18 Mesh Needlepoint Canvas: Yarn, Needle and Project Size Chart

Mesh is the number of holes, or canvas threads, per inch. 18 mesh canvas has 18 holes per inch in each direction, which works out to about 324 tent stitches per square inch. Higher mesh numbers mean smaller stitches, finer detail and more time per square inch; lower numbers stitch up faster with bolder results.

Common choices for 18 mesh are persian yarn 1-ply, pearl cotton #5 or #8, stranded cotton, silk. The goal is coverage: the thread should fill each hole so bare canvas does not peek through, without being so thick that it distorts the canvas. Test a few stitches in a margin corner and add or remove a ply until the coverage looks even.

A size 22 tapestry needle suits 18 mesh canvas. Tapestry needles have a large eye for wool and a blunt tip that slips through the canvas holes without splitting threads. Higher needle numbers are finer, so finer canvas uses a higher number. The needle should pass through a hole without forcing the canvas threads apart.

Add at least 2 inches of bare canvas on every side of the design for blocking, mounting on stretcher bars and finishing. A 14 x 14 inch pillow needs 18 x 18 inches of canvas, and a 5 x 7 inch picture needs 9 x 11 inches. Framers and finishers sometimes ask for 3 inches, so check before you cut.

Published estimates for 18 mesh put tent stitch at about null inches of tapestry yarn per square inch. At that rate a 14 x 14 inch pillow uses roughly several hundred yards in total. Basketweave uses more yarn than continental or half cross, and dark backgrounds need the most, so buy extra of the background color.

It is usually a later project. At 18 holes per inch the stitches are tiny, which takes good light, patience and often magnification. Many beginners start on 13 or 14 mesh, where a first project finishes in a reasonable time and mistakes are easy to see and unpick.