Learning to cross stitch is not difficult: the variety of stitches in this technique is small, and ready-made patterns and sets of threads will help you accurately select colors. The most important thing is to learn not to lose count when you need to embroider a long row of crosses with the same color. To do this, embroiderers have come up with a number of tricks that you must use to make the work go faster. It is especially important to use such techniques when the size of the embroidered fabric is significant, the crosses are small, and the canvas is thick.

You need to start with works where the size of each cross is large and the image is miniature. You can practice the technique on small embroideries before moving on to a huge canvas.

What you need for needlework

Any work requires the selection of suitable equipment, cross stitch is no exception.

• embroidery pattern indicating thread colors;
• threads distributed by color, each of which is assigned a number;
• canvas of the required size.

There are extended sets for beginners, which add hoops, special needles, and sometimes scissors. Buying these items each time means paying more for them. It is better to purchase separately easy-to-use hoops and scissors, as well as a set of needles.

The most experienced embroiderers manage to take a pattern from the Internet, buy threads and canvas with the required hole spacing to match it, in order to complete the work without typing. It's hard to say which is cheaper: buying threads and canvas separately or purchasing a ready-made set. Probably, such a step is justified when there is no cross stitch kit with the desired picture on sale.

In a cross stitch kit you can often find not only colored threads, but also melange threads - with color transitions, shimmering or “metallic”. The most commonly used threads are floss. Some embroiderers like to use Iris balls, which make the crosses more voluminous and shiny. A play of color can result when some of the crosses are embroidered symmetrically to the rest. “Iris” is only suitable for designs with large crosses. Floss can be layered into the required number of threads. Large crosses are embroidered with three threads, regular crosses with two threads, small crosses with one thread.

Melange threads help out if you really need them smooth transition, for which you cannot select neighboring colors from the standard thread palette. To create effects, threads with lurex (“metallic”), fluorescent and glow-in-the-dark threads are used.

Canvas can be included in the set or sold separately. When purchasing it, it is important to look at the pitch between the holes. The Aida canvas has numbers indicating the pitch of the holes for the needle, that is, the cells. The more threads in the canvas there are per inch (this is the number that gives the product number), the more cells are produced per square decimeter. This brand of canvas is most often found in sets.

There is a designer canvas where the drawing is directly applied. The colors of the embroidered pattern with this outline are deeper.

For children's cross stitch, they often use plastic canvas, where you can work without using a hoop, since it holds its straight shape well and does not crumble or stretch.

If you need to embroider something on a smooth fabric or knitted fabric, then it is good to choose an overlay canvas that can be removed after embroidery. Among the new technologies is water-soluble canvas: all you need to do is wash an embroidered product, and you won’t have to pull out the threads one by one.

It is impossible to cross-stitch well and evenly without a well-chosen hoop. If the work is more reminiscent of a carpet or bedspread than a miniature, the hoop must be large. If you do embroidery all day, it is better to choose a chair hoop with a tripod or a sofa machine, which frees up both hands.

If the cross is small, then you will have to take an addition to the hoop in the form of a large magnifying glass on a tripod. This device is good for use by needlewomen with poor eyesight.

For miniature projects, small plastic or wooden hoops will do.

For convenience, they are equipped with a screw to make the outer ring easier to move apart depending on the thickness of the canvas or fabric on which the embroidery is being done. It is better to have hoops of different diameters in reserve, since you can cross-stitch a pillowcase on a pillow, bag, glasses case or wallet.

Needles, scissors

Embroidery needles have a large eye and a slightly blunt tip, easily recognizable by its characteristic curve, unlike the usual sewing needle. This point is made so that the embroiderer does not get caught in the thread of the canvas and does not stitch through it. With such a needle, it is easier to touch to find a hole in the canvas, which is why the crosses turn out to be perfectly even and the embroidery beautiful.

A wide eyelet is necessary for quick threading. This is especially important when using floss with several threads: threading them into a narrow eyelet is very problematic.

There are special scissors for cross stitch, and these are not only the now popular “heron” scissors, but also ordinary curved scissors with a very sharp angle at the tips. It is convenient to cut with such a pair, placing the blades parallel to the outline. If you don’t have such scissors, you can use manicure scissors.

