Craft Cruises
based: USA
Craft themed cruises catering for travellers who enjoy a shared travel experience, cultural exchange and learning new skills. Typical cruises include: knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, hand spinning, beading, mixed media and Christmas craft markets.
| theme cruises | beadwork | knitting | needlepoint/cross-stitch | mixed media | Christmas shopping/markets | USA | Worldwide |
Cross Stitch Guild
based: Gloucestershire, UK
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Weekend events, classes and courses held in UK Hilton Hotels, offering classes for all skill levels; fees cover all tuition, materials and light refreshments. The guild is for stitchers using cross-stitch and any other form of counted embroidery (including blackwork, hemstitch, thread work, hardanger and canvaswork).
| needlepoint/cross-stitch | England |
Needlepoint Cruises – from CraftCruises
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Combining cruising with opportunities to improve needlepointing skills. A program of needlepoint classes and workshops are included on these craft focused cruises.
| needlepoint/cross stitch | Worldwide |
Silver Needle (The)
based: Oklahoma, USA
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Fun stitching weekends at Camp Wannasew in Sequoyah State Park, Oklahoma. Offering a weekend of stitching and friendship, based in a bunkhouse facility for up to 46 stitchers.
| needlepoint/cross stitch | USA |
Aristeia Needlepoint
based: California, USA
Needlepoint shop in Santa Monica, in Southern California which runs a regular needlepoint retreat each year.
| needlepoint/cross stitch | USA |
Needlepoint
based: Buckinghamshire, UK
Anna Pearson's Needlepoint – courses in Buckinghamshire, Lake District and overseas.
| needlepoint/cross stitch | UK | USA |
Sandy Jenkins Needlepoint Retreats
based: Texas, USA
Stitcher and needlepoint needlework retreats in Texas Hill Country.
| needlepoint/cross stitch | USA |
Traveling Together
based: Forida, USA
Vacation tours that feature quilting, knitting, miniature doll house collecting, needlepoint and embroidery.
| needlepoint/cross stitch | patchwork/quilting | embroidery | Worldwide |
This is a special section dedicated to cross-stitch (also sometimes known as counted cross-stitch) and needlepoint, both of which are types of counted-thread embroidery in which stitches are sewn to form a picture or pattern. There are differences between the two techniques, more of that below. The travel companies and practitioners listed on this page offer specific cross-stitch or needlepont courses, tours or holidays, but we recommend that you also look at the more general embroidery section too, as some of the listings there may include cross-stitch/needlepoint as part of a more general trip.
So what are the differences between the two techniques? The main difference is the type of stitch used; the canvas base fabric tends to vary as well, as does the type of thread most commonly used.
Cross-stitch mainly uses intersecting cross-shaped stitches to create the picture or pattern. Partial stitches are used to create shape and texture, while back stitches are used for small detail and to create outlines. Cross-stitch uses aida cloth, linen and mixed-content fabrics named evenweave. The stitching generally uses embroidery floss/thread. Cross-stitch is, in fact, the oldest type of embroidery and examples of the work can be found worldwide. Historically it was used on household items like t-towels and aprons, but these days it is most often used to create pictures for framing.
Needlepont traditionally uses a tent stitch as its basic stitch, this is a half cross-stitch and is sometimes actually called a 'needlepoint stitch'. Needlepoint can be worked in a variety of stitches, but is frequently worked using just the simple tent stitch, with colour variation in the yarn creating the pattern. Needlepoint tends to be worked on stiff canvas, the thread count of which determines the degree of detail in the work. On very fine canvas it is refereed to as petit point. A variety of yarns and fibers may be used. Needlepoint canvas is stretched on a frame to keep it tight while its worked. In the UK needlepoint may be referred to as tapestry or canvaswork. The technique is most often used in upholstery, wall hangings, rugs, bags, purses and the like.