Sailboats in Argenteuil Monet Needlepoint Canvas by Margot de Paris MRC1345187

Stitch Sailboats in Argenteuil, a printed needlepoint canvas by Margot de Paris: white sailboats on a sparkling river with a bridge beyond, inspired by Monet's Argenteuil paintings.

A little stitcher's folklore: Claude Monet painted outdoors in all weathers, and his friends joked that he would chase the light around a field like a cat after a sunbeam. Needlepoint on printed canvas grew out of the great French tapestry tradition, and half stitch is the same stitch used on many antique chair seats and cushions.

Why this canvas: the full-colour print shows exactly where each shade goes, so there is no chart to count and you can simply relax and stitch; it is printed on genuine Zweigart canvas in France, so the mesh stays square and the colours stay crisp from the first stitch to the last; and buying the threads yourself means you choose the look: Colbert wool for a classic tapestry finish, or Mouliné and Pearl cotton for a finer sheen.

Canvas includes: one Zweigart 10-count canvas (100% cotton, 40 holes per 10 cm), designed and printed in France with the design in full colour, and a thread list naming the DMC Mouliné, Colbert wool, Retors and Pearl cotton shades to buy. Stitch used: half stitch. Not included: threads, needle and frame, which are sold separately.

Match each printed colour to the thread list, then cover the canvas in half stitch, working the main shapes first and the background last. Mounting the canvas on stretcher bars or a frame keeps it square, and a tapestry needle size 20 to 22 suits the 10-count mesh.

Canvas size: 60×70 cm (23.6×27.6 in). A large centerpiece project that becomes a statement wall tapestry once framed. It looks at home in a living room, a bedroom or a reading nook, and makes a thoughtful gift for art lovers, Impressionism fans and museum-goers.