Cross Stitch Guide by Kathleen M Dyer

Counted cross stitch has few rules. The main one is to enjoy yourself. You may follow or ignore any of the tips listed in this FAQ and still be a "real" cross stitcher. Generally, people first learn to do counted cross stitch on Aida and learn to stitch on linen or other evenweaves as they become more experienced. Judging by comments in this newsgroup, most stitchers who know how to work on linen prefer it to Aida. As always though, this is a matter of personal choice. Some very experienced stitchers prefer Aida. An evenweave is any fabric which has...

Commercial charts suggest which type and colour of thread to use. Kits even supply the thread for you. However, there are times when you want to select the thread yourself. Situation: The floss supplied in a kit is of poor quality. If you are lucky, the chart supplied with the kit lists colour numbers and a brand name. This doesn't happen very often, at least with kits that supply ugly floss. If there is no list, try to get a colour card for one of the big-name brands of floss such as DMC or Anchor. Look for one which includes...

Counted thread stitch should be done with a tapestry needle. Tapestry needles have blunt points and much larger eyes than sewing needles. The blunt points prevent the needles from piercing fabric threads. Tapestry needles come in a variety of sizes. A larger size number means a smaller needle. Cross stitching usually requires a #22, #24, #26 or #28 needle. One traditional rule says you should use a #22 needle if the fabric is 14 count (14 threads per inch) or less, a #24 or #26 needle if the fabric count is 16-18 count, and a #26 needle if the fabric...

Floss is generally colourfast, but some people like to be very cautious when using dark or intense colours in heirloom quality projects. If you choose to be this cautious, do the following. Remove the floss from the paper wrapper. Place each skein of floss in a separate glass container containing cool or room temperature distilled water. Some people recommend adding vinegar or salt to the water, but the usefulness of the vinegar or salt varies with the type of dye and may even cause damage. Rinse the floss in the distilled water. If the water does not remain clear, replace...

The following suggestions are very conservative and cautious. It seems safest to list many things that a stitcher might want to be aware of. You are then free to use or ignore whatever you choose. Trim off any selvage edges. Some people recommend stitching on a project so that the warp threads go from top to bottom, with the selvage at the side. See section "31.1 Warp and Weft and Why and Why Not" for a more detailed explanation of how you determine the selvage, and why you may want to do so. Cut the fabric to size for the...

First, the traditional rule--stitch on Aida using a hoop and stitch on linen "in the hand". In actual practice, people do whatever works best for them. Most who like their fabric taut do tend to avoid hoops in favour of scroll bars or Q-Snaps when working on linen or other evenweaves, as hoops may damage the fabric or leave marks. See section "30.2 Hoops, Scroll Bars and Such" for more information on the equipment itself. See section "18. Stitching On Linens and Other Evenweaves" for a more detailed explanation stitching on linen. Some people find it easier to control the...