How to pick fabric for cross stitch - Linen, evenweave, or Aida
Choosing fabric for a cross stitch project can seem overwhelming. There are several different types of fabric suitable for cross stitch, and each has its own unique texture, feel, fiber content, and range of colors. In this post we will take a look at the pros and cons of main types of fabric - Aida, linen, and evenweave - so you can choose with confidence.
Aida cross stitch fabric
Aida fabric is one of the most widely used cross stitch fabrics. Made from 100% cotton, Aida is a particularly good choice for beginners because the wide, open weave makes the holes easy to see.
Aida was created specifically for cross stitch in the late 1800's or early 1900's by the Zweigart company in Germany. Zweigart remains one of the largest manufacturers of Aida today. Other makers include Wichelt (Permin) and Charles Craft. There are also a number of small indie makers who are hand dying Aida (as well as linen).
Aida comes in different fabric counts. A fabric's count is the number of holes per inch, which in turn determines the number of stitches per inch. (For more see What does fabric count mean in cross stitch?) Aida in 14 count is easy to find and is a good choice for stitchers who are just starting out. Other common counts are 11, 16, 18, and 20.
Aida also comes in a 6-count version called Herta that is perfect for teaching children to stitch or for chunky “big stitch” projects.
Fiddler's Cloth is similar to Aida in its weave, but is made of 50% cotton, 42% polyester, and 8% silk. It comes in 14, 16, and 18 counts and is popular for its rustic oatmeal coloring.
Aida is typically stitched over one and can be stitched with or without a hoop. It comes in a range of colors, including hand dyed and novelty printed styles. Aida is starched, so it is fairly stiff. Wichelt makes a version of 100% cotton Aida called Country French that has a softer feel. It's a good choice if you don't like the stiffness of regular Aida.
As for how to pronounce Aida, that's a long-running debate. Most pronounce it AY-da, but some say I-EE-da like the Verdi opera. Either works!
PROS: Readily available and comes in lots of colors and counts. Easy to stitch, so it's perfect for beginners and novice stitchers.
CONS: Because of its large, open weave, Aida has a coarser finish than linen or evenweave (but it's a look that lots of people love). It's not a great choice for more advanced patterns that use fractional stitches like 1/4 or 3/4 stitches.
(Shop our full selection of Aida here)
Evenweave cross stitch fabric
There was a time when evenweave referred to fabric that had the same number of warp and weft stitches per inch. This is desirable for cross stitch because an even weave means even (i.e., square) holes for stitching.
Today, almost all cross stitch fabric has an even weave, and the term evenweave has come to refer to the uniform, or even, fibers that make up the fabric. It means the fibers all have the same width so you don't have to deal with slubs or other inconsistencies.
Evenweave has a higher thread count than Aida, and is commonly found in 25, 28, and 32 counts. Like linen, evenweave is generally stitched over two, although also like linen it can be stitched over one.
Evenweave fabrics are typically cotton/rayon blends. Zweigart produces a 52% cotton/48% rayon evenweave called Lugana, while Wichelt makes a 51% cotton/49% rayon version called Jobelan.
PROS: With its consistent texture, evenweave is a great fabric to use when learning to stitching over two. Good for advanced patterns with fractional stitches.
CONS: More refined in appearance than Aida, but still less so than linen. Some evenweave fabric can be stiff. Not quite as widely available as linen or Aida.
(Shop our full selection of evenweave here)
Linen cross stitch fabric
Linen is the choice of many experienced cross stitchers for its soft hand and higher thread count. Linen is a natural cloth woven from flax fibers. Typically it is more expensive than cotton fabric like Aida.
Linen can have natural irregularities like slubs and threads that vary in thickness throughout the weave of the fabric. Those irregularities can make linen more challenging to stitch on, but they also give the fabric character and offer a more traditional-looking finish.
The weave of various types of linen also varies. Some is woven with thicker fibers so it feels more dense. Others are more loosely woven with larger gaps between the fibers.
Linen is typically stitched over two and is available in a wide range of thread counts, with the most common being 28 and 32 count. Thread counts can go as high as 40 and even 50! There is also a large color range to choose from, including hand dyed and novelty prints. Linen can be stitched with or without a hoop.
Zweigart and Wichelt are the two largest linen manufacturers. Cashel linen is Zweigart's name for its 28-count 100% linen fabric, while Belfast linen refers to its 32-count version. Zweigart's linen generally has a softer drape than the linen produced by Wichelt.
PROS: Widely available in a range of counts and colors. Feels good in the hand. Has a durable and elegant finish. Good for advanced patterns with fractional stitches.
CONS: Inconsistencies in the fabric can make linen harder to stitch on.
(Shop our full selection of evenweave here)
Yardage, banding, and prefinished options
Aida, evenweave, and linen are typically sold in fractions of a yard, most commonly as fat eighths, fat quarters, and fat yards. You can also find Aida and linen fashioned into pre-finished items like tablecloths, towels, bibs, baby booties, and more. These items generally come with a panel of either Aida or linen inset into a larger finished piece.
Another option is stitching band, with is a narrow strip of Aida or linen with finished edges. Available in different widths and colors, stitching band can be used for bookmarks, pillow or apron trim, and a number of other household projects.
Looking for fabric for your next project? Be sure to check out our full selection of Aida, evenweave, and linen.
