Sep 14, 2026 · 26 min · 12 segments
What do Mary Martin, Rosey Grier, and Loreta Swit have in common? They all wrote needlepoint books! We're kicking off Season 3 with a deep dive into needlepoint. With stops at King Tut's tomb in…
I knew this because I get updates from a very cool online shop called Maydell that sells canvas and other supplies.
And they started sending out emails when they got a shipment of needlepoint canvas in because they were selling out so quickly.
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, it was called canvas work before the early 1800s.
The canvas is typically made of linen or cotton.
The canvas, which is also called mesh, is measured in holes per inch.
If the canvas has 16 to 20 or more holes per inch, it's called petite point.
If the canvas is between 7 to 8 and 16 holes per inch, it's called gross point.
Canvas with fewer than seven holes per inch is called quick point.
It looks similar to cross stitch, but there are a few differences between the two crafts.
One is the material used to stitch on.
Needle point mesh is stiffer and more durable than fabric typically used for cross stitch, 8 o'clock, and the holes are bigger.
Wool thread is often used for needlepoint, while cross-stitchers use cotton embroidery floss.
In needlepoint, more often, the entire canvas is covered with stitches, while in cross-stitch, the design is typically stitched with the background left plain.
Cross-stitchers most often work with a pattern and count stitches.
This is why the craft is sometimes called counted cross-stitch.
Cross-stitchers might see printed canvas as a stepping stone in the process of learning to count stitches.
In contrast, the hand-painted canvases used in Needlepoint are high-end and expensive.
For example, a 4-inch by 5-inch hand-painted design might cost $75, and designs just a few inches larger run more than $200.
I knew this because I get updates from a very cool online shop called Maydell that sells canvas and other supplies.
And they started sending out emails when they got a shipment of needlepoint canvas in because they were selling out so quickly.
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, it was called canvas work before the early 1800s.
The canvas is typically made of linen or cotton.
The canvas, which is also called mesh, is measured in holes per inch.
If the canvas has 16 to 20 or more holes per inch, it's called petite point.
If the canvas is between 7 to 8 and 16 holes per inch, it's called gross point.
Canvas with fewer than seven holes per inch is called quick point.
It looks similar to cross stitch, but there are a few differences between the two crafts.
One is the material used to stitch on.
Needle point mesh is stiffer and more durable than fabric typically used for cross stitch, 8 o'clock, and the holes are bigger.
Wool thread is often used for needlepoint, while cross-stitchers use cotton embroidery floss.
In needlepoint, more often, the entire canvas is covered with stitches, while in cross-stitch, the design is typically stitched with the background left plain.
Cross-stitchers most often work with a pattern and count stitches.
This is why the craft is sometimes called counted cross-stitch.
Cross-stitchers might see printed canvas as a stepping stone in the process of learning to count stitches.
In contrast, the hand-painted canvases used in Needlepoint are high-end and expensive.
For example, a 4-inch by 5-inch hand-painted design might cost $75, and designs just a few inches larger run more than $200.
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