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Cross stitch is the most well-known form of colour embroidery and is one of the oldest embroidery techniques. Folklore art around the world have their own distinct traditional cross stitch patterns which vary from each other in design and colour.
 
Cross stitch charts are usually illustrated with squares, in colours or with symbols representing colours.
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Schattenspiel
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For example, some cross stitches are formed on both the right and wrong fabric side, or there are cross stitches on the right side and box stitches on the wrong side.
In our latitudes the stitches on the wrong fabric side are kept vertical as often as possible.
Fabric types:
All needlework fabrics are suitable for cross stitch as long as the warp and weft thread count is the same so that the stitches remain square. Personal taste, intended use and, last but not least, your patience usually determines whether you select a closely woven, fine fabric or a coarse one.
Recommended fabrics:
In general all needlework fabrics can be recommended for cross stitches, here we list fabrics for particular purposes or cases.
AIDA - Fabric has special weave for cross stitch embroidery. Intersecting groups of threads form clear stitch squares. Ideal for children to learn cross stitch on are 3611 HERTA (approx. 2.5 squares/cm), 3707 HERTARETTE and 1006 Aida (both approx. 3.2 squares/cm). There are also fine Aida cloth types, however, such as 3793 FEIN-AIDA (7 squares per cm or 17 per inch) on which very artistic cross stitch can be created. 1007 AIDA (4.3 squares/cm) and 3706 STERN-AIDA (5.4 squares/cm) are medium range fabrics. All these fabrics have the fact in common that the number of squares is clearly defined and there is no need to count single threads. Plus, thread ends can be neatly worked back under the fabric floats.
If you are looking for a quick needlework project, then patterned AIDA fabric table cloths are available and it is even easier with damasks, which have cross stitch motifs already woven in.
For a quickly made gift, the napkins SONATE or AMELAND are ideal with approx. 2.5 cm large cross stitch areas.
AIDA CROSS STITCH BANDS
are available in many widths, colours and different edge designs, e.g. 7002 is 2.5 cm wide, 7107 is 5 cm wide and 7195 is 10 cm wide.
Embroidery thread:
Practically all embroidery threads available are suitable for cross stitch - thread size and fabric have to match in weight. Stranded embroidery floss is mainly used. It's available in a wide colour range and can be used for different stitch sizes as the strands can be divided. Rule of thumb: For a stitch gauge of 5 to 6 per cm use 2 strands of floss, for 4 stitches use 3 or 4 strands of floss. It also depends upon the desired effect, i.e. if you want the stitches to stand out, to fully cover the fabric or be more delicate and transparent.
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