How to Cross Stitch for Complete Beginners

What You Need to Get Started with Cross Stitch

To get started with cross stitch, you only need a few things:

• Cross stitch cloth also called “AIDA cloth” or “even weave fabric”. This is special cloth with regularly spaced holes to allow you to stitch X-shapes easily. About Aida cloth: This fabric comes in a few different sizes marked by a number in the name. The number refers to the number of holes per square inch of fabric. The higher the number the smaller your stitches will be! The most common size is 14-count AIDA cloth.
• Embroidery Floss this is a specific type of thread that comes in a huge range of colors. Embroidery floss is sold as 6 threads held together in a bundle. A common brand in craft stores is DMC floss. Each color has a number on the label that makes it easy to match the color in a pattern with the color in the craft store!
• Cross Stitch Needles. These needles are similar to regular sewing needles but have blunt ends (so you don’t poke yourself) and large eyes to accommodate the thicker embroidery thread. Embroidery or cross stitch needles come in different sizes, a #24 or #26 needle is a great choice for most projects.
• Scissors. You’ll need these to cut your floss!

Optional Extras!

• Cross stitch pattern. You can make your own cross stitch pattern with graph paper OR follow a pattern by a designer!
• Embroidery Hoop. Embroidery hoops hold the cloth stretched tight which makes it easy and quick to stitch. You can also mount a finished cross stitch cloth in a hoop and hang it on the wall!

How to Read a Cross Stitch Pattern

The hardest thing with cross stitch is figuring out how to read the pattern! Luckily, it’s pretty easy, especially compared to knitting patterns. There are a few things to know before you start that will make stitching using a pattern much easier!

Cross stitch patterns use a grid!
Cross stitch patterns are drawn on grids, also called “charts”. Each square on the grid = 1 stitch on your fabric.

Let’s take a closer look! Below is an example of part of a pattern grid. On the left is the pattern as it’s printed with a colored square to show which color of embroidery thread you’ll use in that space. The second example is how the stitch looks, it’s an “x” and not a filled square like the paper pattern! Lastly, on the right is how a stitch is made on the actual AIDA cloth.

How to Stitch Cross Stitch

Step 1: Split Your Embroidery Floss for Cross Stitch

Now that you understand how to read a pattern, let’s start cross-stitching!

The first thing you need to know is that the bundle of embroidery floss you buy at the store usually needs to be split before you stitch! Each pattern will tell you how many “strands” of floss to use in the beginning of the pattern. Most embroidery floss comes in 6 strands and most of the time you need to separate out just 1-3 strands (otherwise the floss will be too thick).

Keep it easy: trim your floss!
Also, most embroidery floss is going to come in one long piece that you’ll need to trim into more manageable pieces. I like to use small sections, no more than 10″ long and then I separate it into however many strands I need for my pattern. To separate the strands you literally just un-twist them. That’s it!

Step 2: Using an Embroidery Hoop

The next step is to place your AIDA cloth in an embroidery hoop, if you’re using one. You don’t need to use an embroidery hoop, but it will help make it easier! Embroidery hoops are used to keep the cloth tight and smooth by pulling the cloth taut between the two pieces of the hoop.

Embroidery hoops come in two pieces, a solid inner ring and an outer ring that’s spit with a tightening screw.
Step 1: Loosen the screw.
Step 2: Separate the two rings, laying the inner solid ring on the table.
Step 3: center your fabric over the solid hoop.
Step 4: Place the split outer ring over the inner hoop and press down gently.
Step 5: pull the fabric smooth around the hoop and tighten the screw until the fabric is clamped firmly between the two rings.

Cross Stitch Step 3 – Cross Stitching Techniques

Phew. We’re finally on the fun part – the actual stitching! When it comes to cross stitch, there are a few different ways to stitch the “x’s”.

One technique is to stitch each individual X-shape at a time. This works well for single stitches in one color but it can lead to a back which is a bit messy if you’re doing big sections in the same color. Instead, I prefer to do what they call a half stitch for big areas of the same color. The half stitch is created by making only one diagonal arm of the X across all the stitches of that color in a row, and then going back and doing the other half of the arm all the way across. See below.

