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Overview

We’re so excited for you to start stitching one of our Christmas stockings! This is your stitch guide, which will serve as your road map as you work through this project. It is organized into sections so that you can easily navigate to exactly what you need.

Project Details

- Canvas Details: Interlock #13
- Needle Size: Bohin Tapestry #22
- Number of Colors: 13

I believe that anyone can stitch an heirloom and I believe that perfectly imperfect stitching is gorgeous. I include this illustration as a reminder that this is what the design will look like when you’ve finished stitching. So, if you ever get too obsessed with that single weird stitch, take a breath, look at this image, and think about the bigger picture.

Design Image

The Basics of Stitching

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The Basics of Stitching

Using the Right Number of Threads

For a 13-count canvas (which is what you have), I suggest knotting together these amounts:

  • 6-strand metallic: one strand
  • 2-ply crewel wool (like Appletons crewel wool): two strands
  • 4-ply tapestry yarn (like Silk & Ivory): one strand
  • 6-strand embroidery floss: one strand
  • No. 8 perle cotton: two strands

Note: Appletons 2-ply crewel wool is my favorite, and what I provide with most Spider Spun kits.

If you want to play with different threads, here’s a post all about needlepoint thread >

The Basics of Stitching

Choosing the Correct Color

If there is any doubt, like if there seems to be more than one color on an intersection, you should stitch with the color that is most prominent on that intersection. 

The Basics of Stitching

Starting A New Thread

Assuming you’re using two strands, thread a 30-ish inch length through the needle and knot the ends together. When knotted, it should be about the length from your hand to your elbow.

  1. Poke the needle through the front of the canvas about five holes away from where you’ll start stitching. There’s an ugly “waste knot” on the front of the canvas, but you’ll cut it off shortly.
  2. Bring the needle from the back of the canvas to the front at your starting point. There should be a half-inch of thread stretched across the back, connecting the waste knot to your first stitch. 
  3. Stitch toward the knot, encasing the thread tail. Once your stitches reach the waste knot, carefully snip it off from the front.
Tip icon
Pro Tip!

Once you get comfortable stitching and have a few more stitches on your canvas, you won’t need to knot your yarn every single time. You can just thread the needle and make sure the ends are even. Then, pull the needle through a few stitches on the back of the canvas (like how you would tie off a thread), and poke the needle up through the front where you want to begin stitching.

The Basics of Stitching

Ending A Thread

  1. When you have about three inches of thread left on the needle, take your needle to the back of the canvas.
  2. Insert the needle through five or so existing stitches, then pull taut. You may have noticed that this is the reverse of how you started the thread :)
  3. Snip the thread tail just outside the stitches. 

The Basics of Stitching

All About Tent Stitches

The most basic (and classic) needlepoint stitches are called “tent stitches.” Put simply, needlepoint is one diagonal stitch over each intersection of your canvas.

Tent stitches always slant from the lower left to the upper right, like this: /////

There are three types of tent stitches: Half-Cross Stitch, Continental Stitch, and Basketweave Stitch. All look the same from the front, but different on the back of the canvas. Each provides a different amount of structure and coverage.

You don’t have to stick to just one type of stitch for each project. In fact, most of my canvases are a mixture of all three types of tent stitches.

If you are lost in a specific area, you can pop over to the Stitch Guide section to see exactly which stitches I recommend.

Half-Cross Stitch

Half-Cross Stitch

Stitch used for tiny detail areas. I mean, really tiny, like one stitch for a highlight or an eye. This stitch has very little coverage. If it looks thin, I will often stitch back over the stitch again to make the detail pop.

Learn More
Continental Stitch

Continental Stitch

I like to use this stitch for any small area. This stitch has medium coverage. It’s not ideal for medium or large areas because it causes the canvas to skew. But if you can't figure out basketweave, you can use this everywhere!

Learn More
Basketweave Stitch

Basketweave Stitch

Stitch used for medium to large areas, especially backgrounds. Basketweave should be used on almost all areas with white. It provides more coverage and is more durable than the other tent stitches.

Learn More

Your Stitch Plan

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Your Stitch Plan

Order of Operations

If you’re wondering about which colors or stitches to use on a specific area, here is how I would approach stitching this design. This is certainly not the only way to do it, but if you’re looking at the canvas and wondering where to start, hopefully this helps.

