Cross-stitch
Small X-shaped stitches counted square by square on Aida fabric, following a chart. One stitch to learn, and a beginner kit holds everything for the first piece.
What it is like
Cross-stitch builds a picture out of small X’s, each one filling a single square of a gridded fabric called Aida. The design comes from a chart: every square on the chart is a stitch, every symbol a color, and you count your way across. DMC calls it ideal for beginners because there is only one stitch to learn, with an occasional straight backstitch for outlines.
A first piece is usually a kit. A beginner kit holds 14-count Aida (the count DMC recommends for beginners), cotton floss in every color of the chart, a blunt needle and often a hoop, and the three we priced at US shops cost between $12 and $34; a kit a month at the middle of that range is the monthly figure on this page. A mini kit can be done in an evening, its maker says; the next step is a bigger chart with more colors, and later a chart bought on its own with fabric and floss you choose.
Most of the craft is in small habits. Start in the middle so the design is centered, separate the six strands of floss and use two on 14-count, make every top stitch lean the same way, and end the thread rather than carry it far across the back. The finished size is simple arithmetic, stitches divided by the count: 70 stitches on 14-count Aida come out 5 inches wide.
- A session
- As long as you like: the work waits in its hoop between sessions.
- A week
- A 4-inch mini kit can be finished in an evening, its maker says; kits with more colors take weeks of evenings.
- Season
- All year, indoors.
Indoors · Solo, For two, With kids, A club
Kinds and styles
The fabric is blank and the design comes from a chart, square by square. What cross-stitch usually means, and what every kit in the comparison below is.
The design is printed on the fabric and you stitch over it, with no counting.
Finer fabric where each cross covers two threads each way; 28-count over two gives the same size as 14-count Aida.
Straight backstitches along the hole lines outline shapes and letters; blackwork is a related counted style that cross-stitch is often combined with.
Alphabets, numbers and motifs together on one piece, the traditional way to practice and record patterns.
Narrow Aida bands and tiny hoops turn a few evenings of stitching into a bookmark, an ornament or a card.
Is it for you?
You will probably love it if
- You like following a chart and watching a picture appear square by square
- You want a quiet hobby for evenings in a chair
- Small, inexpensive kits that finish in their own hoop appeal to you
Maybe not, if
- Counting holes sounds tedious rather than calming
- You would rather draw freely with thread; surface embroidery suits that better
- Small grids are hard on your eyes even on 14-count fabric
What to buy first
- 01Beginner counted cross-stitch kit with a hoop14-count Aida, floss in every color of the chart, a needle, the chart and a hoop to stitch in and displayFind it on Amazon$23
- 02Small embroidery scissorsSharp tips for snipping thread close to the fabricFind it on Amazon$8
- Everything you need to beginAbout $23 a month after that$31
Typical US prices for entry-level gear, rounded. Last checked October 2026. How we get the numbers
The Amazon links open a search for that type of item, not a product chosen for us, and the prices in the list are our typical figures, or the listing of the shop a line names, not Amazon's price for any listing. If you buy through one we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you; as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
What to buy next
- 0114-count Aida fabricThe count DMC recommends for beginners; leave at least 3 inches all round if it will be framedFind it on Amazon Your first chart without a kit
- 02Tapestry needles, size 24Blunt needles that slip through the holes; size 24 is what kit makers pack for 14-count AidaFind it on Amazon Spares
- 03Six-strand floss in the chart's colorsThe chart's key lists each color by its numberFind it on Amazon Charts bought on their own
- 04Magnetic board or chart holderDMC suggests one to keep track of the row you are onFind it on Amazon Larger charts
- 05Needle minderA magnet that holds the needle on the fabric while you pauseFind it on Amazon Stitching on the sofa
No prices here on purpose: these are later buys, and what to spend depends on how far the hobby has taken you. The Amazon links work like the ones above: a search for the type of item, and a possible commission for us at no extra cost to you.
