How many strands, and how to prepare the thread

What you need

• A skein of stranded cotton
• A size 24 tapestry needle
• Small pointed scissors
• A needle threader, if you have one

How many strands

The number of strands follows the fabric: the bigger its holes, the more thread it takes to cover it. The chart's key often says; if not, here is the common practice. Backstitch, which draws the outlines, is nearly always worked finer, as the guide to half stitches and backstitch explains.

Tip. The test is simple: stitch a few crosses in a corner of the fabric. If the fabric shows between them, add a strand; if they puff up and overlap, take one away. The fabric calculator suggests 2 strands on 14-count and 1 from 16-count up: a starting point, not a law.

When the fabric shows between stitches

It is one of the questions beginners ask most. Three causes, in order. Thread pulled too tight, pinching the block: ease the tension. Strands twisted together instead of lying side by side: separate them and put them back together, as below. Or simply not enough thread: go from two to three strands on 14-count.

Dark threads on pale fabric, such as black 310, let the fabric show more than others: they are where a third strand is most worth it. Keep the same number of strands for a whole colour, though, or the difference shows. And washing plumps stitches up, as the guide to washing a piece points out.

On 18-count, beware the opposite problem: at two strands, each hole already takes eight strands once its four neighbouring stitches are done, and twelve at three. The needle goes through badly and the stitches pack down.

Getting the thread off the skein

Leave both paper bands on: one carries the colour number, and together they stop the skein falling apart. Hold the skein by one band and gently pull the end that sticks out. If it resists or loops, try the end on the other side: one of the two always runs freely.

Many stitchers then wind the whole skein onto a small card bobbin and write the number on it. The threads stop tangling in the box, and the number never gets lost. If the band has gone, the thread's page in the colour chart helps you find a reference from its colour.

Cutting the right length

Cut about 50 cm, roughly the distance from your fingertips to your elbow. A longer thread seems to save time, but it wears from going through the fabric again and again and tangles more: the end of the length ends up duller and fuzzier than the start. For the loop start, take a single strand twice as long, about a metre.

Separating strands one at a time

Never pull two strands at once to tear them from the rest: the others twist and end in a knot. Separate them one at a time, then put back together the ones you need.

1. Hold the cut thread by one end and tap it, or roll it between two fingers: the six strands spread apart.
2. Pinch a single strand and pull it slowly upwards, holding the rest of the thread in the other hand. The other five bunch up, then settle back.
3. Do the same for the second strand.
4. Lay the two strands side by side, ends level. Keep the other four for the next lengths.

Tip. Separated and put back together, the strands lie parallel instead of twisted round each other: they cover the fabric better, and the stitches take on a slight sheen.

Threading the needle

First trim the end of the thread cleanly: a frayed end will not go through the eye. And use a needle sized for the fabric, 24 for 14-count aida: the guide to what you need gives the other sizes.

1. Fold the thread over the needle, very close to its end, and pinch the fold tight between thumb and forefinger.
2. Slide the needle out, keeping the fold pinched: it barely shows between your fingers.
3. Bring the eye down onto the fold and push it through. A fold goes through far more easily than a cut end.

With a needle threader

Push the little wire loop through the eye, slip the thread into the loop, then pull it back: it draws the thread with it. Either way, leave about ten centimetres hanging: that tail will not slip out of the eye while you stitch.

Keeping the thread from twisting

Each stitch turns the thread a little on itself. After a dozen stitches it twists, shortens and starts to knot. Now and then, let the needle hang below the work: it spins by itself and the thread untwists.

When only ten centimetres or so are left, end the thread without waiting for the last moment. How to start and end it neatly, without a single knot, is the subject of the guide to starting and ending a thread; the stitch itself is in the guide to how to cross stitch.

• Next guide: Starting and finishing a thread without a knot
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