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Starting your cross stitch journey can feel a bit overwhelming when you're faced with patterns, tutorials, and conversations filled with terms you've never heard before. Don't worry though, every cross stitcher has been exactly where you are now.
Whether you've just picked up your first beginner cross stitch kit or you're a few projects in and still feeling confused by some of the terminology, this guide will help you understand the essential cross stitch terms and acronyms that crop up time and time again.
We've organised these terms into helpful categories so you can easily find what you're looking for, and we promise to keep things simple and jargon-free. By the end of this post, you'll feel much more confident when reading patterns, watching tutorials, or chatting with fellow cross stitchers.
You can also head over to our YouTube channel, where we've over 300 videos to help you get started on your cross stitch journey, including getting to grips with the terminology.
Aida: This is the most popular fabric for cross stitch, especially for beginners. Aida has evenly spaced holes that make it easy to create neat, uniform stitches. It comes in different counts and is usually made from 100% cotton.
Fabric Count: This refers to the number of holes per inch on your fabric. For example, 14-count aida has 14 holes per inch. The higher the count, the smaller your finished piece will be. Most beginner cross stitch kits use 14-count aida as it's a comfortable size to work with.
Evenweave: A softer, more flexible fabric than aida. It's lovely to work with once you get the hang of it, though it requires a slightly different stitching technique called "stitching over two."
Linen: Similar to evenweave but made from natural flax fibres. It can have slight irregularities that give your finished piece a beautiful, rustic character.
Stranded Cotton/Embroidery Floss: This is just the cross stitch term for your thread. It comes as six strands twisted together, and you separate out the number of strands your pattern requires. Most cross stitch projects usually require two strands.
Skein: This term refers to the way your embroidery thread is packaged, and you’ll likely recognise it as the little bundles you see in craft shops. Each skein contains about 8 metres of thread.
Tapestry Needle: A blunt needle specifically designed for cross stitch. The blunt tip slides between fabric threads rather than piercing them, which prevents damage to your fabric.
Needle Threader: A handy little tool that helps you thread your needle when your eyes are feeling a bit tired or the light isn't quite right.
Counted Cross Stitch Pattern: The most common type of pattern, showing a grid of squares that you follow to create your design. Each square represents one cross stitch on your fabric.
Grid: This is the foundation of your pattern and has lines that divide your chart into squares. Most patterns are divided into blocks of 10 squares to make counting easier.
Symbol: The little marks in each square of your pattern that tell you which colour of thread to use. When colours are very similar, symbols are extra handy to have.
Colour Key: Usually found at the side of your pattern, this tells you which symbol corresponds to which thread colour and brand.
Design Area: The actual size your finished piece will be, which depends on both the pattern size and your fabric count.
Whole Cross Stitch: This is your basic "X" stitch which is the foundation of cross stitch. Most stitches in any pattern will be whole cross stitches.
Half Stitch: Just one diagonal line of your cross stitch, going this way "/". These are often used for shading or background areas.
Backstitch: Lines of stitches that can go in any direction, used to add detail and outline to your design. They really make your finished piece pop.
French Knot: A small, raised knot created by wrapping your thread around the needle. Perfect for adding texture to elements like flower centres, snowflakes, or animal eyes. We have a detailed guide on how to add a French knot to your cross stitch pattern if you'd like to learn this technique.
Loop Method: A neat way to start your stitching without using knots. You fold one strand of thread in half, thread the loop through your needle, and use the loop to secure your first stitch.
Waste Knot Method: Another starting technique where you make a temporary knot that you'll cut away later once your thread is secured by your stitches.
Embroidery Hoop: Circular frames that hold your fabric taut while you stitch. They come in various sizes and materials such as wood, plastic, or flexi-hoops made from rubber.
Scissors: You'll want small, sharp embroidery scissors for cutting your threads cleanly. Many cross stitchers have beautiful decorative scissors that make stitching feel extra special.
Needle Minder: Made from two magnets, one goes under your fabric and one sits on top with a decorative design. When you're not stitching, you can "park" your needle safely on the needle minder to keep it organised and avoid losing it.
Fray Check: A liquid solution you can apply to the edges of your fabric to prevent fraying while you work.
English Method: Completing each cross stitch one at a time as you go. This works well when you have lots of colour changes or scattered stitches.
Danish Method: Working in rows by doing all your "/" stitches first, then coming back to complete the rest. Perfect for large blocks of the same colour.
Confetti Stitches: Individual stitches scattered around your pattern, often in different colours. The English method works best for these.
Parking: An advanced technique for large projects with lots of colour changes. Instead of finishing one colour completely, you "park" threads by bringing them to the front of your work while you stitch other colours, then pick them up again when needed.
WIP (Work in Progress): This refers to your current project that you’re working on.
UFO (Unfinished Object): That project you started with great enthusiasm but haven't touched for months. We all have them.
Frogging: The rather quirky term for unpicking stitches when you've made a mistake. It comes from "rip it, rip it”, which sounds a bit like a frog's croak.
SAL (Stitch-a-Long): A community event where stitchers work on the same pattern together, often with the design released in parts over weeks or months. Many shops offer cross stitch-a-longs that create a lovely sense of community.
Sampler: A traditional style of cross stitch that includes various stitches, alphabets, numbers, and decorative borders. Samplers are perfect for practising different techniques.
Motif: A small, individual design element like a single flower, bird, or Christmas tree. Motifs are great for quick projects or for adding to clothing.
DMC: One of the most popular thread manufacturers. Their colour numbering system is used by many pattern designers.
Anchor: Another well-known thread brand. Many patterns provide colour keys for both DMC and Anchor threads.
Zweigart: The company that invented aida fabric. They produce a huge range of high-quality fabrics in various counts and colours.
Don't feel like you need to memorise all these terms at once. Cross stitch terminology becomes much more familiar the more you’re exposed to, and soon it will be something you just “know”. Here are some of our suggestions for getting used to the terminology:
Start with beginner cross stitch kits that include clear instructions and pattern explanations. This helps you see the terms in context rather than trying to learn them in isolation.
Join online cross stitch communities where you can ask questions without feeling silly. Most cross stitchers are incredibly welcoming and remember what it was like when they were starting out.
Keep a notebook where you can jot down new terms as you come across them. Writing things down really helps with remembering them later.
Don't worry if you mix up terms occasionally, even experienced stitchers sometimes use terms differently or interchangeably.
Now that you're familiar with these essential cross stitch terms, you'll find that reading patterns, following tutorials, and joining cross stitch conversations feels much less intimidating. Remember, every expert was once a beginner, and the cross stitch community is known for being supportive and encouraging.
The most important thing is to enjoy your stitching journey. Whether you're working on your first simple design or tackling something more ambitious, take your time and don't put pressure on yourself to be perfect. Cross stitch is meant to be relaxing and rewarding.
If you're ready to put these terms into practice, our collection of beginner cross stitch kits includes everything you need to get started, plus clear instructions that use the terminology you've just learned. You might also enjoy browsing our cross stitch patterns to see how these terms appear in real patterns.
For more helpful guides and techniques, explore our other blog posts covering topics like fabric preparation and back stitching techniques. Each post is designed to build your confidence and help you develop your skills at your own pace.
Happy stitching, and welcome to the wonderful world of cross stitch.
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