Cross Stitch Terms — What does that mean?!?

Cross stitch comes with its own vocabulary, and a lot of it isn’t obvious the first time you run into it. This is a quick reference for the words I use across the rest of the site, organized into three sections:

• Terms — fabric, thread, brands, methods, slang
• Stitches — the actual stitches you’ll see called out in patterns
• Tools — the gear

Terms

Aida — The most commonly used fabric for cross stitch, woven evenly with holes for making your “X.” Usually 100% cotton.

Anchor — A popular brand of embroidery floss.

Bobbin — Plastic or paper that thread can be wrapped around for storage.

Colour key — Section on the side of a chart showing what colours go with what symbols.

Confetti — Stitches that are scattered around your pattern and not bunched together.

Counted Cross Stitch Pattern — Also called a “chart.” The most traditional type of pattern: a grid of squares that you follow on your fabric.

Cross Country — Moving around your pattern stitching one colour at a time, without starting the thread over when moving to a new section.

Design area — The size of your finished piece. It will be smaller on a higher-count aida or evenweave.

DMC — A company that sells a popular brand of embroidery floss and other supplies.

Elbesee — A popular brand for embroidery hoops and stands.

Étoile — Embroidery thread with glitter in it that DMC released in 2018.

Evenweave — A common fabric used in cross stitch. Much softer and more flexible than aida.

F.A. Edmunds — A popular brand for embroidery hoops. Best wood hoops in my opinion.

Fabric Count — The number of holes per inch (HPI) on the fabric. Ex: 14 count aida has 14 holes per inch.

Floss — 6 strands of embroidery thread loosely wound together.

Frogging — A term used when undoing stitches where you’ve made a mistake (because you have to “rip it, rip it”).

Grid — Where your counted cross stitch pattern will be printed. Typically 10 × 10 squares or 5 × 5 squares.

Gridding — What stitchers do to their fabric to make counting easier. Usually 10 × 10 squares.

Inchie — One-inch-by-one-inch squares that contain small art.

Jobelan — A popular brand who make aida and evenweave.

Light Effects — DMC thread. Comes in metallics, neon, and glow-in-the-dark.

Linen — Similar to evenweave, but because it’s a natural fabric made from flax there may be some flaws in the weave that make your stitches a little uneven.

LNS — Local Needlework Shop.

Loop Method — Also called the “Knotless Method.” A way of starting your cross stitch where you fold 1 strand of thread in half and use the loop to secure your thread.

Motif — Small cross stitch pattern, typically a single item. These can be used as ornaments or cards.

Needle Eye — The small hole at the top of the needle where you put your thread through.

Parking — A method used on large pieces with lots of colour changes. Instead of stitching all of one colour and then moving to the next, you stitch in rows from one stitch directly to the next. When you hit a colour change you pull the old thread through to the front to “park” it while you switch colours, then pick the old colour back up when you need it again.

PDF pattern — A cross stitch pattern that you can download directly to your phone, tablet, computer, etc.

Perle — Embroidery thread usually used for embroidery rather than cross stitch (although it can be used for both). This thread can’t be separated.

Plastic canvas — Has several different uses. Can be used for ornaments or other crafts. Sometimes used for children’s kits with wool thread.

Ply — Refers to the individual strands of thread that make up a skein of floss. 2 ply = 2 strands.

Railroading — Putting your needle in between your strands of thread as you pull it through your fabric. This makes your stitches sit flatter.

SAL — Stitch-A-Long.

Sampler — A type of cross stitch pattern made up of a variety of stitches.

Seed beads — Small beads stitched on top of your cross stitch work, used to add texture. Can also be used in place of french knots.

Siesta — A brand for embroidery hoops. They have 3-inch hoops!

Skein — Usually around 8 metres of floss wound up into bundles/skeins.

Soluble canvas — A type of fabric you can stitch onto clothes, etc., which dissolves in water.

Stamped Cross Stitch — A pattern stamped directly onto the fabric, which you stitch over. DO NOT WASH until you’re done — or you’ll wash the pattern off the fabric.

Stash — All of your cross stitch supplies. Extra fabric, patterns, threads, all of it.

Thread Tail Method — Also called the “Waste Knot Method.” A way of starting where you hold your thread tail at the back while you “catch” it with your stitches.

Tweeding — Also called “blending.” Threading 2 different colours on your needle at once (usually 1 strand of each).

UFO — Unfinished Object.

Warp — Threads that run vertically (lengthwise) through cross stitch fabric.

Waste canvas — A type of fabric you can stitch onto clothes, etc., but instead of dissolving you pull the threads out when you’re done.

