5 things cross-stitch has taught me
After many years of cross stitching, I’ve learned that there is much more to this wonderful craft than simply following a chart and making stitches. Along the way, cross stitch has taught me about creativity, community, inspiration and, perhaps most importantly, enjoying the process.
Here are five things I’ve learned over the years that I think are worth remembering.
1. Find Your Own Sweet Spot
When you first discover cross stitch, it can be tempting to follow what everyone else is doing. You see beautiful projects stitched on high-count linen, intricate designs with hundreds of colours, specialty threads and elaborate finishing techniques. But one of the best things you can do is experiment and find what you enjoy. Try different fabrics, different counts, different designers and different styles. Experiment with cotton floss, overdyed threads or other materials. Try something traditional, then something completely different. You might discover that you love stitching on linen. Or that you actually prefer Aida (like me). Perhaps tiny stitches are your idea of heaven — or perhaps you would much rather work on something large and colourful. There is no “better” way to stitch. There is simply the way that makes you happy. And that is something I’ve come to appreciate more and more: all kinds of stitching can be beautiful.
2. Find Your Stitching Crowd
One of the things I love most about cross stitch is the international community that surrounds it. We can be sitting at home with a needle and thread, while somewhere else in the world another stitcher is doing exactly the same thing. There are so many ways to become part of that community. Watch Flosstube on YouTube, follow stitchers and designers on Instagram, join online groups or take part in stitching events. And if you are lucky enough to have a retreat or stitching event available to you, go! But you don't have to participate in everything. Find the parts of the community that you genuinely enjoy. Maybe you love watching Flosstube while stitching. Maybe Instagram is your favourite place for inspiration. Maybe you prefer meeting people in person. Find your crowd — the people who make you excited to pick up your needle.
3. Visit a Real Cross Stitch Shop
If you ever have the opportunity to visit a true specialist cross stitch or needlework shop, take it. There is something wonderful about seeing rows and rows of fabrics, threads, charts and stitching supplies in person. And then there are the models — finished pieces that you can actually see and examine closely. You may discover fabrics you have never heard of, threads you didn't know existed or techniques you hadn't considered trying. Even if you don't buy anything, simply being surrounded by all that creativity can be incredibly inspiring. And let's be honest: you will probably leave with something you didn't know you needed! For me, these shops are a reminder of just how much variety there is within cross stitch. There is always something new to discover.
4. Stitch What You Want, When You Want, How You Want
This might be the most important lesson of all. There are no stitching police. You don't have to stitch the project that everyone else is stitching. You don't have to finish your oldest UFO before starting something new. You don't have to stitch every day. And you certainly don't have to follow every trend. Cross stitch is supposed to be enjoyable. For many of us, it is also a way to slow down, concentrate on something creative and have a little moment of peace in an otherwise busy day. So stitch the Christmas design in July if you want to. Start a new project when you already have ten WIPs. Put a project away for six months and come back to it later. Use the fabric you love. Change the colours. Stitch the way that makes you happy. Your stitching time belongs to you.
5. Celebrate Every Achievement
It's very easy to focus on the big finish. We post a photograph when a huge project is finally completed, but there are so many achievements along the way that deserve to be celebrated too. Did you finally finish that difficult section? Did you stitch your first project on a high-count fabric? Did you try a new technique? Did you complete your first large design? Did you finally tackle that project you've been avoiding? Maybe you even made your first Flosstube video or shared your stitching online for the first time. Celebrate it. Every one of those moments represents something you learned, something you tried or something you accomplished. And sometimes the smallest achievement can give you exactly the motivation you need to keep going.
Cross stitch isn't a race. It doesn't matter how many projects you finish in a year, how quickly you stitch or whether your projects look like anyone else's. There is so much to explore in this craft — different styles, fabrics, threads, designs, techniques and communities. So experiment. Be curious. Find what you love. Celebrate what you accomplish. And most importantly, enjoy the journey.
Happy stitching! 🪡
