HOW TO CROSS STITCH FOR BEGINNERS

Making cross stitch is not as difficult as you think. In this article, we will share two things that beginners should know how to start and end cross stitch.

For the first step, we will make a straight line instead of an image. Prepare yarn, needle, and cross stitch fabric. If the tools and materials needed are ready, let’s start stitching.

1. Insert the yarn into the needle. The length of the yarn should not be too long because it can interfere with the stitching process. Sometimes even threads that are too long will get tangled. The length of the yarn is also not too short because it is not effective if you just started stitching the yarn has run out. The length of the yarn that we use is about 40 cm.

Insert the yarn into the needle

2. Position the yarn of unequal lengths

Yarn position before starting cross stitch

3. Insert the needle from the back of the cross stitch fabric then pull and leave a yarn about 3 cm.

insert the needle from the back of the cross stitch fabric

leave about 3 cm of yarn

4. Press the remaining yarn on the back of the cross stitch fabric by hand. Then pin the needle on the front of the cross stitch fabric to form a half cross. Don’t forget the back yarn is also pinched. We usually embroider with one cross consist of 3 x 3 dots.

the back yarn is pressed by hand

The front of cross stitch fabric

The back of the Cross stitch fabric

5. Continue half crosses up with free numbers to practice. Don’t forget to slide the needle when embroidering to avoid double yarns.

Make a half cross

6. If you have made several half crosses up then complete the embroidery into one whole cross by embroidering it down.

Complements one cross

7. If you are at the very bottom of finishing the cross stitch, insert the needle so that it is at the back of the cross stitch fabric.

The needle is on the back of the cross stitch fabric

8. Next, insert the needle into the yarn. It doesn’t have to be all the remaining yarn to go into the sidelines of the yarn, about 3 – 5 are enough.

Insert the needle sidelines the yarn

9. After the yarn is tucked in, cut the rest yarn but not too short. Leave about 2-3 cm.

Cut the excess yarn with scissors

10. This is the result of straigth line of cross stitch. It’s easy right?

The front of the cross stitch fabric

The back of the cross stitch fabric

Next, you can make cross stitch embroidery based on a pattern. If you don’t have cross stitch patterns yet, we provide 10 simple flower cross stitch patterns that are easy for beginners to learn. You can download for free here.

But before starting, we will share 2 tips to keep your cross stitch neat.

In this article we will share one tip on how to cross stitch neatly so that your cross stitch results are neat. The tip we share is to embroider in one direction.

For example, if you start embroidering in a direction to the right for the half cross and complete the cross in a direction to the left, then try to embroider in a direction to the right so on for the half cross and complete the cross by embroidering to the left.

You don’t have to embroider in a direction to the right for the half cross. This is adjusted to your individual tastes. If you prefer the half cross to the left that’s fine too. The important thing is that you have to be consistent in the same direction so that the results of the cross stitch are neat.

In the following below, we will show you 2 examples of cross stitch embroidery which are embroidered in same direction and various directions.

Example 1

Embroidery with various directions

Embroidery in the same direction

Comparison of 2 cross stitch embroidery results (left : embroidery with various direction, right : embroidery in the same direction)

Example 2

Embroidery in the same direction

Embroidery with various directions

Comparison of 2 cross stitch embroidery results (upper : embroidery with same  direction, bottom : embroidery in the various direction)

From the two examples above, it can be seen that those embroidered in the same direction are neater than those embroidered various direction. Hopefully these tips are useful, especially for beginners who are learning cross stitch.

We don’t only share tips about cross stitch, but you can also download patterns for free. You can download the simple flower cross stitch pattern edition 3 here. In order not to miss the latest updates to the articles we post, please subscribe to get email notifications.

Hopefully this article on about how to cross stitch neatly useful and inspires you in your work. 

Thank you for visiting

Happy stitching