From an early age, girls learn to cross-stitch in craft classes. The basics here are simple. But probably one out of ten students is interested in this skill after that. They start creating much less.

Various books on store shelves entitled “Embroidery for Beginners”, “How to Start Embroidering” are what beginning craftswomen dream of. But it's all quite expensive. If you are really interested in this topic and want to learn how to cross stitch, read on. We will tell you what this requires and what points you should pay attention to.

You will need:

What do you need for work?

For beginners, there are special kits that include everything you need:

1. Scheme;
2. a set of threads;
3. canvas;
4. needles;
5. final drawing;
6. a case to store everything you need.

If you decide to buy threads separately, please note that they must be specific: thin “iris”, woolen threads, “floss”.

The palette depends on the manufacturer. Choose according to your taste or according to the scheme.

Be careful, various cheap and low-quality threads may change color after washing.

Don't forget about the color combination, this is also quite important.

The process of choosing a canvas is quite simple. This is usually a fabric made of wool, linen or other material. You can buy “small checkered” fabric at any sewing and embroidery store. Take some needles there.

You can purchase a hoop. This is optional, but will make things easier. It is used for convenience and evenness of stitches.

How to start

Before starting embroidery, it is best to wash and iron the fabric.

To prevent its edges from unexpectedly crumbling, treat the edges in advance. This can be done by stitching them with a sewing machine, sealing them with tape or glue.

Make a backup copy of the diagram. Quite often, embroidery takes quite a long time, so to preserve the design, it is recommended to take a photo.

Where to start

To accurately determine the center, fold the fabric in half.

The direction is usually called a "snowflake". The embroidery seems to diverge from the center to the edges.

Sometimes they choose a different method - they start from a corner and move in a circle.

How to secure a thread

Never create knots.

1. If you have an even number of threads, use this method: fold the thread in half, pull the ends into the eye of the needle and make the first stitch. Insert the working thread into the loop formed.
2. Another option looks like this: fasten the thread under the stitches, bring the thread to the face, make a stitch (half-cross), pull the thread inside out and thread it into the loop.

How to “put” crosses

There are many options for “putting” a cross. The most common of them are English (classical) and Danish. The essence of the first is that a second one is superimposed on one half-cross. The Danish method varies: first a row of half-crosses is embroidered, and then a second row is superimposed on them, directed to the beginning.

What can you embroider?

By doing cross stitch you can create a picture, gift cards, or decorate any accessory or item of clothing. You can decorate decorative elements: pillows, blankets, bedspreads, curtains.

Gifts decorated by hand in the form of cross stitch are not only beautiful and original, it is also pleasant, because a gift made with your own hands is valued many times more.

You can also submit your paintings to competitions, organize exhibitions, or transform your hobby into a business. By the way, embroidery on clothes has been a trend for several years now. You can check this by watching fashion shows.

How to speed up your work

If you want to work faster and more productively, learn to insert and remove the game with two hands.

That is, one works hard, the second brings up. There are double-sided needles, they also help speed up the embroidery of a design.

How to finish

When designing the final work, you can place the name of the embroidery. Then wash the painting at a certain temperature. A table of types of material and maximum washing degrees can be found on the Internet.

After this, leave the embroidery over the container so that the water can drain from it. It is advisable not to hang it on a rope, otherwise there will be a crease. Next, after drying, iron the fabric.

The desire to decorate fabric or other material that can be pierced with patterns has remained in man since primitive times, when roughly dressed animal skins were used as clothing.

Simple criss-cross patterns, originally used for stitching skins, gradually became distinctive signs of belonging to a particular tribe. As people learned to dye animal veins, strong long fibers of herbs, wool and hair twisted into threads in different colors.

As humanity developed, embroidery turned into one of the types of needlework - a real art of transforming any fabric (leather, canvas, cambric, calico, gauze, muslin, tulle, etc.) into an exquisite object of beauty.

