How to Cross-Stitch on Gingham
Gingham fabric comes in a variety of colors, with geometric checks making up the pattern on the fabric. Because of the even and straight squares on gingham fabric, it lends itself for embroidery. Embroidery on gingham fabric is "chicken scratching," and this technique originated generations ago when America was young. Cross-stitch on gingham fabric to create colorful and traditional embroidery designs using a variety of different gingham and embroidery thread colors.
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Things You'll Need
- Gingham fabric
- Embroidery hoop
- Embroidery needle
- Embroidery floss
- Scissors
Instructions
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1
Cut a piece of gingham fabric large enough to hold the cross-stitching pattern plus at least 2 inches of empty fabric on each side surrounding the pattern. Figure one gingham square for each square in the pattern.
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2
Mark the center of the piece of gingham fabric with a straight pin. Note the center of the pattern with a small pencil dot.
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3
Place the gingham fabric into the embroidery hoop so the pin marking the center is at the center of the hoop. Pull the fabric taut in the hoop to prepare for cross-stitching.
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4
Select the embroidery floss color you desire and cut a 20-inch length of floss. Separate two of the six-strands of floss and thread the needle with the two strands of floss. Do not knot the embroidery floss.
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5
Insert the needle into a corner of a square at the center of the gingham fabric and pull the needle up through the fabric until only 1 inch of floss remains on the backside of the gingham. Insert the needle back down through the gingham fabric at the opposite corner of the same square. Pull the needle through to make the stitch taut.
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6
Insert the needle back up into the bottom corner of the same square and then back down again in the final corner of the square to make an "X" in the square.
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7
Push the needle back up at the bottom edge of the square (the 6 o'clock position) and then back down again at the 12 o'clock position. Finish the double cross-stitch by inserting the needle back up at the 9 o'clock position and back down again at the 3 o'clock position. This completes the double cross-stitch in one gingham square.
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8
Complete the same double cross-stitch pattern in each gingham square according to the pattern you are making. Change embroidery floss colors as dictated by the pattern.
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Tips & Warnings
If you plan to wash the gingham item you are stitching, consider making knots at the ends of your embroidery floss to prevent threads from coming loose. Make a tiny overhand knot at the end of the floss to anchor the floss on the backside of the gingham.
Gingham typically has a pattern of white squares, light squares and dark squares. Although you can use any color of embroidery floss on your gingham, you may decide to use a light embroidery floss on dark gingham or a dark embroidery floss on light gingham. You can also use white embroidery floss on the dark squares and an embroidery floss color that matches the darkest gingham square on the white squares.
