Hand embroidery guide
Embroidery and cross stitch compared
On this page 7 parts
Cross stitch is one type of embroidery. Embroidery is the whole craft of decorating fabric with a needle and thread. Cross stitch is the part of it built on an X-shaped stitch, counted out on gridded fabric from a chart.
On this page, "embroidery" on its own means surface embroidery, also called freestyle or free embroidery: stitches worked along a design drawn on the fabric, without counting threads.
Embroidery and cross stitch side by side
| Embroidery (surface) | Cross stitch | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Free stitching along a drawn design | X-shaped stitches counted on a grid |
| Fabric | Almost any fabric | Aida or evenweave, woven so the threads can be counted |
| Pattern | A design drawn or transferred onto the fabric | A chart: each filled square is one stitch |
| Stitches | Many: back, stem, satin, chain, French knot and more | Cross stitch, with back stitch, part stitches and French knots for detail |
| Needle | Sharp embroidery (crewel) needle | Blunt tapestry needle |
| Thread | Six-strand cotton floss, one to six strands at a time, among many other threads | Six-strand cotton floss, generally two strands on 14 or 16 count Aida |
| Held in | A hoop or frame | A hoop or frame; stiff Aida can be worked without one |
| How it looks | Lines, outlines and filled shapes running in any direction | A picture built from small squares |
| Background | Shows wherever you leave it unstitched | Normally shows between or around the stitches |
How embroidery and cross stitch differ
The fabric. Surface embroidery can go on almost any fabric, clothes included. Cross stitch needs fabric you can count. The usual choice is Aida, which is woven in small blocks with a clear hole at each corner, and beginners tend to start on it because the holes are so easy to see. The other choice is evenweave fabric such as linen, woven from single threads; on linen each cross is worked over two threads. Fabric count is the number of blocks or threads to the inch. A 14 count Aida has 14 blocks to the inch, and each block takes one stitch.
The pattern. An embroidery pattern is a line drawing. You transfer it to the fabric and stitch over the lines. A cross stitch pattern is a chart on a grid. Each filled square is one stitch, and you count squares on the chart to find its place on the fabric. Nothing is printed on the fabric, unless you buy stamped cross stitch, which has the design printed on so there is no counting.
The stitches. Cross stitch is built on one stitch, the X. Charts often add back stitch for outlines, quarter and three-quarter stitches for finer shapes, and French knots for small details. Surface embroidery draws on a much larger set of stitches, though you can begin with a few. See basic stitches.
The needle. Cross stitch uses a blunt tapestry needle, which parts the threads of the fabric instead of piercing them. Surface embroidery uses a sharp needle that pierces the fabric wherever you point it.
The result. Cross stitch gives a picture made of small, even squares. Surface embroidery follows the drawn design, so it can make curves, outlines and filled shapes in any direction.
Where needlepoint fits
Needlepoint is also a kind of embroidery. It is the American name for canvas work: counted stitches on a stiff, open-weave canvas, which the stitches normally cover completely. It has its own pages on this site, which set needlepoint beside embroidery and needlepoint beside cross stitch.
Which is easier, embroidery or cross stitch?
They are easy in different ways.
- Cross stitch is simple to begin. There is one main stitch, and on Aida the holes show you where the needle goes. The hard part is counting. Mistakes happen most often when you count across long stretches of blank fabric.
- Embroidery has more stitches to learn but no counting. You place each stitch by eye along the drawn line, which takes some practice. In return, you can stitch on almost any fabric.
Which should you start with?
- Choose cross stitch if you like grids, charts and a steady, repeating rhythm.
- Choose embroidery if you like drawing, want freedom to improvise, or want to decorate clothes and household linen.
Neither needs much to begin: fabric, a needle, thread, scissors and, for most work, a hoop or frame. How to start lists the supplies for hand embroidery.
Can you use the same supplies for both?
| Supply | Shared? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Floss | Yes | Six-strand cotton floss is the usual thread for both. |
| Hoops | Yes | A hoop holds the fabric taut for either craft. |
| Scissors | Yes | Small, sharp scissors suit both. |
| Needles | No | Sharp for surface embroidery, blunt tapestry needles for cross stitch. |
| Fabric | Partly | Surface embroidery can be worked on any fabric, Aida and evenweave included: you simply ignore the weave. Cross stitch on plain fabric needs waste canvas, a temporary grid that you stitch through, then dampen and pull out thread by thread. |
| Patterns | No | A chart of squares and a line drawing are different kinds of pattern. |
The two crafts overlap in their stitches as well. The back stitch outlines and French knots on a cross stitch chart are the same stitches used in surface embroidery.
Terms that get mixed up
- Counted and stamped. Counted cross stitch is worked from a chart onto blank fabric. Stamped, or printed, cross stitch has the stitches printed on the fabric.
- Crewel. Crewel is surface embroidery worked in wool. The stitches are worked freely, not counted.
For the wider family, including blackwork, sashiko, crewel and goldwork, see types of embroidery.