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Cross stitch is one of the easiest needlecrafts to learn: there's essentially one stitch, you count
squares, and mistakes come out. This beginner's guide covers the few supplies you need, how to read a chart, how
to make the stitch, and the mistakes almost everyone makes in their first project.
What you need
- Fabric: 14-count Aida is the standard first choice — 14 squares per inch, holes easy to see.
- Thread: stranded cotton embroidery floss. Each length has six strands; on 14-count Aida most
patterns use two.
- Needle: a blunt tapestry needle, commonly size 24 for 14-count.
- Hoop: optional but helpful — it keeps the fabric taut so stitches stay even.
- Small scissors and a pattern. A kit bundles all of this and is the easiest start.
How to read a chart
- Each square on the chart is one square of fabric and one full cross.
- Each symbol or color is a thread; the key says which floss number and how many strands.
- Bold lines every 10 squares help you count. Arrows on the edges mark the center.
- Empty squares are left unstitched.
Step by step: your first stitches
- Find the center of the fabric by folding it in half both ways. Start there, matching the
center of the chart, so the design ends up centered.
- Cut about 45 cm (18 inches) of floss and separate the strands you need. Longer lengths tangle.
- Start without a knot. Leave a short tail at the back and hold it so your first few stitches
cover it. Knots can show through and make lumps.
- Make half stitches across a row: bottom-left to top-right in each square.
- Come back along the row crossing each one: bottom-right to top-left.
- Keep every top stitch in the same direction. That's what makes finished cross stitch look neat.
- Finish a thread by running it under three or four stitches on the back and trimming.
Beginner mistakes (and fixes)
- Counting errors. The most common one. Count twice, stitch once, and use the bold 10-lines.
- Pulling too tight. The fabric puckers and holes stretch. Let the thread lie flat.
- Twisted thread. Let the needle dangle every so often to untwist it.
- Carrying thread across gaps. Long strands on the back can show through light fabric; finish
and restart if the gap is more than a few squares.
- Choosing a huge first project. A 30–50 stitch design is an evening or a weekend; a 150-stitch
design is months. Our size calculator shows how big a design
will be on your fabric.
Where to get a first pattern
A kit is the simplest. Otherwise, many designers sell small PDF patterns, and you can draw a simple one yourself —
see how to make your own cross stitch pattern. If you want to
stitch something personal, our photo-to-pattern guide explains
how to pick a photo that converts well.
Trying it digitally first
If you'd like to get a feel for reading a numbered grid and building a picture stitch by stitch before buying
supplies, a digital cross stitch app is a free way to try. PixStitch, our Android app,
lets you stitch on screen: tap a color, then tap the matching numbered cells. A wrong color shows as a faint
stitch until you cover it with the right one, so mistakes are easy to spot and fix. It has 400+ built-in patterns, a Daily
Stitch, and can turn your photo into a 30–50 stitch pattern. To be clear about its limits: it won't teach needle
technique, and it does not print charts or give DMC floss numbers.
The free version shows a full-screen ad after you finish a pattern — never while you're stitching, and not for
your first two finished patterns. Optional one-time packs add more masterpieces and remove ads; there's no
subscription.
FAQ
- What do I need to start cross stitch?
- A piece of 14-count Aida fabric, stranded embroidery floss, a blunt tapestry needle (size 24 is common for 14-count), small scissors and a pattern. A hoop is optional. A beginner kit includes all of these.
- How many strands of floss should I use?
- On 14-count Aida most patterns use two of the six strands. Always follow the pattern's key if it says otherwise.
- Where should I start stitching?
- Most stitchers start at the center. Fold the fabric in half both ways to find the middle, and start from the center of the chart, marked by arrows on its edges.
- Is PixStitch a way to learn cross stitch?
- It is a digital stitch-by-number app, so it helps you get used to reading a numbered grid and choosing colors, but it does not teach needle technique and does not print charts or give floss numbers.
Get PixStitch on Google Play
Free · optional one-time packs · no subscription · Android · stitch on screen (no printable charts)
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