In this lesson, you will learn How To Do A Basic Back Stitch which is a short line.  To learn to stitch a basic back stitch line, you will need:

• a pair of sharp scissors
• a small embroidery hoop
• a piece of 11-count Aida fabriclarge enough to overlap the hoop by a few inches
• a short length of embroidery floss- any color
• a size 24 tapestry needle.

Find and mark the center of the fabric by folding from bottom to top, make a crease then fold from left to right and give it another crease.  The center of the fabric is where the two creases meet.  You can mark the center of the fabric by placing a pin or needle at the center.   Place the fabric in the hoop and set aside. Cut a 12 to 14 inch length of six-strand embroidery floss.  Separate out two strands and thread the tapestry needle.
When back stitching, it is helpful to start with a waste knot. Place the waste knot near the edge of the hoop.  Count over two squares from the center of the fabric and bring the threaded needle up from the back of the fabric.  The waste knot will keep the floss from pulling through to the front of the fabric as you stitch.

Begin the second side of the square by bringing the needle up in the first empty hole directly up the end of the original line of back stitch. Complete this stitch just as in Lesson One.

How To Do A Basic Back Stitch is real simple…..Just imagine that you have numbered in a straight line each little hole in your fabric and they range from 1 to 5, you would bring the needle up at 2 from the bottom of the fabric go to the left going down from the top side of the fabric with the needle at 1 and coming back up at 3 down at 2 back up at 4 down at 3 back up at 5.  You will continue with this sequence in mind until you have done all of the back stitching that is needed.

Back Stitching is used to outline  or emphasise objects which makes the items really stand out.

How To Find The Center Of Your Fabric is learned in this lesson.  When looking at your pattern you will always see that they have the center marked with arrows.   This is where you will begin to start stitching or counting always at the middle of your fabric but in order for you to locate the center you have two options in doing this. IF you want to start stitching from either side of the pattern or even from the top you will need to count your stitches from the middle back to the edge of the pattern left or right. You can start stitching from the top of the pattern or the side after you find the center of the fabric.  Again it will be your preference but in order for you to start stitching you will need to find the middle .

Begin with the Fabric Flat

How To Find The Center Of Your Fabric is an easy method that you hold or lay flat on a surface your Cross Stitch fabric, take your fingers and fold in half from bottom to top making a  crease in it so you will be ready to fold the fabric again in half from side to side.  At this point  where the two creases cross should be the center of you fabric.   So now you need to mark the center and you can do that by using a needle or pin to mark the center of the fabric.

Unfold the fabric. The pin marks the approximate center of the fabric and this is How To Find The Center Of Your Fabric.

Note: To find the appropriate, or exact center of the fabric, you will need to measure and count the squares precisely. For most projects, however, the above method is satisfactory.

How To Find The Center Of Your Fabric if you have purchased the fabric by the yard or piece, is to make sure that you cut a piece of fabric to suit the size of pattern you are using then follow the directions to find the middle, however if you have purchased a kit with fabric and pattern you should fold as indicated in the above directions.  When you cut your own piece of fabric you don’t want to cut the fabric too large or too small because you have a lot of extra space if it is too large that makes it more difficult to hold while stitching but you also don’t want to cut the fabric too small because you can’t get the pattern completed with enough on the sides to be framed.  Just be sure that you read the pattern directions before cutting fabric.

How To Read A Cross Stitch Pattern – Understand a Cross Stitch Pattern

Several elements make up a Cross Stitch  pattern.  There is a grid made up of tiny squares.  Each tiny square on the grid represents a square of AIDA fabric.

Grid lines are darker in 10 X 10 sections to make reading the pattern, counting the stitches, and keeping your place much easier.  Some stitchers choose to mark their fabric according to the grid lines on  the pattern with a water soluble marking pen.

The pattern also has arrows to indicate the center of the design.  You will also need to find the center of the fabric as indicated in How To Find The Center Of Your Fabric

In the grid, there are colors and symbols.  These colors and symbols represent a certain color of embroidery floss.  Some patterns use symbols only and are printed in black and white.

It is very important that you study the pattern before you start stitching, organize your floss by colors and have everything available before starting.  This will make everything easier and less time consuming because patience can run short at times on trying to get everything organized especially trying to get your floss separated and straightened by colors if you are using a kit.  Do not try to separate the floss in strands at this time because the number of strands used can change according to what you are doing on the pattern.