Just remember, there are no needlepoint police — it’s totally okay if you don’t follow these rules. Stitch in a way that makes you happy :)

Design Image

Stitching by area of the canvas

I stitch by “area” of the canvas. Within each area, I first stitch the tiny details, then move on to the small and medium areas. At the very end of each section, I will fill in the larger sections, which are usually backgrounds. The big blocks of color are often the very last thing I complete on any stockings.

My suggested order of operations

1. Red and white reindeer sweater
2. Blue and white snowflake sweater
3. Salmon and gold reindeer sweater
4. Striped sleeve tree sweater
5. Salmon and gold tree sweater
6. Red and white zigzag sweater
7. Background details
8. Name
9. Background

If you’re a beginner…

If you're a beginner, I recommend you practice your stitches a little first. On this canvas, I would start by trying out the Continental Stitch on the striped sleeves of the center sweater. Then, I would move on to trying out the Basketweave Stitch on the dark blue area of the same sweater. Once you get confident with your stitching, you can move onto whichever area compels you.

Your Stitch Plan

Thread Color Key

Each yarn requires a different amount of strands. Please follow these guidelines to stitch your stocking:

  • Appletons crewel wool: stitch using 2 strands of yarn
  • Silk & Ivory: stitch using 1 strand of yarn
Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement
Forest 298 232 Chutney • Striped Sleeve Tree Sweater: Dark green stripes, trees, dots, buttons
• Salmon and Gold Tree Sweater: Dark green accents
• Background Dots: Darker green on background dots
Mint 353 182 Killarney Background Dots: Lighter green on background dots
Jade 402 84 Asparagus Background: Background
Periwinkle 463 140 Periwinkle Blue and White Snowflake Sweater: Main color
Gold 473 88 Dandelion • Salmon and Gold Tree Sweater: Main color
• Salmon and Gold Reindeer Sweater: Main color
Amber 475 175 Nutmeg Salmon and Gold Tree Sweater: Dark yellow accents
Scarlet 503 11 Really Red • Red and White Reindeer Sweater: Red accents and bottom of sweater's main color
• Red and White Zigzag Sweater: Red accents
• Name Area - Name: Name main color
Wine 505 44 Merlot • Red and White Zigzag Sweater: Dark red accents
• Name Area - Name: Name accents
• Red and White Reindeer Sweater: Dark red accents
Salmon 622 49 Cantaloupe • Salmon and Gold Reindeer Sweater: Accents
• Salmon and Gold Tree Sweater: Accents
Royal 823 101 Larkspur Blue and White Snowflake Sweater: Mid blue accents
Midnight 852 31 Midnight • Striped Sleeve Tree Sweater: Dark blue area
• Blue and White Snowflake Sweater: Dark blue accents
Coral 864 82 Pumpkin Salmon and Gold Reindeer Sweater: Accents
Bleach 991B 02 White • Salmon and Gold Tree Sweater: White accents
• Red and White Zigzag Sweater: White main color
• Salmon and Gold Reindeer Sweater: White accents
• Striped Sleeve Tree Sweater: White accents
• Blue and White Snowflake Sweater: White accents
• Red and White Reindeer Sweater: White areas
• Name Area - Nameplate: Nameplate

Step-by-Step Stitch Guide

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A Few General Tips Before You Start

Pro tip (please read)! This stocking has quite a few charming details, with quite a few thread changes :) A few tips about thread changes for small details:

  • You don't have to tie off between every tiny stitch, if you're using the same color. I am a pretty lazy stitcher, so I usually do not. I do all the stitches for a given color at once, and then tie off when I'm done. I'm just careful to leave enough yarn on the back so the canvas isn't getting distorted by pulling too tightly on the back. It should be just a bit slack on the back.
  • You don't have to start a thread with the waste knot method every single time. You can use existing stitches to bury the thread tails. On the back of the canvas, just slip a needle with unknotted thread through about 5 stitches, then bring it up through the front. Be careful not to pull too tightly on that first stitch in case your yarn slips out.

There's no right way to do the sweaters. You can stitch from top to bottom, or bottom to top. You may want to do all the details first, then fill in backgrounds. Or you may want to complete each sweater one by one. I would probably do a couple of details here, then a full sweater there, then a section of background dots — moving around the canvas stitching whatever looks fun :) Regardless of how you choose to stitch, here's a guide to tackle it in a logical way.

