![JP Needlepoint bee round](https://nuts-about-needlepoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/IMG_2032-scaled-e1615581417763-300x285.jpg)
Hexagonal stitches are fairly rare in needleppoint. But a hex-based background can be the perfect solution when you canvass highlights bees or chickens. For bees, the hexes echo honeycomb. For chickens, an open hex stitch in silver or copper will look like chicken wire.
I love using Blackwork patterns for these kinds of designs. On the Kelly Clark rooster. below, I did chicken wire, not diagrammed, in thin Kreinik metallic. it adds the perfect touch. The stitch guide is available in my Etsy shop.
![rooster needlepoint with blackwork and silk ribbon, designed by Kelly Clark, stitch guide by needlepoint expert Janet M. Perry](https://nuts-about-needlepoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/rooster-cover-shot-296x300.jpg)
For the JP Needlepoint bee round pictured above, I wanted to have larger hexagons in a color closer to the sandstone canvas. Using The Thread Gatherer’s Oriental Linen for this Blackwork pattern gives the background an interesting rustic feel. Because I plan to stitch the bee entirely n metallic, this thread creates a nice contrast.
The Blackwork fill stitch, Honeycomb, below, has both straight and diagonal stitches.
![honeycomb blackwork fill](https://nuts-about-needlepoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/honeycomb-fill-blackwork.jpg)
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
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