Different types of embroidery have appeared, but cross-stitch needlework still remains a priority, since it is quite easy to perform, does not require intense time and expensive materials, and the accessories for it are accessible and do not take up much space - a cozy corner in the smallest apartment is enough for them.

To cross stitch step by step you will need:

1. Special material – canvas.
2. A device for stretching and fixing the material - a hoop or frame.
3. Needles with blunt tips - the fabric has a loose (discharged) structure.
4. Special threads (floss, acrylic, wool).
5. Small sharp scissors.

The following may also be useful for work:

• lamps,
• magnifying glasses,
• magnetic boards.

Let's look at each of the items.

Canvas, its types and sizes

Before you wonder how to cross stitch correctly, pay attention to the canvas for work. Fabric for cross stitch needlework is made of uniformly structured threads, the weave of which is the simplest: one warp through the other (weft). This weaving is called “plain” and is used in many textile fabrics, from homespun linen, linen and cotton, to silk and wool.

The weaving of such fabric forms separate squares with easily distinguishable holes into which a needle can freely pass, pulling the thread in 2 or more folds.

The canvas can be used as an overlay when it is sewn to the fabric on which the work is planned to be transferred (after finishing, the discharged canvas is simply pulled out from under the finished thread embroidery), or as a permanent base, which, after completion, is sewn onto another, denser fabric.

To create paintings, a permanent base is most often used.

Вlockweave and Evenweave

Plain weaving, in turn, is divided into:

• Evenweave - uniform, when the fabric is smooth and infinitely even, without “damage”;
• Blockweave - block when the weave forms clear, “outlined” squares.

Types of plain weave are easily distinguishable even with the naked eye.

Another advantage is the fact that the Blockweave base often has much larger holes - it is almost impossible to stick a needle in the wrong place.

Such a base (with pre-marked holes or threads pulled out in certain squares) can be called “hemming”, “flooring” or “weaving”.

Needlewomen call it “guipure” or “stitching”.

The permanent base of Blockweave is an ideal solution for beginners who want to try combining different types of seams:

• full cross;
• half cross;
• ¼ or ¾ cross;
• backstitch;
• and etc.

The canvas on which the needlewoman herself will have to determine the dimensions of the embroidered lines is called evenweave canvas (or Evenweave) and therefore it is recommended for experienced workers who know how to handle complex and incomplete crosses.

The picture ultimately turns out to be realistic, especially if there are white spots free from the space “shaded” with color, like on an artist’s canvas. There are no needle holes on this material, so unused stains will not detract from the overall appearance.

Stramin and plastic

A very dense canvas used for needlework in tapestry or carpet embroidery is called stramin. Since these techniques use wool and acrylic, the holes in the canvas are large enough for a thick thread to easily pass through them. A thick seam makes it look voluminous and large, and the picture itself is soft and plush.

When cutting the contour of a plastic canvas, it does not unravel or crumble, and retains the given shape and beauty of the work. Handicrafts on plastic material must be very neat from the inside out, because such a canvas is an ideal basis for cards and other cute little things. It is produced not only in different colors, but also in various shapes, convenient for creating souvenirs.

Water-soluble canvas is the latest know-how for hardworking craftswomen. When the thread pattern is completed, it is enough to lower the base into warm water and the canvas itself will dissolve.

Sizing

Aida canvas, produced by Zweigart, and Hardanger canvas are the most popular today.

Both are made from 100% cotton with the possible addition of another thread or lurex, and have the same range of sizes and counts.

Count – the size of the canvas, expressed as a digital value.

This means that the larger the count, the larger the embroidered elements will be and the fewer of them will fit on an inch-long line. (1 inch = 2.54 cm) On the basis, numbers will be indicated before or after the letters ST - the count number.

Since calculations in inches are unusual for post-Soviet people, it is customary to recalculate them in centimeters. The most convenient recalculation is immediately by 10 cm.

The cross stitch pattern is as follows:

• ST11= 43 cr. (by 10 cm);
• ST14= 55;
• ST16= 63;
• ST18 =71;
• ST22 = 87.