27 comments
Write a commentMary Paz
I’m using Aida cloth for my hardanger project. Some times it is difficult to find it. Where or how can I get some to buy?
Celina
Very good information and well explained with some interesting details.
Hollie
Thank you for taking the time to write such an informative article. I am designing a Bible marker and an altar cloth for a friend. My quandary is 28 Ct antique white linen or same ct and color for lugana. Which do you feel is better suited for hardanger embroidery and cross stitch?
Susan
How do you know what the count is of a fabric that I lost the label on?
Lucia H
Hi Danielle, I hope you don’t mind my answering your question. When a pattern says the area is 113×107, that means the number of beads or stitches across and down, totaling 12,091 in the whole area. Now to get the measurement, you take 113 and divide by 32 to get 3.53 and 107 divided by 32 to get 3.34. So the fabric needs to be 3.53×3.34. When I by the fabric, I get it a bit bigger to allow for an edge. Usually a couple of inches on each side. So maybe around 6×6. Hope this helps.
Beverley Lawson
Can I use 12aida for cross stitch
Dahl Harding
That’s the number of stitches high and across.
Danielle
Hi there,
I’m just getting back into cross stitching after a short (17+ year) break. I’m really excited to get started again, but I dont know what size fabric i need. I’m looking at the white 32-ct linen. The pattern states the deign area is 113 × 107, but not sure what exactly that means anymore! Any advise?
Thank you!
susie
Dear Friends,
Sorry for excuse. I found your mail on google, your shop. I think that you may need cross-stitch fabric so that I write to you.
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We have aida cloth in 6ct, 9ct, 11ct, 12ct, 14ct, 16ct, 18ct, 25ct, 27ct, 28ct and 36ct; in cotton, cotton/linen, and poly; in white and dyed color. Also we can print.
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Susan Fitzgerald
@Kerry – We sell Fiddler’s Cloth here at Stitched Modern. We have the Lite Oatmeal in 14ct, 16ct, and 18ct, as well as the regular oatmeal in 14ct. Lite Oatmeal is the most popular. Here are some links to get you started:
Lite Oatmeal:
https://stitchedmodern.com/collections/aida/products/lite-oatmeal-fiddlers-cloth-aida-cross-stitch-fabric
Regular Oatmeal:
https://stitchedmodern.com/collections/aida/products/fiddlers-cloth-aida-cross-stitch-fabric-oatmeal
Kerry Seiwert
Do you know of a source for Fiddler Cloth? Our cross-stitch store in Wichita doesn’t carry it (nor did they act like they knew anything about it!). Thank you!
Sandy Heuscher
Can you grid on linen, project I want to do is 16×20 400×500 stitch. I just finished a bigger stitch count on Aida but no way I would have been able to do that without gridding the Aida cloth. Thank you for your help
Kristrún Gestsdóttir
Hi. Do you know where I can buy wool-aida?
DC
I would like to make a very very small cross stitch. Previously, I have just used Aida—pretty standard probably 14. Could I use a linen 32 count and stitch over 1 instead of over two? Would I need to use a single thread instead of double?
Jill
Hi @Carol!
Thanks for reading through the blog and for your comment! Let us know if we can answer any questions for you.
Happy stitching!
Jill
Carol
Great article and nice selection of fabrics. Really like how you’ve provided the DMC equivalent to help confirm true color. Will save your site and have placed an order based on confidence of knowing the actual color I will be receiving.
Susan Fitgerald
Hi Bette! Cross stitch is almost always done on even weave fabric so the stitches are evenly square in shape. I wouldn’t try stitching anything pictoral on the fabric you have, but you could try playing around with a fun geometric or abstract pattern. It might produce an interesting (and unexpected) result!
Bette Augustine
Found a fabric in my stash and realized it was an uneven count – 28 by 20. My motif will be either elongated or wider when stitched. Should I forget the fabric and move on to something else? I’ve never seen this before in cross stitch fabric. Love your on-line work which benefits us all. Thanks! Bette
Shirley
Thank you so much for this concise explanation of the different cross stitch fabrics! I have always stitched on aida and only just recently ventured into evenweave; I immediately liked the softness of the fabric in my hand. Wanting to purchase more of these softer fabrics, my head was spinning with all the different types and brands .. your simple-to-understand descriptions have cleared the cobwebs. Thank you!!
lydie
I have one small comment:
I liked the 25, 28 and 32 counts in the explanation
also considering how many threads per cm. if that is possible.
It is very useful. and I will save the mai
Best regards
lydie
Lori
I’ve stitched for about 4 decades bury what curious what the article would have to say. Brilliant! Very well written and easy to understand. I liked how you explained the differences in linen between Zweigart & Wichelt. Very interesting. The article is exactly how I started out, 14 ct for many years and then onward until I’ve reached the 36 and someyimes 40. Very much enjoyed it. Thank you
Denise Corley
This was a great article….thanks so much. I am so glad I found you as I love the way you display your fabrics. Sometimes it is so difficult to buy fabric online as its hard to be assured of the color or feel. Thanks again.
Shirlene
Such good information. This blog is the only place I have found detailed information about the different types of fabrics for cross-stitch. As a beginner this has helped me stay with my project and not abandon it.
Denise Baitx
Do you have any patterns for Herta cloth projects?
Alice Sheridan
Pronunciation … When two vowels go walking, the first one does all the talking, and pronounces its name. Hence … A da.