ern to stitch from, much like the patterns of today. These popular project sheets were inexpensive and soon became available around the world. At this time in history, “Berlin work” was synonymous with canvaswork.
Its popularity continued to grow as the work was showcased at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and in magazines such as The Englishwoman’s Domestic Magazine. Respected reference books like Beeton’s Book of Needlework (1870) defined Berlin work as “every kind of stitch which is made upon canvas with wool, silk, or beads”. Canvaswork is not mentioned, showing how universally accepted Berlin work had become.
In the late 1880’s Berlin work died out due in part to the Arts and Crafts movement. Designers didn’t change their styles to reflect the current trends and people stopped buying the patterns.
Before looking at contemporary canvaswork, it is not technically correct to use “tapestry” when referring to canvaswork. A tapestry is a woven piece, not a stitched piece. Yet, as often happens, there are exceptions to that rule, such as the Bayeux Tapestry.
One thing that ties all the earlier techniques together is that the entire fabric surface is covered in stitches. Not so with modern canvaswork. The American Needlepoint Guild defines needlepoint as “any counted or free stitching worked by hand with a threaded needle on a readily counted ground.” That really opens up the technique.
Today the background fabric can be part of the design, thus the need for colored canvas.
Another distinction is the number of stitches used in a design. There are hundreds of stitches and variations to choose from. There are excellent stitch guides available.
Today’s Canvaswork designers give you a variety of styles and stitches to choose from.
Canvaswork really has not had a time period when it was not in vogue. That may be due to the number of famous people who have stitched through the centuries. Mary Queen of Scots and Marie Antoinette have many surviving examples. Princess Grace enjoyed stitching as well, and the American Needlepoint Guild has a special award for a piece completed entirely in the tent stitch.
One stitcher who surprises people is Rosie Greer. This football player really enjoyed canvaswork and he even published a book in 1973: Rosie Greer’s Needlepoint for Men. Recent celebrity stitchers include Loretta Swit and Taylor Swift who have stitched needlepoint gifts for friends.
So, in conclusion, canvaswork is the ever-evolving and over-arching term used to describe this style of stitching, and it includes neeplepoint as one of its very loved and practiced styles throughout history. No matter what it is called though, the results and the practice are the joy of any embroidery technique. If you are a canvaswork or needlepoint stitcher, then you are helping to continue and shape these techniques, and are part of the evolution of this historic stitching style.
We hope this guide makes your stitching easier and more enjoyable!
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