Why Is Needlepoint So Expensive? What Goes Into a Hand-Painted Canvas
By Lauren McCarter
Hand-painted needlepoint canvases cost what they do because each design takes time to paint onto the mesh by hand. The canvas itself and any edge binding contribute to the price too. Kits add threads chosen for the design, while professional finishing is usually a separate cost. In Australia and the UK, needlepoint is often called tapestry.
When I started, I ordered a huge stocking from the US with expensive threads and just launched myself into it. It was the best decision I ever made. I made a short video on this question, and a few stills from it appear below.
The shop links below are for readers in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Canada. US readers can find my designs through Oz Needle & Thread, in shops across the US including Le Fil Studio in Los Angeles and KC Needlepoint.
A canvas that holds its shape
The canvas is the base for everything else. Our cameo, keyring and passport kit designs are hand-painted on Zweigart mono deluxe 13 mesh canvas.
Mono canvas is a plain weave: a single thread goes over and under a single thread, making an even grid of holes. 13 mesh means 13 holes to the inch, so every inch of your design is 13 stitches across. Most hand-painted canvases are painted on mono canvas. You'll also come across interlock canvas, where each lengthwise thread is a pair of fine threads twisted together and locked around the crosswise threads. It can be trimmed closely without unravelling, and it's often used for screen-printed designs and kits. Both have their place.
In my video I described our canvas as one that "holds its shape" and "stitches beautifully". A firm canvas springs back when you bend it, and that's what you're holding in your hand for every stitch of the project.
Why are needlepoint canvases hand-painted?
The painted design is a big part of what you're buying. The designer works out how the artwork will look when stitched on the canvas grid. My own designs start as sketches, which I turn into needlepoint charts using Stitchly.
Then the design is painted onto the canvas. The basic needlepoint stitch, tent stitch, covers one intersection: the spot where a vertical thread crosses a horizontal one. With stitch painting, each of those intersections is painted a single colour, so the colour under your needle tells you which thread goes in that stitch. Freeform painting lays down smooth lines without following the intersections, which leaves more of those choices to you as you stitch.
Stitch painting means working across the canvas intersection by intersection with a fine brush, following the chart, and each canvas is painted on its own, one at a time. The price of a stitch-painted canvas includes the artwork and the time spent painting each intersection.
Canvases can be printed too, and printed and painted canvases can both be lovely to stitch. We stock one printed design ourselves: Talk Bravo to Me, a printed canvas on 18 mesh, for fellow Bravo watchers. If you'd like to know more about painted, printed and charted designs, our tapestry and needlepoint guide goes through them.
Bound edges that won't fray
A freshly cut canvas has rough edges. They can fray, and the cut ends catch your thread as it passes.
Our hand-painted canvases come with fabric tape sewn around the edges (gingham, stripes or plain white, depending on the design), so they won't fray or catch your threads while you stitch. It's a small step, and one more thing that happens to each canvas before it reaches you. If you ever have a canvas with raw edges, covering them before you start does the same job.
Thread made to suit the canvas
When I started, getting the threads I wanted meant another expensive order from the US each time. That's a big part of why I started bringing Silk & Ivory in.
Silk & Ivory is 50% silk and 50% merino wool, made in Switzerland. Brown Paper Packages in the US sells it to shops, and ours is imported from the US. It glides through the canvas, and it suits 13 or 18 mesh. Each skein is 28.8 yards, a little over 26 metres.
A skein is A$11.95, and we have over 100 colours in stock. You can see every shade on the Silk & Ivory colour chart, and the Silk & Ivory thread guide covers choosing colours. For the other threads you might use on canvas, see our needlepoint thread guide.
Kit or canvas on its own?
Kits and canvases are priced differently because they include different things. Unless a canvas says it's kitted, you're buying the canvas only, and that's normal in needlepoint.
Our Strawberry Cameo canvas comes with a size 20 DMC tapestry needle but no threads. Its product page suggests DMC Perle 3, DMC Soft Cotton or DMC Stranded Cotton if you'd like to stitch it with those. The Strawberry Cameo kit adds matched Silk & Ivory threads, a frame in pink or green, and a project bag. Each of our tapestry kits lists what's inside on its product page.
