Aida vs evenweave vs linen | Best cross stitch fabric?

[@lydiamac1771]

I've been wanting to move away from cross stitch kits to making my own designs but I've been so confused by all the different fabric types and counts and this video has made it all soooo easy. So excited to finally get started on those designs I've been dreaming of!

[@clevelandplanz6128]

Super helpful! Thank you especially for the bit about determining fabric size. That was a total "Ah Ha!" moment for me.

[@valeria_tfc]

I usually buy a big piece of aida and cut to size myself, but since I use cm instead of inches, and hate to do that math and convert the measurements before cutting, I use a very handy app called "Cross stitch fabric calculator", it is a life saver =) Thank you for another great video, Michelle!

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Ooh good tip, thanks for sharing! Honestly, this is weird but sometimes I forget everyone doesn't think in inches. Like, I'm English, we learned metric in school, but I also played a lot of Warhammer 40k as a youth that required estimating distances in inches and it just sort of stuck 😂

[@marie-low-stresslife7374]

I learned so much from that video! I really like how you explain visually with the pictures and examples, I wouldn't have understood without them 🤣 I guess I will understand your crafter's logs better thanks to this new knowledge haha! 🤭 And I definitely had no idea what I was doing when choosing fabric before! Thank you for the awesome video, Michelle! 🥰

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

You'll be an expert cross stitch theorist just completely by accident by the time I'm done with you 😉

[@KiwiJJams]

I have aida and always use it for x-stitch but since I started doing freehand embroidery, the holes in the aida end up being too big and I needed a completely smooth surface with no guide holes I ended up cutting a square from an old bedsheet and I'm pretty sure serious embroiderers would scream at me for doing that 😅 honestly, just use whatever feels best, there's no wrong way to stitch IMO, it's like any other art in that there are techniques and guides that are generally used and accepted, but if you want to try something outside of the norm, it's not wrong either!!! This is a very helpful guide though, I've only ever used aida to cross stitch, but now I'm more informed about evenweave and linen which doesn't hurt to know!!!

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Oh I'm absolutely with you there. If fabric works for you, and you like it, that's basically what matters. I may or may not also have cut chunks out of an old sheet for such purposes in the past, so no judgement here haha

[@medjinepaul1658]

Great beginner video for folks like me… I’m crocheter with a sudden interest in cross stitch 😂😂

[@lupilotty9317]

Thank you for the size maths. I've been stitching for years and never been able to figure out what size fabric to buy unless the dimensions are specified for me on patterns.

[@susanhoch2677]

This was a really great review. Very clear and informative. I have been cross stitching for about 6 years and I didn’t know some these things!

[@EnlightenedFlamingo]

You're a great teacher! So far I've only cross stitched on aida, but maybe one day I'll try an evenweave... Maybe...

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

It's gonna change your liiiife!

[@pattykuchera3368]

You always make us smile.

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Aw thank you! I needed that today! 🥰

[@lauragagermeier183]

I love your videos and you are just so fun!

[@alba.cristal]

I have been cross stitching for 12 years and I never tried evenweave before. I got a cross stitch kit that comes with evenweave cloth and I needed to watch videos to know how to start my project 😂. My first impression was: I'm not sure if stitch one by one as Aida or double.. but now, I know how to do it. Thank you for this video! 😊😊🌸

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

You're very welcome! Really glad it was helpful and I hope you love stitching on the new fabric

[@x-stitchandchill]

Thank you for this awesome video! I typically use Aida and nothing over 18 ct because I keep hearing people saying "1 over 2" or "1 over 1" and I was never sure what exactly that was all about. I also felt like watching people stitch on evenweave or linen seemed a bit intimidating! So this is so helpful! I might have to try something new!

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

It is weird at first and I definitely made a few counting errors my first time on evenweave but you just get used to it, and for me the pros definitely outweigh that little con. Also I may have forgot to say what the first number in something like "1 over 2" means so on the off-chance you're unsure, it's the number of strands you're stitching with. Oops 🤦‍♀️

[@crossed_threads]

Great job covering the basics Michelle. I love how you incorporate graphics in your explanations. Your media/video editing expertise shine thru. 👍

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Aw thank you! I do want to learn to do proper animations and things eventually but these random ipad doodles serve as demonstration enough for now 😅

[@retrocraftdreams]

You really are so good at this type of rundown! I don't think any of it was new information to me, but now it's so much more well organized in my head! I've got a beautiful kit that's been languishing for over a year, because (not only is it the one I messed up on and can't decide whether to frog or just continue) it's on 14 count with 3/4 stitches and oh my has it helped me decide that I loathe fractional stitches!

