Needlework Books

Benefit From Our Needlework Books & Master Your Needlepoint Skills!

At Spotlight, customers can get a variety of crafting books to learn and master a new craft. Our range of needlework books provides exactly such an opportunity, the chance to learn and master needlepoint.

Are you just starting out with needlework and want some expert tips for beginners? Check out the information below to learn everything you need to know!

What Is Needlework Exactly?

If you are looking for a new craft, you might not yet be familiar with needlework and needlepoint in particular. Needlepoint is a craft that teaches you how to work thread to a canvas with a variety of stitching techniques. At the end, you will get a beautifully crafted image in return.

What Is Needlepoint Canvas?

When you start with needlepoint, you will be required to get so-called needlepoint canvas. Needlepoint canvas can be described as an essential, since this canvas is the base of your project.

Canvas for needlepoint is available in all shapes, sizes, and textures. You could be working with a traditional coarse canvas, or maybe something a little more delicate.

One of the essentials you must know about your canvas is how to recognise quality. When evaluating the quality of canvas, you can easily recognise poor canvas quality by how easy it is to tear the material. It is also likely that strands from the canvas become loose during the stitching process. A good quality canvas will feel stiff and crisp, so always look for these two elements before you select your canvas.

Before we move onto the next part of this basics tutorial, we must mention that there are two major types of needlepoint canvas. In general, you can choose between single thread and double thread canvas. The type of canvas is quite important for your project. For example, if you are doing something simple like a pillowcase, single thread may be best. However, if you are making a detailed needlepoint work, then you may need the double thread. So, as a beginner, it is usually best to start with the single thread.

Can I Do Needlepoint With All Kinds Of Thread?

When you just start out in the world of needlepoint, you will notice that there are loads of different threads available. Unfortunately, not all threads are suitable for your needlepoint, since your thread must interact with the canvas base you will use for your project.

There are a bunch of natural fibres that are used to create thread. However, one of the best natural fibres for needlepoint is wool. The natural fibre is not only colourfast, it is also durable. So, if your want your needlepoint masterpiece to last for a considerable time, wool yarn is the way to go.

Of course, there are subcategories of wool yarn available. Each of these subcategories have their own advantages and disadvantages, so it is certainly a good idea to be informed about these subtypes.

One of the subtypes of yarn for needlepoint is Persian yarn, this type of yarn is also counted among the most popular. So, if you are unsure about which subtype is best for your project, you cannot go wrong with something as Persian yarn.

Persian yarn can be obtained in a variety of colours, this proves useful if you are making something detailed or something in bolder colours. Manufacturers will also supply this thread as a single three-ply, this means you can use the three layers for more durability or a single layer for more refinement, all from the same thread.

Of course, there are other types of thread you can encounter when you start on needlepoint. Another option is so-called tapestry yarn. Opposed to the previously mentioned subtype, tapestry yarn only contains a single strand, so if you want to divide the strands to work with something a little more delicate, it is not possible with this type of yarn. That being said, the strands are thick enough for most types of canvasses. Therefore, this type of thread could be a great choice for beginners.

Want to get familiar with our needlepoint yarn? Or do you need additional supplies before you can get started on your needlepoint? Be sure to check out our additional supplies today!