Stamped vs. Counted Cross Stitch: What’s the Difference?

If you're new to cross stitch, you’ve probably come across two types of kits: stamped and counted. Both are ways to create beautiful embroidery projects, but they offer very different experiences. Here's what you need to know before you choose.

1. What is the difference?

Stamped Cross Stitch:
In a stamped kit, the design is pre-printed directly onto the fabric. You simply stitch over the colors or symbols on the fabric using the included chart as a reference. Once you’ve finished stitching, the printed pattern may be washed out with water, or it simply gets covered by the stitches.

Counted Cross Stitch:
In a counted kit, the fabric is completely blank. You follow a printed chart and use the weave of the fabric (like 14-count Aida) to count out each stitch location yourself. You usually start from the center of the chart and fabric, and build the design one stitch at a time.

2. Benefits and common uses

Stamped Kits

• Often seen as easier for complete beginners

• Good for kids, quick projects, or large decorative scenes

• No need to count - just match the printed areas

• Typically used in mass-market kits and craft chain stores

Counted Kits

• Offer more precision and sharper details

• Encourage focus, mindfulness, and patience

• Designs tend to be more modern, artistic, or stylized

• Perfect for those who enjoy the process as much as the finished piece

2. Why we offer counted kits at XStitch My Heart

At XStitch My Heart, we design our kits to be more than just crafts - we see them as creative rituals.

Counted cross stitch allows you to start with a blank piece of fabric and slowly build something beautiful, one stitch at a time. It’s about being present. About slowing down. About watching something take shape with your own hands.

To us, it’s a screen-free meditation - the kind of quiet focus you get from painting, puzzles, or journaling. Each design becomes a mindful moment in your day. That’s why we choose counted cross stitch: it gives you time to unplug and reconnect with something quietly meaningful.