Choosing needlepoint canvas is one of the most important aspects of designing a needlepoint project. The end use of the project will also play an important part in the canvas selection. Will the project be used as a rug?, a pillow? or does it need to be stiff to support itself? Also, the type and size of the canvas used will depend on the amount of detail in the design of your project - the more detailed the design, the finer the gauge of canvas.

There are a few different types of canvas to choose from:
Single Canvas (also called Mono Canvas)
Double Canvas (also called Penelope Canvas)
Rug Canvas
Plastic Canvas.

All canvas is measured by the number of threads or the number of holes (mesh) to the inch. This is referred to as Canvas Gauge. To determine the Gauge of a canvas, use a ruler and count the number of meshes (holes) in one inch. If there are 10 holes in an inch you are working with 10-mesh canvas.

Choosing needlepoint canvas is one of the most important aspects of designing a needlepoint project. The end use of the project will also play an important part in the canvas selection. Will the project be used as a rug?, a pillow? or does it need to be stiff to support itself? Also, the type and size of the canvas used will depend on the amount of detail in the design of your project - the more detailed the design, the finer the gauge of canvas.

There are a few different types of canvas to choose from:
Single Canvas (also called Mono Canvas)
Double Canvas (also called Penelope Canvas)
Rug Canvas
Plastic Canvas.

All canvas is measured by the number of threads or the number of holes (mesh) to the inch. This is referred to as Canvas Gauge. To determine the Gauge of a canvas, use a ruler and count the number of meshes (holes) in one inch. If there are 10 holes in an inch you are working with 10-mesh canvas.

Single Canvas or Mono Canvas	commonly made of hemp or linen thread, cotton or synthetic threads composed of a mesh of single threads available in a wide variety of gauges available in Plain Mono Canvas (made by intersecting lengthwise and crosswise threads and is the least expensive of the two mono canvases) or Interlock Mono Canvas (is more stable and more expensive canvas made by twisting two thin threads around each other for the lengthwise thread and "locking" them into a single crosswise thread)
Double Canvas or Penelope Canvas	commonly made of hemp or linen thread, cotton or synthetic threads composed of a mesh of double vertical and double horizontal threads very durable canvas to work with available in a wide variety of gauges the gauge of this canvas is given as two number separated by a slash - such as, 5/10 gauge. The first number is the smaller number and refers to the number of double meshes per inch. The second number is the larger number and refers to the number of meshes per inch if the threads are separated. can be adjusted to whatever size you need for each individual stitch (for finely stitched areas, a stitch can be worked as it is with double mesh and then, you may separate the pairs of threads and form four plain mono meshes, in which you may work four smaller stitches)
Rug Canvas	made of a large mesh of strong cotton threads the mesh is formed by twisting two threads around each other lengthwise and locking them around a twisted crosswise thread (the threads cannot be separated) available in two different gauges - 3.3 mesh and 5 mesh (5 mesh is better for more detailed work)
Plastic Canvas	a stiff canvas sold as “pre-cut pieces” rather than by the yard available in rectangular, circle, and oval shapes
Fabric	needlepoint stitches may be worked on fabric like embroidery