18 Count Sky Blue Aida Cloth Precut Cross Stitch Fabric 19x21 in by Zweigart 3793/503

Stitch on Sky Blue, an 18 count Aida cloth by Zweigart: a light sky blue Aida with a soft, airy 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: 18 count Aida gives fine detail and a smooth look for portraits, small motifs and ornaments, and it matches charts written for 36 count linen worked over two. This shade suits baby samplers, florals and spring designs.

In the pack: one precut piece of Zweigart Aida, 100% cotton, 18 count (7 squares per cm), in Sky Blue. Not included: chart, floss, needle and hoop, sold separately.

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

Size: 48 x 53 cm (19 x 21 in). Stitched one cross per block with a 2 in margin all round, it fits a design of about 265 x 300 stitches. One piece is plenty for a framed sampler, a pillow front or several small ornaments.