How to Make Counted Cross-Stitch Patterns

When planning to make a counted cross-stitch piece, you aren't limited to patterns that manufacturers offer--you can make your own personalized pattern. Making a counted cross-stitch pattern by hand is a process of drawing a picture and/or writing words on graph paper. Xs that you draw in the graph boxes form a design on a chart. The filled-in boxes represent the stitches you will later make on Aida cloth when you stitch your design. Aida cloth is a very popular cross-stitch fabric that has threads woven in groups and separated by very small spaces. This woven formation creates a pattern of squares similar to the squares on graph paper. If you want to make your pattern with the help of a computer, there are numerous software programs available for purchase, some of which have the capability to convert photos into cross-stitch patterns.

Things You'll Need

• Sketch paper
• Graph paper
• Colored pencils

Instructions

1. Draw your design on sketch paper. This will give you a picture to refer to when you make your design on graph paper. If you plan to write words as part of your design, block printing is recommended. Script writing is hard to read when the curves of the letters are transferred to block shapes on graph paper.

2. Using a light hand and colored pencils, draw the outline of your design on the graph paper.

3. Make Xs over the lines you drew in the previous step. Make the Xs in the same color as the lines you drew. When a line curves and crosses over only part of a box, decide whether you will fill in the box completely, leave it blank or make a half-stitch to create an angled line. If you want to angle the line, make a crosshatch mark (half of an X) to show that you will not be making a full cross-stitch at that point.

4. Fill in the outlined areas with more Xs. Each X should be drawn in the color of thread you plan to use when stitching. With a black pencil, draw lines on the edges of the boxes that will be outlined to distinguish shapes.

5. Determine which size Aida cloth you will need to use to create your design in the appropriate finished size. Aida cloth is sized by squares per inch. For example, 11-count Aida cloth has 11 squares per inch. It normally is sold in thread counts of 6, 8, 11, 14, 16 and 18. Count the number of filled-in squares on the longest line of your design, and include empty squares that will border your design. Divide the total number of stitches by various sizes of Aida cloth thread counts to find the desired finished size. For example, if you have 55 squares, using 11-count Aida cloth with give you a finished size of 5 inches. If you want your design to be larger, use 8-count Aida cloth. This will give you a finished size of almost 7 inches.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Counted cross-stitch software