Normandie blends cotton and linen into a fabric with a slightly irregular surface, the look of linen and a softer handle. The warp is denser than the weft, so the squares are not true squares: this is a ground for surface embroidery worked on a traced design, not for counted thread work. It suits tablecloths, runners, towels, sheet borders, monograms, whitework and small framed pieces.
Washing the fabric before stitching lets the shrinkage happen on the cloth rather than on the finished piece. Transfer the design with tracing paper or a water-soluble pencil and work in a hoop or frame: two or three strands of stranded cotton for outlines and satin stitch, perle cotton no. 8 or 12 for raised stitches, with a sharp-pointed needle. Leave a generous margin for hems and finishing.