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Great question! You're absolutely right-basketweave is ideal for reducing distortion, especially over larger solid areas. That said, I've found that with careful tension, continental stitch can work well on smaller solid sections without noticeable distortion. For larger areas though, I'd definitely recommend basketweave to keep everything smooth and even. It's worth the extra time for that clean, polished look!

If you're using crewel-weight wool on 13-count canvas (like in our kits), then yes!

Thank you for getting back to me! Angela

Glad you found them helpful!

Thank you so much for your comment and for discovering my channel! I'm so pleased to hear you are now exploring the world of needlepoint too. Vintage needlepoint guides are such a treasure trove of wisdom. Welcome to the community and feel free to share any tips or questions!

Glad to hear from someone with years of experience! Interesting point about how techniques have evolved over time. It's so valuable for stitchers today to learn from those familiar with how it was done previously. Thank you for the thoughtful feedback!

Thank you for your comment! While continental and half cross stitches may look similar, they differ in technique and results. Continental provides higher coverage and a different appearance on the back, making it a strong choice for solid areas. Half cross stitch is generally lighter and less robust. If you have more questions, feel free to ask. Happy stitching!

It's a continental stitch! You can find more information about it at: spider-spun.com/blogs/back-of-work/tent-stitches

You may purchase the charts by following this link: spider-spun.com/collections/stripes

I'm glad you noticed! Sometimes you just have to get a little creative with what you have on hand.

Some projects are better than others for beginners - the zodiac canvases would be perfect for you! I have plenty of customers who have never held a needle in their lives and whip through multiple stockings. It sounds like you have some experience, so you should be just fine :)

Definitely! The most important thing is that you have fun and find satisfaction in the process.

You’re welcome! Happy I could help!

Thank you!! I travel a lot so using stretcher bars on a 13x19" canvas is not really possible :) And yes, I am using continental in this video.

Totally agree. I always use a frame…ei: I tack my fabric to a wooden frame. I’ve also learned that the finished product rarely distorts when you stitch rather than “scoop” your stitches

Thank you :) You can purchase this kit at www.spider-spun.com/shop/p/tree-lot-needlepoint-christmas-stocking. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Hi Nicole - You ordered a canvas from me? I don't see the order in my system, so I hope it didn't get lost. Please email me at info@spider-spun.com to see what we can do. Thanks!

Thank you :) Let me know if you have any other questions.

Hi Donna - I would use basketweave when I'm doing a background. The advantage is that it's a full-coverage stitch and very stable. The disadvantages are that it's hard to pick out if you decide to change a stitch. It's best for larger areas that you don't question what the colors need to be. I'm releasing a basketweave tutorial with all of this and more in a few weeks.

Hopefully this post helps you out - it's all about how I use project bags and organize my yarn by winding it into skeins: www.spider-spun.com/blog/how-to-organize-thread

Hi there! I wrote a quick blog post describing all the ways I keep yarn and tools organized here: www.spider-spun.com/blog/how-to-organize-thread

Thank you :)

You technically can...and I certainly have yanked one strand out when in an impatient mood - but I wouldn't advise it. It's pretty quick to wind and unwind little hanks (like 30 seconds), and doing this will avoid snarling all your other strands or causing the one you want to use to get stripped or damaged.

@@spider_spun Thanks!

Thank you!! That's so nice to hear :)

I am using two strands of Appletons 2-ply crewel weight yarn. Unfortunately, I don't know much about Persian wool yarn and don't think I can advise on how much to use to get the same thread look as I have here.

Hi Vicki - It's hard to know exactly how to help without a picture or look at the instructions. Assuming that it's a canvas where you're just supposed to do a tent stitch (the classic stitch that goes diagonally from left to right like this ////), I think you should just pick a color - whatever looks best to you. I suppose you could split the strands, but that would be challenging, especially if a lot of the colors are split. If I'm ever unsure about which color a square is, I skip it and wait to stitch it until the end when I can better see which color will look best in that spot. At the end of the day, it's just needlepoint and no one will notice if you used the "wrong" color in one spot :) Good luck!

Thanks for the tip! I'll try that next time :)

Glad you liked it!

Thank you so much for taking time to let me know places I can look for affordable needlepoint. Have a terrific week.

*Reposting my original comment in case it helps anyone else. After switching to a business account, my replies to comments got deleted.* I'm so sorry to hear about your losses. In this video, I'm using Appletons 2-ply crewel weight yarn. It's such a beautiful product. There are a lot of great vintage needlepoint kits (with the yarn) that sell for really great prices on sites like eBay, Etsy, and Needlepoint Destashing. I have been able to pick up a few things over the years for about $25-30 each. You just have to keep hunting :)

*Reposting my original comment in case it helps anyone else. After switching to a business account, my replies to comments got deleted.* Thanks! I would start out by doubling up 6-strand embroidery floss. I typically use this much thread for 13-count (mostly because I'm lazy and don't want to split AND like thicker coverage), but I think 12-strands (6-strand + 6-strand) will work for a 10-count canvas. You could also experiment with a smaller section of color first and change up the coverage when you move to the next color. It will be less noticeable than if you switch on a monochrome background section. For more information on how much thread to use, you can check out a blog post I did on different types of threads here: www.spider-spun.com/blog/thread-for-needlepoint