What cross-stitch is
Cross-stitch is embroidery on fabric woven in an even grid. Each square on a chart is one cross of thread over one square of fabric, and each cross is two diagonal stitches: a bottom half and a top half. That's exactly what Suvi's stitch-by-numbers draws when you tap a square.
The one rule that makes work look neat: every top stitch lies the same way. Pick a direction and keep it for the whole piece.
What you need
- Aida. Cotton fabric woven into little squares with a hole at each corner. Its count is the number of squares per inch. 14-count (about 5.5 squares per centimetre) is the usual first choice, and it's what Suvi's charts are sized for.
- Stranded cotton. Embroidery thread made of six fine strands you separate. On 14-count, stitch with two.
- A tapestry needle. Blunt, with a large eye; size 24 or 26 suits 14-count.
- A small hoop and sharp scissors. The hoop keeps the fabric taut so your crosses stay even.
Design size is simply stitches ÷ count. A higher count makes a smaller piece.
| Count | Daily (28 × 28) | Weekend (40 × 40) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | 2.5 in (6.5 cm) | 3.6 in (9.2 cm) |
| 14 | 2.0 in (5.1 cm) | 2.9 in (7.3 cm) |
| 16 | 1.8 in (4.4 cm) | 2.5 in (6.4 cm) |
| 18 | 1.6 in (4.0 cm) | 2.2 in (5.6 cm) |
Cut your fabric with 3 inches (7.6 cm) spare on every side for the hoop and framing: an 8-inch square for a daily on 14-count.
Choosing threads for Suvi's colours
Suvi names its colours itself (Sage, Rosehip, Ink, Linen, Harbour blue) rather than using any thread maker's shade numbers, so you're free to use whatever stranded cotton you like. Match by eye in daylight against the colour swatch on the chart's key. Screens and printers vary, and what matters most is the contrast between neighbouring colours, so lay your skeins side by side before you start.
The key's Length column is the approximate length of two-strand thread each colour needs, back of the work included. An ordinary skein of each colour is plenty for a daily piece.
Suvi's patterns are full coverage: the background is a thread too, always the last number on the key. If your aida is close to the ground colour, you can leave those squares unstitched, a common time-saver, or stitch them for the look you see in the game.
How to read a chart
A chart is the pattern as a grid. Each square has a symbol, and the key tells you which thread it means. Here is a corner of a made-up chart:
| ■ | ■ | ○ | ○ |
| ■ | ○ | ○ | + |
| ○ | ○ | + | + |
Key: ■ is thread 1, Ink; ○ is thread 4, Sage; + is thread 6, Linen. Read row by row and count: the top row is two Ink then two Sage.
- Bold lines every ten stitches, numbered along the top and left side, so you never count more than ten from a landmark.
- Arrows at the middle of each side mark the centre. Fold your fabric in four to find its centre, and start there.
- The thread numbers match the game, darkest first and the ground last. The most-used thread gets the lightest symbol and small details the boldest, so the page stays easy to read.
In Stitch, tap Chart for the printable version. Print it in colour, or as Symbols only to save ink. The chart also gives the finished size and cut size on 14-count aida.
Your first crosses
- Cut about 45 cm of thread and separate two strands from the six, pulling one at a time.
- Start without a knot. Leave a short tail at the back and catch it under your first few stitches. Or fold a single strand in half, thread both ends, come up through the fabric, make your first half stitch and pass the needle through the loop at the back.
- Work along a row: a line of bottom halves going one way, then back along the row with the top halves.
- Count each new stitch from one you've already made, not from the edge of the fabric.
- Don't pull tight. The thread should lie flat on the fabric.
- Don't jump more than a few squares across the back, especially dark thread behind a light area: it shows through.
- Finish by running the thread under four or five stitches on the back and trimming it.
Practise in the game first
Stitch is a good way to learn a pattern before you pick up a needle. Every square shows the number of its thread: pick a thread and stitch the squares that match, and Highlight lights up any you've missed. In Settings you can switch the cloth from Numbers to Chart symbols, so you're reading the real chart's marks as you play. The daily is 28 stitches square; the weekend piece is 40 square with a border, corners and a word.
If you only remember three things: 14-count aida with two strands, start from the centre, and keep every top stitch going the same way.
Try it on today's pattern, then print the chart and stitch it for real.
Questions
- What count of aida should a beginner use?
- 14-count. The squares are big enough to see easily, it's the size Suvi's charts are worked out for, and two strands of stranded cotton cover it well.
- Which thread colours do I buy for a Suvi pattern?
- Any stranded cotton that matches by eye. Suvi's colour names are its own, not a thread maker's numbers, so hold your skeins against the swatches on the chart key in daylight.
- Do I have to stitch the background?
- No. Suvi's charts include it so the piece is full coverage, but on fabric close to the ground colour many stitchers leave it unstitched.
- Where do I start stitching?
- At the centre. Fold the fabric in four to find the middle, find the centre arrows on the chart, and count out from there to your first stitch.
Play it now
Stitch is free on Suvi, on your phone or computer, no download. Also: Stitch Weekend Piece.