Always make sure you use the correct stitches, especially in a kit. Tent Stitch can use up to 30% more wool than Half Cross Stitch and is usually the reason that wool 'shortages' occur. The best way to check is to look at the back of the canvas. Very often Half Cross Stitch is used on the first row and Tent Stitch on every alternate row. This should be avoided.

With traditional tapestry the whole of the tapestry canvas is covered in stitching (unlike Cross Stitch where areas of fabric are not stitched). Canvas lace is one example of canvas work where parts of the canvas remain exposed.

Most Popular Stitches

There are many stitches which can be used for canvaswork. The most popular are Half Cross Stitch or Tent Stitch. The use of Mixed Stitches for additional effect, and Long Stitch for quick coverage, or Flame Stitch (a variety of Long Stitch) for Bargello designs on canvas are also becoming popular.

Half Cross Stitch

Half Cross Stitch is the most common stitch used for canvas work and is mainly used for pictures, but can also be used for cushion designs.

It is easy to master and comprises small compact stitches to cover the canvas. The stitches are diagonal on the front of the canvas and vertical on the back of the canvas. The stitch covers one square of the canvas as per the stitch diagrams shown. Half Cross Stitch is predominantly used for pictures and can be used also for cushion designs. This stitch is most often used in kits as it uses less wool than other canvaswork stitches.

Tent Stitch

Tent Stitch used when harder wearing formation is needed, such as chair seat covers.

This stitch is similar to Half Cross Stitch and looks identical on the front of the canvas showing small diagonal stitches. However the back of the canvas is much bulkier with longer diagonal 'stitches' on the back of the canvas. Tent Stitch is used for chair seat covers and other furnishing items where a harder wearing formation is required.

Basketweave Stitch - used to fill larger areas, easy to master.

This stitch looks identical on the front to Half Cross Stitch and Tent Stitch. It is used to fill larger areas, often background but is not suitable for fine detail. Despite the complicated appearance of the reverse it is easy to master and uses roughly the same amount of wool as Tent Stitch. It gives a much harder wearing and less distorted formation.

Petit Point and Gros Point
For fine detail on Double Thread canvas a tighter version of Tent Stitch is sometimes used to provide additional detail. The small areas of the double thread canvas are separated and each stitched in Tent Stitch - this is usually called Petit Point. Tent Stitch through the larger hole formations on the canvas is also sometimes called Gros Point.

Four Petit Point stitches will be worked to cover the same area as One Gros Point stitch. 

When starting in an unstitched area of canvas, tie a knot in the end of your wool and take the wool through the top side of the canvas about 4 inches from your first stitch. When you have completed your stitches and darned in the end of the wool, go back and cut off the knot, re-thread the length of wool into the needle and darn into the stitches just completed. This will provide a neat finish to your canvas work.

Finishing Off

for a neat finish to your canvas work, always darn the wool into the back of the stitches at the start and the finish.

Try to avoid taking the wool from one area of colour to another area that is a long distance from the first. It is better to finish an area by darning the end of the wool and to start a new area afresh.

Avoiding Distortion

When working with canvas, the repeated direction of the stitches will distort the canvas. This is minimised through the use of a frame, but a frame does not completely get rid of distortion.

Before finishing as a cushion, or framing a canvas work picture, always have the canvas stretched and blocked to straighten the canvas. This is a simple method of stretching the canvas back into shape by dampening the back of the piece but not washing it, then letting the canvas dry. It should then return to its original shape.

This should be done professionally or can be done at home with some professional guidance, but always refer to the manufacturer's instructions.