If you would like to use a ruler to keep up with where you are on the pattern you will need to get a magnet board and a ruler that has magnets and possibly a magnifying ruler so you can see the pattern easier.  This is some of the options that are available on this website for your convenience.

The key, as shown in the second image, decodes the pattern.  This key is very simple, listing the symbol, the number of strands used for a stitch, the type of floss used and the corresponding number of the color.  The other symbols in the pattern such as the half squares, the outlines, and the blue dots represent quarter stitches, outline stitches, and French Knots.  This would be described in another part  under How To Do A French Knot.

The size of the finished design on certain fabric counts is also generally provided.  It is very important to  remember the size given is the size of the finished design, not the size you should cut your fabric.  Always increase the design size by three to six inches all the way around when cutting the fabric for a new project.

Learn To Cross Stitch In 5 Minutes is very easy to do…someone trying to learn to cross stitch should practice on making the cross stitch, the half stitch, quarter stitch, three quarter stitch and the back stitch.  Almost all patterns will use these stitches and the more comfortable you are with making them the better off you will be when you get started.

To stitch a cross stitch, you will need:

• a pair of sharp scissors
• a small embroidery hoop
• a piece of 11-count Aida fabriclarge enough to overlap the hoop by a few inches
• a short length of embroidery floss- any color
• a size 24 tapestry needle.

Place the fabric in the hoop and set aside. Cut a 12-inch length of six-strand embroidery floss and separate the strands of floss.  Thread the tapestry needle with two strands of the floss.

There are also two different stitching techniques commonly used in Learn To Cross Stitch In 5 Minutes or Cross Stitch Embroidery.

The first, the “stab” method, is used by most beginning stitchers.  The stab method involves moving the hand back and forth from the front of the fabric to the back of the fabric.  The needle is “stabbed” into the front of the fabric, left there, and then pulled through from the other side.

Each stitch technique has unique characteristics.  The stab method is effective when using a hoop or frame.  The stab method of stitching does not distort the fabric.  It is easy to make certain that the stitch is placed properly.

The “sewing”  method is used by stitchers who prefer to hold the fabric in the hand instead of in a hoop.  The stitchers hand and needle stay on top of the fabric, except when securing floss.  The needle scoops under the weave of the fabric.

The “sewing” method is not the best for beginners.  It is more difficult to ensure stitch placement, and the fabric can be distorted by the scooping motion.  For more experienced stitchers, this stitch technique is preferred for some projects because a hoop is not required.  Stitching a project with the sewing method does seem to be a little faster.

I choose a stitch technique on a case by case basis when I am stitching.  I use the sewing method for smaller projects where the rapidity of completion is more important to me than the perfection of stitches.  If I want to achieve a more perfect stitch, I use a hoop or frame and the stab method.

How To Use A Hoop is rather easy.Embroidery hoops come in different shapes and sizes.  Some are on stands or you can have one small enough to hold in your hand.  Some are made of wood with a screw adjuster to tighten or some are made of hard plastic with a metal ring that is the smaller of the hoop.  The hoops are called a “screw hoop” or a “spring hoop”

An embroidery hoop is made up of two rings.  Separating these rings is the first step in the process of putting fabric in a hoop.

The fabric should overlap the hoop by at least one to two inches.  Choose the size of the hoop based on the size of the fabric.    NOTE:  For larger pieces of fabric, it will be best to use a frame or stitch “in the hand”.

How To Use a Hoop by placing the fabric over the inner, or smaller, ring.  This is the ring which does not have a screw tightner on it.  The fabric should be centered – this does not have to be exact.  You may want to use a pin or needle to mark the center of the fabric as a point of reference before you put it in the hoop.

Loosen the screw adjuster on the outer ring.  The looser the better.  Just don’t loosen it so much that the screw comes completely off of the ring!

Place the outer ring over the inner ring sandwiching the fabric between the rings.

If you are using the ‘spring hoop” you will just surpress the spring after you have placed the outer ring on the top of the fabric, flip over and insert the spring on the bottom of fabric making if fit tight in the hoop.  Over my years of cross stitching, I find that I liked the spring hoop better, its easier to move around when necessary from one side of the pattern to the other.  Just make sure that you arrange the spring to be on the side of your hand holding the hoop.

