Gen Z Is Making Needlepoint Cool Again — Here’s Everything You Need to Know to Start Your Own Club

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we’ll receive a commission if you purchase through our link, at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure here.

Several months ago, videos of girls my age, with a yarn and thread in hand, kept appearing on my TikTok page. I was immediately intrigued because it’s not every day you have multiple young girls finding comfort in an age-old craft. After my interest took me down a rabbit hole on TikTok of “needlepoint videos for beginners”, I began to understand the obsession.

While needlepoint crafts have been around for generations, women in their early to late 20s are making it cool by stitching trendy designs, catchy sayings, and aesthetic patterns. The seemingly apparent resurgence in this craft has even sparked content creators to share helpful tips, scavenge for the best local needlepoint shops, and even contribute to it being a calming hobby to help them unwind from a busy workday.

While I love the idea of doing the craft on your own, as a beginner myself, it always helps to have a group of people who are at the same level and want to give the activity a go too. That’s why starting a needlepoint club is the perfect excuse to try something new and hang out with your friends. Today, I’m sharing everything you need to start your own needlepoint club and hop on a trend that’s actually worth your while.

What is needlepoint?

Needlepoint is an embroidery craft that uses thick thread and a canvas. The thread is stitched into the canvas using various stitch methods (such as a tent or basketweave stitch). Every needlepoint design creates a detailed image or pattern. 

When your design is complete, the canvas will not be visible, and you can use it for home decor — creating needlepoint ornaments, pillows, or framed art.

What’s the difference between cross-stitch and needlepoint?

Cross stitch uses an X-stitch and on an even weave fabric, leaving some of the fabric showing around the edges of the design. Needlepoint uses multiple stitches on a stiff canvas, and the entirety of the canvas is used.

5 Needlepoint Tips for Beginners

@brookemiccio from one beginner to another 🤝 welcome to the club #needlepoint 🪡 beginner kit mentioned from @MorganJuliaDesigns ! nyc store I went to is @Rita’s Needlepoint NYC ♬ original sound – Brooke Miccio

1. Go to Your LNS (Local Needlepoint Store)

Your local needlepoint store should have plenty of beginner kit options to choose from. Think about getting a stretcher as well, as this will help you ease into the stitching process with more confidence.

Don’t have an LNS? A great online store called Morgan Julia Designs has the beginner kits to purchase as well.

2. A Needle Minder is Essential

If you’re scared of having loose needles around your house, a needle minder is an essential tool to have. It’s a magnet that keeps your needle intact when you aren’t using it. Needle minders come in so many cute designs, and many people collect them as well.

3. Have a Small Pair of Scissors on Hand

The difference between a large pair of scissors and a small pair of scissors is that the small pair is much easier to handle the thread. It also helps you keep control of the scissors to work with a smaller pair.

4. Have Textured Snag Repair Needles Ready

If you mess up a stitch and want to correct it, textured snag repair needles will be your best friend. They help you fix mistakes a lot easier than a traditional needle.

5. Start With the Continental Stitch As a Beginner

Starting as a beginner, we recommend using the “continental stitch”. It’s the easiest of stitches to get the hang of things. This YouTube tutorial is a great resource to learn how to achieve the continental stitch.

How to Start Your Own Needlepoint Club

Send Out Invitations

First things first, you’ll want to send invitations out to your friends. A quick text invite will do just fine. However, if you want the club to feel a bit more exclusive, you can mail paper invites as well. 

Make sure to include the guidelines of the club. Some of those could be:

• Bring a beginner kit to stitch during the club
• Bring your own drink
• Make a snack to bring to the club

Here are some cute invitation designs to choose from:

Choose a Needlepoint Beginner Kit

After you officialize the club with invites, it’s time for everyone to choose the needlepoint beginner kit they would like to bring. Since the majority of people in the club probably have not done this, starting at a basic level is the best way to go. As your club advances in skill, everyone can choose the needlepoint patterns they prefer.

Buy Beginner Supplies

As mentioned above, there are a couple of beginner supplies that everyone will need to have at the start of the first club — including a small pair of scissors, textured needles, and needle minders. Having these tools on hand will help you be more confident as you start your needlepoint journey.

Host Friends at Your Home

When it’s time for the first needlepoint club meeting to commence, open up your home for food, drinks, and needlepointing. When starting a new activity, we find that it’s always more comfortable to be in someone’s home. With needlepoint in particular, it’s an activity that you can lounge while doing, so giving everyone a comfortable seat in your living room is a perfect place to meet with your club.

Serve Fun Food & Drinks

A needlepoint club meeting wouldn’t be complete without some fun food and drinks. You don’t have to do anything to elaborate. Just some party snacks, like pizza rolls, snack mix, and homemade cookies, will be A-okay!

Gather Everyone to Sit Down & Start Needlepoint

After catching up and eating some food, it’s time to sit down and start your needlepoint. The first meeting will involve a lot of learning stitches and getting the hang of the craft. Streaming some YouTube videos on the TV for everyone to see and learn as they go is a great place to begin.

Here are a few videos we recommend watching to learn more about the process in the beginning stages of learning:

Learn How to Needlepoint in FIVE Minutes | Needlepoint.Com

Intro to Needlepoint – Part 1

Turn on a Movie, TV Show, or Music

As you start to grow in your needlepoint skills, you’ll find how relaxing a craft it is to do with friends. After you’re able to start a needlepoint project without the help of a YouTube video, you can play a movie, TV show, or some music while you and your friends create your needlepoint designs.

Plan Your Next Meeting

After each meeting, schedule the next needlepoint club meeting. Will you meet at the same place or rotate to another club member’s home? Decide when, where, and how often your club is going to meet. In the meantime — between meetings — finish the needlepoint project you started to keep up with and develop your skills even more.
A needlepoint club meeting wouldn’t be complete without some fun food and drinks. You don’t have to do anything to elaborate. Just some party snacks, like pizza rolls, snack mix, and homemade cookies, will be A-okay!