Page 97 - The World of Cross Stitching (February 2020)

Beginners’ Guide

How to stitch Tackle the basic FRACTIONAL

STITCHES
stitches in our charts…
Fractionals let you
create rounded edges
Loop start With Cross stitch Bring your
Quarter
both ends of a strand needle up at the bottom
2 W The chart shows
threaded, bring your left corner (1) & down in which corner has
1 needle up (1), leaving the top right (2) for the the fractional. Bring the
a loop at the back. Work first ‘arm’ of your stitch. needle up in that corner
the first arm of your 4 2 Work the second arm, and down in the centre of
stitch (2) & secure it by coming up in the bottom the square, halfway across
passing your needle right (3) & going down in the diagonal (diagram 1).
through the loop. 1 3 the top left (4).

Backstitch Add detail French knots Easy with
and definition. Bring practice – come up in 1 2
3 1 your needle up at (1) the fabric (1), keep the
& down at (2), come up thread taut & wrap twice Three-
quarters
2 again at (3), then back around the needle. Push W Work a quarter
down at (1) & so on, to the needle down, close stitch, then a half stitch
direct each stitch ‘back’ 2 by, but not in the same across the other diagonal
towards the line of the 1 hole (2). Split the aida arm of the square as in
growing backstitch. block for a neat knot. diagram 2. Like quarters,
three-quarter stitches can
face any direction.
How to read our keys Swallow key ; Two symbols
When two
Cross stitch in two strands W symbols share a
Clear symbols, colours & all the info you need! DMC Anchor Madeira square, work a fractional
824 143 1010 dark blue in each colour. Decide on
10 10 the quarter stitch for the
826 146 906 blue
Thread brands background colour, then
The thread shades are listed 827 160 1013 light blue a three-quarters stitch for
in separate columns for 844 1041 1809 grey the main one (diagram 3).
the different manufacturer 922 1003 2306 copper
brands of thread. For best 3866 926 2101 pearl
results, you should stick to Backstitch in one strand
one manufacturer for the ––––– 844 1041 1809 grey
whole of a design. 3 4
French knots in one strand
310 403 2400 black Back-to-back
Backstitch & French ; For a stronger
knot shades STITCH COUNT 15 high x 20 wide W outline, work
Symbols The shades used for these DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – a three-quarter stitch in
Look for a symbol close to the chart centre are listed under the cross 2.5x3.5cm (1x1½in) each colour, stitching them
– the arrows on our charts easily show the stitch symbols. The number This design was stitched using DMC stranded cotton back-to-back (diagram 4).
centre so you won’t need to count! Find of strands needed for these Make sure that the two
this symbol in the key. The codes in that can vary, so make sure you Stitch count & Design area half stitch arms lie neatly
row show which thread shades to use for check how many to use, as The finished size of your design – in stitches and on parallel to each other.
cross stitching blocks with this symbol. it’s specified in the key. a particular fabric. HPI stands for ‘holes per inch’.

Jargon buster! Use our A-Z of cross stitch to know what’s what…

Afghan – a woollen Beading needle – quarter or three-quarters working a design fabric that won’t fray an evenweave fabric
blanket with areas inset a longer, finer needle of a cross stitch, these Longstitch – long when cut Variegated thread –
for cross stitching, often than a tapestry needle, allow you to create backstitches, crossing Skein – an 8m length of specific type of stranded
used for baby designs used for adding seed ‘rounded’ edges. See larger fabric distances stranded cotton, divisible cotton, in which the
Aida band – a narrow beads to a design how to make these in our Metallic threads into six separate strands colour changes along the
strip of aida, available Counted stitches diagrams above! – similar to stranded Soluble aida – length of the thread for
in varying widths, – embroidery stitches Half stitch – made cottons, these have temporary fabric which, a shaded effect
& finished with worked on counted, or up of only one half (one a metallic finish for shine like waste canvas, is used Waste canvas –
a decorative edge evenly woven, fabrics like ‘arm’) of a cross stitch, it and sparkle to add cross stitching to loosely woven fabric
Aperture – a hole aida & evenweave. Cross gives less dense coverage Perforated paper – non-counted fabrics & held together with
through which a design stitch is the most basic so an overall lighter toughened paper with then dissolved away in soluble glue. Used to
is seen in cards & frames counted stitch effect in the design a tiny grid of holes water afterwards add designs to clothing
Backstitch – used to Floss – USA term for Hoop – a wooden or which can be stitched on Stitching over two & other non-counted
add detail & definition. stranded cotton spring-mounted plastic instead of fabric – term used to describe fabrics before being
See how to stitch it in our Fractional stitches circular frame that holds Plastic canvas – stitching over two moistened & the fibres
diagram above! – made from either a your fabric taut while plastic alternative to threads of the weave of withdrawn with tweezers

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