There’s more than one way to hold a needle, and the technique you use affects everything from speed to the neatness of the back of your work. This guide pulls together everything on the site about actual cross stitch technique, not fabric or thread, but the stitching itself.
Every post tagged below covers some part of this topic, newest first. If you want a specific answer right away, start with the sections below.
Backstitch and Railroading
Backstitch is what gives a finished piece its detail, and railroading is one of those techniques that divides stitchers into strong camps.
It’s time to improve your backstitch game is worth reading whatever your skill level. If you’ve heard the term but aren’t sure what it means, why is it called railroading anyway explains it, and whether you should bother with railroading helps you decide if it’s worth adding to your own stitching.
Blending and Gridding
Blending threads and gridding your fabric are two techniques that look intimidating from the outside but make a real difference to accuracy once you’ve got the hang of them.
The cross stitch blending guide covers mixing thread colors for shading effects, and cross stitch gridding techniques walks through the different ways to keep large patterns on track.
Stitching Comfort and Speed
How you stitch affects more than just the finished piece, it affects your body too, especially on longer projects.
How to cross stitch faster covers the habits that actually save time, and how to cross stitch without getting a sore back is worth reading before your next long stitching session, not after.
Stitching for Longevity
Technique doesn’t just affect how a piece looks now, it affects how well it holds up over time.
How to cross stitch something that will last 100 years covers the stitching choices that matter most for a piece you want to last.
Mini cross stitch blend examples showing how changing the top color can make a difference. (top) lighter color on top (bottom) darker color on top (Source: littlelionstitchery.com)
When it comes to cross stitch blending, you get one of three types of people; - People who avoid it like the plague - People who think blending thread probably means a bad quality cross stitch pattern - People who put up with it in kits on the rare chance they actually include blending But…
Home Sweet Home Cross Stitch Sampler (Source: Pinterest)
A point comes in every cross stitchers journey when they wonder about making a heritage piece. A piece that stands the test of time and is either handed down across generations or something that could be housed in a museum 100 years from now! But how do you actually go about stitching a heritage…
railroaded cross stitch (source: craftster)
I love the idea of railroading. The idea that you can make a perfect stitch, and by doing so improve the overall look of your finished cross stitch. But I don't do it. I can do it, and I have in the past completed whole projects, but most of my projects aren't stitched with railroading…
Ikea desk chair cross stitch hack (Source: Pinterest)
A few months ago we looked into how cross stitch could be bad for your health and featured a few ways to help you keep healthy while stitching. This went down well, however, there was one area people wanted to know more about; their back. When sitting and stitching there tends to be two…
