32 Count Antique White Murano Evenweave Precut Cross Stitch Fabric 19x27 in by Zweigart 3984/101

Stitch on Antique White, a 32 count Murano evenweave by Zweigart: a soft antique white evenweave, warmer than bright white. A light, quiet ground lets every colour in the chart read true.

A little stitcher's folklore: girls once worked a sampler as a school exercise, stitching alphabets and numbers on linen before they embroidered anything for the house, and many of those samplers survive in museums today.

Why this fabric: Murano is Zweigart's 32 count version of Lugana, the same smooth cotton and viscose blend at the scale of Belfast linen. Worked over two it gives 16 stitches per inch, matching 16 count Aida, without the slubs of a true linen. This shade suits heirloom samplers, monograms and classic florals.

In the pack: one precut piece of Zweigart Murano, 52% cotton and 48% viscose, 32 count (12.6 threads per cm), in Antique White. Not included: chart, floss, needle and hoop, sold separately.

Getting started: overcast the edges, fold to find the centre and stitch over two threads with a size 26 or 28 tapestry needle, using two strands of floss. Wash finished work by hand in cool water and press face down on a towel.

Size: 48 x 68 cm (19 x 27 in). Worked over two with a 2 in margin all round, it fits a design of about 235 x 360 stitches. Pair it with a chart and floss for a ready-to-start stitching gift.