6 Quick Cross-Stitch Tips for Beginners

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If you’ve been interested in learning about cross-stitch, don’t miss this beginner-friendly article from Ksenia Antipova. Featuring useful tips and fun facts on cross-stitching basics, this article also covers information about where to find cross-stitch patterns, as well as sustainability tips. Want to keep this article on hand while you begin your cross-stitch journey? Be sure to save this article to your Favorites!

Cross-stitch embroidery roots can be found in ancient Egypt and during the Tang Dynasty in China. This popular embroidery technique spread globally via trade routes like the Silk Road. The 18th and 19th centuries were the height of its popularity. Today, throughout the world in libraries and museums, we can find embroidery work that features both known and unknown cross-stitch artists.

Where to Find Cross-Stitch Patterns:

1. Internet, where you can find free and paid charts from designers around the world.
2. Libraries: There are books and magazines available, where you can find not only modern charts but also charts dating back to the 19th and 20th centuries.
3. Magazines: You can buy hardcopy or online versions.
4. Cross-stitch embroidery kits.
5. Websites and apps where you can try to create your own design.

Cross-Stitching Materials:

If it is your first time, I recommend you to buy a cross-stitch embroidery kit that includes: fabric, floss, needles, and a hoop. Once you gain more experience, you can get a design from a magazine, where there is a list of materials for every chart. Then when you feel more confident, you can choose materials from hobby and craft shops for your projects. Throughout these experiences, you will realize that you are a cross-stitcher who enjoys experimenting with colors of fabric or floss so your materials will match to your own criteria, inspiration, or preferences.

Useful Tips Before You Begin:

1. To save time, thread a few needles before you start stitching, especially when it is a big design.
   
2. Try using a magnetic embroidery hoop; they don’t leave lines on fabric, so you don’t need to wash and iron your fabric. They’re also especially comfortable for projects that you want to finish fast.
   
3. Find and mark the middle of your fabric (the most simple way is to bend your fabric by length and by height).
4. Purchase embroidery scissors, as they will save you time if you will need to correct mistakes. Their edges are more thin and sharp.
   
5. Put the embroidery floss on bobbins (you can cut it out from paper or tags), and don’t forget to write the floss’s number on it.
   
6. Keep your bobbins, needles and scissors in a box for easy transportation between different stitching locations.

Tips for the Stitching Process:

1. Start stitching from the middle of fabric.
2. Don’t make knots on floss.
   1. If you are stitching with one floss, leave a long edge and after stitching, thread it into the needle. Then, make a few stitches and hide it between stitches on the back of your fabric.
   2. If you are stitching with two flosses, cut one long floss, then bring two edges together and thread them both into the needle. After stitching, hide the floss between stitches on the back of the fabric. You can find different video tutorials on YouTube.
      
      
      
3. Always stitch in the same direction (first left to right / then right to left).
   

In some designs, you will find some special stitches. The most common are back stitches; you don’t need to worry about them, as they are easy stitches (using one floss) those goes exactly as shown on cross-stitch charts. The French knot is a common stitch as well, and there are many video tutorials about making them. For beginners, I suggest making small cross-stitches in the place of the French knot, especially when French knots are used to make eyes of people or animals. I have found that making two similar French knots can be difficult, so I suggest making French knots only on big projects where the French knots are used to bring volume to the design.

Sustainable Stitching:

1. Keep leftover threads for Christmas ornaments (Put them in a transparent Christmas ornament with some beads, buttons, pompoms, etc. and you will have unique holiday décor).
   
2. Cut the size of fabric according to the information provided in the chart or use a fabric calculator (available online on different sites, which turns stitches to cm or inch) for measurement.
3. Use leftover threads on small projects.
   
4. Turn stitching into a complete project (simple and beautiful gifts with the small cross-stitch embroidery like cards, hanging décor, framed projects, key rings. For the big designs, make cushions, totes, kitchen décor, etc).
5. Don’t print charts; instead, stitch from computer’s screen or telephone.

Other Cross-Stitch Tips:

1. Turn a compact powder box to a needle keeper (see photo above).
2. Make hanging décor for scissors from old beads and a small jewelry hook (see photo above).
3. Make bobbins from paper tags (see photo above).
4. Make a floss holder by sewing a few buttons onto felt (place floss around the buttons).