This is a guide to help you buy a counted cross stitch kit. Many designers/companies produce cross stitch kits that are not good value for money. Before making a purchase, you will need to ask them what is included in a kit - if you are buying online look for this information in their description. If this isn't available, then send them an email and ask them. When buying a kit you must receive: pattern, fabric (usually aida), threads and needle. The pattern needs to be enlarged and clear to read, listing all the threads usually by DMC/Anchor/Madeira etc numbers. The fabric must be more than enough to be able to frame it when finish the design. Here is what most companies/designers are making our lives difficult. Most cross stitch kits come with the threads in bulks listed as colours. For example dark blue, light blue, very light blue. If there is a variety of blue, one can not tell the difference between them and it is confusing which colour goes where. So you need to look for kits that include threads in a card organiser filed by thread colour and number. Since most of us pay a lot of money for the cross stitch kits, we might as well get the best product available to help us start stitching immediately without any help.