Stitching Faq's

What size needle do I need to use for my cross stitch?

Use a tapestry needle (tapestry needles are blunt) and use the size suggested in the following chart. You can, of course, use a smaller needle but a larger needle will tend to distort your fabric.

Do I have to use a hoop?

No. Everyone is different. I like to use a roller frame as I find I can work quicker. If you are using a hoop make sure it is not too big. Your fingers should comfortably reach the middle of the hoop while you are holding it, be careful with wooden hoops, sometimes they can have rough edges. My favorite hoop to use is called a spring form hoop. It has a plastic outer rim and a metal inner piece which is springy.

How much fabric do I need?

The amount of fabric you need will depend on two things - the number of stitches you are working and the stitch count of your fabric. Take the number of stitches on your chart and divide by the stitch count of your fabric and add six. For example:- if your chart was 98 stitches by 130 stitches and you were working on 14 count Aida you would take 98 divide by 14 which gives you 7", take 130 and divide by 14 which would give you 9.29" (round it up to 10"). So your stitched area is going to be 7" x 10", now you add 6" which makes your fabric size 13" x 16". The 6" gives an allowance of 3" all around your stitched area which should be enough for framing.

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