Starting a cross stitch or blackwork project

1.    Preparing your fabric

First mark out in pencil the middle point on the aida fabric. To find the centre of your fabric fold it in half one way then the other.

This will correspond with the middle point on the pattern shown with the arrows on the top and sides. Follow the arrows on the pattern to find the middle.

Choose which stitch you want to start on and count the corresponding squares away from the centre on both fabric and pattern.

2.    Placing fabric in the hoop

Fix your fabric into the hoop by loosening the screw and separating the two rounds. Place the round without the screw flat on the table. Lay the fabric over the hoop making sure the centre of the fabric is in the centre of the hoops. Any pencil marks made at step 1 should be on the back of the fabric.

3.    Thread

The thread colours are labelled on the thread peg. Each number corresponds to a symbol on the pattern. These are detailed on the key accompanying your custom pattern.

All threads I use in my patterns are DMC cotton 6 strand thread unless stated otherwise in the pattern.

Choose your colour and separate the 6 strands into 3 and thread onto your needle for the cross stitch and 2 strands for backstitch (or whatever your pattern specifies ).