Teaching Children to Cross Stitch


child stitching Recently my two daughters (ages 7 and 8 years) asked me to teach them to cross stitch. I was so pleased that they showed an interest in one of my favorite crafts. I have begun to teach them the basics and all of us have enjoyed the special times we've spent together stitching.

Learning the actual stitches has come easy for them. Their main concern is keeping track of where they are on the chart. Also, at this age, their attention span is very short for stitching. Simple, small designs seem to work best.

It has been going very slowly, but spending the time together and having fun (making memories) is far more important to me than the actual stitching.

Tips for Teaching Kids

Before teaching your child to cross stitch, be sure it is something that THEY want to learn. If they are not interested, then don't force them. Cross stitch (even for kids) should be relaxing and fun! Also, you may find after a couple of stitching sessions that your child does not enjoy it. Don't despair!! Let them find another hobby that they will enjoy.

These are some suggestions I've come up with for helping your children learn cross stitch. Most of these I've learned by doing! Remember though, each child is unique in their learning styles, so do whatever works best for yours.

  • Start with short sessions so your child does not get overly frustrated with the new skills. My daughters stitched only 2 short rows the first time we sat down with it. Again, do what is best for your child. Some children may finish in one day!

    • child stitching

  • Start with a small design with only 2 or 3 color changes. The more quickly they see results, the more excited your children will be about the craft.

  • Make them wash their hands before beginning!

  • Point out how the square in the Aida cloth matches up to the square in the pattern.

  • Check out the symbols for each color of thread. If the chart is black & white, you may want to color in the pattern with appropriate colored pencils to make it easy to follow.

  • Show them how to find the center of the fabric and place the hoop on the fabric.

  • Demonstrate how to separate strands of thread and how to thread the needle. Make sure to use a tapestry needle with a blunt end. See Finding Materials below.
    • The copyright of the article Teaching Children to Cross Stitch in Cross Stitch is owned by Peggy Pechacek. Permission to republish Teaching Children to Cross Stitch in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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