Waste Knot Method — Also called the “Thread Tail Method.” Take your thread, tie a knot at the end, and thread it from the front away from where your stitches will be. As you make your stitches, catch the thread at the back, then snip the knot off. You can also do this without the knot — just hold the thread at the back while you “catch” it.

Weft — Threads that run horizontally through cross stitch fabric.

WIP — Work In Progress.

Zweigart — The inventor of aida! They make thousands of fabrics in all types, colours, and sizes.

Zweigart Brittney Evenweave — A common 28 count evenweave. 52% cotton and 48% modal — the modal is what makes it softer than aida.

Zweigart Murano Evenweave — A common evenweave, also 52% cotton and 48% modal, but in 32 count.

Stitches

1/4 Fractional stitch — A stitch that covers just one quarter of the square. The stitch ends in the centre of the square, so these are easier to do on evenweave or linen.

3/4 Fractional stitch — A half stitch plus a 1/4 fractional stitch. Takes up 3/4 of the square.

Backstitch — Lines of stitches that go in any direction. Used to add detail to a pattern or to outline it.

Basting Stitches — Stitches that will eventually come out of your work.

Colonial Knot — An alternative to a french knot. Made a little differently, and some people prefer them over french knots.

Danish Stitch — When you half-stitch your way along a row, then come back and cross them all on the return trip.

English Stitch — When you stitch one whole cross stitch at a time.

French Knot — A small knot you make by wrapping the floss around your needle.

Half stitch — Just one diagonal stitch going in either direction — \ or /.

Petit Point — Only on linen or evenweave. Another name for stitching over 1: instead of stitching over 2 fabric threads, you stitch over 1 (like you would on aida). This gives you a tiny stitch and makes your pattern 4× smaller — there are 4 petit point stitches for every stitch over 2.

Stitching 2 over 2 — Stitching with 2 strands of floss over 2 fabric threads. Typically done with linen.

Whole Cross Stitch — A full “X” stitch.

Tools

Aperture card — A card with a hole pre-cut at the front. You can use these to make a cross stitch card. Some are tri-fold so you can hide the back of your stitching.

Beading needle — A needle used to stitch seed beads onto your design.

Bobbin winder — A tool that wraps thread onto your bobbin for you.

Crewel Needle — Also called an “Embroidery Needle.” A sharp needle with a larger eye that comes in different sizes. Helps penetrate tightly woven fabrics.

DMC Magic Guide Fabric — Aida or evenweave that has the grid already printed on it to match your pattern grid. The lines disappear when washed.

Embroidery Needle — A sharp needle with a larger eye that comes in different sizes. Helps penetrate tightly woven fabrics.

Embroidery scissors — Small and sharp scissors.

Floor stand — Used to hold your frame while stitching, so you have both hands free. Helps with hand and wrist aches. Ex: Lowery Stand.

Fray check — Used for sealing the edges of fabric to stop them fraying.

Hoop — Used to keep your fabric taut. Can also be used to frame your finished work. Sizes range from 2–12 inches, round or oval, and they come in wood, rubber (flexi), or plastic (in different colours).

Lap stand — Also called a “Seat Frame.” You sit on the bottom of the stand to hold it in place, and the stand holds your frame or hoop.

Needle threader — Small tool used to help put your thread through the needle eye.

NeedleMinder — 2 magnets that attach to your fabric to give you a place to park your needle between stitching sessions.

Pattern Keeper — An app for Android — you can view and mark off PDF cross stitch charts. There’s an initial free trial period, then a one-time charge to keep using it.

Q-snap — Also called a “Plastic Snap Frame.” Plastic tubes that link together to hold your work while you stitch. There’s the Q-snap brand and several off brands.

Scroll frame — Good for larger projects. The fabric rolls onto rods, so you only have the section you’re working on exposed (and you’re not stitching around the rods). Helps prevent fraying.

Seam ripper — Tool used to rip out stitches. Can be used in cross stitch and other sewing techniques. Be very careful — you can rip the fabric itself if you’re not paying attention.

Stork scissors — Also called “Embroidery Scissors.” Originally clamps that midwives used during the birth of a baby.

Table Clamp — Instead of going onto a tabletop, this clamps onto the edge of your table to hold your hoop.

Table stand — An in-between of the floor and lap stand. Sits on a tabletop to hold your hoop.

Tapestry Needle — A blunt needle made specifically for cross stitch. Comes in different sizes.

Thread Conditioner — Also called beeswax. Conditions your thread so it glides through the aida more easily and makes the thread last longer.

Yarntree — yarntree.com — an online cross stitch calculator. Helps figure out how much fabric you’ll need, or how large your stitched area will be on a given fabric or in a given frame.