Counted Cross Stitch Kit
From LoveToKnow Crafts
Counted cross stitch kits are great because they give you everything you need to create a cross-stitched masterpiece.
Printed Cross Stitch Kits
The most basic cross stitch kits, and the ones that are best for beginners, are those that have the stitches printed on the cross stitch fabric, either in the color that should be stitched or all in one color.
For more about these kinds of kits, check out Stamped Cross Stitch. Printed cross stitch is a great way to start because it shows you exactly what to do, where to stitch and in what color. You can find these kits at your local craft store.
Unprinted Counted Cross Stitch Kits
There are also kits for cross stitch that do not involve printed fabric. The package still includes everything you need—fabric, thread, a needle, the pattern—but the pattern is not printed on the fabric.
This type of cross stitch kit can be a little more difficult than a stamped cross stitch pattern, if for no other reason than you really have to “count” the squares and follow the pattern carefully to get it to turn out the way it is supposed to.
If you have been working with printed cross stitch kits and are ready to graduated to unprinted kits, start with a relatively simple pattern that doesn’t involve a lot of color changes. This will allow you to get used to reading the pattern and will give you confidence before you tackle a larger project.
Many unprinted counted cross stitch kits are available at your local craft store as well, or check out the selection at Sew and So (a British company), Pinn Stitch (which has lots of Thai and beautiful Asian designs), Cross Stitch UK (search by brand) and Willow Fabrics.
Using an unstamped cross stitch kit is much the same as if you’d gathered all the materials yourself. To start, you just need to find the center of the pattern and the center of your fabric, and stitch from the center out as much as possible, being careful to keep track of the parts you have stitched so you will always be on track to have a finished piece that looks like it is supposed to.
Counted Cross Stitch Kits for Kids
To start children working on counted cross stitch, you have a couple of options. You can give them regular stamped cross stitch kits or seek out kits made especially for kids.
Kits for kids often include plastic “fabric” and are stitched up using a plastic needle and yarn instead of regular embroidery floss. These are great for younger kids because you don’t have to worry that they will hurt themselves with a sharp needle, and they don’t need incredibly precise stitching movements to be able to form stitches on stiff plastic with large holes.
Some sources for counted cross stitch kits include Joann (this search shows other beginning stitching crafts for kids as well), Crafts Unlimited and Kids Kits Crafts.
These sites feature small patterns that are stitched on fabric and should be easy enough for kids to do as well as small enough to hold their attention. Once they have mastered some of these more basic patterns and know to respect the needle they can move on to patterns for grownups that are a little more complicated.
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