Cross stitch is a type of embroidery. That is the short answer, and it is the one most comparisons skip: cross stitch is not an alternative to embroidery but one technique within it, the way a sonnet is one kind of poem. What people usually mean when they ask about cross stitch versus embroidery is the difference between counted cross stitch and freehand surface embroidery, and those two really are different crafts in practice.
Counted cross stitch is worked in X-shaped stitches on an even-weave fabric, following a grid where every square on the chart becomes one stitch on the cloth. Surface embroidery is worked freehand on almost any fabric, using dozens of different stitches to follow a design drawn or transferred onto the surface. One is counted, one is drawn. Nearly every other difference follows from that.
The question gets asked both ways round, as cross stitch vs embroidery and as embroidery vs cross stitch, and the answer is the same from either direction. What changes is which one you are thinking of taking up, so this guide sets out the difference between embroidery and cross stitch in fabric, needles, patterns and finished look, and then says which suits what.
Super Label Store has been producing machine embroidery for clothing brands and makers since 2015, and the questions below are the ones that come up most often from people who are deciding which route to take.
Cross stitch vs embroidery at a glance
| Counted cross stitch | Surface embroidery | |
|---|---|---|
| Stitch used | One X-shaped stitch, almost exclusively | Dozens, including satin, back, stem, chain and French knot |
| Fabric | Even-weave with visible holes, usually Aida or linen | Almost any fabric, with a stable woven being easiest |
| Pattern | A chart of colored squares, each square one stitch | A line drawing transferred onto the fabric |
| Needle | Blunt tapestry needle that passes through existing holes | Sharp embroidery or crewel needle that pierces the fabric |
| How you work | By counting squares from the chart | By following the drawn line freehand |
| Result | Pixelated, grid-based, even texture | Flowing lines, varied texture and density |
| Learning curve | One stitch to learn, so you can start the same day | Several stitches to learn before a design looks finished |
In plain text: cross stitch uses one stitch on a counted grid with a blunt needle, and surface embroidery uses many stitches freehand on a drawn design with a sharp needle. Cross stitch gives a pixelated, even result. Embroidery gives flowing lines and varied texture.
What is cross stitch?
Cross stitch is counted-thread embroidery in which the design is built from small X-shaped stitches worked over a fixed number of fabric threads. The fabric does the measuring for you: Aida cloth is woven so the threads group into visible squares with a hole at each corner, and the needle goes through those holes rather than piercing the cloth.
Aida is sold by count, which is the number of squares per inch. A 14 count Aida gives 14 stitches per inch and is the standard for most patterns. An 11 count gives larger, faster stitches and suits beginners and children. An 18 count gives a finer result and takes longer. The same chart worked on a different count produces the same picture at a different size, which is the simplest way to scale a design up or down.
Because every stitch lands on a grid, a cross stitch chart works like a map of colored pixels. You read a square, find the matching thread color, and make one X. That is the whole technique. The skill lies in counting accurately and keeping every X crossed in the same direction, because consistent crossing is what makes the finished surface catch the light evenly.
What is surface embroidery?
Surface embroidery covers everything else: a design drawn or transferred onto fabric and then filled in with whichever stitches suit the shapes. There is no grid and no counting, which means the fabric does not restrict you and neither does the design.
A handful of stitches do most of the work. Back stitch and stem stitch make outlines. Satin stitch fills a shape with smooth parallel threads. Long and short stitch shades one color into another. French knots make dots, seeds and texture. Chain stitch makes a rope-like line. Most finished pieces use four or five of these, and learning them takes a few evenings rather than a few minutes.
The needle is the other practical difference. Embroidery uses a sharp needle that makes its own hole wherever you put it, which is what allows a curve to be truly curved. Cross stitch uses a blunt tapestry needle because the holes already exist, and a sharp point would split the fabric threads rather than passing between them. If you take nothing else from this comparison, take that: the needles are not interchangeable, and using the wrong one is the most common reason a first attempt looks rough.
Which is easier to learn?
Cross stitch is easier to start and harder to improvise. There is one stitch, the pattern tells you exactly where it goes, and a beginner can finish a small piece that looks like the picture on the packet within a day. The trade-off is that the result is only ever as good as the chart, and designing your own chart is a separate skill.
Surface embroidery is harder to start and easier to make your own. The first pieces usually look uneven, because satin stitch needs practice before it lies flat and long and short stitch needs practice before the shading looks deliberate. But once those stitches are in your hands, you can embroider anything you can draw, at any size, on any fabric.
The practical advice most teachers give: start with cross stitch if you want a finished object quickly and enjoy the rhythm of a repetitive craft. Start with surface embroidery if you are drawn to drawing and want the stitching to follow your own lines.
Put another way, choosing embroidery or cross stitch is less about which is better and more about which kind of patience you have. Cross stitch rewards consistency over hundreds of identical stitches. Embroidery rewards the willingness to unpick a satin stitch that did not lie flat and do it again.
Can you combine cross stitch and embroidery?
Yes, and plenty of finished pieces do. Counted work handles the areas that suit a grid, such as lettering, borders and geometric motifs, while surface stitches handle the areas that do not, such as faces, flowers and anything with a curve. A back stitch outline around a cross stitch motif is so common it is almost standard, because it sharpens edges that the grid leaves stepped.
