so who does do cross stitch? What made you start? what are you working on at the minute?

My mother in law taught me about 5 years ago, I'm currently doing a village scene out of the May issue of Quick & Easy magazine

I used to do loads - still have a half finished cats one that I started before I had number 1 son six years ago:blush:

LisaHxxx

To get the ball rolling, here (http://www.sewandso.co.uk/cgi-bin/find/db.cgi?db=zoom&uid=&Prod_Code=17304&ww=on&do=search_results) is the last cross stitch I did. It's still not finished, as I managed to have the fabric the wrong way around, so I can't fit all the border on. D'oh!

I started cross stitching many, many years ago. There used to be a magazince called 'Needlecraft' in the early 90s that I used to buy every month. It came with a little free cross stitch kit. I started on those, until I felt brave enough to move on to something a bit bigger.

I think the first big project I did was of a Victorian greenhouse. Very pretty it was too. I think I've got some of my old finished projects around in a box in the attic here; I'll have to dig them out. I've got a couple of lovely Mucha pictures that I finished about ten years ago which I still haven't had framed.

My favourite piece is still my Janlynn dragon (blues, greens, mauves with a gold scrolling edging on black aida) - its on my Living room wall:D

EDIT: Oooh just found it here (http://www.janlynn.com/detail.cfm?ID=349)

LisaH xxx

I am quite impatient and have a whole mass of stuff started but not finished!

I was ion a postal cross stitch club some years back and lost some work on a round robin, imagine my delight when I found the same design, completed and beautifully framed in the St Luke's charity shop at Gleadless townend!!! Needless to say I snapped it up!

i have just done some cottages it took five years in between work and work,
I am currently looking for a new project lol:)

[QUOTE=Hecate]There used to be a magazince called 'Needlecraft' in the early 90s that I used to buy every month. [QUOTE]

I used to get that magazine too because not only did it do cross stitch but also freestyle embroidery (which I'm not very good at) and patch work and all sorts of "needlecraft" things. I was devastated when they ceased publications:(

My last project was Christmas Peace (http://www.justnan.com/jn122.html) by Just Nan. I did Nan's Garden (http://www.justnan.com/jn069.html) last year for the local show and came 2nd with it. So Christmas Peace will go in this year!
I was saying to my daughter the other day that I have tired of cross stitch for a while because I progressed onto cross stich and a variety of stitches and now feel the only place to go is into designing and that doesn't light my fire ...yet!
Strange how we seem to migrate throught the different crafts.

I used to do alot of cross stitch, i'll try and find some pics of the ones I finished, sadly as I have fibromyalgia, I found working with the smaller needles voer a long period of time made my arms ache too much.

Also because of the Fibro, I was housebound for the last few months of my pregnancy, so I made 'teddies on a line' for when my son was born - i've still not had it framed! and he's 9 in august :lol:

Edit: Here is one of St Ives (http://www.sd-designs.com/acatalog/St%20Ives.jpg) That I did a few years ago, looks much nicer than the pic shows.

And here is Sleeping Beauty (http://www.stitchability.co.uk/mirabilia%20sleeping%20beauty.jpg) which I have half finished.

...Here is one of St Ives (http://www.sd-designs.com/acatalog/St%20Ives.jpg) That I did a few years ago, looks much nicer than the pic shows....
I really like that one, beansforyou. Have you ever visited St Ives? It's one of my very favourite places.

Are you sure we're not related H? :lol:

I love St Ives with a passion, I would live there in a shot if I had the funds to move (and could get my stubborn father to move also)

I have just come back from a week there, and we are off again shortly, I live for the few weeks I can get :)

Have you seen the online webcam? http://www.regenthotel.com/

Keeps me going ;)

I would move there in a shot too; it's a beautiful place. There's something unusual about the light there in the evenings and early in the morning during midsummer. I haven't been there for a few years, so I'm most definitely over-due a return trip.

::Hecate rushes off to find her copy of 'Rough Guide to Devon and Cornwall::

Well, this seems to be the place to put this so............

I have just travelled back from Edinburgh after a weekend of eating, drinking, laughing, more drinking, more laughing and a little bit of stitching. What was this weekend I hear you ask? A stitching weekend with Jane Greenhoff, Sue Hawkins and the Cross Stitch Guild (http://www.crossstitchguild.com/). There are only two words for it


ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS


If you get the chance to go you ought to try very hard to go. Crafters are the BEST people in the world

Turra, that sounds like great fun, will check out the website shortly!