Interesting fact: heron scissors repeat appearance obstetric umbilical cord clamp. This instrument could not have sharp blades, although it is quite possible that there were specific obstetric scissors with which the umbilical cord, pinched with two clamps, was cut.

The second scissors that an embroiderer cannot do without are tailor’s scissors. They are convenient for cutting the canvas from a roll or cutting strips of fabric that are used to deliver the canvas if it is too small for the hoop.

For metallic threads, you will need a separate pair of scissors, adapted for greater load. A thread containing metallized fibers is similar to wire, so over time it can damage such a precise instrument as hook or curved scissors. For rigid threads, you can use wire cutters or metal scissors, if the latter are not very bulky.

What are the types of seams?

First, you should learn how to cross-stitch long sequences and single elements. A single cross is embroidered from the lower left point to the upper right, then from the lower left to the upper right. If it is more convenient for you to work with a different orientation, then you can start from the top left point, and then the cross will turn out to be mirrored. It is important to keep the cross stitches in the same direction for all embroidery, unless you want to play with shades.

The sequence of crosses is embroidered like this: first we go through the required number of crosses from right to left, then we return from left to right, making whole crosses from the resulting diagonals. This method is called Danish. Performing each cross separately is the English method.

For contours and small details, a “back needle” stitch is used. Another name for it is “backstitch”. Many dressmakers know the peculiarity of this seam to imitate machine stitching.

An impossible task for beginners who take up cross stitch are elements such as:

• ¼ cross;
• ¾ cross;
• half-cross

It seems that everything denotes the fractional parts of a standard cross, but the technology for making them is different. Half-cross stitches are ordinary diagonals, not “closed” by counter stitches of the cross. The real half of the cross can be obtained by making ¾ of the cross. In this case, one diagonal is stitched completely, the second - only halfway: from the corner to the already embroidered full diagonal. It is understood that ¾ of the cross should have an addition of a different color. It can be embroidered as the rest of the diagonal. This type is called ¾ cross + ¼ cross.

You can complement the remaining space in another way: parallel to the whole diagonal, sew the same one, but in a different shade, then add an incomplete diagonal to it with the same color. This pattern is called ¾ cross + ¾ cross.

It seems that it is becoming clear what ¼ of a cross is, but let’s not rush. A quarter cross is often called a full-fledged small cross, four times smaller than its large brother. These small crosses are used to embroider fingers, facial features or muzzles of an animal, and other details of the picture that require accurate reproduction of shades or are simply very small.

Cross stitch method

In addition to the English and Danish cross stitch methods, it is often necessary to perform double diagonals if the design requires it. You need to move up or down diagonally through the row so that you don’t end up having to pull it out through the same hole where the thread was just passed. On the way back, the missing crosses are embroidered and those whose stitches were made earlier are filled in.

In addition to the traditional cross, there is a Bulgarian cross, which combines not two, but four stitches. Two of them are diagonal, the other two are horizontal and vertical, they all fill the square. Bulgarian cross It is good to embroider designs with large elements. This cross is ideal for national ornaments and looks great on towels, knapsacks, bags, and mittens.

Surprisingly, our grandmothers often did without canvas. For embroidery on a waffle towel, it is not needed at all: the fabric is already perfectly cut into squares. Very small crosses looked good on the harsh canvas. The counting element was the interlacing of threads: 2 warp threads and 2 weft threads were taken as the size of each cross. But with temporary canvas it was possible to embroider even on smooth fabrics like bologna. A removable canvas was sewn on, a marking or design was applied to it, and after the cross stitch was completed, all that remained was to flog this temporary base along the threads.

In the last century, printed pictures with squares were popular, on which it was easy to cross-stitch a design. A silk lining fabric was used, onto which a ready-made color pattern was applied, divided into cells. It was difficult to “prick” a dyed square with a needle: the needle entered the silk free of paint more easily. The advantages of such pictures for embroidery: low cost and the absence of a separate color scheme that distracts from the embroidery process. The main disadvantage is the fragility of synthetic lining fabric.

A modern analogue of such pictures is a canvas with a printed pattern. It is much stronger and more durable, and also has holes for precise needle placement.

