Whether you say “poe-tay-toe” or “paw-taw-toe”, they both refer to the same rooty vegetable, and generally people understand what you mean no matter how you pronounce it. Can the same thing be said about “needlepoint” and “canvaswork”? Today we will discuss why they are not interchangeable.
Just like a potato can be cooked several ways, baked, boiled and fried, so can canvaswork. Canvaswork is a counted-thread embroidery where the thread is stitched on canvas or another sturdy fabric. There are several types of canvaswork which include Berlin work, petit point, bargello, and needlepoint.
Needlepoint is the oldest form of canvaswork. There are examples from as early as the 1500’s. Textiles were found among the many treasures uncovered in King Tut’s rooms.
Earlier designs were stitched with dyed wool thread to create patterns and depth.
The next phase of needlepoint came along when ladies had time to spend stitching for decoration. Their stitching turned a piece of canvas into a sturdier fabric for upholstery. This type of stitching became popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. Tiny slanted stitches provided more durability than long, large stitches. This technique is called “Petit Point”, which is French for little stitch.
One big difference with this technique compared to the others is the type of fabric which is used. The mesh needs to be small, for instance a 40-count silk gauze, or a canvas called “Penelope”. Penelope has a special weave so that it has two weft and warp threads close together. Normally designated as 10/20, it means that if one stitch is made in the section it will be a 10-count fabric. If the stitches are made in the four small segments it becomes a 20-count fabric.
Perhaps you have heard the term “Gros Point” which means big stitch. These are stitches made on the same piece as the petit point. If your piece does have both stitches, do the petit point first and then fill in with the gros point.
Petit point uses a slanted stitch, which can be worked in three different ways. All three different methods create stitching that look the same on the front, but have drastically different patterns on the back. The three stitches are basketweave, half cross stent, and continental tent.
Basketweave is stitched in diagonal rows up and down the design. The unique basketweave pattern shows up on the back side. This is a great stitch for large areas and does not distort the base canvas.
The half cross tent stitch is worked in straight rows or columns. But the way it is stitched, the stitch goes over only one fabric thread on the back. This stitch uses the least amount of thread, but the final project is not as sturdy.
The continental tent stitch is probably the most common. It also is worked in straight rows or columns. The back will have diagonal stitches going over two canvas threads. This is a very good stitch for a piece that will have a lot of wear, like a foot stool or carpet.
Bargello is the next form of canvaswork. In the 17th century, canvas stitches became vertical and would typically go over four canvas threads. This method is more symmetrical with styles including Florentine, Flame, and Hungarian Point.
There are many pieces on display in museums including the Bargello Museum in Florence, Italy. Works by Empress Maria Theresa of Austria are display in the Hungarian National Museum.
This technique became “obsolete” as other stitching styles gained popularity. In the 1960’s there was a revival when bargello exploded with the modern designs enjoyed today.
Berlin work evolved as a technique for stitching with wool on canvas. Several new developments in the 1830’s made this very accessible to most stitchers. There were improvements in the dyeing process, so now stitching wool was available in many more shades. This gave pieces more depth and definition.
Previously, a stitcher would hand draw a design on their canvas and then start to stitch, without any guidance. Then an ingenious pattern maker in Berlin began printing black and white patterns. The stitcher colored the patterns and then used the gridded patt