Learn needlepoint canvas painting, step by step, from beginning to end.

Maybe you have ideas and want to paint for the special people, places, and experiences in your life. Maybe you think “I’m not artistic” but would love to translate and personalize already created designs. Whatever your creative dream, this class will walk you through painting a needlepoint canvas from beginning to end.

So you can…Make special heirlooms, create from start to finish, make needlepoint budget friendly, know the best tools and materials to use, enjoy a calm, slow, and mindful craft (much like needlepointing itself!).

You Will Learn

  • The best tools and materials to use 
  • How to set up your project
  • How to choose paint colors and color mixing
  • How to follow a chart
  • How to paint details and repaint mistakes
  • Shading
  • How to paint a small personalized canvas
  • How to paint a large needlepoint canvas
  • Where to find designs to paint
  • Sketching out a design with pencil, paint, and paper
  • How to use a digital drawing app to create your own designs
  • Intro to the Stitchly charting app
  • Intro to MacStitch and Winstitch


            Bonus Materials

  • How to prep your canvas
  • How to paint a circular outline for an ornament
  • My thoughts on copying and imitation
  • How to paint a name on a stocking


The class kit includes - 4 paint brushes, a roll of 13 count canvas, 7 bottles of paint, paint palette, paint cups, artist tape, westcott ruler, and exercise, alphabet, and lemon design charts. 

With four hours of video instruction and over thirty lessons, the class is online, self paced, and accessible at any time. Includes lifetime access. 

After this class you’ll have two canvases ready to stitch!

Class Preview

Should I Take This Class?

  • Who is this class for?

    If you LOVE needlepoint and can't wait to explore the process from beginning to end. You’d love to create keepsakes and special pieces for the people, places, and experiences in your life. Saving money on your needlepoint budget sounds lovely. If the creative freedom of painting your own canvases is inspiring and you're dying to get those ideas out of your head and onto the canvas - this class is for you!

  • Who is this class ALSO for?

    You’d love the freedom to personalize the canvases in your stash! You don’t have big design ideas but you’d love to change colors and design elements so they suit your style and home. To add dates, names, and special meaning to the canvases you're stitching. You think you don’t have any artistic talent but have joy in needlepoint and want to expand your skill (you’re wrong by the way - anyone who creates lovely stitched pieces with a needle and thread has artistic skill!). If this sounds like you - this class is for you!

  • Who is the class maybe for?

    Maybe painting canvases doesn’t look that fun (at least compared to stitching!). Canvas is a bit hard to see and holding a brush and painting intersections looks tricky but you’d still love to personalize canvases and paint a few of the ideas in your head. You’d like the skill and freedom to express your creativity! If this sounds like you, this class will expand your needlepoint skill even if you don't use these skills that often - it may be for you!

  • Who is this class NOT for?

    You love stitching needlepoint but aren’t inspired by it’s other creative expressions. You enjoy custom canvases and don’t mind the price point. You prefer working with your local shop and painter to personalize canvases. If this sounds like you, this class probably won’t inspire your creativity. Instead, keep stitching your lovely projects!

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome!

    • Welcome!

    • The Class Community!

    • Before we begin...
  • 2

    Chapter 1: The Basics

    • Let's Begin!

    • Tools and Materials

    • Tools and Materials: Canvas

    • Tools and Materials: Brushes

    • Tools and Materials: Paint

    • Tools and Materials: Choosing Paint For a Project and Color Mixing

    • Tools and Materials: Other Supplies, Tools, and Setting Up

    • Basic Painting Techniques

    • Basic Painting Techniques: Painting the Canvas Intersection

    • Basic Painting Techniques: Painting a Charted Design on the Canvas Row by Row

    • Basic Painting Techniques: Painting a Charted Design on the Canvas by Outlining

    • Basic Painting Techniques: Painting Details and Fixing Mistakes

    • Basic Painting Techniques: Shading

    • Painting a Small Canvas

    • Painting a Small Canvas: Painting a Monogram Fob
  • 3

    Chapter 2: Painting a Full Size Canvas

    • Intro To Painting The Lemon Canvas

    • Step 1. Setting Up

    • Step 2. Starting To Paint: Transferring the Design Using the Chart

    • Step 3. Starting To Paint: Transferring the Design Using the Line Guide

    • Step 4. Lemon Slice

    • Step 5. Color Mixing for the Lemon

    • Step 6. Lemon

    • Step 7. Stem and Leaves 1

    • Step 8. Stem and Leaves 2

    • Step 9. Shadows

    • Step 10. Adjusting the Background

    • Step 11. Background

    • Step 12. Final Details and Finishing Up
  • 4

    Chapter 3: Design Tools, Resources, and Process

    • Where to Find Already Created Designs

    • Creating Your Own Designs: Manually

    • Creating Your Own Designs: Digitally

    • Creating Your Own Designs: Charting Software & Apps

    • Design Templates
  • 5

    Bonus Lessons

    • How to Paint a Circular Canvas Outline

    • How To Center An Element Within a Bounding Box (or how to paint a name on a stocking)

    • On Copying and Imitation

    • Prepping The Canvas With Matte Medium

    • FAQ
  • 6

    Finishing Up...

    • Finishing up

    • Thank you!

FAQ

  • I'm not artistic - can I take this class?

    If you can stitch a needlepoint canvas, you can paint one! You already have the mindfulness and attention to detail to stitch but instead of a needle and floss you’ll be using a paintbrush and paint. In the class I teach you how to use these new tools step by step!

  • Do I have to be able to count well to paint a canvas?

    No, I begin by teaching you how to count and follow a chart, then you'll learn how to paint without one. Use whichever method gives you the most joy.

  • How long will I have access to the class?

    You will have class lifetime access!

  • What is your return policy?

    If anything in your kit is damaged, defective, or lost, it will be replaced promptly. We do offer a partial refund if you're not happy with the class! If you work through the class, send us a photo of your completed needlepoint canvases (of the exercises, the monogram fob, and the completed lemon canvas) within three weeks of ship date, and you're not satisfied with the class - you'll receive the $90 class amount back.

  • Can I take or share the class with a friend?

    The class is designed to be taken by a single person and you’ll receive one set of supplies. While the class is online, please know that this small business relies solely on you, our wonderful customers to keep it up and running. We're so grateful for you! ♥

  • Is canvas painting hard?

    Canvas painting is a lot like needlepoint stitching! It's mindful, slow, creative, and needs a certain attention to detail. While you'll be learning to use new and unfamiliar tools, if you stitch canvases you already have many of the skills needed to paint them!

KIND WORDS ABOUT ABIGAIL CECILE CLASSES

  • "I first want to express that your class is GENUINELY FANTASTIC! Whether one is a beginner or have had prior experience, each participant is destined to learn new techniques, new strategies and, equally important, one meets and creates a new circle of creative and innovative friends with whom to share these artistic passions”…“I need to mention the extraordinary value of the material you provide. It is beautiful, it is of the highest quality, and it arrives elegantly wrapped, not unlike the best present one can receive." - Patricia

  • "The cost to value ratio with the finishing class is skewed heavily in favor of the student. In essence, it’s a gift from Abby to needlepointers." - Kelley

  • "Abigail's class was wonderful! It was so easy to follow, goes at a pace slow enough to see what is happening, and Abigail's calming voice helps ease the stress of being a newbie at this! Learning how to finish my own pieces has given me some self-confidence in my abilities not to mention saves a ton of money." - Alex