How to learn cross stitch step by step

When starting work, you should stretch the canvas with markings onto the hoop. If the canvas is initially a virgin canvas, not marked with cells, then draw it yourself in increments of 10 X 10 crosses with a simple pencil and only then refuel. The canvas should be stretched tightly and not follow the needle and thread.

There are sets where the drawing takes up almost the entire canvas included in the set. The question arises: what to do with the edges and corners, since they cannot be hooped? To do this, it is good to cover the canvas with strips of any fabric. It is desirable that it be approximately as thick as canvas, then it will be possible to tuck it into the hoop well.

It is most practical to use the Danish method described above: the threads do not get tangled, and even the reverse side of the embroidery is neat. Having mastered it, you can safely cross-stitch pillowcases and clothes.

For embroidered pictures and tablecloths, avoid knots at the beginning and end of the thread. Learn to leave and hold long end at the beginning of embroidery so as to grab it with the wrong side of the stitches. The tip of the thread is tucked under stitches of the same color. If you changed the thread without changing the color, you can thread the beginning of it from the wrong side under the stitches embroidered earlier. This technique will rid the surface of a painting or tablecloth of “bumps” and “humps”. If the tip of the thread is too short to pass under the stitches with a needle, use a thread threader, threading its wire under the desired stitches, and everything will work out!

The finished work needs to be formalized. If this is a pillow, then you should match the embroidered canvas with a similar-sized flap, a zipper, and sew everything from the inside out. Without turning it on your face, iron the work, after which you can turn the pillowcase inside out and put it on the finished pillow. If there is only filler, it is better to sew a smooth pillowcase separately, fill it, and design the embroidery as a pillowcase.

Embroidered pictures need to be inserted into a baguette or a standard photo frame. To make your work look good, order anti-reflective glass.

Step-by-step instruction

Let's summarize how to cross-stitch a piece of work in its entirety:

• Open the kit and check that it is complete.
• We arrange the threads by color and number in an organizer, which can be conveniently made from a sachet with transparent pockets or a regular photo album.
• We draw the outline if there is no ready-made marking on it.
• We cover the canvas with fabric if the pattern comes too close to the edges.
• We study the diagram and get to work directly. During the process, it is worth making pencil marks at the places where the thread color changes.
• When the cross stitch is ready, we decide whether to wash it. If yes, then dilute the soap solution and gently rinse the finished work without rubbing. Place in water for rinsing, rinse out the soap and hang to dry without squeezing.

It is better to first check the threads for their ability to fade in water before washing the finished embroidery. If at least one of the threads has unstable dye, it can spoil the other colors and lose its own shade.

We decorate the work according to the idea: we sew fringe onto the tablecloth, we make a pillowcase from embroidery for the pillow, and we sew two embroidered fabrics for the bag. We put the picture in the frame.

Never use shedding threads on everyday items that need to be washed. These are clothes, pillowcases, potholders, bags, wallets, etc. If one or two colors fade in the set, it is better to replace them with similar threads from a trusted manufacturer.

How to cross stitch according to the pattern

There are no strict recommendations for working with the pattern, but it is better to start from one of the edges of the embroidery. You can move, filling an area of ​​the same color with crosses, from bottom to top or top to bottom, but more often the direction is chosen from left to right, as we read and write. If a color is repeated frequently in cross stitch, it is good to immediately fill several zones with it, then thread another thread and proceed to the next shade. If the transition between areas of the same color is too large, you should not pull the thread from the wrong side: it is better to cut it, fasten it and start in a new place with fastening.

If it is difficult not to miss the beginning of a new “island”, it is better to take a thread (or several different threads, depending on the pattern) of an adjacent shade, embroider the intermediate section, and then start working in the same color.

Erroneously embroidered rows will have to be flogged: it is not worth embroidering one color over another, as this will spoil the texture of the product. And a visible contrasting shade will look bad. In order not to make mistakes, study the instructions for cross stitch in detail, look at the diagram, understand where which shade is used.

Embroidery patterns for beginners

You should not immediately take on cross-stitching a huge picture. A small embroidered miniature is done quickly and gives a reason to be proud of your work. Even for beginners, it is now quite possible to choose an effective picture for embroidery.

