American Needlepoint Guild: Frequently asked questions

Here are some intriguing questions pulled from the American Needlepoint Guild's frequently-asked-questions archives. For more information, visit www.needlepoint.org.

• What is needlepoint? ANG defines needlepoint as "any counted or free stitchery worked by hand with a threaded needle on a readily countable ground." Traditionally, needlepoint has been embroidery done on canvas, using wool to execute the tent stitch, but today's needlepointers have available a much broader palette of stitches and techniques.

• Are there any fictional mystery/crime novels with needlework themes? One series, written by Monica Ferris, includes "Crewel World," "Framed in Lace" and "A Stitch in Time" and has as a protagonist a woman who inherits a small-town needlework shop upon the murder of her sister.

Another series, written by Earlene Fowler, features the adventures of Benni Harper, a folk museum curator and quilter and includes such titles as "Irish Chain," "Mariner's Compass" and "Seven Sisters."

• Should I put my orts (thread scraps) out for the birds to use for nests? Most birders think you should not. Wool, cotton and silk threads incorporated into a nest can hold excess moisture, which can then lead to mold and disease. Rayons and synthetics may also interfere with natural drainage and glitzy colors can interfere with camouflage.

• How do I find a needlework shop in an area that I will be visiting? The National Needlework Association (TNNA) has a free online directory of retail shops, searchable by location. Go to www.tnna.org and click on Retail Shops. Many of the shops listed have active web pages for you to peruse before your travels.

• What should I look for in buying a floor stand for needlework? The most important thing is that the stand you buy works for you. Consider:

— Will this stand hold the types of frames you work on?

— Will this stand fit under or beside the chair you usually stitch in?

— Do you need to travel with this stand? If so, does it fold up/disassemble easily?

— If you work on very large pieces, will it be stable?

— How easy is it to get to the back of your work?

— Do you need a place for it to hold a pattern/chart?

The best thing to do is go to your local needlework stores and try several stands. Take measurements with you — how much clearance there is under your stitching chair, what height is the seat, and so on — so you can see how it will work with your stitching area.

The ANG Web site also features a "stitch-of-the-month" section, which offers a simple project highlighting a certain stitch. At year's end, a project is posted that incorporates all of that year's stitches.