How to Prepare Fabric for Counted Thread Embroidery

Preparing The Fabric

• The finished size of the cushion cover I plan to make is 15" x 15". So I cut out 15" x 15" square with 1/4" seam allowance all round.
• Fold the fabric in half lengthwise and width-wise.
• Mark the fold lines with marking chalk. Mark the center of the fabric. As already mentioned in point 3 above, I'll use some point close to this as my starting point. 
• Lines extending up and down from the center mark the center of block 8 lengthwise and the center of block 7 width wise.
• Yes I've divided the entire fabric into blocks of 10 holes as marked by the red lines in the picture above. I have 15x13 blocks.

This is not as pointless an exercise fit only for a fanatical perfectionist.  It has its uses.  In this case, I discovered that this particular fabric is not even weave. An even weave fabric has the same number of warp and weft threads; lengthwise and breadth wise yarn. If the fabric were even weave, I'll have either 13x13 blocks or 15x15 blocks. This means, I have to think a bit before deciding on design placement.