Registration of work

Cross stitch is not made to sit on a shelf in a closet. If there are enough embroidered pictures in the house, you can switch to pillowcases for sofa cushions, tablecloths and napkins, newspaper cases, bags and other practical things.

Everyday items with cross stitch require special care:

• washing;
• ironing;
• proper storage.

Do not wash items with cross stitch in caustic solutions or too hot water. You need to iron at a temperature that the threads and warp can withstand. The instructions for the kit should say this. If there is no such mark, then be guided by the thread material: cotton, wool, synthetics. Always iron from the wrong side.

Try not to fold the clothing in the places where the embroidered design is located: it will be more difficult to iron.

Pictures with embroidery need to be stretched onto a sheet of plywood, hardboard or chipboard. It is best to secure the fabric with stitches thrown from one side to the opposite: from left to right, from bottom to top. The thicker the stitches, the smoother the embroidery will sit on the base. It is better to place embroidered paintings in frames with anti-reflective glass. It is not advisable to hang these products where there is direct sunlight. If the light only ever passes through the window glass and the glass on the frame, the embroidery is virtually UV protected.

The hardest part of cross stitch is the beginning. Where to make the first stitch - as usual or take a risk and do something unconventional? How to secure the thread? What color should I start with? How to correctly calculate the injection site? All these questions flash through the minds of not only beginners, but also quite experienced craftswomen. After all, every new job is a kind of adventure that challenges us and invites us to take risks.

The specifics of starting embroidery depend not only on the features of the pattern and its complexity, but also on the type of fabric. Let's try to understand the not-so-complicated intricacies in more detail.

Preparing for embroidery

You should start by marking the fabric and organizing the threads. The latter in the sets are often placed on holders, but if you selected the threads yourself or replaced some colors, then you can create your own classifier by punching holes in the cardboard with a hole punch or making identical envelopes for threads of different shades.

If the pattern includes a middle (marked with arrows), fold the fabric in half horizontally and vertically and draw or baste these lines. To make your work easier, lay auxiliary lines through equal squares of crosses (10,20,50), or outline the corners of the work, mark the axes of the main depicted motifs. Marking the outline will not only make it easier to count crosses, but will also help you notice errors in time.

Where to start embroidering

Traditionally, cross stitch begins with the center, which, as a rule, coincides with the most interesting motif in any pattern. But in fact, the motives for starting in the center are purely practical: it will be almost impossible to displace the embroidery on the canvas and miscalculate its dimensions, because the center of the embroidery and the center of the pattern will be located the same. This beginning is especially relevant for those who measured the canvas themselves or inattentively counted the threads, took only the “approximate” size of the fabric, or if the finished set has a minimum tolerance for free “margins”.

If you have no worries about the size of the fabric and its suitability, then try to start from the center too, but this time not the diagram, but the drawing: select the most massive, bright, catchy element of the image and start embroidering from it, that is, from the most interesting .

Well, if you like order, choose the lower right corner (or left, if your top stitch faces “left”), and if the pattern is too complex, built on dozens of similar shades, start with the darkest colors.

By the way, it is better to choose the color of the first thread with which you will start working, the darkest one close to the starting point (or in the palette): this way it will be easier not to get confused in the nuances and shades of the most difficult light tones to work with.

Thread length, number of folds

Check the instructions for the pattern to see how many threads you need to use. If you don't have one or the information is not provided, try making a few test crosses on the side margins to see if the selected embroidery density will be decorative enough. On the universal canvas Aida 14 it is customary to embroider with a thread in 2 layers; on a smaller canvas you can embroider with one thread, with a larger one - even with three or four.

Before you start embroidering, you need to decide on the length of the thread. The standard thread length for cross stitch is 70 centimeters, but if you do not have enough experience and want to avoid twisting and tangling, it is better to limit yourself to an elbow length or thread of about 45 centimeters.

The thicker the thread, the rougher its texture, the shorter it should be. Before threading the needle, divide the cut piece of floss into fibers, carefully straighten them all individually and then put them back together: aligning each individual thread will eliminate knots, the risk of uneven tension, and reduce twisting.

