1. Start in the centre of the chart (not at the top) and work outwards. This will guarantee the finished design is centred on your fabric. Find the centre of your fabric by folding it in half both ways. Where the folds cross is the centre. Find the centre on your chart, too, and start from here. On many of our charts this is where two thick black lines cross. Otherwise, count the squares.

2. The key tells you which cotton colour each symbol refers to. Find the colour used on the chart closest to the centre.

3. Check the key to see how many strands you need and cut a 45cm (18in) length of the right colour. Hold the thread in your left hand and pull out the threads one by one with your right. Put them together to thread your needle. Don't pull out several strands at once or the threads will tangle.

4. Count the squares away from the centre on both the chart and your fabric (one square is marked out by four holes on aida) to find where to start. Make a cross stitch in that colour for each symbol shown on the chart as explained in 'How to follow a chart'. Then move on to the next adjacent colour.

5. Try to make all your cross stitches lie the same way by working each stitch in the same order so that the top half of the cross faces the same direction every time.