How to Create a Needlepoint Tapestry

What is a tapestry stitch? To some needlepointers, it's the same as a Gobelin stitch. To others, it's a knitting stitch. But the expert staff at City Stitcher in Chicago (www.citystitcher-needlepoint.com) maintain that a tapestry stitch differs from both of these, and is simply the familiar tent stitch, worked as a continental or basketweave stitch. This stitch is the one most often used to create needlepoint tapestries, as opposed to true tapestries which are woven on a loom.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Canvas
• Needlepoint yarn
• Tapestry needle
• Mounting frame or stretcher bars
• Small scissors

1. Consult a needlepoint reference book to learn how to select your canvas, yarn and needle; how to prepare and mount your canvas for stitching; and how to begin and end stitches.

2. Choose which stitch to use. The basketweave stitch is less likely to distort the canvas as you stitch -- use it to work large areas of the same yarn. The continental stitch tends to pull the canvas diagonally -- reserve it for relatively small areas.

3. 

   ** Click the image to enlarge the illustration **
   
   Begin the continental stitch in the upper right of the area to fill and work from right to left.
   
   -- Bring the threaded needle from the underside of the canvas to the surface through one opening.
   
   -- Insert the needle back down in the diagonal opening one hole to the upper right (one thread over and one thread up).
   
   -- Return back up from the underside of the canvas to the surface in the opening directly left of where you began, and again insert the needle back down at the diagonal opening one thread right and up.
   
   -- Continue to the end of the row, then turn the canvas upside down and work the next row.

4. 

   ** Click the image to enlarge the illustration **
   
   Begin the basketweave stitch a few openings from the upper right of the area to fill and work down then up the canvas.
   
   -- As with the continental stitch, bring the threaded needle from the underside of the canvas to the surface through one opening.
   
   -- Insert the needle back down at the diagonal opening one thread right and one thread up.
   
   -- Bring the needle back up through the opening one thread *down* and one thread right of where you began.
   
   -- Insert the needle back down in the diagonal opening one thread right and up.
   
   Start the first stitch of a row going up directly below your last stitch.

5. Consult a needlepoint reference book to learn how to block your needlepoint when it is completed.

Tips & Warnings

• The technique described above uses two stabbing motions to move the needle up and down through the canvas. You may find you prefer a sewing motion that scoops the needle down and up in one movement.