How to secure a thread

Securing the thread to the fabric is the most important step when starting embroidery. Not a single knot, protruding tip or incomprehensible tubercle should spoil your work, so do not be too lazy to fasten the threads and then only on the front side under the already embroidered crosses so that it was almost unnoticeable. The fastening technique also changes depending on whether you are working with an even or odd number of threads.

If you embroider with 2 or four threads, that is, in an even number, you can use the most reliable and in a simple way. To do this, thread one or two threads into a needle (half as much as you need for embroidery and twice as long) and thread it on the front side in the lower corner of the square of the future first cross. Pull the thread from the needle and straighten the ends, thus obtaining two identical threads passed through the corner of the future cross. Having threaded them into the needle, you can start embroidering. If you are embroidering on canvas rather than on canvas, then the thread must be threaded through the intersection of two adjacent warp threads.

If you are embroidering with one thread or any odd number, you will need to secure the thread in a more complex manner. So, having threaded the thread through a needle, pass it through 3-4 squares of canvas, alternately piercing vertically and horizontally under the central threads of each square (the thread will run like an almost invisible snake). By embroidering crosses on top, you will securely hide the end of the thread and secure it completely. On the fabric, draw the tip of the thread under the vertical threads along one row of fabric.

To secure the thread, you can also use the “loop” method - simple and economical. A thread twice as long as that required for embroidery is folded in half, pulled through the eyelet and passed through the corner of the first cross, bringing it back out also closer to the corner. The thread is removed with a needle, the two free ends are threaded into a loop, thus securing and embroidered with them as two independent threads or together, if it is necessary to embroider in an even number.

Important nuances when working

When embroidering crosses, remember that the bottom and top stitches should always “look” in the same direction and under no circumstances should they change places. When the thread runs out, carefully hide it under the already embroidered crosses and continue embroidering with this color or start with a different one if you want to fill the pattern gradually.

In order not to get confused and not to figure out each time which fragment you are embroidering, the crosses already transferred to the fabric can be painted over with a transparent bright marker, or better yet, a pencil.

Cross stitching for beginners is a good opportunity to calm your nerves and put your thoughts in order. Recently, it has become fashionable to decorate adult and children's clothing, knitted hats, bags, cosmetic bags, linen, pillows, kitchen items with cross stitch. And if you haven’t tried your hand at cross stitch yet, it’s time to get carried away with this decor. We suggest starting with miniature embroidery cross. It's not difficult, and you see the result immediately. Mini-embroidery can be used to decorate clothes, accessories, hide stains, and update old items. Or embroider a small napkin, frame it on cardboard and hang it anywhere in the apartment.

What fabric should we get for embroidery? What are the best needles to buy? How to make drawings? Which hoop is better and more convenient? We will try to briefly answer the main questions for beginners in cross stitch.

If you are decorating children's or adult ready-made clothing, then take a piece of clothing, put a hoop on top, and work. The same applies to bed linen, tablecloths, and so on. If you are doing embroidery for decoration, you need to determine what it will be on. Experienced embroiderers prefer to embroider on Aida canvas. For beginner embroiderers, it is recommended to take vinyl canvas.

As an alternative, large-weave fabrics (linen, cotton, burlap, matting, canvas, etc.) are suitable for this purpose. All of these fabrics have a noticeable cross stitch pattern. The fabric should have a fine or large clearly defined weave, it is better if it is light in color.

Interesting embroideries can be obtained on colored fabric, such as polka dot fabric. We prepare our fabric for work: we sew the edges or go over them with glue or varnish so that the threads do not spill out. We are looking for the central point of the canvas: fold the fabric in half 2 times. Mark the center with a pencil. This will make it easier for us to outline one or more drawings.

To make cross stitch for beginners easy and simple, it is better not to skimp on needles, but to buy several at once. In the process, you will understand which needle is more convenient for you to work with. The difference between embroidery needles is this: the lower the number, the larger the needle.

There is one rule: the denser the fabric, the tighter the weave of the threads and the thinner the needle for cross stitching.

