Since the earliest times materials have been sewn together to make clothing etc. The Bronze Age people sewed animal hides together and early civilzations have adorned their sewing using different threads.
Needlepoint came into its own in Victorian times, and was called Berlin work.The colours were bright and vibrant (as mine are) but later fashion relegated needlepoint to duller tonal colours...and unfortunately the beige backgrounds appeared - ugh.
I have gone back to the exciting use of colour and prefer dark backgrounds such as  blue and bottle green , black  can look too harsh so try a dark navy instead.
Printed canvases are now available in stores but the designs are often limited to copies of old master paintings and the colours still a little subdued.The definition of stitches is often poor too, making it hard to see which colour goes exactly where...thats why handpainted canvases are easier to work as the painting is usually a needlepointer themselves.

Well hopefully it will warm up here in Victoria soon, still cold and those winter woolies are in use.
Been knitting some beautiful shawls in cotton for the chilly evenings in spring and summer.Knitting in organis cotton is a delight..
Handpainting still busy busy.....and tutoring needlepoint is fun.
Im amazed when people say what fun it is!!Thats why I do it lol