32 Count Pearl Smoky Belfast Linen Precut Cross Stitch Fabric 19x27 in by Zweigart 3609/778

Stitch on Pearl Smoky, a 32 count Belfast linen by Zweigart: a pearl smoky linen with a soft smoky blue-grey tone. A coloured ground saves stitching a full background and sets the mood of the piece.

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: if you are moving up from Aida, Belfast is the classic first linen. Worked over two threads it gives 16 stitches per inch, the same scale as 16 count Aida, with a softer and more traditional finish. This shade suits modern, minimalist and winter designs.

In the pack: one precut piece of Zweigart Belfast, 100% linen, 32 count (12.6 threads per cm), in Pearl Smoky. 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. It is a good piece to keep in the stash or to tuck into a gift for a stitching friend.