Needlepoint Frames

You may be wondering what needlepoint frames are. Essentially, they are wooden frames to which your canvas is attached while you stitch.

Not only do needlepoint frames keep your canvas taut, and your stitches more even, but attaching your canvas to a frame will also help it to stay clean. If the needlepoint is on a frame you handle it less.

When you use a frame, you are essentially "hands free", especially if you attach the frame to a stand. This means you can keep one hand at the back of the canvas to feed the needle through and the other hand at the front of the canvas to guide from this direction. There is less joint movement involved and therefore less risk of an overuse injury such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Just something to keep in mind if you plan to stitch a lot or for long periods of time.

There are a few different styles of frame you can choose from. Any of these work well and the type you choose will depend upon your personal preference.

The two main types of needlepoint frame you will see are scroll frames and needlepoint stretcher bars.

The frames can be held in your hands and rested in your lap, or if you find it more comfortable or convenient you can use a needlepoint stand. There are advantages to using a stand and you can choose from a lap stand, a floor stand or table stand.

Here's a website with some information about how to choose the right frame for your project. We thought it was informative and well worth linking to.

Where to Buy Needlepoint Frames

We sell needlepoint stretcher bars right here.

There are 13 sizes to choose from. You will need to choose sizes that are 2-3 inches bigger than your design area. For example, if you plan to stitch an 8" x 5" needlepoint design, then you will want to order stretcher bars that will be a bit bigger than this, so the waste canvas around the outside of the design will tack or staple to the bars. For this example, a pair of 11" and a pair of 8" stretcher bars would probably be best. It depends a little on how much waste canvas there is around the outside of your design.

Click here for needlepoint stretcher bars.

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