How to grid cross stitch fabric so you never miscount
The chart has a heavy line every ten squares. Put the same lines on the fabric and counting stops being a problem.
Thread gridding
Find the centre of the fabric and run a long tacking stitch along every tenth row and column, over and under one block at a time, in a thin thread of a contrasting colour. Sewing thread or a single strand of floss works; fishing line is popular because it pulls out cleanly and cannot be stitched through by accident.
Pen gridding
A water-soluble fabric marker draws the grid faster and washes out. Test it on an offcut first, keep it away from heat before washing, and avoid it on black aida, where a white or silver marker is needed and some do not wash out fully.
Working with the grid
Each ten-by-ten block on the fabric now matches a block on the chart. Stitch a block at a time. Pull out grid threads as you cover them, or at the end; with fishing line they slide out even under stitches.
