True Colors Tiger Needlepoint Pillow

I bought this unfinished needlepoint on etsy April 6th. (Please click on the pictures to enlarge them).






It's a Paragon needlepoint that is probably from the 70's. The tag doesn't have a date. It says it's a completed design and that all you have to do is fill in the background with whatever stitches or design you choose.

Well.


You know me.

I did go crazy on it.

Firstly, I just loved how shy and unsure of himself the tiger looked.
Yet, he has the most outrageously colored stripes!!!

It made me think of the True Colors song sung by Cyndi Lauper.
I thought the lyrics were perfect for this cat.

So, I added them onto the background with a sky, sun, rainbow, ground, and grass.

And here is the finished pillow.





The pillow inside makes it hard to see all at one angle so I took a few pictures so you can get an idea of what it all says. (I should have taken a photo before I sewed the pillow in!)





This was so fun to do! I just "winged it" and didn't even graph out the letters or anything.
So it's not perfectly centered or each e is exactly the same or anything like that.

Why are the older needlepoint designs so much more bold and creative and exciting?
I wish someone would put out some sort of "retro needlepoint" design kits from the 60s and 70s.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this pillow.

Don't worry about the tiger.
He now knows he's more beautiful and real than the rainbow he's standing in front of!!!!!