Needlepoint canvas types

Needlepoint canvas is a mesh of horizontal (warp) and vertical (weft) threads. There are several types of needlepoint canvases and the most basic feature that distinguishes one type from another is the manner in which the canvas is woven.

 The three most commonly used needlepoint canvas types are the following: 

• Mono or single canvas. This type of canvas has single vertical and horizontal threads that are simply woven but not interlocked. In other words, the warp and weft threads alternate in lying under and over one another. Any project in mono canvas should be worked in a stretcher frame, as this type of canvas has the tendency to distort. An advantageous feature is that even if the stitched piece is distorted, it can be blocked back into shape since the canvas threads can move. Mono canvas ravels and you need to stabilize the edges.

• Interlock canvas. This type of canvas seems in appearance like mono canvas, though each intersection consists of two thinner weft threads and one thicker warp thread. However, interlock canvas is a more stable mesh than mono. This happens because of the two horizontal (weft) threads: the one goes over the warp thread while the other goes under. The drawback of this canvas is that due to the locked intersections it is more difficult to bring a distorted stitched piece back to shape. Interlock canvas does not ravel easily. 

• Double or Penelope canvas. This type of canvas is made up of pairs of vertical and horizontal threads. An advantageous feature is that this canvas type, allows the stitcher to either stitch over sinlge threads for finer stitching or over pairs of threads when no detail is needed. The first type of needlework is called petit point. If the stitcher uses all holes then the mesh count increases. That is why penelope canvas is sometimes labelled with two numbers- e.g 14/28. The threads of Penelope canvas are not intelocked because they are woven like mono canvas with one thread over and one under. 

There are are other canvases too, but all of them are woven in one of these three ways. For example solk gauze and garment canvas are types of interlock canvas.