If you’re starting your cross-stitch journey, one of the hardest things is figuring out the right materials to use. There are so many cross-stitch fabrics types, and needle styles available in the market. While, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed once you understand the basics, choosing the perfect fabric and needle becomes surprisingly simple and fun.
By the end of this guide, you’ll know everything there is to know about cross stitch fabric and needle types, so it becomes easy for you to get started and stitch with confidence.
Understanding Cross-Stitch Fabric Types
Cross stitch is usually done on evenweave fabrics, which have evenly spaced threads running vertically and horizontally. These even spaces make it easy to create tidy, uniform X-shaped stitches. Some of the common cross-stitch types include:
1. Aida Cross Stitch Fabric
Aida is by far the most popular fabric for beginners, and for good reason. Its distinctive grid-like structure has clearly defined holes, making it easy to identify where each stitch goes. Beginners love Aida because it comes in many counts (like 11, 14, 16, 18), it has easy-to-see holes, works perfectly with basic cross stitch charts, and it’s great for large or simple designs.
Fabric counts you should know:
- 11-count: larger holes, ideal for beginners or chunky designs
- 14-count: This is the most common
- 16 and 18-count: finer, more detailed work
If you’re unsure of the best fabric for cross stitching as a complete beginner, 14-count Aida is ideal.
2. Evenweave Cross Stitch Fabric
If you want a smoother texture and more flexibility than Aida, evenweave cross stitch fabric is your next step up. Popular counts include 25, 28, and 32. Evenweave is ideal for stitching “over 2 threads”, elegant finishes, more detailed or nuanced designs, and pattern conversions (especially from linen charts).
Cross stitch over 1 vs over 2 threads:
- Over 1: You stitch through one vertical and one horizontal thread → tiny, dense stitches
- Over 2: You skip every other thread → stitches similar in size to Aida
Evenweave is good for samplers and delicate motifs, but it does require learning to monitor your thread spacing.
3. Linen Cross Stitch Fabric
If you love something with a timeless, handcrafted feel, linen cross stitch fabric is a good choice. Linen is woven from natural flax fibers, which give it a slightly irregular texture that instantly adds character to your stitching. Instead of the perfectly uniform squares you’ll find in Aida or typical evenweave fabrics, linen has a more organic structure.
Linen threads can be slightly thicker or thinner in places, making it beautifully imperfect but harder for beginners.
4. Hardanger Cross Stitch Fabric
Hardanger fabric (usually 22-count) is used for both cross stitch and the specialty technique called Hardanger embroidery. Hardanger cross stitch fabric would be ideal for you if you plan to combine cross stitch with cutwork, you like geometric patterns or you just want stitches that look clean and crisp on a tightly woven fabric.
5. Waste Canvas Cross Stitch
Would you love to stitch on denim, T-shirts, canvas bags, or even sneakers? Waste canvas cross stitch is your friend.
Here’s how it works:
- Place the waste canvas over the item you want to stitch
- Stitch normally
- Wet and pull the canvas threads out, leaving behind your stitched design
6. Plastic Canvas for Cross Stitch
This is not actual fabric, but it is really fun to work with. It’s perfect for keychains, bookmarks, ornaments, coasters, and 3D cross stitch projects.
Plastic canvas holds its shape and never frays, so it’s excellent for craft-style cross stitching.
How Fabric Count Affects Your Project
Cross stitch fabric count tells you the number of squares (or threads) per inch. Low count means big holes, and larger stitches while high count means small holes, and finer details.
Quick guide:
- 11-count: bold, chunky stitches
- 14-count: standard for most patterns
- 16-count: more detail without being too tiny
- 18-count: advanced detail work
- 28-32-count evenweave or linen: stitched over 2 threads, equivalent to 14-16-count Aida
Choosing the right count depends on your pattern and how detailed you want your finished piece to look.
Cross Stitch Needle Types
Now let’s move to cross stitch needle types because using the wrong type can make stitching frustrating.
1. Tapestry Needles
These are the needles you’ll use 90% of the time. They’re ideal because they have blunt tips that won’t split fabric threads, they have a large eye, and they come in sizes like 24, 26, and 28.
Cross stitch needle size guide:
- Size 24: for 11–14 count Aida
- Size 26: for 16–18 count Aida or 28-count evenweave
- Size 28: for very fine 32-count linen/evenweave
Matching your needle size to fabric count ensures smooth stitching and prevents holes from stretching.
2. Twin-Pointed Needles
If you use a hoop stand or scroll frame, twin-pointed needles allow you to stitch with a “sewing method,” passing the needle in and out without fully removing your hand. They’re fast, smooth, and ideal for speed stitchers.
3. Milliner’s Needles
These have long shafts and small eyes. They’re perfect for making French knots or bullion knots in projects that mix cross stitch with specialty embroidery. These aren’t essential for beginners, but nice to have.
4. Big Eye Needles
Big eye needles are designed with an extra-large eye, making threading noticeably easier. They’re really great for metallic threads, specialty threads, and anyone with threading challenges.
5. Beading Needles
These ultra-thin needles are used if your cross-stitch design includes bead embellishments. They slide through even the tiniest seed beads with ease.
Matching the Right Needle to the Right Fabric
To make this easy, here’s a quick cheat sheet:
| Fabric Type | Typical Count | Recommended Needle Size |
| Aida | 11-14 | Size 24 tapestry |
| Aida | 16-18 | Size 26 tapestry |
| Evenweave | 25-28 | Size 26 tapestry |
| Linen | 28-32 | Size 26-28 tapestry |
| Hardanger | 22 | Size 24 tapestry |
| Waste Canvas | Depends on brand | Match needle to canvas count |
| Plastic Canvas | 7-14 mesh | Size 18-22 chenille/tapestry |
If you’ve ever wondered what size needle for cross stitch on linen, the safest answer is:
- Size 26 for 28-count linen
- Size 28 for 32-count linen
Choosing the Best Fabric and Needle as a Beginner
If you’re just getting started and want the simplest, most frustration-free setup, you should go with 14-count Aida cross stitch fabric, and Size 24 tapestry needle. This combination gives you visible holes, smooth stitching, and a manageable learning curve. As you gain experience, you can try 16–18 count Aida for finer detail, evenweave for versatility, and linen for beautiful, classic texture. You can also try waste canvas and plastic canvas for fun craft-style projects.
Conclusion
Understanding cross stitch fabric types and needle options is one of the best things you can do for yourself as a beginner because it helps make your work easier. Start simple, experiment slowly, and you’ll confidently use everything, and even tackle more advanced techniques in no time.
If you are looking for some high-quality and beginner-friendly cross stitch kits, Jabay will provide a lot of interesting kits with you.