Beginner cross-stitch kits compared
Six beginner kits from six makers, from a 4-inch mini to a 10-inch design. Every one uses counted cross-stitch, so the fabric is blank and you follow a chart.
| Model | Type | Specs | Who it suits | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMC Learning Cross Stitch Kit | Learning kit, 14-count | 14-count Aida, 9 x 9 in; 4 colors of DMC floss; needle; 6 in wooden hoop; instruction booklet and a step-by-step video by QR code; design 4.7 x 4.7 in; DMC's level 1 | A first kit that teaches the stitch as you go | Find it on AmazonMaker's page |
| Cotton Clara Marmalade | Mini kit in a 4 in hoop | Oat-colored Aida (count not stated); threads; needle; 4 in bamboo hoop; wadding and a backing disc for a glue-free finish; full-color chart; the maker says it can be finished in an evening | A quick first finish, ready to hang | Find it on AmazonMaker's page |
| The Make Arcade mini kits | Mini kit, no hoop | Aida (14-count in the maker's own supplies); DMC threads; cross stitch needle; thread sorter; full-color chart and how-to leaflet; a hoop is recommended but not included; the maker says not for under 14s, small parts | Stitching to frame or turn into a card | Find it on AmazonMaker's page |
| The Stranded Stitch Veggies | Beginner kit, 5 in hoop | 14-count white Aida; DMC floss and color chart; counted pattern; needle; 5 in embroidery hoop; basic instructions; the maker rates it easy | A modern design for a first or second kit | Find it on AmazonMaker's page |
| budgiegoods Twin Blooms | Learn-to-stitch kit, 7 in hoop | 14-count white Aida; full skeins of floss; needle; 7 in hoop; illustrated stitch diagrams; finished design about 7 in square | Big, simple blocks of color in a larger hoop | Find it on AmazonMaker's page |
| Meloca Designs Mandala Alpaca | Counted kit, no hoop | 14-count white Aida; 20 colors of pre-sorted DMC floss; A3 color chart; size 24 tapestry needle; full cross stitches only; 85 x 140 stitches, finished 6.1 x 10 in; hoop sold as an add-on | A second project with many colors and no fractional stitches | Find it on AmazonMaker's page |
How we put this together. Contents and sizes come from each maker's own product page, read on 26 October 2026; no prices, because they change. We have not stitched these kits. Bucilla is not in the table because its maker's site did not open a kit page for us, and Dimensions was not checked for this version. Where a maker does not give the Aida count, the table says so. Checked on 26 October 2026. There are no prices in this table: the Amazon link searches for the exact model, and we may earn a commission if you buy through it.
From a kit to a finished hoop, step by step
Cross-stitch uses one stitch, the cross, and sometimes a straight backstitch for outlining (DMC). This guide goes from choosing a kit to the last thread end, with the choices at each step.
The short version: a small kit in a hoop in 6 stepsFold the fabric in half and in half again; the folds cross at the center. On the chart, follow the arrows at the edges until they meet. Start there, so the design is centered.
Set the fabric in the hoop and tighten it until it is taut; a hoop makes neat, even stitches easier.
Pull a length from the end by the long label, cut it, separate all six strands, then put two back together for 14-count Aida.
Knot the end, take the needle down about an inch from the start in a spot the stitching will cover, make your stitches over the tail, then snip the knot off.
Work a row of half stitches from left to right, then come back right to left to complete each cross, every top leg leaning the same way.
Take the needle to the back and weave it under a few stitches before cutting the thread.
Crosses on 14-count Aida
Close up on the fabric: a row of half stitches, the return that completes the crosses, the center mark and a block outlined in backstitch.
- A Aida square 14 per inch A hole at each corner. Step 1 →
- B Half stitches Left to right Bottom right to top left. Step 6 →
- C Crosses completed Right to left Top legs all one way. Step 6 →
- D Center Where the folds cross Start here. Step 2 →
- E Backstitch Along the hole lines Outlines and letters. Step 7 →
Steps 1-3Before you stitch
- Step 1 of 9 · Before you stitch
Choose a first kit
A small counted kit on 14-count Aida, with a hoop and only full crosses, keeps the first piece about the stitch rather than the chart.
Most people: learning kit (never stitched before).
Start here Learning kitBest forNever stitched before
A small design with a few colors and instructions or a video that teach the stitch.
Mini kitBest forA quick finish
A 4-inch hoop design, small enough for an evening or two.
Larger color kitBest forA second project
Twenty colors or more and a bigger chart; satisfying, but slower to learn on.
Not for a first try - Step 2 of 9 · Before you stitch
Find the center
Fold the fabric in half and in half again; where the folds cross is the center (DMC). On the chart, the arrows at the edges meet at its center.
- Step 3 of 9 · Before you stitch
Hoop the fabric
Set the fabric in the hoop and tighten it until it is taut. If the fabric is badly creased, press it first on a low setting with a pressing cloth (DMC).
