Using Stretcher Bars & Scroll Bars

What are stretcher bars?

If you have found yourself on needlepoint TikTok or you have seen people in the wild stitching, you might have wondered, what is that frame people are attaching their canvas to and why do they need it? That is what this blog is here to answer. 

The frames that you see people stitch with are called stretcher bars. They help to keep your canvas taught and free from warping. You do not need stretcher bars in order to stitch, In fact some prefer to stitch without them. If you choose to stitch “in hand” (or without stretcher bars) your canvas will warp and will need to be blocked before finishing so it is straight. It is also important to note that you may also need to block your canvas when stitching on bars. Many prefer to stitch on bars because it relieves hand cramping and gives you something to hold on to for stability. You can also put your canvas on a needlepoint stand if you use stretcher bars.

How do I use stretcher bars?

Stretcher bars are easy to use and can be re-used over-and-over for many projects. They come in two widths, mini, and regular. Mini bars are less thick and easier to hold (in my opinion), but I primarily use regular ones because they are easier to find.

Stretcher bars come in many different lengths to fit your canvas. They range from 5 inches to 28 inches. They come in packs of two and you need a total of four bars (or two packs) to build the frame. Start by measuring your canvas's total size. If your canvas is 6X8, grab one pack of 6 inch bars and one pack of 8 inch bars.

There are instructions for how to use them on the packaging if you get confused. Interlock the bars together and make sure there are no gaps (I like to use a mallet to help push them together). Once the frame is built, you can secure your canvas to the bars using tacks or a staple gun. I like using tacks, because I can re-use the tacks on other projects. Make sure your canvas is taught when putting the canvas on the bars. 

What about larger projects?

For larger projects like stockings, or longer ones like belts, I recommend using scroll bars. These are like stretcher bars, except you can roll your canvas up so you have a smaller, easier area to work with. With scroll bars, you work on a section of a canvas at a time. Like stretcher bars, there are many different sizes of scroll bars to accommodate various canvas sizes.