When performing embroidery, needlepoint or cross stitch on fabric, it's important to anchor your stitches properly. This will allow you to keep the thread or floss from pulling out of your first stitches without having a knot or a bulky section of thread to mar your design. Read below to learn how to anchor a stitch for embroidery and cross stitch projects.

Steps

Embroidery

  1. Tie a knot close to the end of the thread. Leave enough "tail" to grasp with your fingers.
  2. Thread the needle and insert it into the fabric from front to back less than 1 inch from your starting point. This will put the knot on the front side of the fabric. Placing the knot at front keeps you from having to turn your work over, which may be difficult when working on large items.
  3. Bring the needle up through the fabric halfway between the knot and your starting point.
  4. Perform the smallest backstitch you can manage, over no more than 1 or 2 threads of the fabric.
  5. Bring the needle up between the backstitch and the starting point, then perform another backstitch, splitting the threads of the first backstitch as you insert the needle from front to back. Pull on the thread until it disappears between the threads of the first backstitch.
  6. Repeat with another backstitch that splits the threads of the second backstitch. Again, pull on the thread until it disappears, being careful not to distort the thread or the fabric.
  7. Bring the needle from back to front at the starting point.
  8. Tug gently on the knot until you can get a pair of scissors safely between the knot and the fabric. Cut off the knot. The end of the thread will disappear into the fabric.
  9. Begin stitching, working over the anchoring backstitches. Although the anchor may look bulky, in most cases it will be invisible once you work stitches over it.

Cross Stitch

  1. Work your first few stitches over the end of the floss.
    • Bring the threaded needle from back to front leaving a "tail" of loose floss on the back.
    • Begin stitching, ensuring that when you bring the floss from back to front, you catch the tail between the floss and the back of the fabric. Do this until the entire tail is covered by the stitches.
  2. Create a loop knot. This method will not work well if you are using 2 strands of floss at once or if you have only a small design.
    • Fold the floss in half and put both cut ends through the needle. This will give you 2 tail threads 3 to 4 inches (7 to 10 cm) long. Don't tie any knots in the thread.
    • Begin your first stitch by passing the needle through the fabric from back to front. Leave a loop of floss in back.
    • Finish the stitch by passing the needle from front to back. Insert the needle through the loop of floss at the back of the fabric.
    • Pull the loop taut and continue stitching.
  3. Finished.


Things You'll Need

  • Embroidery thread or floss
  • Scissors
  • Embroidery or tapestry needle
  • Fabric to be embroidered or cross-stitched