One of the first needle crafts that I learnt was cross stitch. I think it is one of the most simple-to-do embroidery stitches around. It usually follows a guided pattern that marks the different colours to form a picture.

Materials and Tools

The materials and tools required are usually:

• a tapestry needle, that has a large eye for the embroidery thread to pass through and a slightly blunt tip. There are different needle sizes available, depending on the size of the pattern that is worked on.

• embroidery thread of various colours, usually identified by code numbers, that are required to complete the pattern.

• Aida cloth or some may know it as Java canvas, an evenly weaved fabric cloth that forms a mesh with holes for the tapestry needle to go through.

  • There are different sizes available, known as fabric count, depending on the pattern requirement.

  • These are some good sources to read from:

    • https://www.createforless.com/buying-guides/crochet-knitting-and-other-needlework/aida-cloth-how-to-choose-the-best-type-for-your-project.aspx

    • https://thecraftymummy.com/2017/08/which-count-aida-cloth-should-i-use-for-my-cross-stitch/

• optionally, an embroidery hoop, to pull and stabilize the Aida cloth when stitching.

• pattern, usually printed in colour.

• thread codes for the pattern.

• a good pair of scissors

Method

Cross stitch is literally a cross stitch where each stitch that fills up a square space of an Aida cloth is a diagonal cross.

There are many good tutorials available in the internet that provide guidance on the best ways to work the stitches such as these:

• https://stitchedmodern.com/blogs/news/a-beginners-guide-to-cross-stitch

• https://peacockandfig.com/2017/05/cross-stitch-for-beginners/

When I started learning cross stitch, there was no internet and I had to photocopy books from the library or friends' mothers, like this one:

Black and white patterns are straining for the eyes but it was not much of a choice then. But now, with so many written and video tutorials within our fingertips and colour coded patterns, things are made easier to learn.

Cross stitch requires quite a lot of patience and eye energy to work it. When I looked at some of the projects I have completed in the past, I do wonder time and time again, how did I do it? Some projects took months to complete. Here are two that I did many moons ago:

Today, stores, both physical and online stores, sell cross stitch kits of all sorts. When you go to a physical store, you will be spoil with choices by the range of embroidery thread that is available.

I have a new cross stitch kit that I bought online last year (a small project, snippet photos shown above in the Materials and Tools section) and I hope to work on it soon :)

If you have any craft stories to share, I would like to invite you to join the CraftWorks Community!

All photos were taken using my iPhone mobile phones of different generations.