I started cross stitch in the early 90's when I went to work in America and the lady I worked for was really into them. I started off well and did loads but have quite a few half finished ones now but I must say, this thread has reminded me how much I enjoy it so I'm going to start up again!

Moved to Crafts Group.

I started cross stitching just a few years ago but it the main craft i have not tired of, although I do have my off weeks! I'm stitching a husky at the minute which can be seen in the pictures thread at the top. My daughter wants me to stitch all the animal babies collection from ellen mauher stroff, that might take some years :rolleyes:

Ok, so which do you prefer, kits or charts???

charts for sure.:hihi:

My favourite piece is still my Janlynn dragon (blues, greens, mauves with a gold scrolling edging on black aida) - its on my Living room wall:D

EDIT: Oooh just found it here (http://www.janlynn.com/detail.cfm?ID=349)

LisaH xxx

Hehe - that dragon was one of my first cross stitch projects too! At the moment I have a few things on the go, including a sampler than I have been working on for about ten years :roll: I've completed numerous kits and patterns over the years but for some reason this one has really dragged out :hihi:

I used to only buy kits but now I have loads of floss, I tend to stick to charts :)

It's charts for me too, I love adding to my floss collection and it means you have more choice of designs. They also come in handy for when you do a kit and run out of thread :rolleyes:

I started stitching at school. We all had to make a make a cross stitch calendar. We had to design it ourselves on squared paper. I stitched 'Queen Victoria' and the dates she reigned and a crown with jewels on. I think I was about 8. I've enjoyed it ever since but took a break whilst I completed college and university. A year after leaving uni and I'm just about back in to it. Currently sewing some christmas tree decorations with snowmen on that I picked up last time I went to America. Sadly I don't get as much time to dedicate to it as I'd like as I work long hours. I'll try and post a pic of the snowmen when I have them finished.

Can't wait to see the piccys! Does anyone else stitch ornamnets and things for christmas? I always say i'm going to stitch my kids their own stockings for christmas but always remember at this time of year when I haven't got time.

What fabric do you prefer to stitch on and what colour?

Most of my stuff has been on aida although I did do a bsa motorcycle for my dad on evenweave and I must say I loved working on the evenweave. Most of the fabric has been white or cream but the Husky is black. I thought it would be more difficult to stitch actually but I got used to it quite quickly.

I think I was about 9 or so when I started cross-stitch.... Mum used to work in W Hartley Seeds bookshop and one day, she brought home a cross-stitch book. She said she didn't think I'd be able to do anything with it til I was a bit older... I just looked at her, flicked through the book, found the hardest design I could see and said "I'll start with that one then!!" It's something I've been doing all my adult life - I like to do the large ones!!! At the moment I'm trying to design one of my family tree - back to the 1600s!!!! It will take years....... Does the bookshop still exist????

Hi :wave:

So what other projects have you stitched? Do you have any favourite designers?

Hi, I don't think I have a favourite designer - it's what I like at the time - either kits or charts!!!! I've done the Heritage stitchcraft maps of the USA, Australia, Yorkshire and Derbyshire (the last 2 my brother has, for some reason!!!) they look fantastic when framed.... I've done a couple of the Teresa Wentzler (?? spelling??) samplers and the Peacock Tapestry, which is framed in a firescreen... There's just been the "Creative Stitches and Hobbycrafts" show in Cardiff, my credit card always takes a beating!!! I did go to the show in Sheffield one year - does it still go there???? I could go on and on...!!! I'll take some pictures when I have chance and put them on the net....... Watch ths space....!!!!:partyhat:

Oh we'll be watching and waiting :thumbsup:

So cross stitchers! When making cards do you prefer to buy those with the windows in and put the fabric inside the card or do you fray the edges and stick it to the front of the card? Which do you think is more effective?

Personally I have done both and can't decide which I prefer. :rolleyes:

Personally I prefer the cards with windows (Appertures) in, I'm not a fan of the frayed edges

Mostly I prefer the aperture cards, but I did a frayed edge one with tassels for a friends wedding a couple of years ago and it looked fantastic!!!!

I do both, but when I do a frayed edged one, I tend to beef it up a bit with layered card, if you know what I mean....

I do both, but when I do a frayed edged one, I tend to beef it up a bit with layered card, if you know what I mean....

erm......:huh:

I'll post a pic.

like this
Snowman,basic (http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r156/MortalAngels/snowman.jpg?t=1165918574)

This week's giveaway on the Wimble Bee's forum is: Country Companions Book. (clicky below)

I do like your Snowman!!!!! Great effect.......