Steps 4-7Stitching
- Step 4 of 9 · Stitching
Prepare the floss
Pull a length from the end of the skein by the long label, separate all six strands, and put the number you need back together: two on 14-count Aida (EGA).
Goes wrong: A knotted skein. Pulling the end by the small label bunches the whole skein.
- Step 5 of 9 · Stitching
Start without a knot
Use a waste knot (knot on the front about an inch away, in a spot the stitches will cover, cut off later) or hold a 1-inch tail at the back and stitch over it (DMC).
Most people: waste knot (starting a new area).
Start here Waste knotBest forStarting a new area
The knot sits on the front, the tail is trapped by your first stitches, then the knot is snipped off.
Stitching over the tailBest forAny start
Leave a tail on the back and work the first four or five stitches over it.
A small knotBest forClothes that will be washed
DMC keeps knots for pre-finished items that get repeated wear and washing.
- Step 6 of 9 · Stitching
Stitch in rows
Make a row of half stitches from left to right, then come back right to left to complete each cross (DMC). Make every top leg lean the same way (EGA).
Goes wrong: Crosses leaning both ways. Mixed directions make the work look uneven.
- Step 7 of 9 · Stitching
Follow the chart
Each full square on the chart is a cross stitch; a line from corner to corner is a backstitch; partial symbols are fractional stitches. Work the main elements and darker colors first, the background last (DMC).
Goes wrong: Counting errors. Work near what is already stitched, so a miscount shows sooner.
Steps 8-9Finishing
- Step 8 of 9 · Finishing
End threads and check the back
Take the needle to the back and weave under a few stitches before cutting. Check the back now and then for bunched floss, and end the thread rather than carry it far.
- Step 9 of 9 · Finishing
Finish and choose what is next
Leave the piece in its hoop, or frame it with at least 3 inches of fabric all round (DMC).
Most people: another kit (more colors and backstitch).
Start here Another kitBest forMore colors and backstitch
A bigger chart with a dozen or more colors.
Your own fabric and a chartBest forChoosing your own colors
Buy Aida, floss and a chart separately; the fabric calculator gives the size to cut.
Evenweave over twoBest forFiner work
28-count evenweave over two gives the size of 14-count Aida with a finer look.
In shortIf it goes wrong
- A knotted skein.
- Step 4 · Prepare the floss
- Crosses leaning both ways.
- Step 6 · Stitch in rows
- Counting errors.
- Step 7 · Follow the chart
How you get better
- Weeks 1 to 2A mini kit
A design in a 4 to 6 inch hoop with a few colors and full crosses only.
- Weeks 3 to 6More colors, backstitch
A larger kit with a dozen or more colors and backstitched outlines.
- Months 2 to 3Fractional stitches
Quarter and three-quarter stitches that round off curves, and a chart bought on its own with your own fabric and floss.
- After thatEvenweave and big pieces
Stitching over two on 28-count evenweave or linen, samplers and large art reproductions.
- Reading a chart and its key
- Finding the center
- Separating floss
- Starting without a knot
- Even tension
- Crosses leaning one way
- Half, quarter and three-quarter stitches
- Backstitch outlines
- Railroading for full coverage
- Ending threads on the back
- Choosing fabric count and strands
Small things that help
- Start in the middle of the design and the middle of the fabric.
- Separate all six strands before putting two back together; separating untwists the floss for fuller, more even stitches (EGA).
- Bring the needle up through an empty hole and down into one already stitched, so you do not snag floss from the back.
- Let the needle hang now and then to untwist the floss.
- Railroad for fuller crosses: pass the needle between the two strands as it goes down.
- Stitch darker colors and the main elements first, the background last (DMC).
Beginner mistakes
- 01Knots on the backKnots make lumps and get in the way of stitches in neighboring holes. Start with a waste knot or by stitching over the tail.
- 02Crosses leaning both waysMixing the order of the legs makes the work look uneven. Always make the top leg the same way.
- 03Long jumps on the backThread carried far across the back distorts the fabric and shows through. End it and start again.
- 04Pulling the wrong end of the skeinPulling the end by the small label can bunch and knot the whole skein; pull the one by the long label.
- 05Off-center startStarting at a corner can leave the design off-center on the fabric. Find the center of both first.
How big will it come out?
