Ann Logan

Good lighting makes or breaks a cross stitch project. Proper lighting prevents floss color confusion. Adequate lighting prevents improper stitch placement. It also makes the chart much easier to read. Light sources do not have to be expensive.

For sure you are want to beautifully display your finished cross stitch, embroidery or needlework projects.
The easiest way to do it is to put them in a frame.
Just choose a frame that complements your design and a neutral mat color for the mat next to the frame.
Before framing make sure you have enough extra fabric around the design.

Make sure your stitches are not too tight. If you pull down the needle too tight, the stitches will look flat, and the Aida fabric may
be damaged.
Of course it is preferable to embroider in natural light: it puts less strain on your eyes, but it does not always work. So try to embroider closer to the lamp.
Try to plan the whole design in advance. Check that you have all the accessories. This is so annoying when the thread is over, when all the cross-stitch project is almost done.

It is very important to work slowly when you try new techniques or stitching fibers such as metallic flosses. That way you learn how to do it properly without accidentally messing up your pattern along the way.

Tension in your stitching is by far the easiest thing to correct, especially if you’re using a hoop – pull tight but not so tight that you stretch the hole at all. If you stitch in hand you have to be more careful.

I find that pulling the thread mostly through and then using my little finger in the hand holding the needle to “flick” the tail the final bit gives perfect tension and is reproducible for each stitch. Pay attention to the tension you’re applying as, if you stitch in different directions or do “patches” of stitching over the piece, you’ll pull it in weird directions.