Access Required

Please log in to access your Digital Stitch Guides. These guides are available exclusively to customers who have purchased the corresponding Spider Spun kit or canvas..

Log In Shop Now

Think you should have access?

If you believe you should have access to this guide, please contact us. This button links to a form that will ask for your order number and the email address used to make your purchase.

Request Access

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: 14

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

Use this text to share information about your brand with your customers. Describe a product, share announcements, or welcome customers to your store.

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

Use this text to share information about your brand with your customers. Describe a product, share announcements, or welcome customers to your store.

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. Pet (details, fur accents, main color of fur)
2. Ribbons
3. Snowflakes
4. Name
5. 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 main color of the pet. Then, I would move on to trying out the Basketweave Stitch on a small part of the background. 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
Rose 205 146 Guava Roses - Red & Pink Roses: Mid tone of red & pink roses
Fir 295 107 Dill Pickle • Fir Branches: Mid green tone of fir branches, name lighter color
• Name: Lighter, main color of name
Forest 298 232 Chutney • Fir Branches: Darkest green tone of the fir branches
• Holly: Darkest green tone of leaves, including holly leaves and the bottom right fir branch
• Name: Darker green accent color of the name
Fawn 304 228 Rye Berry Branches: Berry branches
Mint 353 182 Killarney • Holly: Lightest green tone of holly leaves
• Fir Branches: Lightest green tone of the fir branches
• Roses - Rose Leaves: Light green leaves behind two of the roses
Gold 473 88 Dandelion • Fir Branches: Berries
• Berry Branches: Berries
Scarlet 503 11 Really Red • Holly: Cardinal, darkest tone of rose-red roses
• Roses - Red & Pink Roses: Darkest tone of red & pink roses
• Cardinal: Main color of cardinal
Wine 505 44 Merlot • Poinsettias: Dark red accents on poinsettias
• Cardinal: Accents on cardinal wings
Salmon 622 48 Cantaloupe Roses - Salmon & Coral Roses: Mid pink tone of salmon & coral roses
Peach 701 190 Porcelain • Roses - Red & Pink Roses: Lightest pink of roses
• Roses - Salmon & Coral Roses: Lightest pink of roses
Coral 864 82 Pumpkin • Roses - Salmon & Coral Roses: Darkest tone of salmon & coral roses
• Poinsettias: Lighter red-orange poinsettia leaves
Rust 866 180 Salsa Poinsettias: Darker red-orange poinsettia leaves
Natural 991 01 Natural Background: Background
Black 993 12 Black • Cardinal: Cardinal facial details
• Poinsettias: Black flower center
• Roses - Salmon & Coral Roses: Black flower center
• Roses - Red & Pink Roses: Black flower center

Step-by-Step Stitch Guide

Use this text to share information about your brand with your customers. Describe a product, share announcements, or welcome customers to your store.

Roses

This area has multiple rose colorways with a few small details. Work one color at a time so you can keep the shapes clear and consistent.

Red & Pink Roses

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Black 993 12 Black Black flower center Continental
Scarlet 503 11 Really Red Darkest tone of red & pink roses Basketweave
Rose 205 146 Guava Mid tone of red & pink roses Basketweave
Peach 701 190 Porcelain Lightest pink of roses Continental

Start with the black flower center in Black using Continental.

Then stitch the darkest red tone in Scarlet using Basketweave.

Add the mid pink tone roses in Rose using Basketweave.

Finish with the lightest pink of roses in Peach using Continental.

Salmon & Coral Roses

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Black 993 12 Black Black flower center Continental
Coral 864 82 Pumpkin Darkest tone of salmon & coral roses Continental
Salmon 622 48 Cantaloupe Mid pink tone of salmon & coral roses Basketweave
Peach 701 190 Porcelain Lightest pink of roses Basketweave

Again, begin with the black flower center in Black using Continental.

Stitch the darkest, orange-y tone of the roses in Coral using Continental.

Add the mid pink, salmon tone with Salmon using Basketweave.

Finish with the lightest pink of roses in Peach using Basketweave.

Rose Leaves

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Mint 353 182 Killarney Light green leaves behind two of the roses Basketweave

Before finishing up the rose section, work the light green leaves behind two of the roses in Mint using Basketweave.

