How to Organize Embroidery Floss So You Can Find Any Color
A tangle of skeins costs you time and money. Here is how to organize embroidery floss with bobbins or bags, why number order beats rainbow order, and how to stop buying the same color twice.
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How to Backstitch in Cross Stitch for Clean, Crisp Outlines
Backstitch is the line work that makes a cross stitch look finished. Here is how to do it step by step, how many strands to use, which dark color to pick instead of plain black, and how to keep lines straight.
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14 Count vs 18 Count Aida: Which Should You Stitch On?
The same chart, two very different evenings. Here is how 14-count and 18-count aida compare on finished size, strands, needles and eyestrain, and which one I would pick for most projects.
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What Size Hoop Do You Need for Your Cross Stitch?
A hoop that is slightly too small will crease your work and slip all afternoon. Here is how to pick the right one before you cut your fabric.
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How to Stop Aida Fabric from Fraying for Good
Raw aida edges shed the moment you start handling a project. Here are the five ways to seal them, which one is worth your time, and how much fabric to cut so it stops mattering.
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How to Wash and Press a Finished Cross Stitch
Nobody teaches you how to wash cross stitch, so most of us guess. Here is the safe way to soak, rinse, dry and press a finished piece without bleeding colors or crushed stitches.
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Aida vs evenweave vs linen: which fabric should you choose?
The three main cross stitch fabrics explained simply: how they differ, what "over two" means, and which one to pick depending on your project and experience.
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How to calculate fabric size for a cross stitch project
Cut too small and you can't frame it; cut huge and you waste fabric. Here's the simple formula for the right fabric size, plus a calculator that does it for you.
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