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Perforated paper is my preferred medium for counted cross stitch.  Why?  Because perf paper saves time and effort while sacrificing nothing in terms of design possibilities.  I am a busy, busy woman and any craft medium that saves me time and effort will win my heart forever!

Perforated Paper FAQ

1. What is perforated paper?
2. What's so great about perforated paper?
3. Do I need any special supplies or skills to use perforated paper?
4. What do I need to know about stitching on perforated paper?
5. How do I finish my perforated paper needlework?

What is perforated paper?

Perforated paper is a heavy paper that's been punched with row upon row of small holes, typically 14 holes per inch.   Sometimes the paper is coated with a very thin layer of plastic to add strength, or hand-dyed for a custom-crafted look.  Because the finished paper is completely covered in evenly-spaced holes, you can use it for cross stitch just as you would use Aida cloth.

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What's so great about perforated paper?

First of all, it's readily available in way more colors and styles than Aida cloth and other typical cross stitch fabrics.   I like to keep my designs very simple, with the focus on the words and art, so I mostly stick to white and off-white for the backgrounds.  However, perf paper is available in just about all the colors of the rainbow, metallics, and even with pre-printed watermark designs on it.   I'll be offering some of these other perf paper options in my kits in the near future. 

Secondly, you don't use a hoop or frame with perforated paper.   Because the heavy paper is stiff, your stitches automatically lay nice and flat.   No hoop and no frame means no stretching, and no stretching means no blocking when the project is done.   

Also, the finished piece does not have to be framed!   That's right, no more searching for odd-sized frames or custom-cutting mat board to force your design into a standard-sized frame.   Finished projects can be simply hung from wire or cord threaded through the top-most row of holes, or they can be closely trimmed all around the edges to make ornaments, brooches and magnets.  Of course, they can be framed the old-fashioned way too.

I don't know about you, but for me, each extra step in the process makes it that much less likely I'll ever live to see that finished project hanging on the wall.   Blocking and framing have always been my least favorite project tasks, so perforated paper may well be the only thing that keeps me stitching at all.

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Do I need any special supplies or skills to work with perforated paper?

Nope.   You can use the same embroidery floss and tapestry needles you've always used for working on Aida.   If you want to finish your piece as a magnet, brooch or ornament, you'll want to get a pair of small, sharp craft scissors.

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What do I need to know about stitching on perforated paper?

Note: All Bitterstitch patterns  include full details about working with perforated paper.

Clean hands are key; it is only paper after all, and oils will stain and weaken it.   Start with freshly-washed, completely dry hands and don't apply any lotions or creams---not even udder cream or bag balm.   If you tend to perspire, wash your hands frequently as you work.

Be careful not to pull your stitches too tight.  If you overdo it, the paper can bend or even tear.   Tears are easily repaired with a piece of clear tape on the back of the paper, which you can then stitch through as needed.

Because paper doesn't have a raised surface like cloth, scanty floss coverage can allow the background to peek through the stitches.  For this reason, designs on perf paper are typically worked with three strands of floss for solid coverage, with a 24 - 26 gauge tapestry needle to allow for the added floss bulk.   

The holes in perf paper are a fixed size, and a fixed distance apart.   This means that unlike Aida cloth, perf paper doesn't allow for half- and quarter stitches.   For me, this is yet another selling point: designs worked on perforated paper have to be simpler!    

Also note, perf paper has a "right" side and a "wrong" side.   Close your eyes and pass a clean, dry hand over each side of the paper.  The side that feels rough is the "wrong" side---the side that was facing away from the hole punch when the paper was perforated.   The smooth side is the "right" side, and that's the side you want facing you as you work your design.

Finally, if the paper you've chosen is a light color, or you intend to place the finished piece in a place where it may be backlit (such as in front of a window),  you will want to pay close attention to how you carry your floss across the back of the piece between stitched areas.

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How do I finish my perforated paper needlework?

Trim the piece to desired size or shape, to within one empty hole of desired edge.   Allow at least one extra row of empty holes on all sides if you intend to hang the finished piece, unframed.  Otherwise, be sure to allow at least one unused "square" of paper between the stitched edge of the design and the cut edge of the finished piece.  Do not trim right up to the stitched edge, you don't want to cut through any holes that contain floss.   If you haven't made a mess of bulky knots on the back of your project, you can even take the finished, trimmed piece to your local copy shop or office store and have it laminated.  Got one of those scrapbooking laminator thingies at home?  Because perf paper is stiff, that works too.  

The trimmed piece can be hung on wire, cord or ribbon that's threaded through any of the holes along the top edge of the piece. 

To make a magnet, glue card stock to the back of the trimmed piece, trim the card stock to match the edges of the finished piece, and then cement a refrigerator magnet to the back.   Alternatively, you can cement a piece of magnetic sheet to the card stock and then trim the magnetic sheet to match the edges of the finished piece.   If you've had the piece laminated, you can skip the card stock backing steps.

To make a hanging ornament, sandwich a loop of cord or ribbon between the finished piece and card stock in the desired color, glue the card stock to the finished piece, then trim as above.  

To make a brooch, cement the flat side of a pin-back to the center back of the finished piece.   Select a piece of felt or other non-fraying fabric to use as a backing.   Lay the backing material over the back of the finished piece and pierce holes in it to allow the pin and pin catch to come through.   Glue the backing material to the finished piece, threading the pin and pin catch through the holes.  When dry, trim the edges to match the finished piece.

When gluing backing material or card stock to the back of the finished piece, use a generous layer of white glue that dries clear, and spread it over the entire surface to be glued---do not go with a thin bead of glue applied just around the edges.  Don't worry about glue squeezing through the holes of the paper a little, since this will hold the backing to the finished piece even more securely.   For cementing, use super glue or craft cement; hot glue tends to pop off eventually, and most other glues won't hold non-porous things like magnets and metal pin backs securely.

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