I spotted a piece of fabric on Grandma’s table, covered in lines and little box marks. Now, Grandma’s a pro at cross-stitch she doesn’t need guides, so I was fascinated.
“Grandma, what’s this?” I asked.
She chuckled. “Oh, that’s my gridding fabric! It helps me track my cross-stitch pattern and stitch faster. Instead of counting every square—1, 2, 3, 4… to 22—I just go 10, 10, 1, 2, and boom, I’m there! So much easier, right?”
That sounded like a total cheat code! I had to know more. “Okay, but how to grid cross stitch?”
She smiled and said,
Grid Cross Stitch
“There are a few ways to grid cross stitch, but I usually grab a water-soluble or heat-erasable fabric pen and lightly draw a grid on my Aida cloth. I match it with the pattern’s 10×10 squares, and just like that, stitching is easy now.”
I was mind-blown. Grandma really knows her stuff! 😄 But I had to learn more, so I sat down with her.
Table of Contents
What Is Gridding Linen For Cross Stitch?
Gridding linen for cross stitch means drawing light guidelines on your fabric to match the 10×10 squares on your pattern. It’s like printing your pattern on fabric.
This helps you count stitches faster and avoid mistakes. It can also save you from the struggle of reading patterns.
Can You Use A Pencil To Grid Cross Stitch?
Technically, yes, you can use a pencil to grid your cross-stitch fabric, but it’s not the best option. Pencil marks don’t always wash out easily and can smudge while you stitch.
It’s better to use a water-soluble or heat-erasable fabric pen. They’re designed to disappear when you’re done!
How To Grid Cross Stitch?
You can use grid fabric in many ways. Each works and helps you in the same way, so it depends on you to decide what to do and what not to do. But I prefer using grid fabric with a pen because it’s easy and fast.
Grandma grabbed a pen and began to explain,
How To Grid Cross Stitch With Pen?
Grandma sits on the table, overseeing her prepare her fabric for cross-stitching. “Gridding makes life easier,” she says with a smile. “Let me show you how.”
Find the Center of Your Fabric
Grandma gently folds the fabric in half lengthwise and then widthwise. She runs her fingers along the creases. “This is how you find the exact middle,” she explains. “Starting from the center helps keep your design balanced.”
She places a small dot with her pen at the center. “This will be our starting point.”
Choose the Right Pen
Now, you can’t just use any pen. Grandma warns. “We need a water-soluble or heat-erasable pen.” She holds up a blue water-soluble fabric marker and a heat-erasable pen.
- Water-soluble pen – disappears with water.
- Heat-erasable pen – disappears with an iron.
If you use a regular pen, the marks might never come out; we don’t want that.
Lines Up Pen With The Tiny Holes
She lines up her pen with the tiny holes in the fabric. “We’re going to draw lines every 10 squares. This helps us follow the pattern without counting each little square one by one.”
- She counts 10 fabric squares (the little holes in the Aida cloth).
- Then, she draws a light vertical line over the holes.
- She repeats this across the fabric.
“See how it creates a grid? Now we won’t get lost when we stitch.”
“Don’t rush,” Grandma says. “Always count twice before you move on.”
She gently runs her finger along the fabric, checking that each line is spaced correctly. “If you miscount now, your stitches won’t match later.”
Rotate the Fabric and Draw Horizontal Lines
Next, she turns the fabric 90 degrees and does the same thing in the other direction.
- Counts 10 squares
- Draws a light horizontal line
- Repeats this across the fabric
Now, the fabric has a grid of 10×10 squares—just like a cross-stitch pattern!
Extend the Lines Beyond the Design Area
Grandma keeps drawing past the edges of the pattern. “It’s good to extend the lines beyond where you’ll be stitching,” she says. “That way, you can still see the grid even after you start stitching.”
She adds extra markings at the edges to help her know where to start.
How To Grid Cross Stitch Fabric With Thread?
Above I explain how you can grid with a pen. Now let’s thread a thread. She said and began to explain this to me,
Gather Your Materials
First things first, you need the right materials.
- Grab your piece of cross stitch fabric.
- A nice thin cotton thread (I always use a contrasting color so I can see it)
- Size 24 needle.
This one’s perfect for the job. Oh, and don’t forget scissors to snip the thread when we’re done
Now, take that needle and thread it with a single strand of the cotton thread. Tie a small knot at the end of your thread.
Don’t worry about it, dear, that knot will be removed later. We just need it to keep the thread in place for now.
Take The Fabric And Fold It In Half
Alright, now take the fabric and fold it in half, then fold it in half again. Where all the folds meet, that’s the centre of your fabric.
This is very important, dear because we want the centre of our design to match the centre of the fabric. That’s where we’ll start!”
Bring Your Needle Up From The Back Of The Fabric
Okay, now let’s start gridding. Bring your needle up from the back of the fabric right at the centre point. To create your first vertical line, count eight holes up from where you started, and push the needle down through that hole.