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Ah thank you! I do worry that I get a bit bogged down in details so I'm glad it makes sense to someone at least. Honestly we've all done it, I did this Princess Bride blackwork piece a while back that was all tiny fractionals, chose to do it on 14ct aida like a complete idiot, and it put me off fractionals for ages! But now that evenweave has my heart, no more problems 😄

[@retrocraftdreams]

@@TheGiddyStitcher You do the details, but your wording is clear (and entertaining) and you've got the visual aids down, so it's digestible. There are some things I hope to dive into in the future, but I'm not good with either of those things yet. This particular kit is a painted design with embellishments, so not much choice on the count. I'm planning a New Year's episode about my stubborn UFOs, so you'll be able to see it then.

[@maryfannin5422]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This video was so helpful and informative. I'm new at cross stitch and I couldn't figure out what all of the different terms meant that I kept hearing stitchers say. I always learn something from you. Thanks again!

[@slucyh]

Thanks! I'm deciding what to use on my second big project, a Long dog Sampler. I think I'm leaning towards cotton evenweave now. I'm still afraid of linen 😂

[@karenmiller1105]

Very, very helpful. Thank,you.

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

You're very welcome! So happy you found it useful ❤️

[@yayforlameusernames]

Very helpful overview, thank you!

[@carolkwok2202]

Just found your channel… love your content about cross stitching. I have stitching on and off for a long time but there’s so much on floss tube . I’m definitely learning a lot. Thank you ❤

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

You certainly never run out of cross stitch content on here, that's for sure! Thanks for watching :D

[@LauraK-i4e]

Thank you for explaining it so simply! I fully understand the difference now and I'm ready to try even weave!

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Evenweave is definitely my favourite, I hope you end up loving it too! 🥰

[@tammyrussell-rice5508]

Excellent presentation, Michelle. I wish I had had the benefit of such a tutorial when I first started out. I definitely will be sharing it.

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Aw thank you that's really sweet of you to say! 🥰

[@JenniferSmilesNow]

Thank you so much! Incredibly helpful. I love stamped (don’t have the proprioception for counted, yet, but hopeful my health will get there.) I’ll search your channel for what you consider to be licensed art and quality printed- that I can afford. ❤

[@roseboss5899]

Thanks so much for this video full of helpful information for us beginners 😊 I’ve subscribed and will watch your other videos too. 🌹🇦🇺

[@kimakimakima]

Good clear explanation. Thank you.

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Thanks so much! 🥰

[@KenJones-z3q]

Very interesting

[@kerijoiner7418]

This video has been extremely helpful!!! Thank you 😁

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Yay I'm so glad it helped

[@idapalmgren6006]

I love your information videos!!!

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Thank you so much! If there's any other topic you think I should cover I'm always open to requests (although admittedly slow at recording them, haha 😅)

[@ohjoannabanana]

Thanks for this info. I really needed help with this subject. 😀💜👍

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

You're very welcome!

[@lizzerlou2042]

Thank you!!!! This is very helpful!!

[@jodyk6042]

One of my personal favorites is Hardanger weave. It’s the best of both worlds… Adia weave in 22ct. On a personal note… a topic for the future I would love to see is a parking threads tutorial/walkthrough/make it less scary sounding. 😊. Have a lovely day.

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Thanks for the suggestion! I cannot pretend to be an expert on parking in any way shape or form, I've only done it for one project and made it up as I went along. But maybe there's room for a video where we learn about it together, hmm. Now you've got me thinking 🤔 Hope you have a great day too!

[@barbarawest1205]

Great basic information! I remember being really intimidated by different names applied to varieties of linen sold in Big Box stores. I seem to have settled on 28 ct Lugana as my preferred fabric for now, but I do have some linen to try eventually.

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

It's a similar deal with most crafts really, my first ever time buying yarn was just a mess of confusion and frantically googling what weights were suitable for what in the middle of the aisle in Hobbycraft 😅 If this video can help someone get into their cross stitch without a similar shameful scene, my work here is done!

