My kids have developed a sudden thirst for embroidery. This has, I’ll admit, something to do with my current interest in the craft, and the fact that they are fascinated by what a few stitches of bright thread on cloth can become. To get them started without priced fingers from pressing and without wasting expensive cross stitch fabric, we’ve been stitching a lot on burlap. Gridded enough to follow (or make up) traditional cross stitch patterns, the weave is loose enough to make stitching easy and fun.

Things you’ll need:
Embroidery hoop (4-6 inches is a good size for little hands)
Burlap fabric
Embroidery thread
Blunt embroidery needle

Things to do:
1. Stretch the burlap over the inner hoop and cover with the outer hoop to keep it tight.
2. Thread your needle with the embroidery floss. Kids may find it easier to use all six strands but adults can use three. Knot on the backside of the fabric.

3. Follow your pattern or free hand stitch a cross stitch pattern on the fabric. You can make a simple pattern of your own using graph paper to plot out the shapes.