Counted Cross Stitch, Worked One Whole Cross at a Time
Find the centre of the fabric and the chart, then let the woven threads do the counting, so every cross sits in its own square and the finished block lies flat.
What it is & when you need it
Counted cross stitch is embroidery with a grid already built into the cloth. Aida and evenweave linen have holes you can see and threads you can count, so the pattern is not drawn on the fabric, it is read from a chart and reproduced one square at a time.
Most beginners mess it up the same two ways: they start at a corner where the count drifts by one hole and the whole design shifts, or they let the top arms of their crosses point in different directions so the block flashes odd colours as light moves across it.
Both faults are fixed before the first stitch by finding the centre of the fabric and the centre of the chart and anchoring the two together. From that join, the counting holds and you can work in blocks without ever losing your place.
This walkthrough covers the set-up, the two-pass method that keeps your direction consistent, the finishing that flattens the block, and the small decisions, floss length and hoop tension, that decide whether the work is a pleasure or a strain.
How to choose the right one
Cross stitch has two ways to fill a row and they are not interchangeable. Pick by whether you can see the back: the loop method carries one long thread behind the work and suits isolated blocks, the counted method runs stitch to stitch and suits dense colour fields.
| Method | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Loop (parking) | Isolated colour blocks | Long floats catch on the frame |
| Counted, in rows | Dense filled areas | Must keep top arms one way |
What you'll need
14-count Aida or evenweave
The woven holes are the pattern grid, so a count you can read easily matters more than the fibre. Cream hides thread changes and white shows the chart.
Embroidery floss, stranded cotton
Six fine strands you split to two. Buy the shades your chart lists and separate them before use rather than working with the full twist.
Tapestry needle, size 24 or 26
A blunt point that passes through the hole without piercing the cloth or splitting the strands. Match the needle to the count, finer for higher counts.
Embroidery hoop
Keeps the fabric even and taut so your tension matches across the block. The inner lip must grip without leaving a permanent ring on the cloth.
Chart, key and good light
A printed or on-screen chart with a colour key. A daylight lamp and, on fine counts, a magnifier stop you reading one hole as the next.
Thread snips and marking thread
Small sharp snips to trim ends close to the back. A washable marking thread or a couple of basting lines hold the centre until the stitching takes over.
How to do it, step by step
- 1
Find the centre of fabric and chart
Fold the fabric in half both ways and finger-crease the cross, or run a couple of basting threads along it. The chart has a centre marked too, and that point is where the middle of your motif sits.
Starting from the centre means a miscount stays one square out instead of shifting the entire design by the time you reach the edge. Anchor the first stitch exactly where the two creases meet.
- 2
Thread the needle and set the floss length
Separate the strands and use two of six for 14-count Aida, dropped through a short length rather than a long one: past about 45 cm the floss twists, knots and frays at the eye. A short working length keeps the thread soft and the tension even stitch to stitch.
- 3
Work the first diagonal of crosses
Bring the needle up at the lower-left hole of a square and down at the upper-right, so every first arm leans the same way. Along a row you place these half-crosses before completing any of them, which keeps the back orderly and the front spacing identical.
- 4
Complete the crosses all the same way
Returning along the row, bring up at the lower-right and down at the upper-left so the second arm lies over the first. From here to the end, the top-left arm is always on top; flipping direction mid-block makes the finished cloth shine in patches.
- 5
Switch colour cleanly
Run the new floss under a few finished stitches on the back rather than starting a fresh knot, and carry a single isolated stitch by parking the thread instead of dragging it across blank squares. Keeping the back tidy is what lets the front sit flat when you press it.
- 6
Fill the remaining blocks by colour
Move colour by colour rather than row by row when a motif repeats: finish every square of one shade across the whole design, then the next. You change floss fewer times, and the eye checks that all the matching blocks were counted from the same centre.
- 7
Finish, press and mount
Wash out any marking thread or hand sweat in lukewarm water, blot flat and never wring. Press face-down on a towel so the crosses keep their roundness, then hoop or frame while the cloth is square, pulling gently on the bias if one edge rides high.
Pro tips
- Two strands on 14-count Aida gives full coverage without lumping; one strand on 18-count keeps fine motifs from crowding their own holes.
- Change direction on the back under stitches, never over open squares, so a pulled thread cannot snag when the piece is stretched in a frame.
- A good light and a magnifier on 16-count and finer save your eyes and stop you reading one hole as its neighbour.
- Do not anchor with knots; they make hard bumps under the finished cloth and telegraph through when you press it flat.
- Count the squares of each finished block against the chart before moving on, catching a one-square slip while it is still cheap to unpick.
Common mistakes (and how to fix them)
The crosses lean in different directions so the block looks patchy.
Work whole rows of first arms in one direction, then return to complete them, so every top arm lies the same way. Where you have already flipped, unpick that row and re-lay the arms rather than leaving the shading inconsistent.
The whole design drifts sideways as it grows.
Re-find the centre, unpick back to it and restart from the true middle. From the centre a miscount is one square out; from a corner it moves the entire motif and cannot be fixed without redoing the piece.
The finished cloth puckers and sits uneven in the frame.
Lay stitches at even, gentle tension, then press face-down on a towel so the loops keep their height. A block that puckered from tight thread relaxes once it is washed and re-pressed the right way.
The floss twists and the coverage goes thin and curly.
Shorten the working length and let the threaded needle dangle and unspin every few stitches. Two freshly separated strands also recover a smoother, rounder look than a twisted length worked on too far.
Frequently asked questions
What fabric and count should a first project use?
Start on 14-count Aida in cream or white: the holes are obvious, the grid is forgiving and two strands of floss cover it cleanly. Evenweave linen looks finer but its tighter, less obvious holes make counting harder until your eye is trained, so leave it for a second project.
How many strands of embroidery floss should I use?
Two of the six strands is the default for the motif on 14-count Aida, giving solid colour without a lump, while backstitch and French-knot outlines usually take all six or four. Fine counts and detailed work drop to one strand so the thread does not overflow the smaller squares.
Do I need a hoop for counted cross stitch?
A hoop is not strictly necessary but it keeps the fabric taut so stitches stay even and the cloth stops dragging against your fingers, and it protects the front from the natural oils of your hands. For a large piece, hoop only the working area and move the hoop as you go.
How do I keep the back of the work tidy?
Carry the thread under finished stitches on the back rather than floating it across empty squares, park single isolated stitches instead of dragging them, and start and stop new colours by weaving in under existing stitching. Avoid knots entirely, since they make hard lumps.
How much floss and fabric should I allow?
Buy fabric at least five centimetres wider and taller than the finished motif so you have room to hoop and frame, and expect a full-coverage design on 14-count to use more floss than a chart's colour key suggests once you include backstitch and a few frogged rows. Order extra of the dominant shade.
Written by Bobbin & Form Editorial Team
Home sewists & machine-embroidery practitioners
Reviewed by Marie Delacroix
Custom sewist & machine-embroidery technician, 15 years at the machine
Steps were written and re-tested on real fabric by our team and reviewed by an independent sewing and embroidery professional. Results vary with your machine, fabric and supplies, so always run a scrap test on the same materials before stitching a finished piece. Nothing here is sponsored — when we link to a calculator or product it is because it is genuinely useful.
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