Great info. I started out with a kit that had tons of white stitching. it was a pain. I would recommed starting something small and simple but without too much of a single color since that can be boring.
1. If meking the move from light fabric to say black, a light box underneath on your knee is great but not sometimes in the budget instead place a white pillow case on your knee instead.
Also place a hem using a running stitch around your fabric to prevent fraying damaging your stitching
and finally i always leave six inches around the size of the design for lacing before framing and in the case of say haed designs where stitching is dense i label close to the hem top and bottom
chekccard