Both use the same thread. Embroidery floss is sold in skeins of six loosely twisted strands, and you separate out as many as the work needs. Cross stitch on 14 count Aida usually takes two strands. A back stitch outline usually takes one. Satin stitch on a larger shape may take three or four. Separating and recombining the strands, rather than using the skein as it comes, is what gives you control over how heavy the line looks.
Where machine embroidery fits
Machine embroidery is a third thing, and it is what most clothing brands actually use. Instead of a chart or a drawing, the design becomes a digitized file that tells an embroidery machine where to place every stitch, in what order and in which color. The result looks like dense surface embroidery because that is what it is, produced in minutes rather than hours.
Super Label Store makes custom embroidered patches from 10 pieces per design, in any shape from 1.5 to 9 inches, with up to 9 thread colors included. Text needs roughly 3.5 to 4 mm of width to stay legible in thread, which is the machine equivalent of the limit a hand embroiderer runs into with a French knot that is too small to read.
The crossover matters for makers. A hand-stitched design can be photographed, simplified and digitized so that the same motif runs as a batch of patches, which is how a lot of small brands turn one piece of artwork into something they can sell or sew into every garment. Flat shapes and clear lines reproduce best, the same qualities that make a design easy to embroider by hand in the first place.
Which one suits what
- Lettering and sampler-style text. Cross stitch, because a grid keeps letters even without any drawing skill.
- Florals, portraits and anything curved. Surface embroidery, because the stitches follow the line rather than the grid.
- A first project with a guaranteed result. Cross stitch on 11 or 14 count Aida.
- Decorating a finished garment. Surface embroidery, since it works on the fabric the garment is already made from.
- A repeated logo or motif on many items. Machine embroidery, as a patch or stitched directly.
- Mending and visible repair. Surface embroidery, often with darning and sashiko stitches.
Frequently asked questions
Is cross stitch a type of embroidery?
Yes. Cross stitch is counted-thread embroidery, one technique within the broader craft. All cross stitch is embroidery, but most embroidery is not cross stitch.
What is the difference between cross stitch and embroidery?
Cross stitch uses a single X-shaped stitch worked on a counted grid of even-weave fabric, with a blunt needle that passes through existing holes. Surface embroidery uses many different stitches worked freehand on a design drawn onto the fabric, with a sharp needle that pierces it. Cross stitch counts, embroidery draws.
Which is easier, cross stitch or embroidery?
Cross stitch is easier to begin, because there is one stitch to learn and the chart tells you where every stitch goes. Surface embroidery takes longer to learn but gives more freedom once you have four or five stitches in hand.
Can you use embroidery thread for cross stitch?
Yes, it is the same thread. Embroidery floss comes in six-strand skeins and you separate out what the work needs: usually two strands for cross stitch on 14 count Aida, one for a back stitch outline, and three or four for satin stitch on a larger shape.
Do cross stitch and embroidery use the same needle?
No, and this is the difference beginners notice first. Cross stitch uses a blunt tapestry needle that passes between the fabric threads through the existing holes. Embroidery uses a sharp needle that makes its own hole anywhere on the fabric.
What fabric do you need for each?
Cross stitch needs an even-weave fabric with a countable grid, usually Aida cloth in 11, 14 or 18 count, or evenweave linen. Surface embroidery works on almost any fabric, with a stable woven such as cotton or linen being the easiest to start on.
Can you cross stitch on normal fabric?
Yes, using waste canvas or soluble canvas laid over the fabric as a temporary grid. You stitch through both layers, then remove the canvas and the stitches stay. That is how cross stitch motifs end up on t-shirts, denim and tote bags.
Is cross stitch or embroidery faster?
Cross stitch is slower per square inch, because every stitch is the same size and the surface is covered one X at a time. Surface embroidery covers ground faster with satin stitch and long and short stitch, but takes longer to plan.
Can you combine cross stitch and embroidery in one piece?
Yes, and it is common. Counted stitches handle lettering, borders and geometric areas, while surface stitches handle curves, faces and shading. A back stitch outline around cross stitch motifs is close to standard, because it sharpens the stepped edges the grid leaves behind.
How does machine embroidery compare?
Machine embroidery reproduces the look of dense surface embroidery from a digitized file, in minutes rather than hours. It is what clothing brands use for logos and badges. Super Label Store makes custom embroidered patches from 10 pieces per design, in sizes from 1.5 to 9 inches, with text down to 3.5 mm in width.
Can a hand embroidered design be turned into patches?
Yes. The artwork is photographed or redrawn, then digitized into a stitch file so an embroidery machine can reproduce it. Flat shapes and clear outlines convert best, which are the same qualities that make a design straightforward to stitch by hand.
What is counted thread embroidery?
Counted thread embroidery is any technique where stitches are placed by counting fabric threads rather than following a drawn line. Cross stitch is the best known, alongside blackwork, hardanger and needlepoint.
If you are turning stitched artwork into something you can sew into a garment or sell, see our custom embroidery patches, or our custom woven labels for a flat woven version of a logo or name.