Using Needlepoint in your Christmas Decorations

Updayed December 12, 2023.
Not everyone has tons of needlepoint for Christmas, as I do. Whether your collection is small or large, there are clever ways to use your needlepoint throughout the home to make it festive.

• If you have more than one tree and lots of ornaments, make theme trees. These don’t have to just have needlepoint ornaments on them. In the past, I have done a Southwestern tree. These days, I have a “toy” tree with small ornaments, including some needlepoint. My Jesus tree incorporates needlepoint crosses, angels, and nativities with my other nativities, angels, and saints.



• Use banisters and stairway posts to display garlands trimmed with similar needlepoint ornaments. I use mini-socks on mine, but I saw an adorable spray of mittens in a photo this week.
• Make a needlepoint display box. Holiday canvases that are too big for ornaments make great fronts for open boxes. If you get many cards, use them to hold cards, but they could also hold glass ball ornaments, nuts or candy.
• Group ornaments with flat bottoms as part of your holiday centerpiece. If you don’t have these, why not put needlepoint cookies, candies, or desserts on a small plate?



• Display needlepoint stand-ups on mantels and narrow tables. Long horizontal surfaces are great for displaying collections of needlepoint. Stand-ups, especially if you group them or if they vary in height, work well here.
• If you display tassels hanging from cabinet knobs, change these to ornaments.
• If you use wreaths indoors or have a front door completely protected from the elements, why not decorate the wreath with some needlepoint? Needlepoint on canvas will be harmed if exposed to damp. However, if you really wanted to put stitching outside, consider plastic canvas with acrylic yarns. These will hold up to damp.



• Replace other pictures with needlepoint pictures for the season. I have several of these, including a lovely embellished tree from Julia’s.

What special ways do you display needlepoint for the holidays? Let us know in the comments.