What Is Needlepoint Canvas and How to Choose Yours

"Canvas", "needlepoint canvas", "tapestry cloth"… if you're new to this, you may have heard these names and not be entirely sure whether they're the same thing or something different. Let's clear it up once and for all: what canvas actually is, what types exist, and how to know which one is yours depending on what you want to stitch.

What canvas actually is

Canvas is a stiff fabric, woven into a clearly visible grid, made specifically for needlepoint (also called tapestry work). Unlike other embroidery fabrics, its threads are more spaced out and starched, forming clear, regular little holes that let you count stitches effortlessly and cover the fabric completely with thread, without the weave showing through beneath. Along with the blunt-tipped needle, it's the foundation of any needlepoint piece.

Canvas vs. Aida fabric: not the same thing

It's a very common mistake to mix them up, so let's tell them apart properly:

• Aida fabric: more flexible, with little holes formed by groups of woven threads. It's the queen of cross-stitch, where part of the fabric stays visible between stitches.
• Canvas: stiffer and thicker, made to be covered completely in thread. The finished result looks more like a tapestry than traditional embroidery, with more body and relief.

If you're going to stitch one of our needlepoint kits, the fabric you need is, without a doubt, canvas.

The count: the number that changes everything

Just like Aida fabric, canvas is measured by its count: the number of little holes (and therefore stitches) that fit in an inch of fabric. The higher the number, the finer the fabric and the more detail the design can hold:

• 7-10 count canvas (coarse): large stitches, ideal for rugs, cushions or pieces viewed from a distance. Quick to stitch, also great for little ones or hands with less fine dexterity.
• 12-14 count canvas (medium): the most common in our decorative kits. A good balance between detail and comfortable stitching.
• 16-18 count canvas (fine): much more detail, ideal for portraits, artworks or motifs with lots of colour nuance. Requires a little more patience and sharp eyes.

Single or double canvas (Penelope)

There's a second distinction worth knowing:

• Single canvas (mono): the threads form a regular grid of a single thread in each direction. It's the most common, and the one we use in our kits.
• Double canvas (Penelope): the threads run in pairs, which lets you split them in specific spots to stitch more detailed areas on the same fabric. It's a slightly more advanced technique, meant for those who already have a few pieces under their belt.

How to look after your canvas while stitching

• Mount it on a hoop so it doesn't warp while you work; being a stiff fabric, any crease really shows.
• Handle the edges with care: canvas can fray a little at the edges. A bit of fabric tape along the border, if your kit doesn't already have finished edges, avoids surprises.
• Don't fold it: unlike other fabrics, canvas creases easily. Roll it instead if you need to put it away for a while.

How to choose yours

The good news is that, if you start with one of our kits, you don't have to choose anything: the fabric comes already cut, printed with the pattern, and in the exact count that particular design needs. The count is decided by the design itself: the more detailed the motif (a portrait, a work by a famous painter), the finer the canvas that goes with it.

In short

Canvas is the stiff, starched fabric proper to needlepoint, distinct from Aida, and its count determines how much detail your piece can hold. The lower the number, the coarser and quicker to stitch; the higher, the finer and more detailed. If you'd rather start without the hassle of choosing fabrics, our needlepoint kits already come with the perfect canvas ready to stitch, along with all the DMC threads you'll need.