Red and White Reindeer Sweater

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Scarlet 503 11 Really Red Red accents and bottom of sweater's main color Continental
Wine 505 44 Merlot Dark red accents Continental
Bleach 991B 02 White White areas Basketweave

Start with the red accents on the top, white background of the sweater. I'm talking about all the reindeer, trees, and dots. Stitch these in Scarlet using Continental stitch.

Pro tip! If you want to take the stitching to the next level, you can use French Knots for the scarlet squiggly dots right below the yoke. Honestly, there’s no need to decide now, you can stitch them in Continental for the time being and come back in at the end and put French Knots over theses stitches 🙂 You may want to make a plan for all of the dot details on the sweaters. If you hate French Knots, you may want to forego them, or just do a few, like on buttons.

Next, stitch the dark red accents on the collar, cuffs, and bottom ribbing in Wine, using Continental.

Stitch the collar background and the main red color on the bottom half of the sweater in Scarlet using Basketweave.

Finally, fill the white areas in Bleach using Basketweave.

Blue and White Snowflake Sweater

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested StitchSpecial Stitch
Royal 823 101 Larkspur Mid blue accents Continental
Midnight 852 31 Midnight Dark blue accents ContinentalFrench Knots
Periwinkle 463 140 Periwinkle Main color Basketweave
Bleach 991B 02 White White accents Basketweave

Begin with the mid blue accents in Royal using Continental.

Layer in the dark blue accents in Midnight using Continental. You can use French Knots on the buttons if you want to add texture.

Stitch the main light blue color in Periwinkle using Basketweave.

Finally, fill the white accents raglan sleeves, button band, yoke, and cuffs, in Bleach using Basketweave.

Pro tip! White yarn is notoriously thin — it’s because there’s no dye to thicken the fibers — so you must stitch in Basketweave. If your yarn is looking very thin, particularly with crewel wool, you may want to add another strand of yarn.

Salmon and Gold Reindeer Sweater

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested StitchSpecial Stitch
Bleach 991B 02 White White accents ContinentalFrench Knots
Salmon 622 49 Cantaloupe Accents Continental
Coral 864 82 Pumpkin Accents ContinentalFrench Knots
Gold 473 88 Dandelion Main color Basketweave

Start with the white accents in Bleach using Continental for all the details. I would work on the reindeer, zigzags on the cuffs and yoke, then the dots scattered around. You can use French Knots if you want to add texture.

Next, work the pink bottom ribbing and yoke accents in Salmon using Continental. Fill in the bottom waist ribbing using Bleach and Basketweave, if you can. If not, Continental is just fine. Make sure it looks fully covered.

Add the orange-ish banding details around the cuffs and at the waist in Coral using Continental or Basketweave. Then add in the dots at the elbow using Continental. You can use French Knots if you want to add texture. Finally, fill in the yoke background with Coral, using Basketweave.

Next, fill in the pink sleeves with Salmon, using Basketweave.

Finally, stitch the main yellow color of the sweater body in Gold, using Basketweave.

Striped Sleeve Tree Sweater

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested StitchSpecial Stitch
Forest 298 232 Chutney Dark green stripes, trees, dots, buttons ContinentalFrench Knots
Bleach 991B 02 White White accents Basketweave
Midnight 852 31 Midnight Dark blue area Basketweave

Begin with the yoke details, trees, dots, and buttons in Forest using Continental. You can use French Knots if you want to add to the buttons — the dots above the trees may be a little small for French Knots and end up looking like a swath of Forest bobbles. Finish up with the Forest, by stitching the sleeve stripes in Basketweave.

Fill in the white accents in Bleach, using Basketweave.

Finally, stitch the dark blue chest area of the sweater in Midnight, also using Basketweave.

Salmon and Gold Tree Sweater

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested StitchSpecial Stitch
Amber 475 175 Nutmeg Dark yellow accents Continental
Forest 298 232 Chutney Dark green accents Continental
Bleach 991B 02 White White accents ContinentalFrench Knots
Salmon 622 49 Cantaloupe Accents Continental
Gold 473 88 Dandelion Main color Basketweave

Start with the darker yellow zigzag and yoke accents in Amber using Continental.

Next, stitch the dark green accents in Forest using Continental.

Stitch the pink waist ribbing accents in Salmon using Continental.