The finished size is the number of stitches divided by the fabric count, the stitches per inch (DMC; Wikipedia). A design 70 stitches wide:
| Fabric | Stitches per inch | 70 stitches wide |
|---|---|---|
| 11-count Aida | 11 | 6.4 in |
| 14-count Aida | 14 | 5 in |
| 16-count Aida | 16 | 4.4 in |
| 18-count Aida | 18 | 3.9 in |
| 28-count evenweave, over two | 14 | 5 in |
Why people quit
- 01Tangled flossFloss twists as you stitch. EGA's fix: let the needle hang every so often so it spins back, and pull floss from the end by the long label so the skein does not knot.
- 02Counting mistakesDMC suggests working near what is already stitched, so mistakes show sooner, and stitching in rows so a miscount is easy to unpick.
- 03A messy backLong threads carried across the back distort the fabric and show through. DMC says to end the thread and start again rather than jump far; EGA tacks a thread carried five or more stitches under the stitches on the back.
Words you will meet
- Aida
- Cotton fabric woven in blocks with a clear hole at each corner, made for cross-stitch.
- Count
- Stitches per inch of fabric; higher counts give smaller stitches.
- Evenweave
- Fabric with the same number of threads per inch each way, usually stitched over two threads.
- Chart
- A grid where each square is one stitch and each symbol a floss color from the key.
- Floss
- Six-strand cotton embroidery thread, separated and recombined for stitching.
- Half stitch
- One leg of a cross, from one corner to the opposite corner.
- Fractional stitches
- Quarter, half and three-quarter stitches that round off curves.
- Backstitch
- Straight stitches along the hole lines, for outlines and lettering.
- Waste knot
- A knot left on the front away from the start and cut off once the tail is stitched over.
- Railroading
- Passing the needle between the strands as it goes down, so they lie side by side.
- Over two
- Each cross worked over two threads each way on evenweave or linen.
Questions people ask
What count should a beginner use?
14-count Aida, which DMC recommends for beginners and EGA says many patterns are designed for.
How many strands of floss?
Two strands on 14-count Aida is the usual rule, EGA says; some stitchers use three for very dark colors that show the fabric through. Fewer strands on higher counts.
Which needle?
A blunt tapestry needle that slips through the holes rather than piercing the fabric (DMC); kit makers pack size 24 for 14-count Aida.
Do I need a hoop?
DMC says a hoop makes neat, even stitches easier and keeps the fabric taut; some mini kits leave it out, so check before you start.
Counted or stamped?
Counted kits have blank fabric and a chart; stamped kits print the design on the fabric, so there is no counting.
How do I work out the fabric size?
Divide the stitches by the count for the design size and add a border; DMC says at least 3 inches all round if it will be framed. The fabric calculator on this site does both.
Where to go next
- 01EmbroideryFree-hand stitching on any fabric, with the same floss and hoop. $42 to start
- 02NeedlepointStitching that covers a whole canvas in a slanted stitch, with wool or cotton. $73 to start
How it compares
| Cross-stitch | Embroidery | Needlepoint | Knitting | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start cost | $31 | $42 | $73 | $35 |
| Each month | $23 | $8 | $25 | $15 |
| Space | A chair and good light | A chair | A chair | A chair |
| Noise | Quiet | Quiet | Quiet | Quiet |
| First result | A small kit, a weekend | A weekend | A few weekends | A few evenings |
| Mess | Thread ends | Thread ends | Thread ends | Yarn tails |
Where to learn more
- 01Embroiderers' Guild of America, 10 things to know before starting cross stitchFloss, strands, needles, stitch direction and starting in the middle, from the national needlework guild.
- 02DMC, step-by-step guidesFree articles and diagrams: reading a chart, preparing fabric, securing thread.
Sources: Wikipedia, Cross-stitch (counted and stamped, fabrics and count, over two, history, floss) · DMC, cross stitch (one stitch, aida, blunt needle, 14-count for beginners) · DMC, What fabric should you use for cross stitch? (count, over two, aida invented in 1890) · DMC, How to begin cross stitch (start in the middle, no knots, rows, order) · DMC, How to read a cross stitch chart · DMC, How to prepare fabric for cross stitch (center, 3-inch border, hoop) · DMC, Should you knot embroidery thread? (waste knot, away knot, stitching over) · DMC, step-by-step cross stitch guide (English and Danish methods, fractionals) · Embroiderers' Guild of America, 10 essential things to know before starting cross stitch · The Make Arcade, cross stitch starter bundle (size 24 needles for 14-count)
Researched and written by the Fjords Team.