and Threads – Common Uses

Below is a table of the most common needlepoint yarns and threads and how they are used.

Name Properties Canvas Common Brands Persian 3 plies twisted together. Can split to Can be used on many canvas sizes, Paternayan use 1-3 plies, or can be added to for 3+ depending upon number of plies used. plies. It is very strong and resilient and E.g. All 3 plies work well on 10 and 12 so does not fray easily. mesh canvas. This flexibility makes Persian yarn extremely popular for needlepoint. Crewel Yarn A fine, single ply yarn. It is pure 14 -18 mesh. Appleton and is strong. You can easily mix different colors of crewel yarn in your needle for shading. A 4 -ply yarn that cannot be divided 10 -12 mesh. DMC Yarn into its individual plies which limits its Anchor use to the larger mesh canvases. Appleton However because the plies are tightly twisted it is an easy yarn to stitch with to get an even tension. Perle A high -luster, 2-ply cotton that is Size 3 (thickest) – 13 -14 mesh DMC tightly twisted and so cannot be split. Size 5 – 18 mesh Presencia For this reason it comes in several There are thinner perle but Anchor sizes to suit different mesh sizes. they are not used for traditional Available in solid colors and overdyed. needlepoint stitches. A 6 -ply thread where the individual All 6 plies – 12 -13 mesh DMC Cotton plies can be easily separated – this 3 plies – 18 mesh Presencia (Floss) makes it popular for embroidery. It is However it is best to figure out how Anchor a strong and versatile thread and the many plies to use by stitching a test different color plies can easily be area. mixed in the needle for shading. There are many different brands and Depends upon the brand. Kreinik types of silk thread available. Some Silk & Ivory are single ply with a high luster (e.g. Planet Earth Kreinik Silk Serica) and some are multi- Vineyard ply (e.g.Kreinik Silk Mori). Silk is very popular to stitch with because it has a sheen (luster) and is strong. It is more expensive than cotton.