For cross stitch, needles with a blunt rounded end are desirable. This end does not pierce, but “expands” the fibers. You can see the puncture points - this makes it easier to determine the stitch size. The long eye is suitable for wool and multi-strand floss.

Store needles and pins in a pincushion or cushion. You should not stick a needle into your clothing or put a needle or pin in your mouth.

For the convenience of cross stitching, it is advisable for you to choose a hoop. They come in different types: metal, plastic, wood, large square ones. Metal ones are not very convenient; they often leave dark marks on light embroidery. Plastic hoops are the cheapest and can be used as long as they do not slip off the fabric. Large square ones are convenient, but take up too much space. For small embroidery they won't fit. And the most comfortable ones are wooden hoops. They can be with or without a screw. Choose a size of 20-30 cm. Take a sheet of paper with you to the store, the size of your work, this will make it easier for you to choose the size of the hoop.

A variety of threads are suitable for cross stitch:

1. Embroidery cotton (floss).
2. Melange.
3. Mercerized cotton.
4. Tapestry wool.
5. Metallized.
6. Fine wool.
7. Silk (floss).

The most commonly used thread is floss. Each skein is made from 6 thin threads; they must be separated before work. Otherwise you will get confused. First, carefully unwind the floss and cut off a piece of 65-70 cm. This length of thread is the most convenient for work. Then we begin to pull out the threads one at a time and wind them on small cardboards so that they do not get tangled. Before embroidering, it is recommended to run the thread over a damp sponge - it will lie more evenly. You can use any thread, the main thing is that the work brings pleasure and joy.

Preparing for embroidery

Before work, it is advisable to wash and dry the fabric, wrapped in a napkin. Then the fabric is ironed. This way you will be sure that the fabric will not shrink in the future. If the drawing is small, the easiest way is to draw it in cells on a sheet of checkered paper, coloring it with colored pencils. Then copy paper is placed on the fabric, and a design is placed on top. Secure the drawing with pins and trace with a sharp pencil or pen. Then color all the cells with colored pencils.

There are three types of stitches that are most often used in this embroidery: cross stitch, half cross stitch, and tapestry stitch.

• What is the cross stitch technique? These are two threads that lie crosswise, close to each other. There is nothing particularly complicated about this technique.
• What is a half cross? A half cross is ½ a cross. This stitch is usually used to embroider the background. He is in demand in big works when you need to save thread.
• What is tapestry stitch? It is similar to a half-cross, only the reverse part of the stitch is different. The tapestry stitch is used to embroider rows: vertically or horizontally.

There are several embroidery methods. The most basic and frequently used:

• Traditional (English) - each cross is embroidered separately.
• Danish - first embroider ½ cross, go through the entire row, and then go back, covering another ½ cross. And so on until the end of the row.

It is more convenient to embroider rows vertically with the traditional method, and horizontally with the Danish method.

1. All stitches should be the same, in the same direction. Do not tighten the threads; it is better to keep the stitch loose.
2. Experienced needlewomen advise to start by taking cotton floss threads, in 2 threads.
3. Cross stitch always starts from the center of the fabric. We have already found and marked the central point.
4. Move from the center to the edge of the picture.

Many people write that the inside should look beautiful. This is not at all necessary, especially on pillows and paintings. Don't do extra work.

At the end of work

After finishing work, briefly put the fabric in warm soapy water for an hour. Then rinse without twisting. Iron from the wrong side. You need to put it down terry towel, otherwise the stitches will lose their shape. The fabric must dry completely. Next, you can start stretching it onto a special frame. Our frame is made of cardboard. After stretching, we wrap the edges and seal the wrong side with tape. Embroideries look most beautiful in frames without glass, as the structure of the canvas is visible.

Embroidery patterns

We found such schemes so that they were small and clearly divided into cells. This makes it easier to redraw them.

Evgenia Smirnova

To send light into the depths of the human heart - this is the purpose of the artist

Content

In order to master the embroidery technique, you need to purchase special tools, materials, and become familiar with the types of seams. Beginners are recommended to use simple, ready-made patterns that will help them quickly learn embroidery and later create complex, beautiful elements of clothing and interior decor.

