The cross stitch grid

How the cross stitch grid works: what each square means, why charts are divided into blocks of ten, how to count from the centre, and how to make your own gridded chart.

A cross stitch chart is a grid, and every square on it is one stitch. That is the whole idea — you are not drawing, you are counting.

Why charts are divided into tens Look at any printed chart and you will see thin lines between every square and heavier lines every ten. Those blocks of ten exist purely so you can count quickly and catch mistakes early: instead of counting 47 squares one at a time, you count four blocks and seven.

Start from the centre Charts mark the centre with arrows on the edges. Fold your fabric in half both ways to find its centre, and start there. If you start from a corner and miscount, the design ends up off-centre with no way to fix it short of unpicking.

Counting mistakes and how to avoid them - Work one block of ten at a time and check it before moving on - Mark off finished rows on a printed copy as you go - Do the outline of a shape first, then fill it — errors show up immediately

Grid paper versus a generated chart You can design on blank grid paper, but working from a photo is far quicker: the pattern maker builds the grid for you, complete with the ten-square blocks, centre marks and a symbol for each colour. You can also switch the