Cross Stitch Basics

Welcome to Craft E. Bug. I want to explain a little bit about cross stitch and cross stitch fabrics. There is a wide variety of sizes and stitch counts and colors. I will do my best to give you a basic rundown of cross stitch and fabrics.

The most common size or stitch count is 14-count Aida cross stitch fabric. There are also 18-count and 28-count. I should explain what the 14 and 18 are referring to. The 14-count means that there are 14 stitches to an inch. Just remember the bigger the number (14, 18, 28) the more stitches to an inch. The fabrics come in different colors from white to black. Some fabric types are linen, Aida, evenweave, vinyl, and more. You can search online for a more in depth explanation of the different types of fabrics. You can even stitch directly onto your clothes using waste canvas to help line up your design. There are also pre-printed or stamped designs on fabric to cross stitch.

Embroidery floss is the most common type of thread used to cross stitch. Some patterns call for ribbons, beads, or buttons to be stitched onto the fabric.

Cross stitching is done starting at the left and moving to the right and then completing the stitch by coming back from the right to the left on the same row. The cross stitch is made by coming up at the bottom left of the stitch and going down at the top right of the stitch. That completes half of the stitch. Come up at the bottom right of the stitch and go down at the top left crossing back over the first half of the stitch to complete the whole stitch. To stitch a row, you will follow the directions above to make the first half of the stitches and then at the end of the row you will stitch back across each stitch to complete the cross stitch stitching to the left.

When you start a pattern, it will tell you to find the center of the fabric you are using for that pattern. You can use a pin or fold the fabric in quarters to find the center. They have you do this so that your finished design will be centered on the fabric and will fit properly unless you are stitching a stamped cross stitch fabric. The center of the pattern on the chart is usually marked by a dot or there may be arrows on the side and top that you can follow to the center of the pattern. I just pick a color and start stitching once the center has been found on the pattern and my fabric. Make sure you count how many stitches of each color to do. There are whole stitches, half stitches, and quarter stitches that can be made also. The more detailed a design, the more types of stitches that will be used. Backstitching is done to outline the design and for details of the design or for lettering.

This is a very basic rundown of cross stitching. I hope it helps you to get started on your journey into cross stitch. Always make time every single day to keep stitching when the Craft E. Bug bites!