Let’s explore the essential tools and supplies you need, learn how to make your first stitch, and discover an easy pattern to start off with. It’s fun, it’s easy, and you’ll be stitching like a pro in no time. For your first project, start with the basics: light-colored Aida fabric, the floss needed for the pattern, a pack of needles, an embroidery hoop, and a pair of scissors. These will form the foundation for your cross stitch endeavors and you can always add more supplies as needed. It’s easy to learn, though there are some key tips that you will want to know right from the beginning. For instance, it’s important to know how to secure the floss so your stitches don’t loosen up. Use this introductory tutorial to guide you through the first stages of cross stitch so you develop good habits right away. It will make your cross stitch projects much more enjoyable. When you’re looking at fabric for cross stitch the color is important because it is the backdrop for you stitching. You also need to pay close attention to the ‘fabric count.’ This will determine how accurately sized your final project is. You can play around with fabric count to adjust the size, but at first, it’s a good idea to go with the recommendation given in your pattern. Many beginners do not realize just how many needle options are available for cross stitch. For this craft, you will need a tapestry needle, but even that name comes with a whole host of options. The cross stitch tapestry needle has a smaller eye than others, just large enough for a few strands of floss. Purchasing a pack of needles is important because as you stitch, you will choose needles to match your fabric count. If you thought choosing needles would be the easiest part of counted cross stitch, think again. With a little knowledge, you won’t have any problems. The color options for floss are endless. Your pattern will often recommend a very specific color whose code corresponds to the DMC standard. Follow these suggestions to ensure your project turns out as expected because quite often the subtle variances are there to add dimension to the finished design. Also, you will often only use two or three of those strands from a floss skein at a time while stitching. Due to this, it’s important that you learn how to remove the necessary strands without creating a big tangle. The good news is that cross stitch patterns are relatively standard, so once you learn how to read a pattern you will be able to read any design you like. The patterns include a key that decodes the pattern and it uses colors and symbols to represent the specific color of floss to use. Don’t worry if this sounds too complicated because after your first pattern you’ll know exactly what you’re doing. This geometric sampler is a perfect first project. It uses a series of squares that each has a different design and it’s all stitched in straight rows using a single color. You will even find that it includes a few letters, which are very common in cross stitch. By the time you complete the sampler, you should have made all your major mistakes. You’ll then be ready to take on a pattern with a little more detail.
