Can you Cross Stitch?

[BustyDeLaGhetto]

I tend to have ludicrous flights of fancy in which I busily stitch a sampler while wrting a novel and drinking a martini or something. I haven't cross stitched since school - almost twenty years ago now - but used to love it.

So I bought a kit in a charity shop the other day - hoop, threads, material etc - however when I got home and unfolded the material I realised that there was a project on it, three quarters finished. It's about the size of a tablecloth and is beautifully stitched flowers on each corner. It's way too advanced for me, but I get the feeling that this was probably the effort of an old person who for one reason or another was unable to continue with it and I feel terrible throwing it away. It's not in great condition but would be a good project piece if anyone could use it? Am happy to post - there is a print to follow with your needle on the back and some instructions with it I think.

In return I could really use some help getting started. Do I need cross stitch fabric or will any strong fabric do? Can I freestyle it or will I need a pattern?

[DIYapprentice]

I can cross stitch, but certainly wouldn't have the time for such a large, albeit beautiful sounding, project such as this.

I can, however, offer you a couple of simple but cool cross stitch kits which are great for beginners if you'd like! It's a lot easier if you have a pattern to follow and start on aida fabric. The kits come with everything you need. (I have WAAAAY to many to ever get through them!)

PM me if you're interested.

[Bakingnovice]

DIY I would be very interested in any tips. I am total novice but starting a project today. I've got 14 count aids and thought I'd purchased basic kit with instructions. It looks v complicated though!

[DIYapprentice]

It looks tricker than it actually is. Just make sure you start in the middle - put a horizontal crease and a vertical crease into your fabric by folding in half each way and that will give you the exact middle point. Don't pull too tightly, just a light tug. Keep an eye on your thread to make sure it's not twisted around, just twirl your needle lightly to untwist every now and then.

You can carry light colours over fabric for a few stitches, but avoid carrying very far with dark colours if you are not stitching over that area as they can show through. You can carry threads quite a way, but be careful of snagging them and pulling your stitches. For a neat way of ending each colour I take it through the back of the last 2 or 3 stitches, go back down a stitch and take it through the back of one more stitch and then cut the tail off.

Using 2 threads is really easy, use 1 long thread folded in half instead of 2, and have the joint loop bit as your end, and carry the thread through it to catch it - that way you won't end up with lots of knots. Really try to avoid 'knots' as they will make your work bumpy and messy.

Aida is very easy to count on and 14 count is a nice size.

When you are finished a light hand wash will do wonders in evening the thread out beautifully and makes the stitches sit nice and flat.

Hope that all helps!

[BustyDeLaGhetto]

DIY that sounds perfect, thank you so much. I will PM you.

I am literally starting from the beginning, and need all the help I can get! It is such a lovely tablecloth and I'm hoping if I get enough practice in I might be able to tackle it in the future. I'm going to print this page out and keep it in my sewing kit so I can refer to your notes. Thank you!

[ajandjjmum]

My DM started a cross stitch when she was first married, and completed it over 25 years later! She's since become hooked on them, and we have some lovely ones in the family.

She did one that was taken from a photo of my children as toddlers, which is absolutely beautiful.

Hope you find someone who can complete the work Busty.

[BanjoPlayingTiger]

If you are just starting out then buying a cross stitch magazine with a small kit on the front is often a good way of starting as it will have basic instructions and the little kit won't take too long to finish and can often be made into a are or similar.

DIY seems to have got in with all the instructions, so I won't add to them.
Good luck!

[Bakingnovice]

Some brilliant advice here.

[DIYapprentice]

If anyone else wants some kits or some charts, magazines, etc, just pm me. I have a very, very big box FULL, sitting in the loft, and no time to indulge. Simple ones, medium, and some super dooper, really full on ones. Quite frankly if I spent every evening cross stitching I wouldn't finish them in the next 10 years... went overboard when they were on sale :D