Poinsettias

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Black 993 12 Black Black flower center Continental
Wine 505 44 Merlot Dark red accents on poinsettias Continental
Coral 864 82 Pumpkin Lighter red-orange poinsettia leaves Continental
Rust 866 180 Salsa Darker red-orange poinsettia leaves Continental

I would move to the poinsettias after the roses, and start with the details first, then fill in the petals.

Begin with the black flower center in Black using Continental.

Add the dark red accents on poinsettia petals in Wine using Continental. This is a place, where I probably wouldn't tie off between each petal. I'd just work all of the wine accents for each poinsettia at once, being careful not to pull the yarn too tightly on the back.

Stitch the lighter red-orange poinsettia leaves in Coral using Continental.

Finish by filling in the darker red-orange poinsettia leaves in Rust using Continental.

Berry Branches

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Gold 473 88 Dandelion Berries Continental
Fawn 304 228 Rye Berry branches Continental

Work the berry branches next.

First, stitch the berries in Gold using Continental. I think the shape of the berries is a little more important than the branch, since your eye is naturally drawn more to them. I would get those to a place I'm happy with first, then work the berry branches in Fawn using Continental.

Fir Branches

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested StitchSpecial Stitch
Forest 298 232 Chutney Darkest green tone of the fir branches Basketweave
Fir 295 107 Dill Pickle Mid green tone of fir branches, name lighter color Continental
Mint 353 182 Killarney Lightest green tone of the fir branches Basketweave
Gold 473 88 Dandelion Berries Half-CrossFrench Knots

After the berries, move on to the fir branches.

Start with the darkest green tone of the fir branches in Forest using Basketweave.

Add the mid green tone of fir branches in Fir using Continental.

Stitch the lightest green tone of the fir branches in Mint using Basketweave.

Next, stitch the berries scattered across the fir branches in Gold using Half-Cross! I would stitch a bunch of the dots at once, without cutting your yarn in between.

Also, if you want to take the stitching to the next level, you can use French Knots for the ribbon dots instead of the Half-Cross stitch. Honestly, there’s no need to decide now, you can stitch them in Half-Cross for the time being and come back in at the end and put French Knots over the Half-Cross stitches 🙂

Holly

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested StitchSpecial Stitch
Mint 353 182 Killarney Lightest green tone of holly leaves Basketweave
Forest 298 232 Chutney Darkest green tone of leaves, including holly leaves and the bottom right fir branch Continental
Scarlet 503 11 Really Red Cardinal, darkest tone of rose-red roses Half-CrossFrench Knots

Stitch the holly once the fir branches are finished.

Work the lightest green tone of holly leaves in Mint using Basketweave.

Add the darkest green tone of leaves, including the holly leaves and the bottom right fir branch, in Forest using Continental.

Stitch the berries of the holly Half-Cross. You can use French Knots if you want extra texture.

Cardinal

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Black 993 12 Black Cardinal facial details Continental
Wine 505 44 Merlot Accents on cardinal wings Continental
Scarlet 503 11 Really Red Main color of cardinal Basketweave

Work the cardinal after the surrounding greenery, since it appears to be behind the branches.

Start with the cardinal facial details in Black using Continental.

Add the accents on the cardinal wings in Wine using Continental.

Then stitch the main color of the cardinal in Scarlet using Basketweave.

Name

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Fir 295 107 Dill Pickle Lighter, main color of name Continental
Forest 298 232 Chutney Darker green accent color of the name Continental

You’re almost there! 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 🙂

For the name, I actually change the order I stitch in.

I first stitch the lighter green, main color of the name in Continental, using Fir. 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 green name accents using Half-Cross to add detail, using Forest.

Background

Color Appletons Silk & Ivory Placement Suggested Stitch
Natural 991 01 Natural Background Basketweave

The big, simple blocks of color are often the very last thing I complete on any stockings. I think about it like filling in backgrounds after the details are completed.

White yarn can sometimes look thin because it’s not plumped by dye, so for the white background, use Bleach in Basketweave.

If you notice the yarn is looking thin, you might consider adding an extra strand for better coverage. You'll want to test this to make sure there's not a noticeable texture difference between two strands and three strands. It's easiest to do this at natural design breaks (like different elements in the illustration). If you see a thin stitch only here or there, you can just go over it again with another stitch at the end.

Stitch the background in Natural using Basketweave.

Deep Dive: Techniques

Use this text to share information about your brand with your customers. Describe a product, share announcements, or welcome customers to your store.

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.