How to Sew With Black Needlepoint Thread

Needlepoint is embroidery that is performed with a large, blunt needle and embroidery thread on a canvas background. Needlepoint can be used to create a variety of finished projects, such as pillows or tapestries. Additionally, needlepoint can be used to cover household items, such as tissue boxes. By using colorful embroidery thread you can make lovely items to decorate your home. One thing to keep in mind as you complete your needlepoint, however, is how to sew with black needlepoint thread. There is a technique to learn and once learned you will be able to create beautiful works of art.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Needlepoint canvas (with pattern stamped onto it)
• Blunt needlepoint needle
• Embroidery thread (variety of colors)
• Masking tape
• Scissors
• Tape measure

1. Affix lengths of masking tape to the raw edges of the needlepoint canvas to protect the edges from fraying.

2. Thread the needle with an 18- to 20-inch long length of the lightest color embroidery thread.

3. Begin stitching the smallest areas of the stamped canvas first. It is best to complete the lightest colors of embroidery thread first and work your way through to the darker embroidery colors.

4. Insert the threaded needle up from the underside of the canvas in the left lower corner of the first small area of the canvas. Pull the threaded needle until approximately an inch of embroidery thread is left on the underside of the canvas.

5. Secure the tail of thread on the underside of the canvas with your finger to hold it in place. Hold the tail until you have taken a few stitches and it is secure.

6. Insert the needle back down through the canvas into the hole that is diagonally above the hole you came up.

7. 

   Bring the needle back up in the hole directly above the hole you first came up in.

8. Insert the needle back down through the canvas into the hole that is diagonally above the hole you came up.

9. Follow the diagram to fill in the canvas area according to the illustration.

10. Finish the color of embroidery thread by threading it through several stitches on the underside of the canvas. Clip the embroidery thread with the scissors. Never stretch the embroidery thread across areas of the canvas. Always secure the thread by threading it through several stitches on the underside of the canvas and clipping it before moving to another area of the canvas.

11. Change your embroidery thread colors working your way from the lightest to the darkest colors. When you get to the black embroidery thread, you should have all of the other areas of the canvas and colors of embroidery thread already completed. The black embroidery thread will be the last color you complete on your needlepoint project.

12. Complete the needlepoint with the black embroidery thread in the same fashion as the other colors of embroidery thread.