On large-sized counters (numbers up to 11), designer-designed images will not be obtained - the cross is too rough for exquisite paintings.

It is important to know the number of crosses in a line (in length and width) to determine the required dimensions of the fabric when starting work.

The calculation scheme is as follows: divide CT by 2.54 and multiply by the number of required centimeters. We get the number of crosses.

For example: ST = 18. /18:2.54=7.08/ 7.08x15(cm)=106

It turns out that with count No. 18, 106 crosses will fit in a line 15 cm long.

Which number to choose

Practice has shown that for tireless needlework, which does not require a magnifying glass or additional lighting, CT 14 is ideal. On such a count you can sew with double thread - this will not spoil the final result at all, the work will be neat and voluminous.

ST 16 – for craftswomen who have experience in the “fine” type of work. The picture will be smaller, the crosses will fit more tightly. Can be sewn in two folds.

To create artistic miniatures, a canvas with count No. 18 is ideal. For such work, you will need additional assistants in the form of a magnifying glass and light. Usually one thread is used, but if you want to create dense, rigid work, double stitching is quite possible.

Hoops and machines

To ensure that the crosses are even, the canvas does not stretch in different directions, and the work itself is neat, they use hoops and machines that allow you to stretch the fabric evenly and fix it tightly.

The hoops can be:

• classic - 2 round hoops, nested one into the other, between which the free edges of the material are attached;
• modern plastic ones - the principle is the same as the classic ones, but the clamping density is controlled by a screw screwed in from the side;
• frame with clips - holes in the side frames allow you to adjust the hoop to a given canvas size;
• Q-snap frames are generally completely disassembled, thanks to individual bars and connecting corners, which allows you to combine the frame in various ways.

For all hoops, you can choose a stand or stand, which will speed up the work process, because the needlewoman will have both hands free.

The machines are made:

• floor;
• desktop;
• for working on your knees (sofa).

Since machines, as a rule, have constant dimensions, it is recommended to purchase a side stretcher for the canvas. It allows you to pull the base onto the frame of the machine evenly, which will eliminate distortion of the weaving and give proper elasticity to the surface of the base.

Cross stitch needles

For needlework, tapestry needles with a blunt tip and a wide eye are used.

The tip is specially blunted - the unsharpened end does not disturb the weave of the canvas and easily passes through the fibers without splitting them. The wide eye allows you to easily insert the required amount of folded thread.

Tapestry needles are the ideal solution for this type of needlework.

Needle-canvas matching

If sewing needles have a number range starting from one, then for tapestry needles the numbers start with No. 13 and end with No. 26.

The higher the needle number, the thinner and shorter it is.

It is better to determine the length of the needle at work. Typically, all tapestries are about 30% shorter than sewing ones. In the work it will be clear what length is convenient for gripping with your fingers when pulling the thread through the fibers of the canvas. It is believed that tapestry needles No. 16-28 are optimal for work.

The needle number is its cross-sectional diameter at the eye itself. This cross-section, according to international standards, is always the same for all manufacturers, but the length of the body may vary.

To use wool, you will need a tapestry with an impressive eyelet and much longer than usual.

A table that shows the correspondence between the type of canvas - its density - the number of threads threaded - the needle number will help you choose the right needle.

It is clear that the stem count (CT) refers to Aida and Hardanger.

Special threads

To create cross-stitch or satin stitch paintings, special cotton threads are used - floss. The color range of floss is more than 500, and each skein (8 m) or skein (6 pcs) of these 500 has its own color number.

For convenience in choosing a shade, you should have a floss color chart on hand.

In addition to cotton floss, this type of work uses wool with acrylic, synthetics, and satin. Each species has its own color card.

For their quality, floss and other embroidery threads are rightfully in demand from Madeira, DMC, PNK Kirov, and Gamma.

To work with woolen threads, select a material with a wide cage pitch - when pulling the woolen thread, it frays (wears out) and can break at the most inopportune moment. But items embroidered with this thread are voluminous, soft and homely.

