Reading counted cross stitch pattern

Using a Cross Stitch kit

This is a Mickey Mouse Cross Stitch KIT that I bought at Michael's on clearance. The best part about buying a kit is that it comes with everything you need to make the image on the front. If you're still learning to cross stitch, click here  to find out how.




You'll notice when you open up the kit that the pattern is printed onto a piece of paper. The image of the character is made up of small symbols (sometimes numbers).

This is your guide to  which color goes where. The first thing I do when making  a cross stitch is separate out the colors from each other. You may need to hold some under light to help figure out where they go).
Most kits will give you an index card with holes punched out of it to help keep your thread separated until the time comes to use it.

Now it comes time to  figure out which color means which symbol. To do this you need to find the part of your pattern that looks like this:







This comes in handy, because it tells you exactly how many strands "lengths" you should have of each color. I found it very difficult one time because I had four different blues. That little number off to the side helped tremendously. Write the thread numbers next to the appropriate color. It's good to have that on hand in case you need to buy more. Next find the spot on your pattern that looks like this:


*note the X half X and 1/4 X (looks like half a slash) refer to whether or not you will do a full X stitch,


half

or just a half slash.

The numbers you just wrote next to the color have a symbol next to them. draw that symbol next to the color

Now when I am ready to start my cross stitch I don't have to keep looking back and forth to find out which symbol means which color.








each symbol represents one "square" on your cross stitch cloth. The easiest way to begin a cross stitch is by starting in the middle. Find out how here:  finding the middle in cross stitch

Counted Cross Stitch finding the middle

Once you've mastered the  Cross stitch basics  and you feel confident enough to start a counted cross-stitch, this is the place to be. I apologize in advance for the sideways photos. No matter which way I rotated them before uploading they had a mind of their own.

Counted Cross Stitch

You'll need: 
*A pattern (from a book, a kit, free prints online)
*Appropriate colors of threads you can buy from Michaels Craft for less than fifty cents. (only if you're not using a kit)
* Cross stitch cloth (only if you're not using a kit)
*hoop (optional)

You then need to find the center of your pattern. You do this by following the small arrows on the pattern (look where the pencils point)

Moving the pencils (or piece of paper is easier) towards each other until they meet. This will be your center. I put a mark on the pattern. (look in above photo to see blue pen dot for my center)

Next find the center of your fabric. You can do this by folding it in half

 & in half again

Unfold it slightly

keep an eye on the center & mark it with your pencil

Now that I know where my center is on both my cloth and my pattern I can begin working on my cross stitch by slowly following the pattern. take the appropriate thread & begin 

  ******TIP******

I check my pattern every few stitches to make sure I'm following it correctly. I also like to make the outlines first. This way I don't always have to look at the pattern if I know that the whole section is one color:

notice all of my stitches are facing the same direction.

Now that I have the heart outlined, I don't have to worry about looking at the pattern. I can fill in the whole thing red without accidentally putting the wrong color in. It also comes in hand when I want to fill in the heart, since I have the outline I can just stitch it in without looking at a piece of paper. Maybe watch some T.V.  When I am finished with one color I start a new one

Finished product! Now it's time to turn it into a gift.