One Stitch at a Time

Sep 29

Now that you've secured your Aida cloth or waste canvas and have your design ready, it's time to learn how to do tatreez. In this beginner's guide, we'll walk you through threading your needle and learning how to cross-stitch.

Threading Your Needle

Before we begin stitching you must thread your needle. There are two primary methods for threading your needle, single or double-thread.

Single Layer of Thread

A single layer of thread is the most common way to thread your needle for Tatreez Cross Stitching. To discover how this threading method can be a valuable tool in your stitching journey, check out our post on Mastering Mistakes.

How to Knot a Single-Layered Thread

Cut an appropriate length of thread and slide the thread through the needle eye. You won't pull the thread all the way through; leave it loose. One end of the thread should be only a few inches long.
Knot only the longer piece at the end to secure this thread. The shorter end will remain loose and untied.
- There are many different techniques to secure the end of a thread. For now, we will focus on the simple technique.

Simple Knot Method:

Wrap the thread around your finger to form a small loop.
Push the tail end of the thread through the loop.
Pull the thread tight to form the knot.
Add 2-3 more knots on top of the first knot to make it thicker, if needed.

Double Layer of Thread

A double layer of thread is an alternative way to a single layer. This creates a thicker finish to your cross stitches.

How to Knot a Double-Layered Thread

Pull the thread all the way through, making both strands equal in length.
Knot the two strands together at the end to create a secure anchor for your stitching.

This effect can also be attained by threading your needle with a doubled layer and leaving one side loose, similar to the single-layered technique. This approach allows for a double-layered look while offering the added benefit of easy mistake correction.

Cross Stitching

Cross stitching primarily uses fabrics like Aida cloth and waste canvas. These materials are woven to create a grid, providing a guiding framework for your stitches. This fabric grid consists of evenly spaced points, and each cross stitch utilizes four (4) of these points.

A possible start point for a cross-stitch is the bottom left point (A in this image), but you may start in any corner that your specific motif calls for. For the learning purposes of this post, we will start our cross stitches from the bottom left.

Basic Cross-Stitch

A cross stitch forms an "X" shape. To understand the concept of cross-stitching we will learn how to create a single cross-stitch first. Although the use of single cross stitches is infrequent, it forms the foundation for any stitch.

The following is a demonstration of a single cross-stitch

How to Create a Single Cross-Stitch

Insert your needle from the back of the fabric/Aida cloth through any point (A). Thread the needle completely through, ensuring that the knot at the end doesn't pass through.
Then, insert the needle from the front of the fabric diagonally to the next point (B), again threading it completely through. You have created a diagonal line.
Now, your needle will be at the back of your work. Insert the needle through any remaining un-stitched point (C) from the back.
Finally, insert the needle diagonally to the next point (D) from the front.
Congratulations, you've created a cross-stitch!

Half Stitching

A half stitch is an excellent technique for creating rows and columns of incomplete "X"s. It is the preferred way to cross stitch, creating a neater backside of your work and minimizing thread wastage.

The following is a demonstration of half-stitching

How to Create Half-Stitches

Start with any point (A), then insert it diagonally to the next point point (B) from the front.
Alternating between As & Bs until you've reached your desired number of stitches.
- If you're making cross stitches in a horizontal line, point (C) technically becomes point (A) for the next stitch.
- Then, insert the needle diagonally again to point (B) for the next stitch.
When you're ready to finish, work your way backward by stitching through Cs and Ds.

We can then implement this technique by half-stitching vertically, creating columns.

In this vertical half-stitching example, we deviated from the (A-B-C-D) pattern. We swapped D with C to allow for vertical half-stitching, a tidy backside, and minimizing thread wastage.

With tatreez, you will find yourself stitching in different orders depending on what the design calls for.

Completing Stitches

After your final stitch, you'll find the needle at the back of your fabric. Completing your cross stitch with a sturdy knot at the back of your project is essential to ensure your hard work stands the test of time.

How to Knot Your Finished Product

optional: you can thread under the back of a few cross-stitches before or after you tie your thread.

Create a loop with your thread and insert the needle in the center.
Stabilize the knot so that it forms closest to your fabric and not in the middle of the thread.
Repeat until you are satisfied with the sturdiness of the knot.