Violin/Viola Needlepoint Canvas

The needlepoint canvas version of the violin is 2.5"x5" on 18 mesh, hand painted and stitch painted. It is perfect to finish as an ornament or even a small stand up. Please note that the strings are NOT painted onto the design. I suggest adding strings once the canvas is all stitched by using long stitches with a fine piece of silver thread. I used DMC diamant thread in silver, split into tiny strands. The effect this gives is so lifelike!

The violin is the highest pitched and most agile member of the stringed instrument family. Every detail of the instrument contributes to its sound and for hundreds of years makers have guarded their secrets from competitors.

The bow is an equally important part of the instrument: its weight and balance greatly affects the violin’s sound and playability. The bow consists of a wooden stick with horse hair stretched between the two ends.

The word we used to describe our four-stringed instrument actually comes from the medieval Latin word vitula, which was a reference to the goddess of joy (before becoming the modern word for a female calf.) Eventually, the Latin word vitula becomes fides/fidula, then violin and fiddle, respectively. 

The violin and viola are similar in size, appearance, and playing technique. Each of these instruments is held between the player's shoulder and chin. The viola is larger and tuned a fifth lower than a violin, making it the alto to the violin's soprano. To me, this canvas represents them both, as I have played both and love both dearly. Violas can range in size from 14" to 16.5", and the size that a player chooses varies according to personal preference. The main difference between a violin and viola is the depth of the body, as the viola's lower range requires a larger body to produce a more resonant sound.