Pick up three needlepoint kits and you may find three different threads inside — wool, cotton or acrylic. Each stitches a little differently, wears a little differently and gives the finished piece its own character. None of them is “wrong”, but knowing the differences helps you understand your kit and choose your next project with confidence.
Wool: the classic choice
Wool is the traditional heart of needlepoint, and for good reason. It is soft yet sturdy, covers the canvas generously, and gives that plush, velvety surface people picture when they think of a needlepoint pillow. It is forgiving to stitch with — small unevennesses seem to settle and disappear — and it wears wonderfully well on cushions that are actually used, not just admired. If your pillow will live on the sofa and be leant on for years, wool is hard to beat.
Cotton: crisp and glossy
Cotton threads, such as stranded cotton or perlé, bring a gentle sheen and crisp definition. Colours look bright and clean, and details stay sharp, which suits fine, intricate designs. Cotton has less “bounce” than wool, so it covers the canvas a little less fully and shows uneven tension slightly more — something to bear in mind for your very first project. It comes into its own on pieces meant for framing or gentle display.
Acrylic: practical and cheerful
Acrylic yarn is the practical member of the family: affordable, colourfast, moth-proof and easy to care for. Modern acrylics stitch pleasantly and hold their colour beautifully, making them a sensible choice for cheerful, everyday pieces and for households with sunshine, children or pets. A finished acrylic-stitched pillow shrugs off daily life with good grace.
What matters more than the fibre
Here is the reassuring truth: tension, rhythm and enjoyment matter far more than the label on the thread. A relaxed stitcher with any good-quality thread will produce a lovelier piece than a tense one with the finest wool. Whatever your kit contains, keep your lengths modest — about the span from fingertip to elbow — to prevent fraying, and let the needle dangle now and then so the thread can untwist itself.
What you'll find in a Brvsk kit
Our kits are supplied with soft, generous yarn matched to the printed canvas, with every colour sorted and labelled — so there is no guesswork and nothing extra to buy. You simply thread up and begin, and the threads are chosen to cover the canvas fully with a lovely, even finish.
If you would like to feel the difference for yourself, browse our Start Here needlepoint kits — each one arrives with everything included and a design that is a pleasure to stitch.