A Beginner’s Guide To Cross Stitching

Cross stitch is a type of embroidery in which the pattern is laid out with a cross stitch according to the count. This is one of the simplest and most ancient types of hand embroidery. The seams are laid on the fabric with an even weave.

Cross-stitching can most often be bought in the form of embroidery kits, but in principle, you can buy a separate scheme for embroidery and all materials, and you can even come up with a drawing yourself and embroider your own picture.

But before you start embroidery, if you are a beginner, you should familiarize yourself with the following materials.

1. Reading the cross stitch pattern

The cross stitch pattern tells us everything there is to know about the embroidery process. At what point, what color to use, if different stitches are used, then this is also said in the embroidery scheme. The mesh on the embroidery chart corresponds to the mesh formed by weaving threads on fabric or canvas. And each square in the pattern corresponds to one place of the weave of threads, on which a cross will appear.

The icon in the diagram tells you which color to use in which place. To decrypt the schema, use the schema key. In the key, you can see which thread is used for which symbol. What kind of floss is used in the scheme, how many threads, and how many threads you need.

2. Prepare your fabric

Cross stitching takes place on different fabrics. In principle, you can embroider absolutely on any fabric, now there is even a special water-soluble canvas that allows you to embroider on anything, but the most popular for embroidery are linen and canvas.

In order not to fray the edges of the fabric during embroidery, these edges must be processed. They can be stitched with a zigzag on a typewriter or glue along the edge or glued with adhesive tape. This will ensure the preservation of the edge, which is especially important if you have a large and lengthy process.

3. Find the center of your fabric

To find the center of your fabric, simply fold it in half in one and the other direction. The intersection point can be marked with a special water-soluble marker or marked with a thread stitch.

4. Using a hoop or embroidery machine

In order for the stitches to lay down smoothly and neatly, it is better to immediately get used to embroider on a hoop or on an embroidery machine. For beginners, it is enough to take a regular round hoop. They are sold in almost any craft store and are not expensive at all.

To work on them, take the hoop, loosen the screw, and set 2 circles apart. Place the circle that does not have a screw on the table, put the fabric on top, placing the piece of fabric on which you plan to embroider in the center of the circle.

Place the second circle on top of the canvas and press it down so that the fabric is clamped between the hoops. Pull the fabric around the sides a little and tighten the screw. Do not over-tighten the fabric to avoid deforming it.

5. Thread the needle

For cross stitching, it is most convenient to use special tapestry needles with a rounded nose. This does not mean, of course, that other needles will not work. You can embroider anything, but if there is a way to make the process more pleasant and convenient, then why refuse it.

If you bought a cross stitch kit, then it usually includes a needle and you can safely embroider with a needle from the kit, if not, then you should familiarize yourself with the materials on the correspondence of the dimensions of the canvas and the needle. When it comes to buying a kit, Vervaco craft kits are really good. You can buy Vervaco Cross Stitch kits online at Craftmar.com to make beautiful embroidery art.

Thread the needle in the same way as you would for normal hand sewing, but do not knot the end of the thread. When embroidering with a cross, the tail of the thread is simply clamped with the purl of the cross. It’s better than decorating the wrong side of your work with a lot of messy knots.

6. Create a Row of Cross Seams

Cross stitching is usually carried out from left to right, the main thing to remember is that, unless otherwise specifically provided, then all crosses should go in the same direction.

7. Finishing the thread

When you run out of thread or run out of stitches of a given color in your pattern, it’s time to cut the thread. In order not to create unnecessary knots, then the thread must be brought to the seamy side and held under the seamy parts of the stitches. Draw the thread under 3 to 4 stitches, and then trim without trying to trim too close.