One square on the chart is one cross on the fabric
One filled square on the chart is one cross on the fabric. Count four squares on the chart, and you stitch four squares on the Aida. That's the whole trick.
Every tenth line on the grid is usually drawn darker. Those heavy lines help you count in groups of ten. Check the numbers along the edge anyway. Not every chart draws its heavy lines the same way.
On Aida, one cross covers one fabric square, from hole to hole. An empty square on the chart means no stitch there. Look at the key before you decide a square is empty. A white stitch often has its own symbol. White thread and bare fabric are not the same thing.
The symbol tells you which thread
The key matches each symbol to a skein. Spot a symbol on the chart. Find it in the key. Read the floss number beside it.
Use the brand and the number the key lists. For a DMC pattern, match the number on the paper band of the skein. The printed color is only a hint. Printers and screens shift colors, so trust the number, not the shade of ink.
A skein of floss is made of strands you can pull apart. Use the number of strands your pattern asks for, not all of them. Backstitch and other small details often use a different count from the crosses. The key or the notes will say.
Your own key decides what each symbol means, and the symbols change from pattern to pattern.
Find the middle before you start
Your fabric center is where two creases cross. To make them, fold the Aida in half, then in half the other way. Press the folds lightly and put a pin where they cross. A loose running thread works too if you'd rather not crease the fabric.
Now find the center of the chart. Most charts mark it with small arrows on the edges, or with center coordinates. That chart center goes on your pin. Leave plenty of bare fabric around the design for finishing later.
Starting in the middle is the easy way to place a design. A corner start can work, but measure the margins first. Before your first cross, count from the center to your starting square, across and down. Then count the same on the fabric. I leave the pin in until the first few crosses are done. A minute of counting now beats unpicking a finished section later.
Charts on several pages overlap on purpose
Big designs don't fit on one sheet, so the chart is split across pages. The edges of each page repeat a few columns or rows. Lay the next page beside the first so the repeated columns line up. A pencil tick on the matching column numbers helps.
The repeated band is a repeat, not extra stitches. Stitch it once. Use the grid numbers to match the overlap. Check the page numbers before you move on. A continuation mark on the edge tells you which page comes next.
Keep an eye out for other marks too. Lines, small circles and split squares mean other things: backstitch, knots or part stitches. The key or the notes explain each one. Don't read every mark as a full cross.
Before your first stitch
- Check the design's width and height in stitches.
- Check your fabric count and the finished size, with room around it for finishing.
- Gather the floss from the key and read how many strands to use.
- Pick the chart that is easiest on your eyes, color or black and white.
- Keep one working copy and mark your progress on it. A highlighter is perfect for this.
One more thing before you thread the needle. A PDF is the pattern file. Fabric, thread and a finished stitched piece come with it only if the listing says so. Here is how to find your pattern after buying on Etsy.