Silk Road Needle Arts

                        St. Petersburg, Florida

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Choosing a Background Stitch

One of the most frequent comments I hear from cross stitchers is that then don't do needlepoint because of filling in boring backgrounds; even avid needlepointers often are turned off by large areas of solid background.

If you have a detailed, painted canvas with lots of shading, sometimes the only way to retain the art work is to work the design in tent or basketweave; however, the background often opens up new possibilities. There are a few guidelines that you should consider when selecting the appropriate background stitch:

1. Most stitches have a definite direction and movement; this movement should complement the design in the canvas.

2. Background stitches should not be overwhelming; your focus should be on the colorful, detailed design in the center of the canvas.

3. Choose a thread that will not compete with the central design; in general the design should have the sheen and "pop" instead of the background.

There are numerous books available with recommendations on selecting stitches for backgrounds. (My personal favorites are cashmere, mosaic, and jacquard)

Listed below are some background stitches for your consideration; most stitch books have illustrations of them and you should consider several variations on a particular stitch (slanted, worked horizontally or vertically, etc.)


Alternating Continental
Bargello/Florentine Patterns
Brick
Byzantine
Cashmere
Damask
Darning Patterns
Herringbone
Hungarian
Jacquard
Mosaic
Parisian
Pavillion (2-4-6-4-2 stitch)
Scotch
Slanted Gobelin (also Encroaching)