What's the best way to transfer a picture for cross stitching?

[jofeb04]

Ive got a Thomas the Tank, and Noddy picture that I want to work with, but what is the best way to transfer the picture?

Thanks

[Miaou]

Do you mean you just have an ordinary picture that you want to make into a cross-stitch picture?

Best way I can suggest - if you go to an art or stationery shop you should be able to get hold of some translucent graph paper. Put the paper over the picture and draw the outlines through. Then rub out and redraw the lines (a little at a time) so that they follow the lines of the graph paper (you can also draw a diagonal through a square too, as you can stitch that). Once you are happy with your outlines, mark with symbols or colour the picture on the graph paper to indicate what colours go where. Finally, tape your graph paper to a sheet of white paper so that you can see the finished result and can work from it!

If you can't get hold of translucent paper, you could try using ordinary graph paper. Tape your picture to a window with the graph paper over the top. This will allow the light to stream through and so you can draw the lines onto the graph paper as above. Obviously though this will only work if there is nothing on the other side of your picture!

As I said on your other thread, when buying graph paper try to get 10 squares to an inch rather than 10 squares to 2cm - gives a little more room to work.

The book I recommended on the other thread also has a section explaining how to do this (with diagrams/pictures - which might make it easier to understand!!)