Cross Stitch Step 4 – Starting Your First Stitch (No Knots!)

OK great, now you know the basic half-stitch technique, let’s get started with your first stitch.

The biggest surprise with starting your first stitch is that we’re not going to use any knots to secure our pattern. Knots create bumps that your needle can get stuck on and create loose stitches and bumpy messy backsides.

To create a knot-free project you need to start with the very first stitch! You’ll start by creating a loop or a small tail of thread on the backside of the fabric and then anchoring it with subsequent stitches as you begin your row. Here’s how!

Step 1: First, it is best to start at the beginning of a row. Insert your threaded needle from the back to front of the fabric. Leave about a 1/2”-1” of thread on the back side of your cloth.

Step 2: Next, hold the thread tail with your finger against the back of your fabric, making sure to pin it flat in the direction and along the row you plan to stitch. As you make the first few diagonals make sure to wrap your thread over the tail to keep it in place to anchor it. Trim any excess thread after the first few stitches.

Cross Stitch Step 5 – Skipping Rows

When I first got started, one of the things that confused me most was regarding what to do when I need to jump a few squares to continue my current color?

The answer couldn’t be simpler – you skip the stitches in the other color by stretching your thread behind those blocks (on the back of your pattern of course – not the front!). In general, it’s no problem skipping a few squares (as many as 10 in my experience), just make sure to keep the thread smooth and tight along the backside.

Cross Stitch Step 6 – Finishing Stitches

Finishing your stitches is just like starting them! Again, we’re going to avoid knots in our cross stitch. To finish the thread, slide the needle under a row of “x’s” along the backside of your work. This helps to anchor the thread in place and then cut off the excess. Easy peasy.

Troubleshooting: Common Cross Stitch Problems

When I separate threads from my DMC embroidery floss it becomes a tangled mess. What am I doing wrong?!

Separating 1-3 strands of embroidery floss can sometimes result in a tangled mess! To avoid tangles try cutting the floss into shorter lengths before splitting threads off. DMC embroidery floss normally comes in very long sections (sometimes upwards of 25′ or more!). Simply cut this down to about 10″ and then slowly separate the strands. Still having trouble? I like to pin one end of my floss under something while I pull the strands apart to keep the floss from flying as it untwists.

Help! I have big knots at the back of my pattern. What do I do?

Yikes! This is the biggest hurdle for new stitchers (and experienced cross stitchers too!). Here are a few ways to avoid big tangles on the back of your piece:
1. Try using even shorter lengths.
2. Try using a floss “conditioner”. This is a special wax or paste that you can run your strands through to keep them smooth and tidy as you work.
3. Make sure to keep your thread ends trimmed! Don’t wait until the end, otherwise the ends will get caught in your new stitches.
4. Try using a hoop if you’re not already! Hoops keep the fabric taught and make it easier to pull the thread through in one smooth motion.
5. Use your fingers to keep the thread straight on the back as you pull it through the fabric. Your thread will create one big loop on the back as you stitch, you can use a finger to hold the loop open and straight so it doesn’t twist as you pull!

It’s really hard to get my embroidery needle through the holes. Is this normal?

Aida cloth is designed to hold embroidery floss firmly so that your stitches look perfect forever! However, this can mean that it’s hard to stitch your design too.
Some ways that make it easy to stitch:
1. Use a thinner needle with a smaller point and a really narrow, long “eye”. Keeping the needle as thin as possible will help for smooth stitching.
2. Use fewer threads! Patterns will recommend how many strands of floss to use. Make sure you’re using the same number the designer recommends and also that the Aida cloth is the same number recommended by the pattern.
3. Using a thread conditioner can help the threads slide through the holes easier!
4. Keep your thread tail short. Make sure that the thread tail is no more than 3″. If you have a long tail it means you’re pulling 2x the amount of floss through each hole for longer than you need to!