Getting Started with Needlepoint
Everything you need to start stitching — no gatekeeping, no overwhelming supply lists. Just the practical stuff that actually matters when you are picking up a needle for the first time.
What You Actually Need to Start
Forget those "essential supply" lists with forty items on them. You need four things to start needlepoint: a canvas, threads, a needle, and scissors. That is the whole list. Everything else — frames, laying tools, thread conditioner, fancy needle minders — is nice to have and can come later once you know you love this craft.
For your first canvas, go with a 13-mesh mono canvas design. The 13 refers to the number of threads per inch, and it is the sweet spot for beginners: big enough holes that you are not squinting, small enough mesh that the finished piece looks detailed. Avoid 18-mesh for now. It is gorgeous but unforgiving, and the tiny holes will test your patience before you have had a chance to fall in love with stitching. A small design — think 8x8 inches or an ornament — gives you a finish line you can actually reach.
For thread, DMC or Anchor cotton floss is affordable and available everywhere. If you want something with more texture and character right out of the gate, try Appleton crewel wool — it covers beautifully on 13-mesh and feels satisfying to stitch with. Your local needlepoint shop can pull the exact colors you need for a specific canvas, which saves you from guessing.
You need tapestry needles, which have a blunt tip so they slide between canvas threads instead of splitting them. Size 20 for 13-mesh, size 22 for 18-mesh. Buy a small pack; they are cheap and you will bend or lose a few.
Budget reality check
Painted canvases from designers typically run $50-300+, and threads for a project add $20-60 on top of that. If you want to test the waters without a big commitment, printed canvases and kits start under $30 and include everything you need. Browse our canvas catalog to compare prices across shops.
Your First Stitch: Continental Tent
Continental tent stitch is where everyone starts, and honestly, it is where most of your stitching time goes even after years of experience. The motion is simple: your needle comes up through one hole and goes down through the hole diagonally above and to the right, crossing over one canvas intersection. That is it. One diagonal stitch that covers one intersection. Work across the row from right to left, then flip the canvas and work back.
Once you are comfortable with continental, the next stitch to learn is basketweave. It covers the canvas the same way (same diagonal tent stitch) but you work it in a different pattern — alternating up-columns and down-rows on the diagonal. The advantage is that basketweave distorts the canvas far less than continental. For filling large background areas, basketweave is what experienced stitchers reach for. You can see both stitches in our stitch library.
Do not stress about your first few inches looking uneven. Your tension will naturally even out as your hands learn the rhythm. Most stitchers find that by the time they have covered a few square inches, the stitches start looking consistent. If your early work really bothers you, you can always go back and restitch it once you have more control — or just leave it. Nobody will notice once the piece is finished and framed.
Choosing Your First Canvas
Needlepoint canvases come in three main types. Painted canvases have the design hand-painted or printed in full color directly on the mesh — you stitch right over the colors, using them as your guide. Printed canvases are similar but mass-produced at a lower price point. Blank canvas is for when you want to chart your own design or follow a pattern, though that is more of an intermediate move. For a first project, painted or printed is the way to go because there is zero guesswork about what color goes where. Our canvas guide breaks down all the details.
Mesh count is the single most important number on a canvas. It tells you how many threads per inch, which determines both the level of detail and how long the project takes. 13-mesh is forgiving — good hole visibility, quick coverage, and the finished piece still looks refined. 18-mesh allows incredible detail (think shading and tiny motifs) but takes significantly longer and requires more precision. A 10x10 inch area on 13-mesh has 16,900 stitches. The same area on 18-mesh has 32,400. That math matters when you are deciding what to stitch on a Tuesday evening.
Size affects time commitment in a big way. A small ornament (4x4 on 18-mesh) might take 10-15 hours. A 12x12 pillow on 13-mesh is more like 40-60 hours. For a first project, aim for something in the 6x6 to 10x10 range on 13-mesh. You want a project that feels achievable, not one that ends up in the WIP pile for three years.
Where to shop: your local needlepoint shop (LNS) is the best place to start. You can see canvases in person, feel the threads, and get advice from people who stitch. Trunk shows, where a designer brings their full line to a shop for a weekend, are fantastic for seeing a range of designs. Online shops are great too, especially if you do not have an LNS nearby — check our shopping guide for tips on buying canvases online.
Essential Techniques
Threading the Needle
Cut your thread to about 18 inches — any longer and it frays and tangles before you finish the strand. For stranded cotton like DMC, separate out the number of plies you need (usually 2-3 for 13-mesh), then recombine them. This "strip and separate" technique makes the thread lie flatter on the canvas. For wool or single-strand fibers, you can skip the separating step. Fold the thread over the needle, pinch tight, slide the needle out, and push the folded crimp through the eye. Works every time, no needle threader needed.
Starting Without a Knot
Knots on the back create lumps that show through on finished pieces. Instead, use the waste knot method: make a knot at the end of your thread and go down through the front of the canvas about 2 inches from where you want to start. Stitch toward the knot so your working stitches catch the thread tail on the back. When you reach the knot, snip it off. The tail is now secured under your stitches. Clean, flat, professional-looking back.
Maintaining Consistent Tension
Tension is the difference between a canvas that looks polished and one that looks lumpy. You want the thread to lay on the surface without pulling the canvas threads together (too tight) or looping above the canvas (too loose). Let gravity do the work — pull the needle through and let the thread settle before starting the next stitch. Every few stitches, let your needle dangle and unspin. Thread twists as you stitch, and untwisted thread covers better.
Ending a Thread
When you run low on thread (leave about 2 inches of tail), flip the canvas over and weave the needle under 4-5 existing stitches on the back, running in one direction. Then reverse direction for a stitch or two to lock it. Clip the tail close to the back. Avoid weaving under stitches of a different color when possible — dark threads showing through light areas is a common beginner mistake. Start your next thread by running it under the back of nearby stitches the same way.
What to Do After You Finish
You have stitched every last background stitch, woven in your final tail, and you are holding a completed canvas. Congratulations — that is a genuine accomplishment. Now here is the single best piece of advice in this entire guide: do not try to finish it yourself the first time.
"Finishing" in needlepoint means turning the stitched canvas into a final product — a framed piece, a pillow, an ornament, a tote bag, whatever you want. It involves blocking the canvas to correct distortion (stitching almost always warps the canvas), trimming it, and then the actual construction. Professional finishers do this all day, and the difference between a self-finished piece and a professionally finished one is significant, especially for your first project.
Take it to your LNS — most shops either do finishing in-house or work with finishers they trust. Expect to pay $50-150+ depending on what you want made. Turnaround times vary (especially before the holidays), so ask when you drop it off. The result will be something you are proud to display or give as a gift, and that first finished piece is incredibly motivating for starting the next one.
Once you have a few projects under your belt and want to try self-finishing, start with something simple like a flat ornament or a stand-up. Pillows and bags are more advanced. But for project number one, let the professionals handle it.
Ready to find your first canvas?
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