What is needlepoint?

• stitches worked on canvas,
• often using wool
• and normally covering the whole surface.

However, any one of those points can be argued!

My Textures to Dye for range have been worked on Aida fabric with cotton, rayon and silk threads, and sometimes canvas areas have been left bare!

You may have been introduced to canvas work by using tent stitch on a printed, or hand painted, canvas. It might even have had long straight stitches already in place, called tramming, to help show you what colour to use for each stitch. But there are many more creative options available!

Designs can be worked from charts, in a similar manner to counted cross stitch, and can incorporate many different stitches and textures.

How to needlepoint

I will share with you many types of techniques, stitches and designs on the pages of this website.

Why not start with learning basic tent stitch and its variations. These stitches look the same on the front, but are worked using different methods.

Then you can move on to textured stitches like the Rhodes stitch, Velvet stitch, Rice stitch and many more.

As your confidence builds, you might want to try using a laying tool to help you produce smooth stitches.

Want to see what difference the type of thread can make to your stitches?

Don't forget to try Bargello, also known as Hungarian Point or Florentine embroidery, by stitching my free Bargello design for Christmas. Simple to stitch, it is the choice of a harmonizing color scheme that makes Bargello such a stunning form of needlework.

Stitching on plastic canvas is a great introduction to this form of needlework, you can try it while stitching a pretty poppy coaster.

What needlepoint supplies will you need?

What can I use it for?

Here is a quick list of some of the things you can use finished pieces for...

• cushions (pillows)
• chair covers
• rugs for the floor
• belts
• bags
• wall hangings
• bellpulls
• church kneelers
• fire-screens
• boxes
• door stops
• book covers
• pincushions
• dog collars
• ornaments
• and even tiny items for dolls houses

The best needlepoint book?

The Needlepoint Book: A Complete Update of the Classic Guide

...by Jo Ippolito Christensen. This is one of my all time favorites. It covers the basics and much, much more besides. She provides instructions, photographs and drawings to show you how to work 370 stitches and then goes on to tell you where to use them. She even points out where you are likely to go wrong and how to avoid such errors!

Then we are walked through all the yarns and fibres available to stitch with today, along with directions on how to pick the right one for each element of your project.

You might be surprised to find needlework techniques in this book that are normally worked on fabric, such as hardanger, pulled thread and drawn thread work. Jo shows how they can be tackled on canvas to great effect.

If you fancy having a go at designing your own needlepoint projects from scratch the book will teach you about form, texture, unity, focal point, proportion and balance.

Once you have completed your project you will find lots of help with blocking and finishing, whether you want to mount and frame it, make it up as a pillow, or make it up into a christmas ornament.

I could rave about this book for ages, so do forgive me if I sound a little carried away. It is available from Amazon at the link above. First published in 1976 (when I was a teenager) it was fully revamped in 1999 and remains my favorite ever book on the subject. I even have a Kindle copy on my iPad!

Over to you...

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