If for floss the length is 50 cm, then the length of woolen floss is no longer than 40.

You can make your own palette card, where not only the color numbers will be indicated, but you can also see the color of the future painting.

Types of needlework

To begin with, it is worth mastering the 3 main types of cross - half-cross, regular and double. Double is often called “Bulgarian” and these 2 types are the basis for all other types of applying a pattern to fabric using a needle, thread and cross.

The first lower diagonal stitch is called a “half-cross”; it is also used to perform individual sections of embroidery.

Performance technique

The technique is very simple, even a child can handle it, you just need to carefully perform a row of lower stitches from left to right (as we read), and then apply the second row of upper stitches in the opposite direction - from right to left.

This is a Danish technique.

The English stitch technique is considered traditional, in which each cross is made separately and completely, and only after that moves on to the next one.

To quickly fill the entire field with a single color required by the embroidery pattern, it is good to use the Danish method, “throwing” the bottom row of crosses diagonally from top to bottom and then going up, covering the top stitches.

The English technique is good for drawing with small islands when a large number of colors are used.

In both cases, the stitches must be laid evenly, carefully, observing the sizes and intervals, so that the work turns out beautiful.

Types of crosses

When you have mastered regular and Bulgarian crosses, you can try your hand at other types of crosses:

1. Elongated - filled vertically by 2-3 cells of the canvas.
2. Extended with stitching - the same, but with a small stitch in the center.
3. Slavic - an oblique elongated cross.
4. Straight – one vertical + one horizontal.
5. An asterisk is a regular cross with the overlapping of 4 diagonal stitches of greater or lesser length.
6. Leviathan – complicated by additional vertical and horizontal crossings.
7. Italian embroidery is a Bulgarian cross stitch, whose corners are connected by stitches.
8. Backstitch (Back needle) is a design stitch in which the contours of the design are clearly distinguished, similar to the stitch of a sewing machine.

In fact, there are many more types of using cross stitch in embroidery, there are its successful combinations and combinations with other techniques and types of embroidery (sewn stitch, beads, gold thread, etc.), but in order to create your own masterpiece, these are quite enough .

Simple ornaments

Simple ornaments are those that use simple Bulgarian and ordinary crosses.

Most often, their color palette is not rich - 2-3, less often - 4-5 colors. The embroidery pattern is easy to calculate by cells; moreover, the main pattern of the ornament tends to repeat itself.

To get the hang of making a beautiful cross, there is no better step-by-step scheme for beginners than making ornaments.

Stores often sell patterns of ornaments and designs - thin paper on which the desired design is applied in colored or black and white strokes. The pattern can be easily pinned to the material and created using printed crosses.

To transfer the pattern of the ornament, use a canvas with a pattern when the pattern has already been printed, and all that remains is to sew in the desired cross of the desired color. This process will be called the “printed cross technique.”

If you don’t like the monotony of ornaments, you can choose a thematic picture consisting of 3-6 colors.

Nowadays it’s not difficult to find the desired option - on the Internet and in sewing stores there are a lot of not only accessories for embroidery, but also ready-made sets. The kit includes a border, matching needles, floss of specified colors, a diagram and detailed instructions for working with embroidery.

You shouldn’t immediately grab onto a huge painting with many color shades, although its design may seem simple and not labor-intensive. If you are disappointed with your first experience, you may deprive yourself of the pleasure of embroidery forever.

How to start and how to finish work

How to correctly make the first stitch with the first knot so that from the inside the work does not look like a terry towel - there are 2 ways:

1. Fastening the thread with a loop.
2. Secure the end of the thread with crosses.

However, finished embroidery is not the final result. “Delicious candy has a decent wrapper!” - people say. So the newly-minted masterpiece of your work will need a frame, but first the finished embroidery must be carefully washed in warm water without adding caustic chemicals - soap is enough. When washing, do not rub, twist or wring the fabric, screwing it into a bundle. Squeeze between your palms several times and hang flat to dry.

