Olivia Storm

Cross stitch is a great way for a youngster to enhance hand-eye coordination and to learn how to concentrate on a specific task. Thus when younger people become interested in the art of cross stitch they should be encouraged in any way possible. For example:

Borrow some pattern books from the library
Finding a pattern that a youngster likes can be a great help in encouraging them to cross stitch. Everybody knows that getting a child to do something they don't want to do can be a very difficult task but if they find a design that sparks their imagination they will be a lot more eager to have a go.

Try to find them a small, easy design with a simple to read chart so that they can start cross stitching by themselves right from the word go. This will give them a sense of independence and because small designs are quick to do they will not get bored with it before they actually finish it.

Join a membership website
For more advanced young cross stitchers, there are websites that offer Walt Disney designs like Pooh Bear, Cinderella, Toy Story and the Lion King. Although some of these designs are quite big they are not complicated and will give any child a great sense of achievement when they have completed them.

You will probably have to pay for a year's membership to the website but in addition to their range of designs you will also have access to special offers, free patterns and lots of advice and tips so your child can learn with the professionals.

For very young cross stitchers there are hundreds of websites that provide free design samples for you to print out. These are ideal for youngsters as they are small and very basic, which means they can be finished in a few days. Every time a youngster finishes a piece of cross stitch their confidence will grow and so will their love of the craft.

Visit a Cross Stitch event
There are often cross stitch events in most towns but many people never know about them. Look in the local paper or on the internet for events that are happening in your local area. These events usually have a variety of stalls where you can buy equipment, cross stitch kits and finished pieces that have been stitched by the professionals.

Showing a youngster what they can achieve if they pursue the craft of cross stitch can be a big incentive. You can even buy a youngster their first kit from the event as a bonus.  

Join a local group
There are local groups in most neighborhoods and so all you need to do is find out where and when the group meet. Introducing a youngster to older people who have possibly been cross stitching for many years can be a huge benefit and it will give the youngster a chance to ask questions and learn more advanced techniques. This is a great way to develop a child's interest in cross stitch and as they see what other people in the group are producing they may get the urge to progress onto bigger projects themselves.

Encouragement
Nothing can beat the encouragement of an adult when it comes to developing a child's enthusiasm for something. A parent telling their child how proud of their achievements they are can do wonders for the youngster's confidence and so even the smallest cross stitch project should be greeted with an impressed look and a big "Well done!".

We've covered several ways in which you can encourage your youngster's interest in cross stitch; all you need to do is find which one works for you and your child.