Creating a New Canvas
Every pattern starts with a new canvas. The settings you choose here determine the size and detail level of your design.
Opening the New Project Dialog
To create a new canvas:
- Go to File > New (or press Ctrl+N / Cmd+N)
- The New Project dialog appears
Canvas Settings
Pattern Name
Give your pattern a name. This will be used as the file name when you save.
Mesh Count
The mesh count sets how many stitches fit per inch on your needlepoint canvas. Available options are: 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 22, and 24 mesh per inch.
For a detailed explanation, see What is Mesh Count?.
Canvas Size
Set the canvas size in one of two ways:
- Physical dimensions — Enter the width and height in inches or millimeters. The stitch count is calculated automatically based on your mesh count.
- Stitch dimensions — Enter the width and height in stitches. The physical size is calculated automatically.
For example, at 18 mesh, a 12 × 12 inch canvas is 216 × 216 stitches.
Canvas Color
Choose a background color for your canvas. The default is white. This color appears wherever there are no stitches and is used as the canvas background in exports.
After Creating
Click Create to open your new canvas. You will see an empty grid ready for drawing. The canvas dimensions and mesh count are shown in the header bar.
If you need to change the canvas size or mesh count later, you can do so using Tools > Canvas Layout. See Resizing and Layout for details.