Yes the snowman looks great!! Ooh country companions, they are sooooo cute!

I have lost a thread AGAIN :rant: Same one as last time too, the main one :rolleyes: I'm sure the cat has something to do with it :suspect: Off to hobbycraft :D (great excuse isn't it)

hi, i'm italian and live in italy, it's a shame this thread just stopped, it's been so interesting for me to read all your experiences. What i have found is, that you all usually stitch pictures and kits. Yes i've found some online cross stitch links, but they all seem to offer the same things. In Italy ,the cross stitch is used for stitching loads and loads of different items which are ready with the aida to stitch : baby's bibs of all sizes, from the very small ones for the new born baby, to the larger ones for when they go to nursery and eat at school, bath towels, bathing gowns ( these with the aida band on them to stitch) slippers, bed sheets, table cloths of all sizes, runners...summer blankets with the aida for the cradle or cot or pram...I've seen some beautiful ones made...
With the 5 cm aida white and red edge band i made ( 5 yrs ago for my mum ) 12 napkin rounds ( forgive me i don't know how you call them in english!!) they are 13 cm pieces of band cross stitched with cristmas motives and then sewend in a round and fasten with a button on the back to put a rolled up napkin in it for the xmas banquet, got the idea girls??
ppphhheeewww!!! that was hard!!!

Can anyone highlight me on other use for the cross stitch in the uk?

Hi there and welcome to the group :) There are many things for sale in the UK for cross stitch. Some smaller items are keyrings, fridge magnets, rulers, pencil boxes, note paper boxes. They sell all the baby items etc too. Bookmarks and christmas decorations are popular ones. Is there a particular designer that you like?

Can anyone highlight me on other use for the cross stitch in the uk?

I aslo use cross stitch waste canvas to sew pictures onto t-shirts, cotton bags etc. Waste canvas is held together with starch, and when you have finished sewing your design, you dampen it and pull the threads of the canvas out one by one and are left with the cross stitch design on your garment or bag. Looks really effective. I'll post a picture of a t-shirt when I get home!

yeah, that's great!! i'd like to look at the pics.... kittenta, i don't have any particular designer really , but have had a go with the cross stitch 7.0 program to make my own graphic. My older son was driving me crazy for a "South Park" cross stitch cousion
for his bed room, so i played around a bit on internet and found a picture that he loved and i made it into a graphic to embrioder with the program which is fun!!
Do you have a link of baby articles to cross stitch??

I'd love a go at that maramcp but i wouldn't have a clue how to do it!

http://www.sewandso.co.uk/cgi-bin/find/db.cgi?so=desc;mh=10;db=products;sb=1;do=search_re sults;Search_String=bib;nh=3 there are many many cross stitch things on this site, follow the link, I shop from there quite often.

it really is very easy K :D

Yes but what comes easily to some makes life hard for me :D or is that I make things hard for me :suspect: One or the other :hihi: I would love to do something personalised for the kids though. They wanted hand made stockings this year and I totally forgot! I still have the Husky to finish too. I'm terrible!

lol ain't it frustrating when life gets in the way of a good stitchy session?

All you do is tack the special fabric (waste canvas) to whatever you want, ie t-shirt , stitch your design as normal.

Then untack it, dampen the waste canvas, and pull out all the white threads, and you're left with your little design on your t-shirt :thumbsup: I can show you if you like if you're up this way again.

And how do you tack it?? I nearly called on you a few weeks back when I called up to see my mother but I didn't want to frighten you :hihi:. I haven't got a car on the road at the minute so I'm not over that end often. I might have to look for a site with some explanations on! My DD loves fairys, so I would like to do her something with fairies on :D

Edit: Could you do pillow cases and bedding do you think? If I bought a plain set, could I put fairies on it?

yes, you can use it to stitch on ANYTHING. Towels, hankies, bedding, the lot.

You just tack it with cotton hun, bog standard cotton. It;s only to keep it still while you work the design :thumbsup:

You're welcome any time hun :D

I'll have a look and see if I can find anything with pix

here you go! (http://www.cross-stitching.com/kh_page.asp?id=84)

That's great Hayley, Thank you :D

lol ain't it frustrating when life gets in the way of a good stitchy session?

All you do is tack the special fabric (waste canvas) to whatever you want, ie t-shirt , stitch your design as normal.