Iron with a warm iron, without pressing the sole to the fabric, and only from the inside out.

Now the embroidery is ready to be placed in a frame or mat

Now your embroidery is finished.

Can your fully decorated embroidery be called an original work? Unfortunately no.

When you develop the design yourself, breaking it down into zones and cells, draw up a diagram, transfer it to the canvas and do embroidery on it, only then will your work receive the status of author’s work.

Although today every cross-stitch website necessarily has a couple of tips, the purpose of which is to make the work easier for beginning embroiderers, I would like to add these as well:

When embroidering, you have to constantly push the needle through the fabric, which hurts your fingertips. Get used to the thimble! After a short time, you will no longer notice it, and your fingertips will remain intact.

You should not prick the needle with which you are working into the canvas. Firstly, it spoils the base, and secondly, it can easily get lost and harm your household. Attach a small magnet to the frame or hoop - this will prevent the needle from getting lost.

If it is not possible to correlate the canvas count and needle number by eye, pierce the canvas with the selected needle. If it passes through the canvas freely without leaving visible damage (holes) behind, this is what you need.

The needles should be able to "rest". Knowledgeable needlewomen assure that your favorite needle will definitely break at the most necessary moment, if you do not replace it from time to time with exactly the same one. Have a few needles of the number you need in stock.

If you purchased floss from a brand unknown to you, check the threads for color fastness. Wrap the skein in a white piece of fabric, pour boiling water over it and then iron it. If colored stains appear on white fabric, the thread is fading, be careful with it, or better yet, don’t use it at all.

Before using a new needle, examine its eye under a magnifying glass. If you find even one small notch, throw away the needle. It is not suitable for embroidery - it spoils the integrity of the thread.

In sets where there is a distinctive sign - glasses, Stramin canvas is used. This means that the embroidery itself should be done with a full skein, and not in 2-3 threads.

Cross stitch sets are always relevant. With their help, you can create a special coziness in your home, complement the interior with a beautiful handmade product, and emphasize the refined taste of the owners. If you are just starting to cross stitch, it is useful to familiarize yourself with the necessary materials and tools, as well as take an interest in the technology and secrets of embroidery.

The success of the work ahead depends on the scheme. They come in color and black and white. Each printed symbol means a specific thread color. Each square in the diagram is one stitch.

Main types of stitches:

• Fractional cross;
• Full cross;
• Half cross;
• Complex cross;
• French knot;

The French knot allows you to add volume to flat images in the right parts, thereby making it more interesting and unique. Instructions for embroidering a French knot are presented in the material: .

• Stem stitch;
• Stitch “forward needle” and “backward needle”.

On diagrams of any type, stitches are indicated clearly and simply.

Follow clear rules for making stitches so that they all lie in the same direction - these are the basics of proper work.

Cross stitch for beginners: secrets

Secrets of beautiful embroidery:

• In embroidery, knots are not made; the thread is fixed in a special way;
• The transition boundary of thread colors directly affects the quality of work;
• Materials must be of high quality and durable.

These nuances can be corrected with a “back needle” seam, as well as using the same method to secure the thread at the end of the work.

Ideally, beautiful embroidery should be neat on both the front and back sides.

Standard cross stitch kit for beginners

If you are still a beginner, you can purchase a ready-made kit that will contain everything you need to get started. Such sets can be easily purchased in craft departments or ordered in an online store.

The embroidery kit contains:

• Canvas. Embroidery fabric that has different densities and colors. Thanks to the special interweaving of the threads, distinct cells with free holes for the needle are formed. The most popular is Aida.
• Needles. Special embroidery needles with a wide eye and a non-sharp rounded tip. Each has its own size depending on the fabric to be embroidered on.
• Threads. More often you can find floss - 100% cotton of various lengths. The skein consists of 6 separate strands. In the diagrams, each color or shade is indicated by a special number.
• Scheme. The indicated cell in the diagram corresponds to an embroidered cross on the canvas.
• Thimble. It is necessary for working on thick canvas.
• Hoop. With their help, the canvas is stretched and does not allow it to deform.

