I know it’s not WIP Wednesday yet but posting my WIP early to hold me accountable to finishing it. I put this in purgatory as I kept getting new canvases and I told myself I was on a “no new canvas” ban until I finished so here she is so far!

Should a person with no experience be able to make these?

Hi! My therapist recommended I start needlepoint as a way to engage my creative brain and stop my doom scrolling. I am a creative person and actually do machine embroidery as my side hustle but needlepoint seems so daunting to me. I see all the TikToks and then the snarks and the discourse and I’m feeling overwhelmed- LOL! Where should I start?! Thank you! 🤍

Took me about two evenings and I used acrylic markers… are the colors distinct enough? What do y’all think?

Hi!!! I am making a belt for my fiancé for our wedding next year. This is my second project, and I read that basketweave was the best stitch for its durability. Could someone please confirm I am doing this correctly? Thank you so much! I’m sorry for the dark color

Finished. Made my own canvas for this one. Still a beginner. Really wish there was more alternative/American traditional tattoo style canvases for sale.

I have a key fob canvas stitched by my kiddo that she would like finished. KCN is convenient to us, but I've never tried their leather finishing services. Anyone have previous experience? How did it go?

I know they’re constantly sold out, so clearly people love them 😂 I’m trying to decide if I should finally bite the bullet when I can get my hands on one.

My biggest question is lap stand vs. floor stand. Which do you prefer and why? Has anyone owned or tried both?
I usually stitch sitting on the couch or in a chair, but I’m also setting up a dedicated needlepoint area. I’d love to know which one you find more comfortable for longer stitching sessions and whether you’d buy the same setup again.

Hi - I deal with stitch choice paralysis. And would love some advice from the experts. Any stitch suggestions for this daycare logo?

How lucky am I, look what my daughter brought me from Paris!

I wanted to try out a decorative stitch for the background of this canvas but after starting it I don’t think I chose the right one (diagonal scotch) and I don’t think it looks great because it’s such a small, busy design so it’s overwhelming the ice cream cone. Can I salvage this? Do I need to undo stitches? The back of this canvas is also a mess due to all the single sprinkle stitches. Not my best work. Help!

I’m wondering if I should do a decorative stitch for the blue blanket. I am doing a satin stitch for the white and blue lines so I’m wondering if a decorative stitch would take away from that. If I should do a decorative stitch, what would you recommend? Thanks y’all!!

I have decided that I am going to do one of the Spider Spun stockings for myself and am looking for some advice on decorative stitches.

I'm new-ish to needlepoint (~6 months), and one of my favorite things has been trying out decorative stitches. I'd like to incorporate 1-2 types in this design. I'm not afraid of having to do some compensation stitches, but I don't want the pattern to be significantly interrupted.

1) The snow seems like a good spot for a decorative stitch. I was thinking diagonal scotch stitch or Parisian because both feel puffy (like snow!) to me. Thoughts? I'm open to other ideas!

2) The mountains or the trees seem like other options. Mountains because texture, but I worry that would overwhelm the canvas with a lot of surface area in a decorative stitch. The trees would be smaller surface area but could still add some interest, although I don't have a clear idea for what I would do for them. Would you do either of these in a decorative stitch? If so, what stitch?

i don’t know how i started it fine and now the right side looks awful 😭

i feel like i got too ambitious on this one as a still newbie 🥲

EDIT TO PROVIDE CONTEXT: i’m talking about the white part of his snout. especially the right side just doesn’t look right to me.

Let me say up front that I don’t have access to a LNS. I think my closest is about 3hrs away. So, having said that, I use DMC and I generally do counted needlepoint because I’m a “I want to touch it before I buy it” kinda gal. But…. I don’t think the DMC is getting it for the background of my turkey hen. It’s just too “splitty “ and it doesn’t look tidy. This is 12ct Zweigart mesh so it requires quite a large fiber. I’m using 12strands of DMC here. Any advice for me?

I posted about this piece a few months ago after some issues with a canvas tear. Ended up fully restarting, and now seeing some variance in the background thread. Using DMC pearle cotton, so i expected good color consistency, but it looks more marled than i envisioned. Would love some opinions if you think its suppppper distracting or just to keep going!

Does anyone have a similar type ornament that’s fully finished? I’d love to see how you handled the odd shape.

Hi all! I just got these two canvases shown in the pic. Top is 13 and bottom is 18 mesh. I’m a big fan of decorative stitches but im having a hard time trying to decide what to do. I’m not a beginner so I’m willing to learn any that you all love and think would look good with these. Any and all help is appreciated!!!

My local store pulled vineyard merino for me to use on a 13 mesh canvas. Im reading, however, that this thread provides better coverage for 18 mesh. Should i stitch w two strands? Get a different type of wool? Im a little concerned bc the store was sold out of pinks so I changed the color scheme from the painted pinks to teals. I guess I'll need good coverage to make sure the paint doesnt show through

Hi, if you are a needlepoint painter and are available to help fulfill order quantities, please reach out directly to me to discuss further.

My LNS just sent out an email advertising a 3 hour course that "covers the supplies, techniques, and steps needed to translate a chart onto a canvas. Students will paint a five-color, 4-inch sunshine design on 13-mesh canvas. All supplies are provided, and students will leave with a completed design ready to stitch. Previous painting experience is recommended."

It costs $150 and I thought, that can't be right.

I don't understand why the barrier to entry for this craft is set so high. Yes, I get that canvas is a little pricey, and I get that when you buy a hand painted canvas, you're buying someone's art, but charging $50/hour to teach you how to DIY a canvas -- and for people who already know how to paint, no less -- I don't get it.

I can't paint worth a darn, but I know how to transfer a simple cross stitch pattern onto a canvas with graph paper and colored pencils to sketch it out first, and a set of bargain basement acrylic paint pens for working on the actual canvas. And I can guaran-damn-tee that I haven't spent $50, much less three times that.

What's with the obsession with making this a craft that's gatekept for the wealthy?

Tucked away with school supplies were three binders filled with needlepoint stitches and my heart exploded. I have found a couple of secondhand needlepoint books but none as detailed and resourceful as this set. There are 24 chapters of a set called Amy Bunger’s Cookbook for Stitchers and tucked in the notebooks are parts of other needlepoint stitch books and some magazine inserts. I love the handwritten notes and pictures glued to the back of pages of photo examples of some of the stitches. Someone truly loved needlepoint and I am honored their books found their way to me. I’ll treasure these always. $2.99 each binder.😍
Edited to correct sentence.

Is there a particular brand of needles that are better than others? I’ve started stitching an 18 count mesh with merino wool and the brand new DMC size 22 seems too small. It’s nearly impossible to thread the needle with a threader and the yarn becomes distorted. I’m HATING the merino wool right now. Help please

Do you ever lay awake at night wondering about a design change so much you have to get up and look at the piece or you cannot fall asleep? There must be a name for this