Choosing the right cross stitch embroidery fabric

Aida - Hardanger - Linda - Davosa - Jobelan - Linen - Annabelle - Quaker Cloth

How do you choose which embroidery fabric to use for your next project? There are so many too choose from, made from different fibres and with different counts, that it can be difficult for a new needleworker to know which one is just right.

What does "count" mean anyway?

Fabric woven for counted thread embroidery has an even number of threads in each direction. The "count" refers to how many threads are used in each inch. You may see the count written as 14ct or 14 HPI which means 14 threads to the inch. An easy way to think of it is that the count tells you how many stitches you can squeeze into an inch of fabric, therefore a bigger number means that each stitch has to be smaller so as to fit more of them in.

This knowledge can prove useful if you have a pattern you wish to stitch that would turn out slightly too big if stitched on the recommended embroidery fabric. If your design is 140 stitches wide it will measure 10 inches on a 14 count fabric or 8.75 inches if you swap to an 18 count cross stitch fabric which may just mean it will fit into the frame you had in mind.

Don't want to do the calculations yourself? Use this free handy cross stitch calculator to do it for you!

Aida counted cross stitch fabric

Aida is known as a block weave. Bunches of cotton threads are grouped together with clearly defined holes showing in the corners of each block.

This makes it an ideal embroidery fabric for beginners to use. One drawback of Aida is that the blocks are obvious in the background of a design. It can also be difficult to pierce the centre of a block when working fractional stitches.

Aida is available in 11, 14, 16, 18 and 22 count. The most popular of these tends to be 14 count. I find 18 is getting just a little too difficult to see for comfortable stitching now the years are catching up with me. Time for a little magnification!

Charles Craft Aida Cloth is available in many counts and colors.

Hardanger fabric

Hardanger, or Oslo, is also a 100% cotton block weave. It has 22 threads to the inch which lay in pairs. The holes are less obvious than in Aida.

As well as being used for Hardanger this fabric can be used for cross stitch and blackwork. Cross stitch can be worked over 2 blocks, effectively creating an 11 count fabric.

Classic Reserve Hardanger 22 Count

Linda evenweave fabric

Linda is the fabric that I use in my evenweave kits. It is a closely woven 27 count "single thread" 100% cotton cross stitch fabric manufactured by Zweigart with a matt appearance.

Normally you would stitch over two threads and therefore the finished design is almost the same size as if you had used Aida 14 count, but it looks a whole lot nicer. For step by step instructions on how to stitch on evenweaves and linen please see my counted cross stitch page.

Davosa

If you are looking for an 18 count embroidery fabric without the blockiness of Aida, then Davosa may fit the bill. It is a 100% cotton evenweave.

Jobelan

Jobelan is made from 51% cotton and 49% modal. It is a soft, 28 or 32 count evenweave fabric, with a slight sheen that is ideal for stitching table linens or cushions (pillows) as it hangs well and is easy to wash.

Evenweave Linen fabrics

If I can afford it I love to use pure linen, a durable, single thread fabric woven from flax.

Due to the nature of the fibre, linen fabrics can have bumps or "slubs" which make them more difficult to work on. Some linens are quite loosely woven, causing threads carried across the back of the work to be easily visible from the front. Some well known linens are:

Dublin linen (25 count)
Glenshee linen (29 count)
Belfast linen (32 count)
Edinburgh linen (36 count)

Joann.com supply a lovely White 28 Count Irish Linen in a 15''x18'' Box as well as coloured DMC Linen Needlework Fabric in the same count.

Annabelle cross stitch fabric

annabelle-counted-cross-stitch-fabric (7K)

If you like the look of linen with its uneven slubs you may also enjoy stitching on Annabelle. It is made from 100% cotton with the thick and thin threads which give it the linen-like effect.

Quaker Cloth

Woven from 55% linen and 34% cotton this 28 count single weave fabric gives you the best of both worlds. It is a cross stitch fabric with a slightly open weave and has the feel of linen but with few slubs or uneven threads.

Its your choice

Plenty to choose from? I'm sure I haven't listed all the choices available. Hopefully, though it will give you some idea of the type of embroidery fabric that would be just right for your next project.

Return to top of choosing the right embroidery fabric
Return to home page

ADD TO YOUR SOCIAL BOOKMARKS: