Quick answer: Counted cross stitch gives you plain fabric and a printed chart, so you count squares as you go. Stamped – also called printed – has the design applied to the fabric already, so you stitch straight over it. Counted travels better and scales to any size; stamped is faster to start and impossible to lose your place in.
Key points
- Counted = plain aida plus a chart. Stamped = design already on the cloth.
- Stamped removes counting, so there is nothing to miscount and nothing to unpick.
- Counted is lighter to carry, easier to hoop and works at any finished size.
- Printed and stamped mean the same thing; UK sellers say printed, US sellers say stamped.
- Both use the same stitches, the same threads and the same needles.
What counted cross stitch actually involves
You get a piece of blank aida, a needle, threads and a chart on paper. The chart is a grid of symbols; each symbol is a colour, and each square is one stitch. You find the centre of the fabric, find the centre of the chart, and work outwards.
The counting is the part people worry about and the part that stops mattering after an evening. Most stitchers grid their fabric first – a loose running stitch every ten squares – which turns counting into checking. Our counted cross stitch kits all include the chart, and the aida is cut with a working margin.
What stamped cross stitch involves
The design is printed onto the fabric in light, washable ink. You stitch over the marks. There is no chart to hold, no place to lose and no counting at all – which is why it suits stitching in company, in poor light, or with a child on your knee.
The trade-off is that the print commits you to one size and one design, and the fabric is heavier to carry. Our printed and stamped kits use ink that fades in cool water.
Side by side
| Counted | Stamped / printed | |
|---|---|---|
| What you follow | A paper chart | Marks on the fabric |
| Counting | Yes | None |
| Losing your place | Possible | Practically impossible |
| Portability | Lighter, easier to hoop | Bulkier |
| Works at any size | Yes | Fixed by the print |
| Best for | Detail, big projects, travel | First projects, low light, stitching with company |
So which should you buy?
If this is your first kit and you want to finish it, take a stamped one, or a beginner kit that holds your hand either way. If you already sew, or you want a piece with real detail to frame, take counted – it will reward the attention. Plenty of people keep one of each on the go: counted for a quiet hour, stamped for the sofa.
Whichever you choose, the stitches are identical, so nothing you learn on one is wasted on the other. If you want the technique first, start with our complete beginner's guide, then browse all cross stitch kits.