28 Count Antique White Cashel Linen Precut Cross Stitch Fabric 19x27 in by Zweigart 3281/101

Stitch on Antique White, a 28 count Cashel linen by Zweigart: a soft antique white linen, warmer than bright white, with a natural flax texture. 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: Cashel is a 28 count linen, a little more open than Belfast, so it is easy on the eyes and the most forgiving linen to start with. Worked over two it gives 14 stitches per inch, the scale of 14 count Aida. This shade suits heirloom samplers, monograms and classic florals.

In the pack: one precut piece of Zweigart Cashel, 100% linen, 28 count (11.2 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 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 205 x 315 stitches. It is a good piece to keep in the stash or to tuck into a gift for a stitching friend.