Using a Stitch Guide for Needlepoint

It’s been a big week for me with the release of four new stitch guides. I love decorative stitches and bringing in texture and depth to needlepoint pieces. I’m especially grateful that I’ve been able to translate a passion for stitches into writing over 20 stitch guides for needlepoint canvases. I’m a huge fan of using stitch guides and wanted to share some of the benefits of using guides as well as the details on the newest guide releases.

What is a stitch guide?

A stitch guide is a set of instructions for stitching a canvas. It will walk you through each piece of the canvas, in a recommended order of stitching. The guide will suggest stitches for each section, include a stitch diagram, and include any helpful tips regarding compensation or even specifics for thread usage (including how many strands, special instructions for cutting, etc.).

What’s included in a stitch guide?

Guides include not only the instructions for stitching and stitch diagrams, but also a complete list of threads and quantity to buy for each. This takes the guesswork out of kitting and stitching the canvas.

Who should use a stitch guide?

Anyone! Whether you’re new to stitching or a longtime stitcher, stitch guides are a great way to build out your stitch repertoire, learn new techniques (like beading and ribbon work), or to enable you to start stitching without having to plan. Guides are available for stitchers of all skill levels. If you’re concerned about the content and difficulty of a guide, you can always reach out to the author to confirm the skill level.

What are the benefits of using a stitch guide?

Guides act as a mini class, teaching you tricks and techniques as you work the accompanying canvas. This will help you build expertise and confidence that you can carry through to future projects. I often save the stitch diagrams for reference later and reuse stitches in later projects.

Do I have to follow everything in the stitch guide?

No! Guides are merely a guide. Take what you like and swap out what you don’t. While the guides suggest threads, I always suggest looking to see if you have something similar in your stash.

Where can I purchase stitch guides?

It varies - some guides are available directly from the authors/teachers, others through the canvas designer, or through your local shop. If there’s a specific canvas that you hope there is a guide for, try searching online with keywords like the canvas name, design, and stitch guide.

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This week I’m releasing four stitch guides. Three for the newest additions to the Le Point Christmas Village and one for the Main Street canvas from Plum Designs. All of these guides (and more) are available through Stitch Style’s website.

For the Christmas Village guides (released November 9), they build on the joyful series that has been released piece by piece over the last few years. New stitches are incorporated into these canvases, while some threads and techniques are carried over from other canvases to create consistency across the series. These guides are intended for advanced beginner stitchers - perfect for those that have stitched a few items but want to learn more.

For the Main Street guide (releasing November 13), it’s size matches the scale and detail of the beautifully painted canvas. Coming in at 33 pages, the guide is written with advanced stitchers in mind and covers 45 stitches (including ribbon work). Many of the stitches in the guide are architectural in nature and are transferrable to other building canvases, making this guide something you can refer back to when stitching architecture and are looking for stitches to add interest or detail.

Final Thought: Stitch guides are a great way to learn new needlepoint stitches or to make the process of planning for a canvas much easier. I’d love to hear more about your experience with stitch guides. Share your favorite stitch guide that you’ve used or one you’re looking forward to using in the comments below.