How many colors?

A common question most customers as is "How many colors should be in the kit?"  While the answer varies from design to design, this article should give you enough information to make an educated decision.

The answer depends on these key items:

• Number of colors in the original image
• Subject matter of original image
• Skill level of the stitcher

The number of colors should depend on the on the design being converted into a Cross Stitch pattern.  A simple design, such as a college logo, may only contain 3 unique colors.  A photograph, on the other hand, may contain thousands of possible colors.

The number of colors also relates to the skill level of the stitcher.  Someone who has years of experience may wish to retain as much color detailed as possible, while someone less experienced may want fewer colors to work with.

Which Fabric Should I Use?

Since this seems to be a very common question, we thought it helpful to review three of the most popular cross stitch fabrics in use today:

Aida is a great fabric for beginners. The material is woven in blocks while Evenweave and linen are woven in single threads. The result is a stiffer hand to the fabric. Aida is considered a “blockweave” fabric where there are defined blocks that the X is stitched over. Stitching is done 1 (strand) over 1 (strand). Manufacturers: Charles Craft, Janlynn Corp.