Today, I visited Karen, a friend of mine who has recently suffered from sight loss. One of the first things she said to me was, “Whatever else you do Scarlet, take good care of your eyes! I didn’t …”.
Fortunately, she can still see strong colors and shapes, and she uses this ability to continue her cross stitching. Instead of using traditional patterns and equipment, she now uses Binca, a fabric that has a low hole-count, and also can be felt easily with your fingers as well as seen. (more…)
This article is NOT directly related to Cross Stitch, But, you know what? Stitchers, in the main, are well-rounded, intelligent people with all sorts of different interests, some of which they are truly passionate about. Most people generally feel happier and more content when doing, watching or reading something that really catches their attention and interest. So, we decided to give you an article on how to first discover and then follow your own passion… (more…)
In my last article, I wrote about storing your threads (floss) in such a way that they would remain easy to find, store and identify – to spare the frustrations of losing important shades of thread just as you needed them. Today, I’m going to focus on another challenge relating to threads – that is how to prevent and deal with tangles and knots, which is my idea of thread heaven…
Do you have a number of projects on the go at a time? I know I do. I have a several projects ‘on hold’ while I complete some Christmas cards and tree ornaments. There are some disadvantages of putting away your long term projects into cross stitch storage, however. Not least being that the momentum of my work is lost, and it takes a lot of willpower to get back into the swing of my former projects. Is it the same for you?
Many people who enjoy cross stitch are familiar with that feeling of tired eyes and a headache that follows a satisfying evening of stitching. We all love to achieve great results, but we shouldn’t have to suffer afterwards for our pleasure. So, how to avoid eye strain? Good question, and fortunately there are several things that you can do to prevent straining your eyes when you are stitching…
Don’t forget wedding cross stitch in your plans for that special day. Along with choosing the dress, deciding on flowers for the bouquet and writing the guest list, put some time aside for stitching invitations, place setting cards, wedding favours, a ring pillow or even a sampler.
If a friend or family member is tying the knot why not make them a wedding card that will take pride of place in the display? Maybe you can use the colors of the bridesmaids dresses or brides flowers in your wedding cross stitch to keep everything co-ordinated.
Why Should I wash cross stitch? Well! If you’re anything like me you’ll tend to end up with a few marks on your newly completed project. Plus, while you were stitching, natural oils from your hands were being transferred to your material and threads; dust was settling on it as well. These need removing before they turn to stains. Any fabric that isn’t clean is also subject to discoloration within a few years. Thankfully, you can remove all but the most stubborn of marks and stains by carefully washing your cross stitch piece.
We’ll show you in this article what to do and what to avoid when cleaning your recently completed cross stitch picture… (more…)
Religion is undoubtedly a major influence across the world and many cross stitchers will have considered stitching a piece that symbolises their faith; many have already done this. Well, for those yet to do so, just as with every other type of design that we frequently get the urge to search for, there are hundreds of beautiful religious cross stitch patterns available, both on- and off-line.
Admittedly, the majority of the patterns available are for the Christian and Catholic religions. However, there are a number of established sites that provide cross stitch patterns for stitchers from other religious backgrounds.
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For example at www.islamiccrossstitch.bravehost.com/ there are a number of patterns based on the art of Arabic calligraphy. You can even stitch your name in Arabic. While they have others which depict the geometric patterns that are often associated with the Islam religion.
“Never again,” I said to myself over and over. I must have been out of my mind when I chose Majestic Magnolia, a gorgeous cross stitch design I simply couldn’t resist. It didn’t matter to me that I was still a beginner and I had never stitched on linen. I thought I could tackle any project. Today, it’s my crowning achievement, one that would take five long years and several trips around the globe to complete.
The chart is barely legible anymore; faded, with coffee stains and who-knows-what-else. I saved it anyway. The magnolia with its creamy white blooms and dark lustrous leaves is a statement of cross stitch beauty, even prettier that I originally imagined it. But, what a love-hate relationship we’ve had. “Never again,” I repeated, too many times to count. This project wreaked havoc with my emotions, from tears of frustration and disappointment, to an incredible sense of pride and joy in the finished piece. (more…)
A very old and traditional stitching technique is that of either creating a pattern by fastening beads to fabric by stitching or simply weaving tiny beads together. Peyote stitch patterns have been around for a very long time. The Egyptians created burial garments using these patterns over 4,000 years ago! The practice of creating patterns using this ancient technique got its name from the American Plains indians who created beaded items for their ceremonial prayer meetings.
The peyote stitch is a creative combination of the older African traditions and Native American traditions with current crafting trends to create an original and unique stitch. The versatility peyote stitch patterns provide make the peyote stitch an excellent choice for variety and interest in many different craft projects including jewelry, accessories, apparel and even small framed pieces used when decorating.