I have been looking forward to writing this post and sharing one of my favorite pastimes for a long while now. About a year ago, I found myself feeling stressed and in need of a creative outlet. That was when I discovered needlepoint. Growing up my mother and grandmother both sewed and my great grandmother did crosspoint. I wanted to find something that was relatively easy to learn and would provide me an opportunity to create something beautiful while having the chance to shut off my brain for a bit. Enter needlepoint! I thought that it would be fun to share and teach how to begin needlepoint, tips and tricks, and finishing options. So without further adieu, how to begin needlepointing!
To begin needlepointing you will need…
A needlepoint canvas
Fiber (more commonly called thread)
Needle
Scissors
Needle Minder (unnecessary but fun and cute)
Needlepoint Canvas
The canvas is the actual material that you will be stitching on. A canvas is made out of mesh material which looks like little boxes. Mesh is numbered and the typical needlepoint mesh is numbered between 12 and 18. The lower the number the larger the mesh boxes are and the easier it will be to learn on. I would recommend starting with a 12 or 13 mesh. This would be a great option for a beginner. As well as this canvas. However, the best thing that I have found for beginners is this kit. It comes with everything you need (threat, canvas, and a needle) and at the end, you get an adorable pouch!
Fiber
In needlepoint thread is referred to as fiber. There are many different fiber compositions such as wool, silk, cotton and various combinations. Some needlepoint companies will make kits for each canvas and will include the best fiber for your particular canvas. However, sometimes you will have to choose your own! This can actually be really fun because you can color swap and create a piece that you really love and fits your taste. Fibers can be purchased at your local craft store or from the needlepoint store that you purchase your canvas, typically.
Needle
Many times, the supplier you purchase your canvas from will give you a needle that is the right size for your canvas. If not, be weary that different mesh sizes need different needle sizes. You don’t want something that is too big (it won’t fit into a small mesh) or too small (the thread won’t fit in the eye of the needle). Ps I always save my old needles just in case I lose one!
Scissors
You don’t need anything fancy, you just need something sharp. I think this pair is beautiful and would be a dream. These scissors more similar to the pair that I have and they work just fine. If you do plan on traveling with your needlepoint and scissors, they must be less than 4 inches in length.
Needle Minder
A needle minder is completely unnecessary but oh so fun! The minder is a maganent that is connected to your canvas and provides you a place to keep your needle when it is not in use. This is one place where you can really show your personality. I think these three options are so cute! 1/ 2/ 3
These are the most necessary things that you need to get started! While needlepointing can be seen as an expensive hobby, it is all about where you purchase your canvases from and what your style preference is. Many canvases are hand painted and therefore are a true labor of love by the designer. Generally speaking, it takes me about a month or so to complete a single canvas, so it is a long term entertainment option.
My next post will walk you through how to do a couple of simple stitches. Thank you for sharing one of my favorite things with me! If you have any questions or would like to see anything specific, leave me a message!
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