Now, don’t get confused,
You’ll see some nicer, longer threads on the front and small dashes on the back if you come up two holes further above the hole you went down.
Count Eight Holes Up, Then Come Up Two More Holes Further
Keep doing this—count eight holes up and then come up two more holes further each time. It’ll start to look like a dashed line on the back and long threads on the front.
When you finish a vertical line,
Just tie a tiny knot at the end on the back or hook it under a stitch to secure it. But don’t pull the fabric too tight! We don’t want to distort the threads!”
Now, Let’s Do The Same Thing For The Horizontal Line.
You can rotate the fabric or stitch sideways—whichever feels more comfortable to you. Repeat the process, counting 8 holes up and then coming up 2 holes further each time.
You’ll see that a one-hole gap forms at each ‘corner’ where the lines meet. That’s okay, just make sure everything lines up and double-check your counts as you go.
I always count twice, sometimes three times, to avoid any little mistakes. Keep doing this until you are done.
And that’s it! By the end, you will have a beautiful grid.
How To Grid Cross Stitch With Fishing Line?
Another way to grind is by fishing line. Well, at 1st, it kinda sounds the same, but it’s not the same. Fishing line technique use Uses a thin, slippery fishing line (usually 6-10 lb. test) & thread one uses normal thread.
I use this technique when I need something quick and easy to remove. Grandma said this and began to showcase the technique.
Fold Your Fabric In Half Horizontally
Fold your fabric in half horizontally and then vertically to find the middle. Pinch the center spot or mark it with a tiny removable thread. Decide if you want to start gridding from the center or edge
Some stitchers like to start from the center and work outward. Others prefer to start at the bottom left or top left and grid across.
Choose what feels easiest for you. But keep your grid size quality,
- Each grid line represents 10×10 stitches (check your pattern).
- If you’re using Aida fabric, that’s usually 10 squares per line.
Bring Your Needle Up From The Back
Bring your needle up from the back at your starting point (usually at the edge or where your pattern starts). Make a small stitch every 5 holes:
- Count 5 holes up and push the needle down through the fabric.
- Count 5 holes down and bring the needle back up.
Keep Repeating: Up, Down, Up, Down (It Looks Like A Dashed Line).
Continue all the way up until you reach the top of the fabric. Leave the fishing line loose (don’t pull too tight—this will make removing it later easier).
Move 10 stitches over and repeat for the next vertical grid line. Keep going until the whole fabric is filled with vertical lines spaced 10 stitches apart.
Rotate Your Fabric So You’re Working Across
Now we’ll make the fabric look like a tic-tac-toe board. Rotate your fabric so you’re working across. Find your starting point for the horizontal grid (usually the bottom row).
Repeat the 5 up, 5 down weaving pattern, but this time side to side. Work across until you reach the end of the row. Move 10 stitches up and repeat for the next row. Keep going until you have 10×10 squares covering the fabric.
And that’s it! Your grid is done. This will also avoid the messy back of cross-stitching.
My Way Of Doing Grid Cross-Stitch
After learning from Grandma, I tried those methods again and again. But let’s be real: I love to mix things up and experiment. 😜 So, naturally, I discovered some new ways to grid, too!
And you know me I can’t keep a good find to myself. So here I am, ready to share my latest gridding tricks with you!
Grid With Nylon Wire
I tried Easy Count Guideline on my latest project, and honestly, I loved how easy it made gridding. It claims to cut cross-stitching time by a third, and while I didn’t time myself, I definitely felt the difference.
No more constant counting, recounting, and second-guessing myself with a calculator. Here is how I do it,
- Pull the guideline from the side, not the middle, to prevent unravelling.
- Leave a long tail to keep it from slipping out.
- Start at the top left corner. This helps keep everything aligned.
- Count 10 columns across, Just like with a pen method.
- Count 4 squares down and weave the guideline through.
- Go 4 more squares down, then switch to 6 down. Repeat this up 4, down 6 pattern.
- Continue the 4-6 pattern across the fabric. This keeps everything evenly spaced.
I love this method because, unlike pens, there’s no risk of smudging or fading. And I don’t have to worry about permanent stains. It also keeps my stitches perfectly aligned so I don’t waste time counting and recounting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I use for gridding if I don’t have a pen?
For temporary gridding, you can use fishing wire, a fine pencil, or even embroidery floss. Choose a method that works best for you, making sure the lines are visible and can be easily removed.
Does gridding take a lot of time?
It can take some time initially, but once you get the hang of it, it speeds up your stitching. Gridding helps prevent mistakes, which can be more time-consuming to fix later.
How do I remove the grid after stitching?
If you use a removable pen or wire, simply wash your fabric or gently pull out the grid material. Make sure to test your method on a small corner first to avoid damaging your design.
Conclusion
Gridding your fabric really makes a difference when you’re cross-stitching. It’s like having a map for your design, so you don’t have to second-guess where your stitches go. Sure, it takes a little time at the start, but trust me, it saves you so much hassle later on.
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