The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Cross Stitch: Part 1 – Supplies

Much like knitting, cross stitch is having a resurgence. If you’ve been interested in starting this relaxing and inexpensive hobby but had no idea where to start, look no further! I’m going to teach you everything you need to know to get started.

What is Cross Stitch?

Cross stitch is a form of needlepoint where X-shaped stitches are applied to a piece of cloth, usually linen or aida. Stitches are sewn in a grid-like pattern to create an overall picture.

Basic Supplies

Pattern

You can purchase a cross stitch patterns at craft stores (usually within a kit) or online or find free patterns online. If you’re feeling extra creative, you can design your own pattern using graph paper and colored pencils.

Embroidery Floss

The thread used in cross stitch is called embroidery floss. DMC is one of the most popular brands and widely available at craft stores and Walmart. Each color is assigned a different number; this number is how patterns will tell you which color to use.

Aida (or Other Even Weave Cloth)

Aida (pronounced ‘ay-duh’) is the most common fabric used for cross stitch. It’s a gridded fabric available in a variety of colors. The fabric is classified into different counts, which tells you how many “squares” are in 1 inch of fabric. If you measure 1 inch of an 11-count aida, you’ll count 11 squares. If you do the same for a 28-count aida, you’ll count 28 squares.

Now here’s where it gets tricky. If you want your design to be larger, use a small count aida. And if you want your design to be smaller, use a larger count aida.

Embroidery Needle

Size 24 or 26 blunt needles are commonly used. You may find some labeled specifically for cross stitch or they may be labeled as tapestry needles. These needles will have blunt ends and large eyes.

Embroidery Hoop

You can use a wooden or plastic circle hoop. I recently discovered Q-snap frames and found they don’t hurt my hand as much as a hoop does.

I pick my hoop based on the piece. If I’m stitch a smaller piece, round piece, or plan to frame in the hoop, I’ll stitch in a hoop. If I’m stitch a larger piece, square or rectangle piece, or plan to frame in a picture frame, I’ll use the Q-snap.

Small Scissors

You’ll definitely need a small pair of sharp scissors with a pointed end.

Highlighter

Useful for marking the stitches you’ve already done on your pattern so you won’t get confused.

Needle Minder

These dandy magnets attach to your fabric and are the perfect place to store your needle when you’re not stitching. Never store your needle by threading it through the fabric!

Look for more details on the supplies in future posts of this series. Your next stop is a all about aida in Part 2 – Aida.

You can see a complete list of all posts in this series here: The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Cross Stitch