Cross stitch guides
Short answers to what people ask before and during their first chart.
- How to read a cross stitch pattern
How to read a counted cross stitch chart: what the squares, symbols and grid lines mean, where to start, and how to keep your place across pages.
- 14, 16 or 18 count aida: which to use
What aida count means, how it changes the finished size of a cross stitch pattern, how many strands to use on 14, 16 and 18 count, and which suits a beginner.
- How to cross stitch on black aida
Tips for stitching on black or dark aida: lighting, seeing the holes, needles and floss, plus counted cross stitch patterns designed for black fabric.
- How much embroidery floss do I need?
How to work out how many skeins of DMC floss a cross stitch pattern needs, how far one skein goes, and why our floss key counts skeins for you.
- How to frame or finish a cross stitch
How to finish a cross stitch in its hoop or mount it in a picture frame: pressing, trimming, backing and lacing, without glue or glass.
- How to start cross stitch: everything you need for a first chart
What you actually need to start cross stitch: fabric, floss, needle, hoop and scissors, what each costs, and the one mistake that puts most beginners off.
- Cross stitch fabric: aida, evenweave and linen explained
The difference between aida, evenweave and linen for cross stitch, which count to use for each, and why black aida needs a different approach to the others.
- How many strands of floss to use for cross stitch
How many strands of embroidery floss to use on 11, 14, 16 and 18-count aida, how to separate them without tangling, and when to use three.
- How to separate embroidery floss without a tangle
A reliable way to pull single strands from a six-strand skein of DMC floss, how to find the right end of a new skein, and how to store what you have cut.
- Which needle for cross stitch: tapestry needle sizes explained
Which tapestry needle size to use for 11, 14, 16 and 18-count aida, why the point is blunt, and how to tell when a needle needs replacing.
- How to use an embroidery hoop for cross stitch
How to put fabric in a hoop drum-tight without marking it, which size hoop to buy, when to take the work out, and whether you need a hoop at all.
- How to wash and iron a finished cross stitch
How to wash a finished cross stitch by hand, dry it flat, iron it face down without crushing the stitches, and what to do if a colour bleeds.
- The parking method for cross stitch, explained
How the parking method works for cross stitch, why it suits charts with many colour changes, and how to keep a dozen threads on the front of the fabric without a mess.
- How to start and end a thread in cross stitch without knots
The loop start for two-strand stitching, the away waste knot, and how to end a thread by weaving under the back so it never works loose or shows through.
- How to grid cross stitch fabric so you never miscount
How to mark a ten-stitch grid on aida with thread or a water-soluble pen so it matches the heavy lines on the chart, and how to remove it when you finish.
- How to print a cross stitch pattern PDF at the right size
How to print a PDF cross stitch chart so the symbols are readable: paper size, scaling, black and white printing, and using a tablet instead of paper.
- How to fix a cross stitch mistake (and when to leave it)
How to unpick cross stitches without damaging aida, how to tell a miscount from a wrong colour, and which mistakes nobody will ever see.
- What 'confetti' means in cross stitch, and why it matters
What stitchers mean by confetti, why charts converted from photographs are full of it, how it slows a project down, and how our charts are checked for it.
- How to work out the finished size of a cross stitch
How to calculate how big a cross stitch pattern will be on 11, 14, 16, 18 and 28-count fabric from its stitch count, with a quick table for common sizes.
- DMC floss colour numbers, explained
What DMC floss numbers mean, why the numbers are not in colour order, the few that every stitcher recognises, and what to do if a shade is out of stock.
- How to finish a cross stitch in a hoop for hanging
How to mount a finished cross stitch in an embroidery hoop as a wall piece: centring, tightening, gathering the back, and covering it with felt.
- Cross stitch vs embroidery: what is the difference?
How counted cross stitch differs from freehand embroidery, what each needs in fabric, thread and needles, and which is easier to start with.
- How long does a cross stitch take? Realistic numbers
How many stitches an hour a beginner and an experienced stitcher manage, how to estimate a project from its stitch count, and what makes a chart slower than its size suggests.
- Railroading in cross stitch: flatter, neater stitches
What railroading is, how to do it with two strands of floss, and why it makes cross stitches lie flat and cover the fabric better, especially with pale thread on dark aida.
- Which way should the top stitch go in cross stitch?
Why every cross in a piece should have its top leg running the same way, which direction is conventional, and how to work rows so it happens automatically.
- Cross stitch gift ideas: what to stitch for whom
Cross stitch gift ideas by person and occasion: zodiac signs, black cats, moths, Halloween, folk florals and more, with how long each takes so you start in time.
