25 Count Basalt Splash Lugana Evenweave Precut Cross Stitch Fabric 19x27 in by Zweigart 3835/7419

Stitch on Basalt Splash, a 25 count Lugana evenweave by Zweigart: a basalt-gray evenweave printed with white paint-splash speckles. The pattern is printed, so the fabric does the decorating and your stitching sits on top.

A little stitcher's folklore: scattered dots on old linen were once worked by hand as seeding stitches to fill a background; a printed dot fabric gives that scattered look ready-made.

Why this fabric: Lugana is a soft cotton and viscose evenweave with perfectly even threads, so there are no slubs to work around. Worked over two it gives 12.5 stitches per inch, a little larger than 14 count Aida, which makes it a comfortable first step from Aida to evenweave. This shade suits playful modern designs and small motifs where the print can show through.

In the pack: one precut piece of Zweigart Lugana, 52% cotton and 48% viscose, 25 count (10 threads per cm), in Basalt Splash. 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 24 or 26 tapestry needle, using two strands of floss. The pattern is printed, so each piece varies a little; buy enough for a whole project at once, and test a corner before washing a finished piece.

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 185 x 280 stitches. Pair it with a chart and floss for a ready-to-start stitching gift.