[@karenfrank9036]

Great explanation of cross stitch fabrics!!

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Thank you!

[@karenfrank9036]

@TheGiddyStitcher I will be in the UK this Fall, can you recommend a cross stitch shop in London or Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness or Aberdeen.

[@vangiebrake2295]

Great video......just happened upon it onKZbin. I am going to subscribe. This video cleared up a lot of things for me such as the difference between aida and even weave. I've never ventured beyond aida. Thanks so much and look forward to checking out some of you other videos. Does anyone do a video on finishing? How to you get those chenille things on? Glue? Sew? Thanks again. *V*

[@lisal9263]

Thank you so much! This is so helpful 😊

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Happy to help! 🙂

[@winternightmarecrochet]

Good video for beginners

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Thanks! had a couple of requests for a video like this so you know, I live to serve :D I love looking at _other people's_ stitching on linen but can't pretend to be anything other than an evenweave girl. It's just so...neat. And tidy. Begging to be trampled around in, like an irresistible patch of virgin snow....

[@samvanderkooy7314]

I agree. Aida is life. :)

[@ww6199]

I’m about to start my first small project on 32 count Lugana fabric, & I’m trying to decide if there is a difference whether a piece of fabric is held vertically or horizontally; and also whether the fabric has a front and back. Is Lugana different from Evenweave? Thanks for your clear presentation!

[@poppies1215]

Thank you for a very informative video that I can refer to often. Math will become my new best friend LOL🪡🧵☺️

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

That's the spirit! 😂

[@RejeanneCote-f8e]

Can you suggest a biginner linen ct and kind of linen st start on. Thank you bunches

[@visanlala]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@victoriavega9694]

I have done cross stitch on and off for years and have always been afraid to venture into Evenweave Land because it just got confusing. Maybe I will take a bold step away from the world of Aida and try it out.

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

It just might change your life! Or you know, something less dramatic, you might enjoy it I guess 😄

[@jenniferjuarez595]

Can I use monk cloth to cross stitch design

[@bookwormbon482]

Hi love your videos :) Hope it's OK to ask, but your accent seems really familiar and I can't place why. Are you from the North in the UK by any chance? I'm so used to hearing mostly American accents on KZbin it's a breath of fresh air to hear yours!

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Thank you! And yep you got me. I've lived all around the North East of England so have kind of a hybrid accent rather than a really specific area but "generic northerner" pretty much sums me up. My dad even worked down a coal mine and had a whippet, that's how much of a stereotype we're talking here!

[@soukaa409]

Thanks for the video,l. I've been watching a lot of WIP parade lately and they keep saying 1/2, 1/1, 2/2. I got from your explanation that the /1 or /2 refers ro the sumber of "squares" but what about the top number? Does it mean 1 strand of floss? So if i use 3 strands of floss on linen over 2 squares ill be stitching in 3/2?

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

That's exactly right yes!

[@valwadsworth3044]

Where can you purchase different colored fabric. I like the color of Belfast linen but want that color in Aida

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

The fabric I used for demoing in this video was mostly from sewitall.com, who do have a great selection of coloured aidas. But given your spelling of "color" I'm guessing you're not in the UK!

[@valwadsworth3044]

@@TheGiddyStitcher thank you

[@kathleengay2539]

How big will my design be if snatched on 28 count even weave and the project calls for 30 count linen. I really can’t do linen

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

So assuming the pattern calls for stitching over 2, then on 30 count linen you'd have got 15 stitches to an inch. On 28ct you''ll only get 14 to an inch, so it'll end up a bit bigger overall. You can figure out the exact size by taking the length and width of the piece in stitches, and dividing by your stitches per inch (in this case 14). If you're planning to stitch over 1 then you'd divide by 28 instead. Hope that helps but if I didn't explain it very well I can try again :D

[@samvanderkooy7314]

OMG I'm so bad for not leaving enough spacing around the edges of my projects 😅

[@TheGiddyStitcher]

Me too I'm just way too cheap and always seem to convince myself the extra inch of saved fabric will come in useful and save money in some way. It literally never does.

[@samvanderkooy7314]

@@TheGiddyStitcher Same. XD