Hydrangeas Still Life Needlepoint Canvas by Margot de Paris MRC1531312

Stitch Hydrangeas, a printed needlepoint canvas by Margot de Paris: blue hydrangeas in a painted jug with Quimper-style plates, a pitcher and an oil lamp on a lace tablecloth.

A little stitcher's folklore: in the Victorian language of flowers every bloom carried a message, so a bouquet could say what a letter could not. French printed tapestry canvases have been a favorite with stitchers for generations, because the colours are already on the canvas and no chart counting is needed.

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: 40×50 cm (15.7×19.7 in). A classic size for a framed tapestry picture or a pillow front. It looks at home in a bedroom, a living room or a sunroom, and makes a thoughtful gift for gardeners, mothers and grandmothers.