If the fabric is centered, tighten the adjustment screw slightly.

Pull on the corners of the fabric to make sure the surface of the fabric is flat.  Fully tighten the screw.  The fabric is ready for stitching.    HINT:  Position the adjustment screw so that it is with the hand holding the hoop.  This way the floss will not catch on it while you are stitching.

How To Prepare Your Fabric  can either be stitched all the way around your fabric so that the threads will not come loose on the edge or you can use masking tape to go all around the edges.   If you decide to use the masking tape, you should lay your fabric flat on something then bind the fabric edges with the masking tape about half of the width so that you can turn the other half of the tape to the back side of the fabric.  Again this is your choice as to which one you choose but you should always do something so that it will not ravel.

When you finish the project all you need to do is pull the masking tape off, then wash you fabric in a gentle detergent to get all soiled or greasy spots from your hands off the fabric.

Clean hands are the first defence against damage to Cross Stitch Fabric.

Wash your hands before stitching.  Stop and wash your hands if you touch anything that may soil them while you are stitching.  Gently ask anyone who wants to touch your cross stitching to wash his or her hands first.

Keep projects away from children and pets.   Neither small children or pets will understand the need to keep fabric clean.  Some pets may even chew the fabric causing damage or holes

Keep all tools and implements used on crossstitch fabric clean.  Store scissors, marking pens, needles and other tools in a safe place and dedicate them to cross stitching.

If you use a hoop, clean it with alcohol or mild detergent and allow to completely dry. Frames should be held by the frame and not the fabric. The natural oils from your hands may eventually stain the fabric. You may also want to use protective fabric sleeves on frames to help keep the fabric clean..

To avoid creases, store fabric rolled up or flat instead of folded.  A crease may be next to impossible to iron out, and fading may occur along the folds.

Clean Aida, linen and other Cross Stitch fabrics with cool water and a very mild detergent.  If bright flosses bleed, keep rinsing the project with cool water until it runs clear,  Do not wring the fabric out.  Press it between the folds of a clean white towel to remove most of the water and lay to dry in a safe location.  Iron before completely dry.

A French Knot is a decorative stitch used to enhance Cross Stitch designs.  A French Knot is formed by wrapping the floss two or more times around the needle.  A French Knot is  used to dot the I, make  commas, periods, colons, semi colons or to enhance the design.

The French Knot has been referred to sometimes as aTwisted Knot Stitch, Wound Stitch, French Dot, Knotted Stitch, or Colonial Knot

How To Do A French Knot- To begin, insert needle where chart indicates. Hold thread taut. Starting at the base of the working thread, wrap the thread around the needle at least twice, spiraling away from the fabric. Turn the needle and reinsert it at the next fabric thread. Pull the needle on through while holding the wrapped threads flat against the fabric.

A Colonial Knot is smiliar. When stitching a Colonial Knot, more strands of floss are used. The floss is wrapped around the needle only once. The terms French Knot and Colonial Knot are often used interchangeably even though they are slightly different. Colonial Knots are used in Candlewicking, a traditional embroidery style that is popular with many Cross Stitch enthusiasts.

How To Do A Basis Cross Stitch can be found in the information about basis stitches used in Cross Stitch Embroidery including diagrams, tutorials, and suggested practice patterns.  With these five stitches, you should be able to stitch most Beginner to Intermediate patterns.

The cross stitch is made up of two half stitches. Half stitches are also stitched individually in some Cross Stitch projects, used at times to create a sense of depth in a Cross Stitch pattern.

The quarter stitch resembles a half stitch, but it is stitched into the center of an Aida fabric square. Quarter stitches are used to create petite cross stitch.

The three-quarter stitch is composed of a half stitch and a quarter stitch. Three-quarter stitches are used to create more detail in Cross Stitch designs.

Back Stitch is used to make lines around cross stitch and to stitch letters and wording. Some designs that are composed entirely of back stitch. Black work embroidery uses variations of the back stitch to create intricate designs, typically using black or a single color.

The above stitches are the basic stitches that are used in Cross Stitching.  If you learn to use these, then you could do most patterns from beginners to intermediate cross stitchers.  At some point in time I’m sure that you will want to get into other stitches such as satin stitches or french knots or even more complicated stitches.