Some of the outlining is on top of the cross stitching, so any way you cut it, the outlining is done last. I don't do counted cross stitch anymore, but I do cross stitching and there is outlining within the cross stitches with that also. (I generally pick the color that I like the least and start with a color and work it until that color is done and then go on to another color (but then it is not counted cross stitch like you are doing.) Like it was said before - outlining makes it pop! Edie