Blog
Latest news, tutorials, and updates from the team
Festive Cross Stitch: Christmas Projects to Start Now
Christmas is the busiest season for cross stitch, and the secret to a handmade festive home is starting early. This post gathers festive project ideas, from tree ornaments and cards to stockings and samplers, with advice on planning ahead so everything is ready in time.
Cross Stitch Gift Ideas for Every Occasion
A handmade cross stitch gift carries a warmth that shop-bought presents rarely match. This post gathers gift ideas for birthdays, weddings, new babies, housewarmings and more, with tips on timing, personalising your design and finishing it beautifully.
10 Beginner-Friendly Cross Stitch Projects to Try
The best way to learn cross stitch is to finish something small and satisfying. This post rounds up ten beginner-friendly project ideas, from simple motifs to little gifts, that build your skills without overwhelming you, plus tips on what makes a good first project.
Essential Cross Stitch Tools and Supplies for Your Kit
You do not need much to start cross stitching, but a few good tools make it far more enjoyable. This guide covers the essentials, fabric, thread, needles, hoops and scissors, plus the nice-to-have extras that help once you are hooked, without spending a fortune.
How Many Strands of Thread Should You Use?
Stranded cotton comes as six strands, but you rarely stitch with all of them. How many you use depends on your fabric count and the effect you want. This guide gives clear starting points for cross stitch and backstitch, and explains how strand count changes coverage and detail.
DMC, Anchor and Madeira: A Guide to Cross Stitch Thread
Most cross stitch is worked in stranded cotton, and three brands dominate: DMC, Anchor and Madeira. This guide explains what stranded cotton is, how the brands differ, how their shade numbers work, and how to convert a pattern from one brand to another.
Cross Stitch Fabric Count Explained (and How It Changes Finished Size)
Fabric count is the number that decides how big and how detailed your finished cross stitch will be. This guide explains what 11, 14, 16 and 18 count mean, how to work out the finished size of any pattern, and how count changes the look and feel of your stitching.
Aida, Evenweave or Linen? Choosing Your Cross Stitch Fabric
The fabric you stitch on changes how your project looks and how easy it is to work. This guide compares the three main cross stitch fabrics, Aida, evenweave and linen, explains how they differ, and helps you pick the right one for your skill level and design.
How to Grid Your Fabric for Large Patterns
On a big project, a single miscount early on can throw out everything that follows. Gridding your fabric into ten-by-ten squares that match the chart keeps you accurate from the first stitch to the last. This guide covers why gridding helps and the main methods, from washable pens to gridding thread.
How to Fix Common Cross Stitch Mistakes (and Frog Gracefully)
Every stitcher makes mistakes, from a miscount to a wrong colour. This guide covers the most common cross stitch errors, how to unpick stitches without damaging your fabric, when a mistake is worth fixing and when to let it go, plus how to avoid them next time.
Starting and Finishing Threads Without Knots
Knots make the back of your work lumpy and can pop through to the front. This guide covers the neat, knot-free ways to start and finish a thread in cross stitch, including the loop method, the away waste knot and weaving in, so both sides of your work look tidy.
Fractional Stitches Explained: Half, Quarter and Three-Quarter
Full cross stitches are square, but real designs have curves. Fractional stitches, half, quarter and three-quarter, are how patterns soften edges and add detail. This guide explains what each one is, how to read it on a chart and how to stitch it.