Embroidery is the craft of working a design onto fabric with thread. There are many techniques: some fill the cloth with small identical stitches on a grid, others lay long stitches along a shape, others simply draw an outline in thread. The technique decides the fabric, the thread and how long the piece will take.
This page collects what is worth knowing at the start: which techniques exist, how fabrics differ and the formula for the finished size. There is also a free chart builder that turns an ordinary photo into a pattern — right in your browser, with no sign-up and no file ever leaving your device.
Embroidery techniques
These techniques cover most beginner projects. What separates them is not difficulty but how the element sits on the cloth: some fit exactly into one cell, others stretch across several along the shape. That is what decides which kind of chart you need.
- Cross stitch in the builder
- Each stitch is two diagonal strokes crossing inside one cell of the canvas. Charts are easy to read and mistakes are easy to undo, which is why most people start here; it calls for fabric with visible cells, usually Aida.
- Half stitch in the builder
- The same grid, but only one diagonal per cell. It works up twice as fast and leaves a lighter, more translucent surface, so it often fills the background behind the main motif. The chart is exactly the same as for cross stitch.
- Round seed beads in the builder
- A bead is sewn into each cell of the canvas instead of a cross, giving a raised, glossy surface. The grid is the same and so is the sizing — the canvas sets it; the bead is simply chosen so that it matches the cell.
- Satin stitch planned
- Long stitches laid side by side along the shape, giving a solid surface that reads almost like a brush stroke. The stitch is not tied to a single cell: the shape itself decides how long it runs.
- Bugle beads planned
- Elongated glass tubes sewn across several cells at once. Geometrically this is satin stitch with glass instead of thread, so it needs the same kind of chart — one built from long elements rather than from cells.
- Backstitch planned
- A thin line of short stitches worked backwards, used to outline a shape or add fine detail. It is rarely used on its own — usually it is the finishing pass over work already done in cross or satin stitch.
The first three produce an identical chart: one cell, one element. That is why they share a single builder, and a chart made in it can be worked in cross stitch, in half stitch or sewn with beads. Satin stitch and bugle beads work differently — one long element spans several cells along the shape — so they need a separate mode, which we are preparing.
Fabrics and finished size
The size of the finished piece comes from the fabric, not the chart: the same chart worked on Aida 18 ends up noticeably smaller than on Aida 11. The maths is simple — stitches divided by fabric count.
| Fabric | Stitches per cm | 50-stitch chart | 100-stitch chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aida 14 (14 ct) — 14 stitches/inch | 5.5 | 9.1 cm | 18.1 cm |
| Aida 11 (11 ct) — 11 stitches/inch | 4.3 | 11.5 cm | 23.1 cm |
| Aida 16 (16 ct) — 16 stitches/inch | 6.3 | 7.9 cm | 15.9 cm |
| Aida 18 (18 ct) — 18 stitches/inch | 7.1 | 7.1 cm | 14.1 cm |
| Evenweave 28 ct over 2 threads — 14 | 5.5 | 9.1 cm | 18.1 cm |
| Evenweave 32 ct over 2 threads — 16 | 6.3 | 7.9 cm | 15.9 cm |
Frequently asked questions about embroidery
- How do I start embroidering?
- Start with cross stitch on Aida 14: its cells are clearly visible, so you never have to count threads of the cloth. For a first piece take a small chart around 50–80 stitches wide, a floss set of 8–12 colours, a blunt tapestry needle and a hoop.
- How is bead embroidery different from cross stitch?
- The chart and the finished size are the same: a bead, like a cross, sits in one cell of the canvas, so the canvas is what sets the size. What differs is the look — raised and glossy — and the shopping, because the bead number has to match the cell.
- Which bead size goes with which canvas?
- The bead should match the cell: an Aida 11 cell is 2.3 mm and suits size 10/0, an Aida 14 cell is 1.8 mm and is closer to 11/0, and dense Aida 18 wants 15/0. A smaller bead leaves the canvas showing through, a larger one makes it impossible to keep the beads aligned.
- How is cross stitch different from satin stitch?
- Cross stitch uses identical small stitches on a grid, so the image builds up like a mosaic and the chart can be read square by square. Satin stitch lays long stitches of varying length along the shape, giving a smooth solid surface that cannot be described by a grid of cells.
- Which fabric should I choose?
- Cross stitch wants Aida — a fabric woven into clear square cells, with Aida 14 the most popular count. Satin stitch and finer work suit evenweave, where each stitch spans two threads of the cloth, while free-style embroidery works on any firm cotton or linen.
- What does fabric count mean?
- The count is how many cells or threads fit into one inch of fabric. Aida 14 has 14 cells per inch, roughly 5.5 per centimetre; the higher the count, the smaller the stitch and the smaller the finished piece.
- How do I calculate the finished size?
- Divide the number of stitches by the fabric density in stitches per centimetre. A chart 100 stitches wide measures about 18 cm on Aida 14 and only 14 cm on Aida 18; remember to add 5–7 cm on every side for hemming and framing.
- How many strands of floss should I use?
- Stranded cotton usually comes as six fine threads, and cross stitch on Aida 14 takes two of them. On denser Aida 18 one strand is enough and on looser Aida 11 you want three — the rule of thumb is that the stitch should cover the cell without bulging.
- Do I need a hoop?
- A hoop keeps the fabric taut, so stitches sit evenly and the cloth does not pucker. Cross stitch on stiff Aida can be worked without one, but for satin stitch a hoop is close to essential — a long stitch on slack fabric will always pull crooked.
- How long does a piece take?
- An experienced stitcher works roughly 200–400 crosses an hour; a beginner about half that. A 60×40 chart is 2,400 stitches, so five or six unhurried evenings — which is exactly why a first project should be small.