Some kits include a fabric marker, scissors and a measuring tape. If these tools are not available, they can be purchased separately.

Before you start working, be sure to check whether the threads are shedding or not.

Instructions and rules for cross stitching for beginners

In order to get straight vertical lines on the back side, and a classic cross on the front side, you need to adhere to the established rules. Instructions for beginners will be a good help in this matter. Only by following them can you get beautiful and neat embroidery.

Basic rules of cross stitch for beginners:

• In nature there are only 3 stitch directions;
• You only need to sew the work with a needle in a vertical position relative to the canvas;
• The top stitches should be made in one direction;
• The lines are embroidered in two stages: we embroider a line from the bottom stitches, and then complete the crosses with the top stitches;
• When embroidering a separate row, you must complete each cross immediately.

If it is necessary to skip several cells, then the thread should be pulled from the wrong side to the desired cell and continue embroidering.

Never make knots in embroidery; there are many ways to secure the thread unnoticed.

Master class: cross stitch for beginner needlewomen

You can learn literacy step by step with the help of a master class.

Master class for beginners:

• We perform the first stitch. We stretch the needle from the wrong side to the front side and insert it into the lower right hole of the cell. We remove the needle from the upper right square and insert it into the lower left corner diagonally. Our stitch is ready.
• To save time, you can use another method of performing the cross. Embroidery should begin from the left edge. We make inclined stitches in a row from the upper left corner to the lower right, and then move back.
• Before securing the 1st stitch, you need to secure the thread on the wrong side of the canvas. To do this, place the tail of the thread in the completed loop and tighten it.

When sewing stitches, do not pull the thread too tight.

Simple cross stitch technology for beginners

Cross stitch for beginners: correcting errors in work

A correctly embroidered picture means avoiding mistakes. If mistakes are made, they must be corrected. Otherwise, the overall appearance of the embroidery will be visually spoiled and correction is simply necessary.

Errors can be divided into two categories:

1. Non-essential. These are invisible flaws that do not directly spoil the appearance of the embroidery. Often, in the process of transitioning threads of different shades, the type of cross is confused. In this case, there is no need to correct anything.
2. Essential. These are the errors that are visually noticeable. In this case, there is only one way out - dissolve the work and start embroidery again. In what cases does this happen: a) placement of the upper cross stitches in different directions; b) an unsuccessful selection of shades of threads that need to be used to embroider catchy elements, such as people’s faces.

Sometimes it happens when the canvas runs out at the end of the work. In this case, it is necessary to cut an additional piece of fabric and place it on the main one with 5 crosses. Then sew it with a needle-back stitch using a sharp needle.

When sewing pieces of canvas, it is important to ensure that the squares match. Embroidery placed on top will hide the joint.

The initial embroidery kit should be to your liking and undeniably enjoyable, then the work will move faster and bring pleasure.

Tips for beginner embroiderers:

• Do not buy complex large-sized embroidery; a simple design with a minimum number of colors will be enough to start with.
• If you like several patterns and find it difficult to make a choice, compare the composition of the material and the color palette of the threads.
• Give preference to simple and clear diagrams; they are easier to read and much easier to work with.
• Pay attention to the color and density of the canvas. The best option for beginners would be canvas No. 14.
• To make your work easier, use a hoop; they come in different sizes and shapes. Choose those that will be more convenient.

Also great helpers There will be sharp scissors, a threader and needles. Use several needles at the same time, as you don't have to change the thread every time.

The best option for the first work would be an embroidery size of no more than 25x25 cm.

Cross stitch for beginners step by step (video)

If you are just learning to cross stitch, it is very important to master the process gradually. A clear master class is a kind of guide for beginners. A magazine or book on cross stitch in Russian can serve as instructions for beginners.