What Is Petit Point?

Similar to cross-stitching, Petit Point, is commonly a small piece of embroidery- with stitches worked diagonally across two threats on finely woven needlework canvas. This canvas is usually fastened into a round wooden stitching frame.

Petit point comes from the French language and it means "small point". Many people do petit point embroidery today as a hobby and make evening handbags, small pictures, powder-tins, purses, pill-boxes etc.; the favourite motif of petit point is flowers, and of these - the rose being an absolute favourite. In past centuries women, influence by religion, - also preferred angel-faces of the guardian angel or the bleeding heart of Jesus, to express compassion. Favourite colour scheme of petit point is deep-red, purple and pink in all shades, so this makes petit point embroidery a very pretty and lively accessory and a must-have article for every fine lady of standing. Such fine embroidery was a favourite wedding-present from one girlfriend to the other in the old days. Quite a challenge, considering that young ladies refused to wear glasses out of vanity and to do petit point requires keen eyesight! Failing this, the ladies used a magnifying glass for stitching – and contemporary artists included this item in their paintings of ladies – sitting near a window, head gracefully bowed over their stitching-frame. Next time you go to a museum, take in those paintings with new meaning! Or watch out for petit-point items during your next treasure hunt in antique shops!