Brass Thumb Tacks and Bargello Needlepoint

For a smooth and even finish to your Bargello needlepoint, consider using brass thumb tacks to mount your needlepoint canvas on stretcher bars to frame it for stitching. Although you don’t need a frame to stitch Bargello needlepoint, it does help when making small projects like ornaments, coasters or wallet inserts, or when you need both hands to make a specialty stitch for embellishment.

Brass tacks should be used instead of ordinary thumb tacks because they do not rust and depending on the kind you purchase, they can be used over and over again. When selecting brass tacks, make sure they are easy to fasten AND remove. Those sold at hardware stores may be too long and thus hard to pull out when you are finished stitching or if you need to re-stretch a canvas.

Needlepoint stores usually sell inexpensive brass tacks for around $3.00 in a set of 60 conveniently packaged in a reusable case with a plastic tack remover tool. Unfortunately, these tacks bend easily and are not as reusable as more expensive varieties. Other options include a kit that sells for around $15.00 which contains tacks, natural wood finish magnetic pusher to push thumb tacks into stretcher bar frames as well as an extractor to remove thumb tacks from the frame.

I like the Japanese Brass Tacks because they are the sturdiest. One package of 60 tacks can be reused to stretch a minimum of three needlepoint projects. The plastic container that holds the tacks has a removal tool at the base. Unfortunately, you may not be able to find Japanese Brass Tacks in the average needlepoint shop. A fellow stitcher gave me a box of these tacks about 15 years ago, and after I used them I was hooked; so I purchased 20 boxes (for my Bargello needlepoint stash) and I still have 14 of them.

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