Size and mesh count make a difference too. A bigger canvas means more painting and more thread, and a finer mesh means more stitches to the inch. Some stitchers also mount their canvas on stretcher bars while they work, which is optional for small pieces.
Why finishing costs extra
Finishing is how your stitching becomes a cushion, ornament, stocking or something else you can use. For a lot of projects that means sending it to a finisher, who blocks the piece to straighten it and then sews it into its final form. It's skilled handwork, and each shop or finisher sets their own prices, so ask for a quote before you send a piece away.
Finishing isn't my favourite part. The ruffle on one piece took a lot of finger-stabbing, though it was worth it. When I don't want to finish something myself, I send it to Holly at New Zealand Needlepoint, who runs a finishing service. (Holly is a friend, and she's the one who introduced me to the stitch_mates community.)
Some projects are designed so you can finish them at home:
- Keyrings. Our self-finishing keyrings don't need any sewing. You trim your stitching, peel the backing off the adhesive window, press your stitching on and tuck the edges under the keyring's flap. Our keyring finishing guide shows each step.
- Passport covers. A passport insert slots into a Saffiano leather self-finishing cover.
- Framed cameos. Our cameo kits include the frame, so there's nothing to send away.
For everything else, from cushions to ornaments, our needlepoint finishing guide explains your options, including passport covers and framing.
Ways to start smaller with needlepoint or tapestry
If the cost of a big project is holding you back, start with something small. A few ways to do that with our range:
- A small kit. The Initial Keyring Needlepoint Kit (A$69.95) has a hand-painted 3 × 3 cm canvas on 13 mesh, a size 20 DMC tapestry needle, Silk & Ivory threads and a self-finishing keyring in pink or blue. You finish it at home, with no sewing.
- A canvas on its own, if you already have threads. Our cameo canvases are A$59.95 and come with a needle, and each product page suggests threads you could use.
- A passport cover in two steps. Start with a passport insert (A$69.95), then add a Saffiano leather self-finishing cover (A$74.95) when you're ready to finish it. You'll need suitable threads for the insert too. Our passport needlepoint kits include the canvas and cover, along with matched Silk & Ivory threads and a needle.
- Allow for postage. Australian orders over A$150 ship free. For smaller orders, include postage in your project budget.
Quick answers
Why are needlepoint canvases so expensive?
The price of a hand-painted canvas includes the design and the time spent painting it by hand. Stitch-painted designs have a specific colour at each intersection to guide your stitches. The canvas itself also contributes to the cost, along with any edge binding to stop it fraying or catching your thread.
How much does a needlepoint canvas cost?
It depends on the size, the mesh count, how detailed the design is, whether it's painted or printed, and whether threads come with it. Our canvases on their own are A$59.95 to A$69.95. Our kits, which add threads and sometimes the finishing hardware, are A$69.95 to A$159.95.
Is needlepoint an expensive hobby?
The cost depends on the project and the materials you choose. If you already have suitable threads, you could buy a canvas on its own. Check whether you'll also need to pay for finishing before you buy. Our beginner's guide to needlepoint covers the basics.
Why are needlepoint kits so expensive?
A kit adds threads matched to the design and sometimes the finishing hardware, such as a frame, keyring or passport cover. Our cameo kits include Silk & Ivory threads, a frame and a project bag, and our keyring kits include a self-finishing keyring. Our cameo canvases on their own come with a needle, and you choose your own threads.
Why is needlepoint finishing so expensive?
Finishing turns your stitching into a cushion, ornament, stocking or something similar, and it's skilled handwork done one piece at a time. Each finisher sets their own prices, so ask for a quote before you send your piece away. Self-finishing projects, such as a keyring, passport cover or framed kit, let you finish at home.
Is needlepoint more expensive than cross stitch or embroidery?
Prices vary in all three crafts, so it depends on the project. Cross stitch and embroidery are often worked from a chart or a pattern transferred onto fabric, while a painted needlepoint canvas carries the artwork itself. Needlepoint also usually covers the whole canvas with thread, background included. Our needlepoint vs cross stitch guide compares the crafts.
Happy stitching,
Lauren x