Then untack it, dampen the waste canvas, and pull out all the white threads, and you're left with your little design on your t-shirt :thumbsup: I can show you if you like if you're up this way again.

why do you dampen the waste canvas?? does it come away easier?

yes, it softens the starch in the waste canvas, and makes it easier to pull the threads out :D

I've done some cross stitch :clap::clap: I dragged the Husky project out of the sideboard as I thought i'd just do half an hour, see if I can get back into it, 2 1/2 hours later I was too tired to keep going :D It was the first thing I thought about when I woke up this morning too :suspect: Cross stitch bug back me things!!! It's about time :hihi:

Pass that cross stitch bug this way Kittena, I still haven't progressed very far with the big project for my Dad, and I have Harry Potter to sew onto a tshirt with waste canvas...

woohooo go K!!! keep it up hun

It'll come Maramcp...keep going

I caught the cross stitch bug in 87' when I worked in Colorado and one of the people who worked with me did lot's of cross stitich. I made a cross stitich called 'sugar and spice' about little girls and it has pride of place in my Daughters bedroom here in Crete, Greece.

As a side note - any crafters on holidays in Greece should visit the wool/fabric shops that you see dotted around the old towns. Everything is at least half price of what you pay in England as items like DMC threads are still classed as a 'necessity' here so are not taxed as luxury items....

The downside of stitching abroad it that needles tend to get rusty easily and can mark your work...... Gold needles are the only thing that I find don't rust overnight but I cannot find them here.....

Oooooh i'd say threads are a necessity too :hihi: Can you not order the needles online? I wonder why they go rusty :huh:

I caught the cross stitch bug in 87' when I worked in Colorado and one of the people who worked with me did lot's of cross stitich. I made a cross stitich called 'sugar and spice' about little girls and it has pride of place in my Daughters bedroom here in Crete, Greece.

As a side note - any crafters on holidays in Greece should visit the wool/fabric shops that you see dotted around the old towns. Everything is at least half price of what you pay in England as items like DMC threads are still classed as a 'necessity' here so are not taxed as luxury items....

The downside of stitching abroad it that needles tend to get rusty easily and can mark your work...... Gold needles are the only thing that I find don't rust overnight but I cannot find them here.....
Sorry... could you let me know how much a DMC mouline' thread cost over there???
Then i'll tell you how much i pay it over here in Italy...far too much dearer than the prices that i have found online!!

...in the UK!!

You should use good PRYM OR milward needles...but i must say that if your fingers are sweaty and damp, the needles are destined to go dark and loose all their metal plating in the end, thus making it more difficult to enter the canvas or linen you are embroidering.

maybe you could get someone to send you some needles in exchange for some threads :hihi:

Sorry... could you let me know how much a DMC mouline' thread cost over there???
Then i'll tell you how much i pay it over here in Italy...far too much dearer than the prices that i have found online!!
I am not familiar with this thread (mouline) but I'll make some enquiries and if I find it I will let you know the cost.

You should use good PRYM OR milward needles...but i must say that if your fingers are sweaty and damp, the needles are destined to go dark and loose all their metal plating in the end, thus making it more difficult to enter the canvas or linen you are embroidering.
Its not that the needles go rusty when i'm doing the cross stitch, I just found that after the heat of the summer the humidity causes them to go rusty. (I don't very often do cross stitch during the summer as it is too hot)

Invest in some gold plated needles, they aren't too expensive, but less liable to rust, and lovely to use.

mOULINE' IS THE 6 THREAD STRAND THAT YOU USE TO CROSS STITCH. YOU CUT OFF THE LENGHTH REQUIRED, THEN YOU DIVUDE INTO 2 OR 3 THREADS DEPENDING ON THE CANVAS

Sorry, didn't realise it was called that in UK - I think it costs about 50 cents here (half a euro but I will double check) for the standard cross stitch thread which works out about 35p - when I left England they were 49 p each

Depending where you buy them from standard 6 strand DMC thread costs anything between 30p and 65p I have found in the UK.

As for needles I use Platinum ones and have never had a problem with rusting or tarnishing I also find they glide through the fabric much smoother than gold plated ones

I've heard lots of praise about Piecemaker Needles - not sure what they're made of though. Most of my members wouldn't use anything else.

As for needles I use Platinum ones and have never had a problem with rusting or tarnishing I also find they glide through the fabric much smoother than gold plated ones[/QUOTE]

I 'll have a look out for some of those then, although I still have a dozen or so gold-plated needles to use first.

Where do you get your platinum needles from? I have been using gold plated ones and find they do start to stick eventually.

Here you go, platinum needles http://www.sewandso.co.uk/ran799-0.html