Materials and tools for work

Cross stitch for beginners involves the use of canvas and special threads. Types of canvas:

• Aida – made of cotton. Dimensions (number of cells per 10 cm) 11 r. – 43 pcs.; 14 rub. – 55 pcs.; 16 rub. – 60 pcs.; 18 rub. – 70 pcs. How larger size, the more elegant and complex the embroidery will be.
• Evenweave - used in cases where the pattern occupies a small part of the space (tablecloth, bed, pillowcase, napkin, etc.).
• Invoice – for embroidery on finished products(clothes, bag, towel, etc.).
• Stramin – for working with wool. Used to create a rug, tapestry, etc.

For cross stitch and satin stitch embroidery, floss threads are often purchased. Always choose quality products that do not fade and can withstand washing at 95°C. For tools you will need:

• needle with long ear;
• hoop for tensioning fabric;
• scissors;
• water-soluble marker for marking outline.

In addition to basic materials and tools, needlewomen like additional accessories. List of the most popular:

• seeds, files for storing floss;
• travel kits;
• organizers;
• threader;
• case for needles.

Cross stitch rules for beginners

In addition to the embroidery technique, it is necessary to adhere to generally accepted recommendations. There are a few of them:

• The fabric should be starched and finished along the edges.
• The optimal thread length is 25–30 cm, maximum 50 cm.
• The needle must match the canvas - the larger the canvas size, the thinner the needle.
• The work must be removed from the hoop.
• There should be no long broaches or knots on the reverse side.
• All top stitches are performed in one direction.
• There should be a source of bright light at the workplace.
• Before washing, the embroidery is rinsed in cold water to remove the marker.
• The embroidery is washed in a warm soapy solution. Wring out through a towel, dry with a warm iron, then iron hot with reverse side.

Types of seams

Beginners should further familiarize themselves with the types of crosses. Main types of seams:

• double-sided cross;
• half cross;
• one fourth of the cross;
• one eighth of the cross;
• three quarter crosses.

Cross stitch methods

You can embroider using different methods. Four popular methods:

• Danish - first they embroider a line with a half cross (slashes along the front side), then go back to create a full cross.
• Traditional - crosses are embroidered individually.
• Skipping stitches. If there is a gap of up to three stitches between the crosses, you can pull the thread diagonally from the reverse side.
• Simple diagonal - stitches are made diagonally. First, half-crosses are embroidered up, then back down or vice versa.

How to cross stitch for beginners according to the pattern

Buy a ready-made set with a simple pattern, lined outline and threads. It will be much easier to learn with him. Follow the general step-by-step instructions:

• Find the center. According to the diagram, count the crosses horizontally and vertically so that there is 10 cm of free space at the edges of the canvas.
• Hoop the canvas.
• Start embroidering from the upper left corner, from left to right.
• Choose the appropriate embroidery method. The optimal cross stitch technique for beginners is traditional.
• Fold the thread in half and thread the tails through the eye of the needle. Next, you need to stick the thread from the wrong side into the lower left corner of the future cross, leaving a small loop. Insert the needle into the upper right corner from the front side, carefully hook the loop, tighten.
• Start embroidering the required number of crosses.
• Fasten the thread from the reverse side under the existing crosses or make several stitches in place of future ones.

Cross stitch patterns for beginners

Mini-embroidery can be used in the interior, on clothes, to hide a stain on a tablecloth, etc. Increasingly complicate the schemes gradually. In ready-made sets, the level of complexity of the drawing is often indicated, so make suitable choice it won't be difficult.

How to make a diagram from a photo

Cross stitch for beginners is only possible using a schematic drawing. You can find a ready-made version or make it yourself from any picture using the pixelation method. Main methods:

• special programs, for example: Cross, PCStitch and others.
• photoshop;
• graph paper and pencils.

Errors at work

Beginners and experienced needlewomen sometimes make mistakes. The table will help you learn not to make mistakes and correct existing ones:

	Correction
Crossing out the diagram with a marker.	If the paper is glossy, try wiping off the marker or pen with alcohol. In the future, always keep several copies of the diagram on hand or cross out the cells so that the shade number is visible.
Incorrect stitch direction.	Carefully rip apart the irregular crosses with scissors or a ripper. Do not pull out long threads. Remove the remaining crosses (you can use regular tape for this). Use a needle to straighten the structure of the canvas. Correct the defect by observing the correct stitching.
The picture doesn't fit.	Extend a piece of the same canvas to the missing area. Some needlewomen continue to embroider the design on another piece, and then very carefully join the two fabrics with crosses.
The marker does not wash off from the fabric.	Sew the background with a half cross.

