywhere in thrift stores, being outside, visiting art galleries, and through my daily life. The most recent release of canvases is artwork that I’ve painted on stretched canvas, which gives me a lot more freedom and room for my artistic capabilities; I would call this my artistic practice. We then work with our painters to get them transferred onto needlepoint canvas in a way that it can still be stitched. 

Do you have a favorite canvas in your line?

It’s so hard to choose a favorite canvas! My junior year of high school, I created an entire project based on captivity featuring tigers. This served as inspiration for ME-101 Tiger Lily, which I painted on needlepoint canvas around that same time. Just recently, we released ME-181 Captive Tiger, which is one of the paintings from my exams. Right now, these are some of my favorites cause they’re connecting my needlepoint painting style with works that I’ve done on stretched canvas and paper.

What advice do you have for new stitchers?

My advice would be to take advantage of your local needlepoint store. Visit new stores when you are out of town. Growing up in a needlepoint store, I learned the value of community that a brick and mortar store can create, and how each store has its own personality. Needlepoint is a tangible hobby; it depends on threads and colors, and shopping online can’t always provide the same experience as visiting a physical store. It also helps to support them. By supporting brick and mortar stores, you are supporting the designers who sell to them, and that is what makes this industry go round. 

Quick Q’s:

18 or 13 mesh?

18 count… more room for stitches!

Favorite place to stitch?

At home on the couch with my Mom. 

Favorite piece you’ve stitched?

When I was younger, I was obsessed with the Rebecca Wood reindeer ornaments with the big red nose. I stitched as many as I could get my hands on. 

Favorite thread?

Painters Threads have beautiful variegations, but I also love Soie D’ Alger for their range of color shades. 

Accessory you can’t live without?

I always need to have a magnet on my canvas, or I could never keep track of my needles.