How To Needlepoint Basketweave Stitch Around Objects On Your Canvas

Basketweave is a needlepoint Tent stitch and a staple in any stitcher's library. In this blog post you will learn how to create a canvas of smooth basketweave stitches by working around the various elements on the canvas.

 

Zanzibar Needlepoint by Bella Gomez shown partially stitched

 

When stitching the background of this Zanzibar design (above) in basketweave the stitcher needs to navigate around the other elements on the canvas to produce smooth, even stitches without lines.

Understand Steps & Poles in Basketweave

To create a perfect needlepoint basketweave stitch you need to understand what we mean by steps and poles. For a refresher on this, read our blog post about needlepoint basketweave stitch basics.

In summary, the diagonal rows of basketweave are stitched in an ascending direction when your canvas intersections are steps and a descending direction when the intersections are poles.  You climb the steps and slide down the poles!

needlepoint basketweave up the steps and down the poles

 

In this blog post we're bringing the needlepoint basketweave stitch into real life and learning how to work around the various shapes and motifs on your canvas. 


Maintaining the 'up the steps and down the poles' pattern is particularly important when you are stitching a basketweave background around multiple design elements. 

Let’s see how this plays out on a small sample design...

how to needlepoint basketweave around objects or shapes

In the image above, the basketweave stitching starts in the upper right-hand corner until it reaches the purple rectangle. 

It's tempting to run threads back and forth across the back of the unstitched rectangle, but if you want a perfect needlepoint basketweave stitch try to avoid this because fibers may pull through when you stitch the purple and it will also affect the tension of your stitches.

So, you need to pick a side! Continue stitching around whichever side of the shape that your steps and poles pattern dictates.  In this case it is the left side. 

Stitch until you reach the bottom left-hand corner of the rectangle and stop (secure your thread and start again in the next area). 

Start your next thread at the upper right-hand side of the rectangle.  Note that this is a pole row, so start your thread at the top so you maintain the pattern.  

 how to needlepoint basketweave around objects or shapes

Notice that when you get to the bottom of the rectangle (see image below), your step row ends in exactly the right place to continue stitching down the pole row that you ended at the other side of the rectangle. 

how to needlepoint basketweave around objects or shapes

 

This is the magic of basketweave backgrounds.  As long as you keep to your steps and poles, you can plan where to stop and start sections, knowing that they will meet perfectly. And when the lines meet perfectly you won't get shadows or ridges in your stitching. 

Continue stitching until you reach the top of the crescent.  At this point you could continue stitching down the right side of the crescent until you reach the tip, or you can stop at the top of the crescent and move on to the next section.  In the illustration, below, we stopped at the top of the crescent, secured the thread, and then started again at the top of the orange shape.

how to needlepoint basketweave around objects or shapes 

Like before, when you start to stitch around the orange flower make sure you are starting at the lower end of a step row or the upper end of a pole row, however it works out on your canvas.  In this case it is a step row.  

 how to needlepoint basketweave around objects or shapes

Continue stitching in this manner, maintaining the overall diagonal pattern of the background as much as possible. 

Go back and stitch down the right side of the crescent to meet up with the stitches coming from the other side.

  how to needlepoint basketweave around objects or shapes

The image below shows a new thread being started to stitch above the squiggle.

 how to needlepoint basketweave around objects or shapes

 

Another new thread is started to stitch inside the squiggle (below), rather than dragging the thread behind the blue stitches.

how to needlepoint basketweave around objects or shapes

 

As the interior of the squiggle is filled in, the line of stitches meets up with the pole row coming down on the left...

how to needlepoint basketweave around objects or shapes

how to needlepoint basketweave around objects or shapes

how to needlepoint basketweave around objects or shapes

You have now successfully worked around several shapes in a nice smooth needlepoint basketweave stitch by working in sections, and maintaining the poles and steps pattern, and working down from the top of the canvas toward the bottom. This may mean stopping and starting threads more than you would like but the effort pays off when you admire your lovely smooth canvas of stitches.

Pro Tip:

If you have a canvas with large open areas of background, interspersed with areas with lots of pattern, it is tempting to stitch the open areas first and fill in the fiddly areas later.   Try to resist this temptation!  It can show where two areas come together if you have to come up through an occupied canvas hole to stitch the last row between sections. Work the canvas methodically from top right to bottom left.

The needlepoint basketweave stitch is great for backgrounds and small areas of your canvas. But, if you are looking to branch out, discover three of our favorite needlepoint background stitches, or our go-to needlepoint stitches for sky.

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