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How to learn cross stitch step by step

In the “First Lesson” we will tell you about where cross stitching actually begins. You will find answers to the questions: what is the structure of fabrics for embroidery; how to position the needle correctly; how to do a single cross. Let’s also try to embroider a small piece of fabric together.

The structure of the fabric, the special finishing of the Aida fabric, which forms distinct squares, makes it easy to count the threads, and small holes in the corners of the squares make it easier to pass the needle.

Linen (or cotton) fabric with a uniform weave of threads is also used for cross stitching. As can be seen in the figure, the rather sparse structure of the fabric allows you to easily count the threads.

Needle position

When cross stitching, the stitches of one cross are made exclusively in one square. The needle is in a vertical position in relation to the canvas (the point is facing up or down)

Performing a single cross.

The cross stitch is formed by two diagonal stitches, which are performed in the same sequence throughout the entire work. First, place a diagonal stitch from left to right (bottom), and then a diagonal stitch from right to left (top). In the figure, one square of Aida fabric is marked with a circle.

Embroidering on Aida fabric with an even number of threads

The cross stitch technique depends not only on the structure of the fabric used, but also on the number of threads - even or odd. On this page we will tell you how to start cross stitching with an even number of cotton floss threads, namely in two, four, etc. folds.

Thread the needle with half the number of threads that will be used for embroidery, and insert the needle into the fabric from the front side of the work at the point where the threads cross, forming the lower left corner of the square.

Pull the thread to remove it from the needle.

Thread both ends of the thread into the needle, doubling it in this way and securing it to the fabric.

Start making a bottom diagonal stitch in one square of the fabric.

Embroidery on linen with an even number of threads.

Determine the number of fabric threads (both in width and height) on which the cross will be made. The picture shows cross stitch on a square of three threads of fabric in width and height.

Thread the needle with threads, the number of which is half that which will be used for embroidery, and insert the needle into the fabric from the front side of the work at the point where the two threads of the first square intersect.

Pull the thread to remove it from the needle, thread both ends of the thread into the needle, thus doubling it and securing it to the fabric. Start sewing the bottom diagonal stitch.

Embroidery on Aida fabricodd number of threads

Here we will tell you how to start embroidering with an odd number of threads on Aida fabric using iris No. 5 and No. 8 or cotton embroidery threads (or single-ply cotton floss threads on thin linen).

Thread the needle, stitch from right to left, passing the needle under the two vertical threads of the Aida square and from bottom to top under the two horizontal threads of the next square of fabric.

Repeat similar stitches (under the two vertical threads of the square and under the two horizontal threads) on at least three squares of the Aida fabric.

Tighten the thread so as to hide its beginning under the threads of the first square, then make a bottom diagonal cross stitch.

Embroidery on linen with an odd number of threads.

Determine the number of fabric threads (both in width and height) on which the cross will be made. The picture below shows cross stitch on a square of three threads of fabric in width and height.

On the front side of the work, mark under the threads corresponding to the three crosses. Bring the needle under the crossing threads in the lower left corner. Tighten the thread so that it hides the beginning of the thread under the first basting stitch, then sew a bottom diagonal stitch, catching the indicated number of threads.

Continued work

Now let’s try to cross-stitch a small section of fabric together. As you may have noticed, the needle with the point facing up or down is always in a vertical position, maintaining the same direction throughout the row. Each stitch covers one square of Aida fabric or the same number of threads in width and height of linen or cotton fabric.

Continue in the same way until the desired area is filled, then use the top diagonal stitches to cover the last row completed from right to left.

Securing the end of the thread.

Upon completion of the embroidery, bring the needle to the front side of the work and pass it under the last embroidered crosses (see Fig. 1). Cut off the remaining part of the thread (see Fig. 2)