Stitchboard Admin message #2
Re: Teenager trying to cross stitch!
October 12, 2015 at 7:45:12 AM  (in response to juliet message #1)
 
Juliet,

Welcome! 

What a shame, that people think there's something wrong for a teenager to cross stitch!  Well, you're gladly accepted here.    I believe you're going to find there are others who share your passion, and anyway, cross stitch is ageless! 

Have you tried any cross stitch magazines?  They usually have tons of great patterns.  I actually found the British magazines are spectacular (not sure if you have a source, though).  I used to buy them all the time!  Oh, and most of them have what they call "cover kits," which is a small kit included with many of the magazines: cards, bookmarks, etc.  There are usually both small and large projects in the magazines, and the best part is the small ones usually take very little time!

Another thing...there are all kinds of cross stitch alphabets available for free online.  So if you don't like your lettering or want it to be fancier, blockier, larger, smaller, etc, give some a try! 

I'm guessing you already know this, but in case you don't, with cross stitch the way you should work is to do the bottom of the x first (all should face in the same direction) and the top stitches should always face the same way as all of the other top stitches. 

You've probably found that you can work a row of bottom stitches, stitching each from lower left to upper right (for example), then you can return to do the top stitches of the same row from lower right to upper left.

When you use your floss, I believe convention is to make the pieces no more than 18 inches, but here's a trick...cut them 36 inches long.  Strip your floss next...e.g., pull out one strand at a time.  If your pattern (or whatever you're making up for a pattern) calls for an even number of strands, 2, 4 or 6 - and in my example of 2 strands you can take that 36 inch length of thread, double it, take the ends, thread them through the needle an inch or so in, then pull the needle through the loop on the other end so that when you pull on the cut ends (together) through the needle eye, your needle ends up with the thread looped securely, where it won't get unthreaded until you want to unthread it.  (Argh, I can't find any examples of it, so I may have to make a video.)  Sorry if that's as clear as mud!

There's also such a thing as a knotless knot, which also requires an even number of strands, but you can't do both the looped thread around the needle start and the knotless knot.  The convention is usually for 2 strands for a project...but I've seen 1 strand and 3 strands, so not everything follows that rule.  (I found 3 strands very difficult for stitching and wouldn't recommend it.  It feels odd!  I would use 2 strands if a pattern called for 3.)

Anyway, I hope these hints will help you.  I'm sorry about my bad explanation of the doubled thread on the needle, and if you'd like, I'll make a video. 

If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask!  And maybe if you start making really cool things, your friends will get jealous and ask you to teach them!    (Maybe not...but if you find something to make that they really like, they might get jealous!)

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Stitchboard Admin message #4
Re: Teenager trying to cross stitch!
October 13, 2015 at 3:57:57 AM  (in response to juliet message #3)
 
Juliet,

You're very welcome! 

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neave message #5
Teenager trying to cross stitch!
November 10, 2015 at 9:49:06 AM  (in response to Stitchboard Admin message #4)
 
there's nothing wrong with teens cross stitching i learnt at 4 years old how to and the magazines are absolutely brilliant the projects are wonderful to do and make great gifts and the cover kits will really help you out with colours for threads and of course there is the pattern maker on site for you to make your own cross stitch patterns this pattern is one i created using the pattern maker on site from a drawing of ariel my husband did for me feel free to use it 

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Stitchboard Admin message #6
Re: Teenager trying to cross stitch!
November 10, 2015 at 11:45:24 PM  (in response to neave message #5)
 
Neave,

Hear, hear!    Completely agree with everything you've said here!

You mentioned the cover kits...years ago, when I used to have some great bookstores nearby, I used to buy the British cross stitch magazines.  Sadly, the American magazines aren't quite as sophisticated, nor do they have cover kits, so that was why I always bought British whenever I could get to the bookstores.  Love, love, love those cover kits!  They were always great for learning something new (and have something pretty to show for it!).  BTW, take a look at my photo albums sometime...there are some older cover kits in there.  This is the link to the cover kit photo album:
/circles/pg/photos/album/3257/small-cross-stitch-pieces-cover-kits-from-british-cross-stitch-magazines

Oh, and what a beautiful drawing your husband did there!    You should run it through as a cross stitch PDF, if you'd like to print it out as a pattern with symbols only or symbols and colors. 

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neave message #7
Re: Teenager trying to cross stitch!
November 11, 2015 at 9:47:21 AM  (in response to Stitchboard Admin message #6)
 
as i've said to you melanie i no longer cross stitch because i can no longer see the squares on the aida fabric and my only choice is the horrid plastic squared stuff and i've used that once and never ever again i made the pattern that way to use it for a loom band mural but anyone is welcome to use it

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Stitchboard Admin message #8
Re: Teenager trying to cross stitch!
November 12, 2015 at 3:52:29 AM  (in response to neave message #7)
 
Neave,

I hear you about that Aida cloth!  It used to be that there was afghan cross stitch fabric that had a large count...I forget how large, maybe 4 stitches across (?) - just know it was much easier to see.  But my guess is it's been discontinued, because I haven't seen it in forever. 

If I encounter it, though, I'll let you know...that would have to be online, because there's no store locally anymore.  This area is terrible for keeping any kind of craft store open...our yarn shop closed ages ago and we lost a bead store a few years after that.  And then recently we lost a JoAnn Fabrics, which is a pretty solid chain of fabric and craft stores, so now it's about half an hour to the next one.  Of course, the cross stitch store was also half an hour away...but that one closed, too.

Thank you...that's very generous of you! 

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neave message #9
Re: Teenager trying to cross stitch!
November 12, 2015 at 9:27:08 AM  (in response to Stitchboard Admin message #8)
 
i'll post the other cross stitch patterns i've created on site in here also anyone can use them if they wish i'm happy with that

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Stitchboard Admin message #10
Re: Teenager trying to cross stitch!
November 13, 2015 at 2:29:00 AM  (in response to neave message #9)
 
Neave,

Thank you!    You're so kind! 

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neave message #11
Re: Teenager trying to cross stitch!
November 13, 2015 at 10:14:25 AM  (in response to Stitchboard Admin message #10)
 
it doesn't cost the earth to be nice or to be kind and to share

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Stitchboard Admin message #12
Re: Teenager trying to cross stitch!
November 14, 2015 at 12:17:08 AM  (in response to neave message #11)
 
Neave,

You're sweet to do that, and I agree...kindness is wonderful and doesn't take very much energy! 

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neave message #13
Re: Teenager trying to cross stitch!
November 14, 2015 at 5:29:38 AM  (in response to Stitchboard Admin message #12)
 
the picture for this pattern came off a craft group i am a member of  on facebook another member of the group had posted it and had asked someone to put it through a pattern generator fo her no one would so i downloaded the picture and put it through the on site pattern wizard for her and i posted it to her post for her and i didn't even get a thank you from the woman now that's rude as far as i am concerned not saying thank you when sometime takes the time to do something for someone else and i was ill at the time when i downloaded the pic for this and put it through the pattern wizard here on site it doesn't take 2 minutes to say a simple thank you 

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Stitchboard Admin message #14
Re: Teenager trying to cross stitch!
November 15, 2015 at 2:31:11 AM  (in response to neave message #13)
 
Neave,

I agree...that's very rude!  At least say thank you for helping out.  Some people...ugh!    No manners whatsoever.

The pattern turned out wonderfully...bet she couldn't do half as good of a job! 

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neave message #15
Re: Teenager trying to cross stitch!
November 15, 2015 at 2:47:12 PM  (in response to Stitchboard Admin message #14)
 
awww thank you mealnie and your probably right she hasn't done it as well

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