Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started with basic cross-stitch! 🎨🧵

✅ Supplies You’ll Need:

• Fabric (Aida cloth is best for beginners)
• Embroidery floss (choose the colors in your pattern)
• Embroidery needle (size 24 or 26 for Aida)
• Hoop (to keep the fabric taut)
• Scissors
• Cross-stitch pattern/chart

🧵 Step 1: Prepare Your Fabric

• Cut your fabric to a size slightly larger than your finished design (leave at least 2 inches of extra fabric around the edges).
• Find the center of your fabric by folding it in half twice (horizontally and vertically). Mark the center with a small stitch or a pin.

💡 Tip: The center of the fabric should match the center of your pattern.

🧵 Step 2: Prepare Your Embroidery Floss

• Separate the strands of your embroidery floss. Most floss comes with 6 strands, but you typically only use 2 strands for cross-stitch on Aida.
• Thread your needle with 2 strands.

🧵 Step 3: Set Up Your Hoop (Optional)

• Place your fabric inside the embroidery hoop to keep it taut.
• Tighten the screw on the hoop to secure the fabric.

💡 If you don’t have a hoop, you can stitch without one, but a hoop makes it easier!

🧵 Step 4: Follow the Pattern

🔢 Understanding the Pattern:

• Each square on the chart = one cross-stitch on your fabric.
• Symbols or colors on the chart represent the floss colors to use.

📏 Count Your Squares:

• Start at the center of the pattern and count squares to find where to place your first stitch.

🧵 Step 5: Make a Basic Cross-Stitch

• Bring your needle up through the bottom left hole of the square (this is the start of your stitch).
• Pull the thread through, leaving a small tail on the back.
• Insert your needle down through the top right hole of the square to make a diagonal stitch.
  👉 You’ve made the first half of the X.
• Bring your needle up through the bottom right hole.
• Insert your needle down through the top left hole to complete the X.

🎉 You’ve completed your first cross-stitch!

🧵 Step 6: Keep Stitching

• Continue following your pattern, making one X for each square.
• Stitch in rows to keep your work neat.
• Each 10x10 grid on most patterns can be completed at a time, but you'll want to make sure you continue stitching from one grid to the next. Stitching just one grid at a time, stopping, and then stitching another grid will cause your final product will show the underlying fabric in that same grid pattern.
  
  

🧵 Step 7: Change Colors as Needed

• When it’s time to change colors, secure your thread on the back by weaving it under a few existing stitches.
• Cut the thread and start a new color.

🧵 Step 8: Finishing Your Cross-Stitch

• Once your pattern is complete, secure all loose threads on the back.
• Wash the fabric gently with cold water to remove any marks.

Iron the fabric on the back to flatten it.

🎨 Helpful Tips:

• Start with simple patterns before moving to more detailed ones.
• Keep your stitches all facing the same direction for a polished look.
• Don’t pull the thread too tightly to avoid puckering the fabric.
• If you're looking for a cross-stitch pattern you can start with, check out the Free Patterns section for a complimentary downloadable pattern!