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Cross stitch

Two little diagonals crossed into an X — a bold, textured stitch that covers firmly and reads as neat, even rows.

Framed needlepoint canvas spelling CROSS in cross stitch
The beauty portrait — the stitch spelled in its own texture. Same frame and crop across every stitch in the library.
A field of small even crosses, each two diagonals over one canvas intersection

What the texture looks like

Worked up close: a field of small, even X’s, each one two diagonals crossed over a single intersection of the canvas.
Difficulty
Beginner  A friendly, satisfying early stitch.
Appearance
Rows of small, even crosses — a firm, textured surface.
Coverage
Good and sturdy. Two arms over each intersection give solid coverage with a little texture.
Good for
Samplers · borders · lettering · backgrounds · anywhere you want texture.
You'll need
Tapestry needle · one thread color · 13-mesh canvas (canvas with 13 holes per inch).
Exactly how to make it

One cross at a time

Completed stitches are shown in blush, the stitch you're making now in red, and the next hole to come up through is circled in blue. Each cross is two arms: one diagonal, then the other across it.

1
Step 1 — Come up at 1, go down at 2 — the first arm: a diagonal from lower-left to upper-right.12
Come up at 1, go down at 2 — the first arm: a diagonal from lower-left to upper-right.
2
Step 2 — Come up at 3, go down at 4 — the second arm crosses it, upper-left to lower-right. That’s one complete X.34
Come up at 3, go down at 4 — the second arm crosses it, upper-left to lower-right. That’s one complete X.
3
Step 3 — Come up at 5, go down at 6 — the first arm of the next cross, right beside it.56
Come up at 5, go down at 6 — the first arm of the next cross, right beside it.
4
Step 4 — Come up at 7, go down at 8 — cross it to finish the second X.78
Come up at 7, go down at 8 — cross it to finish the second X.
5
Step 5 — Come up at 9, go down at 10 — first arm of the third cross.910
Come up at 9, go down at 10 — first arm of the third cross.
6
Step 6 — Come up at 11, go down at 12 — cross to finish. A neat row of even X’s.1112
Come up at 11, go down at 12 — cross to finish. A neat row of even X’s.
This is normal: your first few crosses will look a little uneven, and the arms may not sit at matching angles. Keep the crossing arm going the same way each time and the row settles into an even texture on its own.
What yours should look like

Front and back

A finished field of small even crosses, every top arm crossing the same way
Front — a field of small, even X’s, every top arm crossing the same way.
Back — short steps carry between one cross and the next.

Common mistake — and the fix

Cross every X the same way — make the top arm go in the same direction every time (for example, always upper-left to lower-right). If some cross one way and some the other, the surface looks restless and catches the light unevenly.

Keep going
Pairs well with: TentStraight GobelinScotch
Written for absolute beginners, in plain language.
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