45 guides
Needlepoint guides
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How to needlepoint
How to needlepoint, step by step: what to buy, how to make a tent stitch, how to start and end a thread, and what to stitch first.
What is needlepoint?
What needlepoint is and what it looks like, its other names (canvas work, tapestry), its kinds, how to tell it from machine-woven cloth, and crafts like it.
How to read a needlepoint chart
How to read a needlepoint chart and stitch from it. What the squares and symbols mean, where to start, how to count, and how charts for bargello differ.
Needlepoint canvas and mesh sizes
Needlepoint canvas mesh sizes explained: what 10, 12, 13, 14 and 18 mesh mean, mono versus interlock and Penelope canvas, and which to choose.
Needlepoint thread guide
Which needlepoint thread to use on 13 and 18 mesh canvas: wool, pearl cotton, stranded cotton, silk and blends, how many strands, and how much to buy.
Needlepoint needle sizes
A needlepoint needle size chart: which tapestry needle to use for 10, 12, 13, 14, 18 and 24 mesh canvas, and how to tell if a needle is the wrong size.
Needlepoint vs cross stitch
The difference between needlepoint and cross stitch: canvas versus fabric, tent stitch versus crossed stitches, threads, cost, and which is easier to learn.
Needlepoint vs embroidery
Needlepoint versus embroidery, crewel, tapestry, petit point and bargello: what each term means and how the techniques differ.
Needlepoint and crewel
How crewel and needlepoint differ in cloth, wool, stitches and needle, what crewel needlepoint means, and how to tell which one an old piece or kit is.
Needlepoint frames and stretcher bars
Do you need a frame for needlepoint? Stretcher bars, scroll frames, hoops and stands compared, what size bars to buy, and how to mount a canvas step by step.
Needlepoint tools and supplies
What you need to start needlepoint and what can wait: needles, scissors, a frame, a laying tool, a needle minder, a threader, a light and a magnifier.
Needlepoint kits
What a needlepoint kit holds, what is often left out, what to check before buying one, and how to make your own kit from a chart and blank canvas.
Plastic canvas needlepoint
What plastic canvas is, which count to buy, which stitches and yarn suit it, how to cut and join it, and how it differs from needlepoint on woven canvas.
Needlepoint for kids
How to teach a child or teenager needlepoint: the canvas, needle and yarn for small hands, a first project, how long to expect, and what the adult does.
Can you needlepoint on burlap, linen or fabric?
Can you needlepoint on burlap, linen, cross stitch cloth, monk's cloth or a T-shirt? What each takes, what stands in for canvas, and how to stitch on clothing.
How to organize needlepoint threads
How to store and label needlepoint thread: labels and dye lots, sorting a stash, keeping a project's threads together, light and damp, and leftover lengths.
Canvas and designs
Painted, printed and charted needlepoint
Hand-painted, stitch-painted, printed, charted, trammed and preworked needlepoint canvases: what each is, how to stitch from it and which suits a beginner.
What is preworked needlepoint?
What a preworked needlepoint canvas is, which stitch and thread to use for its background, how much thread to buy, where to start, and how to treat an old one.
How to design your own needlepoint
How to design your own needlepoint: the size in stitches for your mesh, drawing a chart, squaring a drawing or a photo, colors, borders and freeform.
How to paint your own needlepoint canvas
How to paint a needlepoint canvas at home from a chart, a drawing or a photo: which paint and pens to use, how to test them, and why not to print one at home.
How to get a custom needlepoint canvas
Three ways to get your own design onto needlepoint canvas: stitch it from a chart, paint it yourself, or order it. With sizes, waiting times and what to ask.
Petit point, gros point and needlepoint
What petit point and gros point are and how they relate to needlepoint: the counts, silk gauze, Penelope canvas, Viennese petit point and what it takes.
Stitching
Basketweave vs continental stitch
Basketweave, continental and half cross stitch compared: how each tent stitch is worked, how it wears, how much thread it uses and when to choose it.
How to start and end a thread
How to start and finish a needlepoint thread without knots: the waste knot, the away knot, burying tails, and what to do in open or light areas.
What is bargello?
What bargello needlepoint is, how the stitch and its steps work, what canvas and thread to use, and how to start a flame stitch pattern from a chart.
Which needlepoint stitch to use for sky, water, snow and backgrounds
Which needlepoint stitches to use for backgrounds, sky, water, snow, fields, trees, fur, beards, buildings and clothing, with links to a diagram of each stitch.
How to stitch letters, names and dates in needlepoint
How to stitch letters, names and dates in needlepoint: charting on a grid, how tall charted letters are, spacing, centering a name, and which stitch to use.
What is a needlepoint stitch guide?
What a needlepoint stitch guide is, what it contains, whether a beginner needs one, how to read its diagrams, and how to write one for your own canvas.
How to add beads to needlepoint
How to add beads to needlepoint: which bead sizes fit 13 and 18 mesh, the needle and thread, the stitch that holds a bead still, and when to bead.
Finishing
How to block needlepoint
How to block a finished needlepoint canvas back into square: what you need, how to dampen, pin and dry it, and what to check before wetting your threads.
Needlepoint finishing
What needlepoint finishing means, the options for ornaments, pillows, belts and stockings, what self-finishing items are, and how to plan for time and cost.
What to make with needlepoint
What a piece of needlepoint can become, from ornaments, pillows and belts to chair seats and rugs, with the usual size of each and who finishes it.
How to finish a needlepoint ornament
How to finish a flat needlepoint ornament at home: blocking, wrapping it over board, backing it with fabric, and adding cord and a hanging loop.
Twisted cord
How to make twisted cord for needlepoint by hand or with a cord maker: how much thread, how many threads, keeping the twist, and sewing it on.
How to make a needlepoint belt
How to make a needlepoint belt: canvas and mesh, how wide and how long to stitch, choosing a design and thread, and having it finished on leather.
How to clean needlepoint
How to clean a needlepoint pillow, picture or chair seat: dusting and vacuuming, testing for colorfastness, spot cleaning, and when to go to a professional.
How to repair needlepoint
How to repair needlepoint: patch a cut canvas thread or a hole, replace worn or missing stitches, fix a snag, match old thread, and know who mends the rest.
How to frame needlepoint
How to frame needlepoint yourself: what board to mount it on, how to lace it, pins and sticky board, glass or no glass, what to ask a framer, where to hang it.
How to finish a needlepoint stocking
How a needlepoint stocking is finished: backing, lining, welt or cord and a loop, how to add a name, what to ask a finisher, and how early to send it.
How to finish a needlepoint pillow
How to finish a needlepoint pillow: knife edge or boxed, inset, welt or cord, zipper or not, what size insert, sewing it yourself, and what to ask a finisher.
Self-finishing needlepoint
What self-finishing needlepoint is, what size to stitch, and how to fit a canvas into a leather key fob or tag or an acrylic coaster or tray yourself.
How to fit needlepoint into a box lid
How to fit needlepoint into a box made for it: what size to stitch, how to lace it over board for a wooden lid, and what leather and acrylic boxes need.
Old needlepoint
How to tell needlepoint, petit point and tapestry apart, what museums say about age, how to store and care for an old piece, and who can say what it is worth.
History and words
The history of needlepoint, century by century
The history of needlepoint from medieval tent stitch to today: furnishings of the 1500s to 1700s, Victorian Berlin woolwork, the 20th century and America.
Needlepoint terms and abbreviations
Needlepoint terms and abbreviations in plain words: WIP, LNS, stash and frogging, then the canvas, thread, stitch and finishing words a newcomer meets.