Needlepoint guide
Needlepoint stitches: tent, continental and basketweave
Updated by Khokhar Sab
The basic needlepoint stitch is the tent stitch, one small slanted stitch over a single crossing of the canvas threads. You can work it three ways that look the same from the front. Half cross uses the least yarn but wears thin. Continental, worked in rows, is sturdier. Basketweave, worked in diagonal rows, distorts the canvas least and suits large backgrounds.
What a tent stitch is
A tent stitch is a small diagonal stitch that crosses one horizontal and one vertical canvas thread at a 45 degree angle. Wikipedia calls it the basic stitch of canvas work, and it is sometimes just called the needlepoint stitch. On fine canvas the same stitch is known as petit point.
Every tent stitch slants the same way on the front. What changes between the three methods is the path the yarn takes on the back. That path decides how much yarn you use, how well the piece wears and how much the canvas pulls out of square.
Which needlepoint stitches to learn first
DMC's step-by-step needlepoint guide teaches these three tent stitches. This table sums up how DMC, Wikipedia and Needlework Tips and Techniques describe them.
| Stitch | How you work it | Back of the canvas | Yarn | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half cross | Rows across or up and down | Short straight stitches over one thread | Least | Framed pictures and wall hangings |
| Continental | Rows, turning the work or changing direction each row | Long slanted stitches over two threads | More than half cross | Lines, small areas, pillows and bags |
| Basketweave | Diagonal rows, up and down the canvas | A woven, basket-like grid | More than half cross | Backgrounds and large areas, cushions and seats |
Half cross stitch
Half cross is the plainest way to make a tent stitch. You work along a row, and on the back each stitch only travels straight across or straight down one thread. DMC says it uses less thread than the other methods and suits pieces that don't need to be hard wearing, such as framed pictures.
The short stitches on the back are also its weakness. Wikipedia notes that the backing is a little thin, so the piece wears out sooner. Needlework Tips and Techniques adds that it can look messy in places, because the needle comes up through holes that already hold yarn.
Continental stitch
Continental is worked in rows as well, but each stitch travels diagonally across two threads on the back. That puts more yarn behind every stitch, so DMC calls it harder wearing than half cross. Needlework Tips and Techniques suggests it for pieces that get handled, like pillows and bags.
Because it follows a straight row, continental is the natural choice for single lines, outlines and small patches of color. You work one row, then come back along the next in the other direction.
Basketweave stitch
Basketweave fills the canvas in diagonal rows, alternating up and down. On the back, the stitches lie in alternating horizontal and vertical rows that look like a woven basket, which is where the name comes from. Wikipedia says it distorts the canvas least and gives the firmest backing. DMC suggests it for large areas and hard-wearing projects such as seat covers, cushions and kneelers.
It takes more practice than the other two, and Needlework Tips and Techniques points out that it needs adjusting where colors change often. That makes it a good fit for big background areas, with continental for the details.
How to start and end a thread
Needlepoint.com's beginner guide starts every new piece with a waste knot:
- Cut a length of about 18 inches, or roughly elbow to fingertip.
- Tie a knot at the far end, big enough that it won't slip through the canvas.
- Take the needle down from the front about an inch from where you will start, so the knot sits on top of the canvas.
- Stitch toward the knot. Your stitches cover the tail on the back, then you snip the knot off.
Once part of the canvas is stitched, you no longer need the knot. Start a new thread by running it under stitches already on the back. To end a thread, turn the canvas over, run the needle through the most recent stitches and trim. Needlepoint.com also says you can carry the same color to another area on the back if the jump is under half an inch.
Decorative needlepoint stitches
Once the tent stitches feel easy, decorative stitches add texture and cover ground faster. Morgan Julia Designs, Needlepoint.com and Atlantic Blue Canvas describe these common ones:
| Stitch | What it looks like | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Scotch | Squares of diagonal stitches with a slightly raised, woven look | Backgrounds, borders and geometric designs |
| Mosaic | Small units of three stitches, a long one between two short ones | A first step after tent stitch |
| Hungarian | Repeating groups of three slanted stitches in a diamond texture | Large backgrounds and pieces that get handled |
| Brick | Staggered straight stitches like a brick wall | Landscapes, buildings and subtle shading |
| Gobelin | Straight stitches in rows that form long, smooth lines | Landscapes and texture |
| Parisian | Alternating long and short vertical stitches | Medium to large backgrounds without bulk |
| Satin | Long smooth stitches laid side by side | Petals, monograms and small shapes |
| Rhodes | A raised, spiraling square or circle | Small accents, such as the wheels in a design |
Morgan Julia Designs warns that satin stitch works best on small to medium areas, since long stitches can snag or loosen over time. A decorative stitch often won't fit neatly into an odd-shaped area. Needlepoint.com calls the fix compensating: you work shorter partial stitches to fill the gaps at the edges.
What to learn in what order
Needlepoint.com sorts stitches into skill levels. Level 1 is the three tent stitches and starting and ending threads. Level 2 adds alternating continental, brick, mosaic, Scotch and Cashmere, along with reading stitch diagrams and compensating. Level 3 moves on to Rhodes, Byzantine and herringbone. Its beginner guide also suggests stitching the smallest color areas first and saving basketweave for the large areas.
A worked example
A design 140 stitches wide and 140 high is 19,600 tent stitches. In needlepoint the background is usually stitched too, so you work all of them, whichever method you choose.
On 13-mesh canvas, that design measures 140 ÷ 13 = 10.8 inches square. Add 3 inches of bare canvas on every side for blocking and finishing, and you need a piece at least 17 × 17 inches. On 18-mesh canvas the same chart shrinks to 7.8 inches, and the canvas to 14 × 14 inches. The canvas size calculator works this out for any mesh.
Mesh decides how many stitches you make. One tent stitch covers each crossing, so a square inch holds 169 stitches on 13 mesh and 324 on 18 mesh. That is almost twice the work for the same area on the finer canvas, whichever tent method you use. The guide to needlepoint canvas types explains the canvases themselves.
If you are deciding between needlepoint and counted cross stitch, the cross stitch vs needlepoint guide compares the two crafts.
Tips for even tent stitches
- Keep every stitch slanting the same way. A stitch that slants the other way stands out on the front.
- Pick the method for the area: basketweave for backgrounds, continental for lines and small shapes, half cross only for pieces that will hang on a wall.
- Check your yarn before a large area. Continental and basketweave put more yarn on the back, so they use more than half cross.
- Use the same tension throughout. Pulling some stitches tighter than others shows as uneven rows.
Sources and further reading
Wikipedia's tent stitch article describes all three methods and their backs. DMC's step-by-step needlepoint stitch guide covers uses and wear. Needlework Tips and Techniques has a tent stitch guide with diagrams of each path. Needlepoint.com covers the waste knot and skill levels in basic stitches for beginners. Morgan Julia Designs explains decorative stitches in a beginner's guide to needlepoint stitches.
Video tutorial
"Basics of Needlepoint - Tent Stitch : 3 Different ways - Half Cross, Continental, Basketweave" by DB's Embroidery, on YouTube. The video loads only when you press play.