Aida vs evenweave vs linen: cross stitch fabrics explained

Almost every counted cross stitch pattern can be worked on any of these three fabrics. The chart stays the same; the fabric changes how you count, how big the piece comes out, and what the background looks like between your stitches.

How the three weaves differ

Aida is woven in small square blocks with a visible hole at each corner. You stitch one cross over one block, so there's nothing to count except blocks. It's firm, it holds its shape in a hoop, and the grid is obvious, which is why kits and beginners use it.

Evenweave is woven from single threads, with the same number of threads per inch in both directions. There are no ready-made holes; the gaps between threads are the holes. The popular evenweaves are blends: Zweigart's Lugana is 52% cotton and 48% viscose, and Jobelan is roughly 51% cotton and 49% modal. They're soft and drape well, and the threads are uniform, so counting is predictable.

Linen is evenweave made from flax. It's woven the same way, with the same count both directions, but the threads themselves vary in thickness. Those thicker bits are called slubs, and they're part of the fabric, not flaws. Linen gives the textured, slightly antique background people love on samplers.

What stitching over two means

On evenweave and linen, each cross normally covers a square two threads wide and two threads tall. Picture a tic-tac-toe board: you come up in one corner, skip the hole in the middle, and go down in the opposite corner two threads across and two threads up. That skipped center hole is the one you'll use for partial stitches.

Because each stitch uses two threads, the stitches per inch are half the count:

A pattern "for 28 count" gives the same finished size as 14 count Aida only if you stitch over two. Work 28 count over one thread and every cross is a quarter of the area, and the piece comes out half as wide and half as tall. The Aida count converter lists evenweave and linen over two right next to the matching Aida counts, if you'd rather not do the division.

One habit makes over two much easier. Look at where the vertical and horizontal threads cross: in a plain weave, the vertical thread alternates between lying on top and passing underneath. Start each stitch next to a vertical thread that sits on top. It stops your stitches sliding under a thread, and if you miscount by a single thread it shows right away, because the stitch now starts beside a thread that dips underneath.

For 28 count over two, two strands and a size 24 or 26 tapestry needle is the usual setup. For 32 count over two, two strands and a size 26 needle.

Evenweave in practice

If you've stitched on Aida and want to try something finer, a 28 count evenweave is the gentlest step. The size matches 14 count Aida, the threads are regular, and the fabric feels softer in the hand. Lugana is widely sold in 25 and 28 count, and Murano is the 32 count version of the same Zweigart cloth.

Expect your first evening to be slower than on Aida. You're counting threads instead of blocks, and the holes aren't pre-punched, so your eye has to learn where the next stitch goes. Most people find it settles after a few rows.

Linen in practice

Linen asks for a bit more attention. Zweigart's 100% linen comes as 25 count Dublin, 28 count Cashel and 32 count Belfast, among others, and 28 count Cashel is a forgiving place to start.

• A thick slub can hide the hole beside it. Look for the gap next to the slub and count the slub as one thread like any other.
• Linen relaxes in a hoop and loses tension faster than Aida, so you'll re-tighten more often. A scroll frame or snap frame holds it taut better than a hoop.
• The cut edges fray readily. Zigzag, overcast or tape them before you start.
• Linen dulls needles faster than Aida does, so swap to a fresh one if stitching starts to feel draggy.

Partial stitches and fabric choice

Quarter stitches, and the short leg of a three-quarter stitch, run from a corner of the square to its center. On evenweave and linen worked over two, the center hole is already there. On Aida there's no center hole, so you push the needle through the middle of the woven block. It's doable, and plenty of stitchers manage with their usual tapestry needle, while others switch to a sharp embroidery needle for those stitches.

Petite stitches take this further: four tiny crosses, each over one thread, in the space of a single stitch over two. They're used for small detail inside a piece worked over two, and they're realistically an evenweave or linen technique. The stitch types guide shows how all of these appear on a chart.

If a pattern is full of fractional stitches, that's a good reason to choose evenweave even if you'd normally use Aida.

Other fabrics you might meet

Hardanger is a 22 count cotton evenweave woven with pairs of threads, and each pair is treated as one thread when you count. It takes its name from the whitework embroidery of the Hardanger district in western Norway, and some cross stitch patterns call for it too.

Binca is a 6 count fabric with huge holes, often used for teaching children to stitch. 8 count Aida is the next step finer.

Waste canvas is for stitching on things with no countable weave, like a T-shirt or a tote bag. You baste the stiff canvas grid onto the item, stitch through both layers, then dampen it and pull the canvas threads out one at a time with tweezers. The crosses stay behind on the fabric.

Before the first stitch

Cut any fabric with room to spare: at least 3 inches beyond the design on every side if it's going in a frame. The Aida count guide shows how to work out the stitched size for any count. Cut edges fray, linen especially, so zigzag, overcast or tape them before you start rather than after the first evening's handling.

To find the center, fold the fabric in half one way and then the other, and mark where the creases cross with a pin or a few basting stitches. Most charts mark their own center with arrows on the edges. On evenweave and linen, check that your center point sits beside a vertical thread lying on top, so your very first stitch starts the way every other one will.

Choosing between them

For a first project, 14 count Aida. It's forgiving, easy to read, and you can concentrate on the stitch instead of the counting.

For a sampler, a design with lots of three-quarter stitches, or anything you want to look less grid-like, 28 count evenweave over two. You keep the familiar 14 stitches per inch and gain a smoother background and a center hole for partial stitches.

For an heirloom piece where the background texture matters, linen. Start on 28 count and move to 32 if you like it.

Dark fabric is harder to see, in any weave. A white pillowcase or cloth on your lap shows the holes up against the light. Patterns from the free pattern library work on any of these fabrics; just check the finished size for the count you choose.