New to Needlepoint?

welcome to your new favorite hobby

If you've seen needlepoint on Instagram or TikTok and thought "I want to try that," you're in the right place! Needlepoint is one of those rare hobbies that's genuinely relaxing, satisfying to learn, and produces something beautiful you can actually keep (or gift).

This guide covers everything you need to know to get started. No jargon, no gatekeeping, no assumed knowledge. Just the essentials.

what is needlepoint, exactly?

Needlepoint is a form of embroidery where you stitch yarn or thread onto a stiff, open-weave canvas. The canvas has a visible grid of holes, and you pull your thread through those holes in specific patterns (called stitches) to fill in a design. Most canvases come pre-printed or hand-painted with a design — so you're essentially "coloring" with thread.

It's different from cross-stitch (which uses a finer fabric and X-shaped stitches) and embroidery (which uses a plain fabric as the base). Needlepoint uses a stiffer canvas and covers the entire surface with stitching.

The result is a richly textured piece that can be finished as an ornament, a pillow, a belt, a coaster, wall art, or just about anything else you can imagine.

what you need to get started

Good news: the supply list is short. Here's everything you need for your first project.

A CANVAS

This is your design, the actual image you'll be stitching. Canvases come in two main types:

Hand-painted canvases are individually painted by artists and designers. They're the premium option: one-of-a-kind and beautiful to work with.

Printed canvases are screen-printed or digitally printed, which makes them more affordable. They're a great option for beginners who want to practice before investing in a hand-painted piece.

Canvases also come in different mesh counts, which refers to how many holes per inch the canvas has. Here's what matters:

13-mesh: Larger holes, bigger stitches. Easier to see, faster to complete. Great for beginners and larger projects like pillows.

18-mesh: Smaller holes, more detail. Most hand-painted ornament canvases are 18-mesh. It takes more time per square inch, but the detail is gorgeous. Totally doable as a beginner — just know it'll take longer.

THREAD

Thread is what you stitch with. There are a bunch of options, but two cover 90% of what you'll use:

Cotton Floss: DMC is the most popular brand for this. Affordable, widely available, and comes in 500+ colors. Best for printed canvases or projects where you need a lot of one color. You can separate the 6-strand floss and use 2–3 strands at a time depending on your canvas mesh. Smaller holes = fewer strands.

Silk and/or Wool Floss: Tilli Tomas a popular brand for this type of thread. They manufacture thread that is silk or wool, is smooth, forgiving, and produces a beautiful finish. It's the gold standard for hand-painted canvases.

A NEEDLE

Needlepoint uses tapestry needles, which have a blunt tip (they won't prick your fingers) and a large eye for easy threading. You'll want a few on hand since they can bend over time.

STRETCHER BARS

Stretcher bars are a lightweight wooden frame that holds your canvas taut while you stitch. They come in pairs (two bars per side), and you'll need a set that matches the dimensions of your canvas. 

You can stitch without stretcher bars by holding the canvas in your hand, but the tension is harder to keep consistent and your stitches may come out uneven. We recommend using them from the start — it makes everything easier.

You'll also need thumb tacks to pin the canvas to the stretcher bars. 

SCISSORS

A small pair of sharp embroidery scissors for snipping thread. Any craft scissors will work, but a nice pair of 3.5" embroidery scissors is a worthwhile investment.

how to start stitching

Once you have your supplies, here's the basic process:

Mount your canvas. Attach your canvas to the stretcher bars with thumb tacks, spacing them evenly so the canvas is pulled taut but not warped. Leave at least 1.5" of blank canvas border on all sides.

Cut your thread. Cut a length of thread about 18 inches long — roughly the distance from your fingertips to your elbow. Longer than that and the thread will start to fray and tangle from pulling through the canvas too many times.

Thread your needle. Fold the thread over the needle and pinch the fold tightly. Slide the needle out, keeping the fold pinched, and push the fold through the eye. (This fold method is much easier than trying to push a floppy end through.)

Start stitching. The most basic stitch in needlepoint is the tent stitch (also called the basketweave or continental stitch). It's a simple diagonal stitch that covers one canvas intersection. You bring the needle up through one hole and down through the hole diagonally above it, working in rows. 

Anchor your thread. Tie a small knot at the very end of your thread. This is called a waste knot. On the front of your canvas, insert the needle a few inches away from where you plan to begin stitching. Pull the thread through until the knot rests on the surface — this is your “waste” knot. Begin stitching toward your starting area, working over the thread tail on the back of the canvas as you go. This secures the thread underneath your stitches. Once you’ve stitched over the tail and it feels secure, gently snip off the knot from the front of the canvas. The knot never becomes part of your finished piece — it simply holds tension while you anchor the thread underneath your stitches.

what happens once you're done

Once your canvas is fully stitched, it needs to be finished — that's the process of turning your stitched canvas into an actual ornament, pillow, belt, or whatever the design is meant to be. Many stitchers send their completed work to a professional finisher, who blocks the canvas (straightens it), sews it, stuffs it, and adds any hardware or backing. You can also finish your project yourself by framing it with a mat the size of your stitched canvas.

ready to start?

Browse our canvas collection — we have plenty of beginner-friendly canvases. Every listing tells you the mesh count and design dimensions. If you're not sure which canvas to pick, send us a message!

And if you want to follow along with other stitchers, join us on Instagram — we share tips, new arrivals, and the occasional cocktail recommendation every week.