NAMES
How to stitch a name in cross stitch
A name is often the first piece you stitch for someone: a birth sampler, a bib, a tote bag, a comforter label. It takes few stitches and a single color, but a misplaced letter shows. Here’s how to prepare it, place it and stitch it neatly.
1. Choose the alphabet: capitals or lowercase
A cross stitch alphabet draws each letter in a small grid. The most common is 5 stitches wide by 7 high: readable, compact, ideal for a name. Capitals (LÉA) read better when small; a capital followed by lowercase (Léa) is softer, and often preferred for a birth. Lowercase g, j, p, q and y drop below the line: the name then takes 9 rows instead of 7.
All the letters, accents included, are on the sheet of thecross stitch alphabet, in capitals and lowercase, to download as PDF.
2. Work out the width of the name
Leave one empty column between two letters. A name of n letters is therefore 6 × n − 1 stitches wide with a 5-stitch alphabet. “Léa” is 17 stitches, “Louise” 35. Then divide by the fabric’s count (stitches per inch) to get inches.
| Name | Stitches | 11-count Aida | 14-count Aida | 16-count Aida | 18-count Aida |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 letters (Léa) | 17 × 7 | 1.5 in (3.9 cm) | 1.2 in (3.1 cm) | 1.1 in (2.7 cm) | 0.9 in (2.4 cm) |
| 5 letters (Jules) | 29 × 7 | 2.6 in (6.7 cm) | 2.1 in (5.3 cm) | 1.8 in (4.6 cm) | 1.6 in (4.1 cm) |
| 8 letters (Margaux…) | 47 × 7 | 4.3 in (10.9 cm) | 3.4 in (8.5 cm) | 2.9 in (7.5 cm) | 2.6 in (6.6 cm) |
| Height | 7 rows (9 with descender) | 0.6 (0.8) in | 0.5 (0.6) in | 0.4 (0.6) in | 0.4 (0.5) in |
If the name is too small for the project, choose a coarser fabric (11-count Aida) or a taller alphabet, rather than enlarging the letters by hand. The cross stitch name generator tool gives you the chart, its finished size and the number of skeins right away.
3. Center the name on the fabric
Fold the fabric in four to mark its center, or baste two lines in colored thread. On the chart, find the middle column of the name: the 9th of 17 for “Léa”. Start with the letter that crosses this middle, then stitch to the left and to the right. For a name with a date below it, center each line separately and leave two empty rows between them.
4. Choose the thread and strands
A name reads thanks to contrast: a thread clearly darker than the fabric, or lighter on a dark fabric. Two strands of floss on 14- or 16-count Aida, three on 11-count for well-covering crosses. The strands and needle chart gives guidelines for each fabric. A 5-letter name has about a hundred crosses: one skein is more than enough.
5. Stitch letter by letter
Always keep the same direction for the top stitch, or the letters will look uneven. Stitch a whole letter before moving to the next, and end the thread between two letters instead of carrying it across the back: on a light fabric, a thread passing behind an empty square shows through. Weave the end under the stitches already made, with no knot.
6. Add a date, a heart or a border
For a birth, a date on the second line, a little heart or a border around the name make a real gift. The small free motifs and the border around a name combine with the name chart. In thestixiva studio, free during the beta, the name, date, heart and border go on the same chart, and the PDF pattern comes out with the thread list.
FAQ
How many stitches for a name in cross stitch?
With a 5 × 7 alphabet and one empty column between letters, count 6 stitches per letter minus one: 17 stitches for “Léa”, 35 for “Louise”. The height is 7 stitches, 9 if a lowercase letter drops below the line (g, j, p, q, y).
How big is a name stitched on 14-count Aida?
A 5-letter name in a 5 × 7 alphabet measures about 2.1 × 0.5 inches (5.3 × 1.3 cm) on 14-count Aida, 2.6 × 0.6 inches on 11-count. For bigger letters, choose a coarser fabric or a taller alphabet.
Should I stitch a name in capitals or lowercase?
Capitals read better when small and take less height. A capital followed by lowercase (“Léa”) is softer, ideal for a baby gift; it needs 9 rows if a letter drops below the line.
How many strands to stitch a name?
Two strands on 14- or 16-count Aida, three on 11-count. For a name in backstitch, one or two strands depending on the thickness you want.
Your name chart in seconds.
Type the name, choose capitals or lowercase and the DMC color: the chart appears, ready to print.
Make the name chart