Move on to the white accents in Bleach using Continental. You may want to use French Knots on the bigger dots (like those under the Forest yoke zigzag line), if you want a little more texture.

Fill in the pink yoke background in Salmon using Basketweave.

Finally, fill the main yellow color of the sweater in Gold using Basketweave.

Red and White Zigzag Sweater

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Wine 505 44 Merlot Dark red accents Continental
Scarlet 503 11 Really Red Red accents Continental
Bleach 991B 02 White White main color Basketweave

Begin with the dark red accents on the yoke, waistband ribbing, and cuffs in Wine using Continental.

Add the red accents in Scarlet using Continental. Fill in behind the areas with the wine detail using Scarlet, too!

Finally, stitch the main, white color of the sweater in Bleach, using Basketweave.

Name Area

Here's a how-to video showing how I stitch our classic lettering style in Scarlet & Wine, but the same principles apply if you’re stitching a different colorway, or even a different font!

Deep Dive: Stitching Your Name →

I stitch one letter at a time and one color at a time. I tend to tie off between letters, just to keep everything super crisp. I think it’s especially important to do this if you’re stitching a name with a white background. It’s less important if you have a dark background behind the name because the thread tails are unlikely to show through. To keep things easy for myself, I just tie off between letters 🙂

Name

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Scarlet 503 11 Really Red Name main color Continental
Wine 505 44 Merlot Name accents Continental

You’re almost there! For the name, I actually change the order I stitch in.

I first stitch the lighter red, main color of the name in Continental, using Scarlet. I keep every letter separate, without long, connecting thread tails. So I would start with a new knot for each letter and tie off each yarn when I’m finished with the letter. This probably isn’t totally necessary, but I want the name to be super crisp, with no chance of thread tails showing through the white name plate.

Finally, I fill in the darker red name accents using Half-Cross to add detail, using Wine.

Nameplate

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Bleach 991B 02 White Nameplate Basketweave

After you stitch the name, you should fill in the nameplate background.

White yarn is notoriously thin — it’s because there’s no dye to thicken the fibers — so you must stitch in Basketweave. If your yarn is looking very thin, particularly with crewel wool, you may want to add another strand of yarn.

Background Dots

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Forest 298 232 Chutney Darker green on background dots Continental
Mint 353 182 Killarney Lighter green on background dots Continental

Once the sweaters and name area are finished, you can move on to the background dots. You are so close!! This is definitely an area where I would not tie off for every single dot. I would do a bunch in the same area, making sure to leave enough slack on the back of the canvas.

I would first work on the darker green on background dots in Forest using Continental.

Then, I would fill in behind the darker green with the lighter green of the background dots. Use Mint and the Continental stitch.

Background

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Jade 402 84 Asparagus Background Basketweave

Finally, stitch the background after all the details are complete. Use Jade and the Basketweave stitch. You've made a gorgeous stocking!

Deep Dive: Techniques

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How To: Stitch Your Name

How To: Stitch Your Name

Here’s a stitchalong video of how I generally stitch the names, first with the main color, then with the accent color, stitching one letter at-a-time.

Learn More
Decoding Tree Colors

Decoding Tree Colors

Sometimes it can be hard to differentiate the greens of trees. I use a lot of the same color combinations across designs. Here's a guide to help you decode which tree colors go where.

Learn More
All About Finishing

All About Finishing

As you near the end of your project, it’s time to think about “finishing” it. Finishing transforms your stitched canvas from a work-in-progress to a work of art. 

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

Hopefully these answers help answer your questions! You can also check out our YouTube page or Back of Work blog for more tutorials.

If you're still feeling unsure and need a second pair of eyes, send an email to info@spider-spun.com with pictures (close-up pictures) of the front and the back of your stitching. I will do my very best to help!

  • This depends on the yarn you’re using. Our standard kits use Appletons crewel-weight yarn, so you need to use two strands. To do this, thread your needle and knot both of the ends together. Now you have doubled up your yarn and are stitching with two strands. If you’re using a thicker tapestry-weight yarn, like Silk & Ivory, you only need 1 strand.

    If you want to play with different threads, here’s a post all about needlepoint thread >

  • You should look to the center point — or vertical intersection — your stitch will cross to determine the color. If you still can’t tell, pick the color you think looks best.

  • Make sure to check out the how-to guide for more on stitches, but I mostly use tent stitches for that classic needlepoint look. All these stitches look the same from the front, but have different levels of coverage on the back.

