To a serious stitcher, a hand painted needlepoint canvas is appreciated in much the same way a Ferrari is appreciated by a car fanatic - it just does not get much better than that. And when you are an expert in your field, or you simply love your craft, then choosing 'the best' may be the only way to go.

Why do stitchers like handpainted needlepoint canvases so much? There are two main reasons for this. The first one relates to how the canvases are painted. In most cases they have been what is called "stitch painted". Each individual stitch is painted a specific color so that the stitcher knows just where to place each stitch, and the stitched canvas is created just how the designer envisaged it. With a printed canvas it is sometimes difficult to tell which color goes where because a color might line up between two stitches, and so the stitcher has to decide what it was the designer intended. Printing methods have improved on this in recent years, though, and now it is a rare printed canvas that is "off" in this way.

The second reason hand painted needlepoint canvases are considered the creme de la creme is the level of design detail you can get when someone has painted something by hand - a myriad of colors can be blended into the one design, the painter can layer a design with shading and subtle details, so that in the end the painted design itself is an artistic masterpiece. Oftentimes, stitchers will buy canvases because the designs are so beautiful and they may never stitch them. Or, they will stitch the canvas using a lot of open-weave or "darning" stitches that allows the painted beauty beneath to show through. In this way, a hand painted needlepoint canvas is like a piece of fine art.

And, like a piece of fine art, most hand painted needlepoint canvases are limited in their production. Some designs will be around for years, but many are available for a little while and then the designer discontinues them to make room for new designs. In this way you are buying a limited edition artwork.

Handpainted needlepoint canvases are usually painted on mono, single weave canvas which is a strong and durable needlepoint canvas, suitable for upholstering and withstanding a reasonable amount of wear and tear. This means a finished piece will make a lovely pillow, piano bench cover, foot stool cover or other upholstered item.

The shear volume of hand painted needlepoint designs available is mind blowing and testament to the popularity of this genre. Almost any type of design you can think of has probably been reproduced by a designer for someone's stitching pleasure. There are designs for Christmas ornaments, chair covers, purses, key ring inserts, luggage tags, belts, buckles, brooches - the list is almost endless. And, if you cannot find something you like, you can always commission a design and get just 'the thing'.

There are a variety of reasons why hand painted needlepoint canvases are popular, despite the additional money that must be paid for them, but when you think about it, they are still good value in entertainment terms. You might spend two to three hundred dollars purchasing a hand painted needlepoint pillow canvas and kitting it out with threads, but you get hours and hours of entertainment and relaxation. Plus a lovely finished product that perfectly matches your home decor.