Do you want to learn cross stitch? Are you a beginner and you are not sure which fabric to use? For your first cross stitch project I advice you to choose a fabric with a thread count easy to see. It is preferable for you start with 11 – and 14 count fabrics. There are also six, seven and eight count fabrics but they are useful for children that like to learn cross stitch. Once you learn to embroider cross stitch, you can try to use finer fabrics that have more threads to the inch.
Cross stitch is worked on an evenweave fabric that has the same number of threads woven vertically (warp) and horizontally (weft).
Aida is the most popular fabric used to embroider cross stitch because the squares are easy to see. Aida is woven in a groups of four threads that form distinctive squares with corner holes. There are several different colors of Aida fabric: white, cream, pink, light blue, red. I generally use DMC Aida fabric, it is very fine in 100% cotton, there is also Aida Impression where the fabric is stamped with colored butterfly, blue or pink spots.
There is another kind of count thread fabric called Hardanger, it is available in 100% cotton, 28 count evenweave that can be used for cross stitch and hardanger works. I use Fratelli Graziano hardanger fabric and it is available in white and cream colors.
Linen is another kind of fabric, very popular useful to create elegant cross stitch works. Linen is a plain-weave fabric, in fact each fabric thread is woven in the typical over-under method. I prefer to use Fratelli Graziano linen beacouse are very
When cutting fabric, be sure that it is 2″to 4″ larger on all sides than the finished design size to allow enough space for matting and other finishing techniques.