Introducing Our New Hoop Club Project: A Modern Spin on an Ancient Craft

There’s something magical about starting a new project—the colours, the textures, the promise of quiet evenings spent stitching something beautiful into being. But this latest design is extra special. Not only is it a brand new technique for us, but it also taps into a rich history that stretches back thousands of years.

So our August Hoop Club box is going to be a needlepoint project, and while all embroidery has long historical roots, needlepoint to me always feels like a craft from a bygone era, there's something so nostalgic about it, the feel and the look of it.

I also have memories of staring at the needlepoint kneelers through long boring church services when I was little and being fascinated by the different colours and designs.

Needlepoint Through the Ages

Needlepoint is one of the oldest forms of embroidery in the world. It's been traced back to Egyptian times, and then of course there is the famous Bayeux tapestry where needlepoint was used to document, but also adorn wealthy homes during the medieval period. I loved the way David Mitchell put it in his book Unruly: A History of England’s Kings and Queens “they didn’t have video, so they tapestry’d it.”

From Castles to Cushions

In the Victorian era, needlepoint became more accessible thanks to printed patterns and colour charts. With that came an explosion of creativity—suddenly, parlours across Britain were filled with florals, hunting scenes, and the occasional slightly sinister cherub.

And then came the 1970s. Now this is where it gets fun. This is what i'm slightly obsessed with, 1970s needlepoint.

Bold colours. Geometric patterns. Psychedelic florals. Needlepoint was suddenly cool again. And today? It’s having another renaissance, people are loving the ease of stitching over a coloured print, and not following a chart (although we love following a chart too!) and basically realising how good stitching something is for the soul.

Why We Love It (And Why You Might, Too)

Needlepoint is slow, deliberate, and wonderfully tactile. It’s the antidote to scrolling. It’s meditative. It’s satisfying. You’re making something with your hands, and your mind comes along for the ride—quietly, happily. It's great for beginners because you're following the printed canvas and not a chart, so if you've been nervous of cross stitch and the counting involved maybe needlepoint will be your thing?

As always this project will be accompanied by a full video tutorial and written instructions and a friendly facebook group to encourage you in your stitching! We'll be going through the whole project from start to finish, so that hopefully by the end of it you'll be a fully fledged needlepointer!

Sign up for this project if you're not already a subscriber at the Hoop Club Page and we'll start shipping boxes at the end of August.