All About Needlepoint Canvas

Needlepoint canvas is the type of fabric that you stitch on. It is what makes needlepoint needlepoint. (for more on the difference between cross stitch, embroidery, and needlepoint click here). It is a woven mesh that is produced in Germany. Here are a few things to know about canvas:

Mesh size

There are two main canvas mesh sizes to choose from: 18 mesh and 13 mesh. The numbers indicate how many holes per inch there are on the canvas. For example, 18 mesh has 18 holes per inch, which means the holes are smaller than 13 mesh, which has 13 holes per inch.

Many people recommend starting with 13 mesh, because it puts less strain on your eyes and is easier for beginners. Size 18 mesh can also be great for beginners, because there are many smaller 18 mesh projects like I have in my luggage tag kits you can find here.

I tell people to find a design they like first because if you stitch something you don’t like as much, it will be harder to find the motivation to finish the project.

Painted vs printed canvas

Another thing to consider when choosing a canvas is whether it is printed or hand-painted. Some printed canvases are not as accurate as ones that are hand painted. However, there have been advances made by a company called Needlepaint called ‘Stitch Perfect Printing’ which is as accurate as hand-painted canvas. This is the service we use for our canvases, because it is cheaper than hand painting and we can pass those savings down to our customers. 

Hand-painted canvases are typically more expensive, because they are individually painted by artists overseas and the cost of labor and shipping adds up. 

Sometimes it is hard to tell whether a canvas is printed or painted. Many needlepoint stores and designers will disclose this information on their sites but if you ever want to know, you can always ask!