    • Half-Cross: Stitch used for tiny detail areas. I mean, really tiny, like one stitch for a highlight or an eye. This stitch has very little coverage. If it looks thin, I will often stitch back over the stitch again.
    • Continental: I like to use this stitch for any small areas. This stitch has medium coverage.
    • Basketweave: Stitch used for medium to large areas, especially backgrounds. Basketweave is used on almost all areas with white. It provides more coverage and is more durable.

    For detail stitches, especially accent lines, dots, or other tiny details, I break my Tent Stitch habits and embroider over the top of stitches. Some of my favorite stitches to use for this type of work are Stem Stitches and French Knots. Usually by this point, I’ve already stitched over the canvas design, so I use the reference image to estimate the right location.

  • It’s a great question, and one I get a lot. More often than not, there’s not enough stitches to fully encase the thread tails leading to the waste knot, so it can be unwise to clip the knot. The yarn may unravel. You can leave the waste knots to hang out on the front of the canvas until other stitching encases the thread tail leading up to the knot. It will be unsightly for now, but don’t worry about it! You’ll snip them off soon enough.

    You can also stitch a bunch of detail stitches using the same color all at once, so that you don't have to tie off between each one. I would just be careful to limit the thread tails criss-crossing the back to about one inch and be careful of very dark colors that are going to be surrounded by a field of white (like for names). Sometimes you will be able to see dark colors through the white yarn.

  • Dye plumps up fibers, so sometimes white yarn is a bit thinner. This is okay! Wool plumps up when it is blocked and finished. To make sure you get full coverage with white yarn, use Basketweave. If it’s still feeling thin, add another strand!

  • We must mark the edge of a white area, otherwise where would it end?! Stitch over the gray line with the light color next to the line, not gray. Usually, the gray line should be covered with a Cream, Natural, or Bleach yarn.

  • Waste rows are extra stitches around the edge of a design that disappear during the finishing process. If a design has no extra rows, some of the design may be lost when finished. You should ask your finisher about their preferences. If you plan to do your finishing with Spider Spun, we recommend stitching 1-2 waste rows around your project. Use the same color thread as your edge stitches. It’s just a little extension to allow for a seam allowance.

  • I’m a firm believer in the “finish first, edit later” approach to needlepoint. Most of the time, a stitch I thought looked terrible is not noticeable when looking at the end result.

    • If you must fix the stitch now and are only 5-6 stitches past the error, “unwind” the thread by pulling the needle off and using the tip to pick out the stitches out. If the yarn is in okay condition, keep stitching. If it’s gotten scraggly, end the thread and start anew.
    • If you’ve waited to fix your error, cut the offending stitch on the front of the canvas (just the yarn, not the canvas). Use the tip of your needle to unwind a few stitches to the right and the left of the cut. I lay the two ends across the now bare canvas and secure by starting a new thread and stitching over, like the method used to secure a waste knot.

  • You can try to use stitches to make the line a little longer or thicker so that you can stay consistent with stitch direction.
    However, I typically prioritize the drawing direction rather than stitch direction. In these instances (which are very rare), I’ll break the stitch pattern and follow the lines of the drawing in the opposite direction of all other stitches.

  • This is inevitable and totally normal. Don’t fret! Blocking should fix both of these problems (to some extent). During blocking, the fibers will be wet and can be reshaped and the canvas will be straightened out.

    However, there are a couple things you can do to prevent some distortion:

    • Use Basketweave stitch wherever humanly possible
    • Eliminating knots (and subsequent bumps) by using proper starting and ending techniques
    • Limiting canvas distortion by using frames or stretcher bars
    • Keeping thread tension consistent by using the same type and amount of thread throughout

  • As you near the end of your project, it’s time to think about “finishing” it. Finishing transforms your stitched canvas from a work-in-progress to a work of art.

    After you’ve stitched your design, the raw canvas edges and loose threads need to be carefully secured and shaped so that the piece holds together and looks professional. Depending on the project, finishing can involve stretching and blocking the canvas, adding a backing, sewing it into items like stockings, pillows, ornaments, or even mounting it for framing.

    It can be expensive, but after all the stitch work you did, it’s worth the additional cost to get an object you treasure. You can read more about finishing here >

    Spider Spun does have finishing services! Reach out to us to talk through your ideas and get a quote.