Cross Stitch 101
Cross stitch always seemed so intimidating before I knew how to do it, and it took me over a year from trying to figure it out to feeling like I knew enough to want to do it again. Fast forward a couple of years to when I started Stitchbound, and my goal now is to make cross stitch as approachable as possible to folks who are new to the craft. When you get right down to it, cross stitch is simply making the same simple stitch over and over again, and it’s pretty simple to do once you understand how everything works.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the very basics of cross stitch, from the four necessities you’ll need to prepping your fabric to making your very first stitch. Everything you need to get started is right here.
Let’s get stitchy!
What You’ll Need
One of the main reasons I love cross stitch is that it’s a more affordable fiber art than larger-scale projects that require large amounts of yarn or materials. You can get all of the materials you need for your first project for under $20. If you can’t find these supplies at your local craft store, check out 123Stitch.com.
Aida cloth: I like to recommend Aida cloth for cross stitch beginners. This woven fabric has larger holes that make it clear where you’ll need to make your stitches. I recommend the brands Charles Craft and Zweigart for a blend of high quality and good value. 14 count Aida is a good size to start with. You can learn about fabric count and more about Aida cloth in my All About Aida tutorial post.
Embroidery hoop or Q-Snap frame: It’s easier to keep your stitches neat when your fabric is nice and tight. You can stitch in the same frame you mount your project in, purchase a more durable plastic hoop, or get a Q-Snap frame for larger projects.
Embroidery floss: All Stitchbound patterns use DMC colors because the brand is widely available in craft stores and has a huge variety of colors. With smaller patterns, you’ll only need a single bundle, or “skein.”
Tapestry needle: Because embroidery floss is thicker than sewing thread, you’ll want to get a larger type of needle called a tapestry needle. For 14 count Aida, a size 24 tapestry needle is recommended.
Preparing Your Fabric and Hoop
How much fabric do you need for your project? What size hoop should you use? Check your pattern to see how large your completed piece will be. This is often given in stitch dimensions, though Stitchbound and some pattern designers will include measurements based on your fabric count. A quick way to calculate your project size in inches is to take the number of stitches in one dimension and divide by your fabric count (i.e. 56 stitches wide / 14 count Aida = 4 inches wide). I talk about fabric count calculations more in my All About Aida post.
You don’t have to stitch in a hoop that will fit your project, but I recommend it so you don’t need to iron out any creases when you’re finished. I recommend using a hoop that is 1-2 inches larger than your finished project size so you’re not stitching right up against the hoop itself. You’ll also want to have an inch or two of fabric of overhang when stitching in the hoop so you can adjust your fabric tightness. For example, a 4-inch finished piece would need a 6-inch hoop and an 8-inch square of fabric.
Note: If you plan on framing your piece instead of displaying it in the hoop, you may need more fabric than this. As a rule, make your fabric 1-2 inches wider on all sides than the frame or mat opening you will be using.
After cutting out your Aida cloth or other fabric, be sure to mark the center of your fabric so you can make sure your pattern is centered when you go to stitch. A quick way to do this is to fold your fabric in half, then in half again. Then, use a fabric marker or pencil to lightly mark the corner where the folds meet. If your pattern doesn’t cover this center point, be sure that the mark is on the back of your project so it isn’t visible when you’re finished stitching.
With your fabric prepared, you’re ready to mount it in your embroidery hoop for stitching.
Unscrew the hardware at the top of the hoop to separate the inner and outer rings.
Place the fabric over the inner ring. Measure from the center of your fabric to make sure the hoop is evenly placed.
Place the outer ring over the fabric and inner ring and screw until tight.
Pull at the fabric corners to make sure the fabric is centered and evenly taut.
Threading Your Needle
While yes, threading your needle is as simple as putting the floss through the hole (the Spongebob “put it on the lid” meme comes to mind here!), there are a few things to know that may help you.
Once you’ve cut a length of embroidery floss to work with, untwist it slightly. You’ll see that it is made up of six strands of thread that are twisted together. You don’t want to use all six threads as you stitch, as this will make your stitches much too thick for most fabrics. If you’re working with 14-count fabric, I recommend using two or three strands.
After you thread your needle with however many strands you decide to use, only pull the floss through about two or three inches. This is called the “tail” of your floss, and the longer piece is called your “working thread.” Be sure to keep this tail long enough as you stitch so you don’t accidentally unthread your needle.
Note: If you struggle to thread your needle, there are tools out there to help! A simple needle threader tool can do wonders if you need a larger hole or something to hold onto to get your thread through the tiny eye of the needle.
Making Your First Stitch
Cross stitch describes the craft as a whole, but it also describes the main type of stitch you’ll be using for your project. You’ll be making hundreds (or thousands!) of small crosses or x’s on your fabric to create your design. Let’s learn how to create your first individual stitch.
First, take a close look at your fabric. If you’re using Aida cloth, there will be larger holes every so often in the fabric that form the corners of individual “squares.” These holes are where you will bring your needle through the fabric to create your stitches.
If you’re using a different type of woven fabric like linen, it may be harder to see where you need to make your stitches, but you should still be able to identify the threads in the fabric. Keep in mind how many threads you’re stitching over so you keep your stitches even. (This is where you’ll hear terms like “over two” from other cross stitchers, which means stitching over a 2x2 square instead of one.)
The easiest way to start your first stitch is to tie a knot at the end of your thread and bring it up from the back of the fabric. As you get more comfortable with cross stitch, try a loop start or a pin start for a cleaner finish.
With all of that out of the way, let’s make your first stitch!
In the bottom-left corner of a square, bring your needle up from the back of the fabric. This is called a “half stitch.”
Then, push your needle back through the hole in the top-right corner of that same square.
Ta-da! You just finished your first stitch of many, for your first project and beyond.
Stitching Your First Row
Instead of doing full stitches one by one as shown above, you can also streamline your stitches by creating half stitches going in one direction and then finishing them all in the other. This is a good way to make sure all of your stitches face the same direction and your project has a smoother stitched surface.
To stitch by row, start your first stitch the same way as above, coming up through the bottom left of your first stitch on the left and back through the top right of that square.
Then, bring your needle up one hole below that, in the bottom-right corner of the square you were just working on.
Create these half stitches for the rest of your row.
Finish your row by going back over those half stitches in the opposite direction.
Finishing Off Your Thread
When you have about three or four inches left of your working thread, it’s time to finish it off before you’re caught playing thread chicken and you don’t have enough working thread left for the stitches you need to do. You can simply tie a knot on the back of your project if you like, but this adds bulk to the back of your piece that can make it bulkier for certain finishing methods, like pins and patches. Instead, we’ll go over a way to finish your thread off without making any knots.
Pull your needle through to the back of your fabric and flip it over. You’ll see lots of vertical stitches like the ones below. (But don’t worry if your back isn’t this tidy — the only project backs that look this neat are graphics like this tutorial uses!)
Thread your needle beneath 3-5 of these vertical stitches.
Trim your floss — no need to knot it. The tension of your stitches will keep the tail in place.
Wrapping It Up
Congratulations on making your first few stitches! Like I said at the top of this post, this is the stitch at the foundation of cross stitching. There are other stitches out there, but Stitchbound patterns only use this basic stitch to keep projects as simple as possible.
If you have any questions about getting started or want to show off your first project, tag me on Instagram and Bluesky @stitchbound. I can’t wait to connect with you!
