Over the weekend, I was thinking about canvases one of my daughters calls “needlepointy.” These canvases have an abundance of stitches, usually to the detriment of the piece’s subject. I am always tempted to pack in stitches and create needlepointy projects. I am like the bird collecting shiny objects, and, like the bird, I want to use all those stitches. Now.
While the sentiment is laudable, not all canvases work well to show off stitches. There are some things to look for to show off stitches best.
Look for the abstract. Many canvases that depict something won’t give you lots of opportunities to try stitches. There will be areas where you need to pick stitches that match the area. For example, if there was a brick wall on your canvas, Milanese might not be the best choice for its stitch. Canvases that are just an outline to fill or are completely abstract or geometric are your best choice.
Bigger mesh is better. Even if you normally only stitch 18 mesh or Congress Cloth projects, look at 13 mesh for these stitch showcases. The larger mesh will make it easier to see the stitch for future reference.
Pick simple stitches for backgrounds. All canvases need a place for your eye to rest (that can be a problem with the needlepointy canvas). For these stitch showcases. that’s the background. Pick simple, unobtrusive stitches for them. My three favorites for this are Tent, Brick, and T Stitch.
Use threads that show stitches well. Some colors and threads make the stitches harder to see. Don’t use black; it hides the structure of most stitches. If black is on your canvas, try to switch it to another dark color. Many threads, while lovely, can make it harder to see each individual part of a stitch. When I want that, I like solid or semi-solid pearl cotton.
Pick stitches that fit the area. A stitch fits an area if three repeats of the stitch fit in all directions. With stripes, three repeats should fit in the direction of the stripe. Since the point of these projects is to show off stitches, a too-large stitch misses the point.
With these guidelines in mind, pick a canvas and try some stitches.
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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