Kitten and Butterfly Cat Needlepoint Canvas by Margot de Paris MRCK76660214

Stitch Kitten and Butterfly, a printed needlepoint canvas by Margot de Paris: a green-eyed tabby kitten watching a butterfly among pink garden flowers.

A little stitcher's folklore: cats have kept people company since ancient Egypt, and stitchers say every needlework basket needs a cat to guard it. 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: 20×25 cm (7.9×9.8 in). A quick, satisfying first canvas, and a lovely small framed picture or pincushion top. It looks at home in a reading nook, a bedroom or a living room, and makes a thoughtful gift for cat owners and anyone who loves cats.