Oh I haven't crosstitch for a few years, but what I can say is. When your working on the next one, it's will be a counted cross stitched. You start from the middle of the pattern and work out. And the middle x of the fabric. Also use 2 strands of threads and don't fold it, that way you can frog it back if needed. Xx
Tunisian simple crochet makes a great backing for yarn cross-stitching. I just did a nightmare before Christmas tapestry that was giving me fits. So I just cross-stitched it that way, and it came out perfect. Corinna over at the Just Vintage Crochet YT channel did a video on combining the to craft arts together as well.
Don’t start with a big counted cross stitch! Find a mini one to get you started. Some people mark out a grid onto the Aida, just make sure it washes out as pencil will stain the Aida. Try making something usesful bookmarks make nice gifts. Use soluble Aida and cross stitch onto a T-shirt or baby blanket you can put iron interfacing on the back to hide the treads. Blankets I just use a patterned fleece front and plain back, sewing the layers together afterwards to hide all the back! (But a true mark of an expert crosssticher is the back)
Cross stitch was one of my favorite hobbies, before I discovered crochet. I never used a hoop though, that way there was enough give to go in and out with the needle in the same move, so I don't have to move my hand to the front and back of my work as much. Also, I would use 2 strings from the floss and not fold it in half through the needle but leave several inches of thread pulled through the needle. That way you could pull the thread out of the needle easily if you needed to frog and you're still using two threads. I hope this helps. I loved cross stitch, since my grandma taught me when I was a child.
I did cross stitch for a few years before I started to crochet. I love seeing other people find the joy in it. There are also stands that can hold your frames so you don't even have to hold that so it might not aggravate your shoulder at all. ❤
If you look at the back you’ll notice your lines are straight. So when you put the needle from the front to the back tilt the needle downward to the next hole you’d be going through from back to front since it’s directly below it. Push the tip of the needle through back to front and pull. It saves on pulls and lines you up faster. That’s how fast cross stitchers do that on those big frames. If you watch them you’ll see the motion.
I do it every now and then I like it , you can make a small pillow with it with a crochet back and sew them up and fill with stuffing as a keepsake of melding 2 crafts together glad u found something else to do while you're waiting out health issues happy for you !!
cross stich and latch hook were my first fiber crafts when i was a child! my grandma taught me how to do both. i didn't keep up with any fiber crafting through grade school, but in university I begged my mom to teach me to knit, and while recovering from wisdom teeth extraction a few years later I taught myself how to crochet from youtube. it reignited my fiber craft passion and now I want to come full circle and get back into cross stitch and latch hook again
So you don't trap your needle: fold the thread in half *before* you put the needle on. Now flip it over so you're holding the cut ends together. Thread both cut ends through the needle. Fold over an inch or two. You stitch like that so you can remove the needle easily whenever you need to. Which can be at the end of the thread, when you need to frog, or if you need to park it to switch colors then come back to it later. You'll get used to how or hold it so the thread doesn't pull back out. I typically lightly pinch at the end of the needle when pulling through. You can start at the corner or in the middle, that's a personal preference. Most patterns will have a grid count, like 720 x 432 or something. That is the number of stitches across by the number high or vice versa. There are many online cross stitch calculators that you can plug those in along with the thread count of your Aida, and it will tell you what size the finished piece will be.
I find it amusing that the previous owner of that kit got like 15 stitches in and was like 'nope'. So you persevered for sure! I will say, there are many different ways to start and stop your threads and that this is just one way to do it. As you saw, looping through the needle makes it so you can't accidentally unthread your needle, but also means that to frog you have to cut at the needle and then pull out like the tutorials you watched probably described. Others start with the loop on the opposite end (not at the needle) to secure the thread (google loop start), some knot their threads to start, others knot to end, yet others avoid knots as much as possible. All this to say... there is no 'right' way to do things. And part of the fun is trying different things and learning what works best for your brain! You're doing great! :) Getting the right hole by feel is definitely just muscle memory, and as you said will come with time. Proud of you for sticking with it. Hope to see more cross stitching from you if it's easier on your shoulder. Getting a stand to hold the hoop for you will help as well. :) I'm also of the mind that messy backs are beautiful, so not only does no one need to see it. But even if they do it's what makes your work unique! As everyone stitches in a different order and will be completely different every time. As far as what to DO with it, you can definitely leave it in the hoop and hang it. But you can make all sorts of things with it, or simply frame it. I like to make fun things out of mine, and have written a ton of tutorials with ideas of what can be made. Feel free to reach out on Discord if you have cross stitch questions! Whether basics, patterning, finishing, etc.
Crosstitch is a great medium for making pillow covers, decorating kitchen towels. Leaving it in the hoops can make cute wall hangings. As for combining it with crochet, I use both crosstitch and embroidery for details, especially finr details on my amigarumi.
When you begin a project that is not printed on the canvas; fold canvas in half one way, then the other. Find the center of canvas and middle of pattern. That’s where you start.
Also yes you can absolutely use youre gridded crochet patterns for cross stitch and vice versa it’s really easy to do so. All you have to do is measure the stitches on the grid how many up and how many across (please find a tutorial on how to do this accurately because my brain just shut down😅) and that will show you how much fabric you will need for the design. There are cross stitch calculator apps too.
I'm glad you've found cross-stitch fun! Now you've got to do counted cross-stitch. And for counted, you basically fold your aida fabric to find the center and then use a pencil or water-soluble marker to mark off 10x10 squares. Then you just... start wherever you want really, but I think most people start from the upper left corner. If you want I think I have some old cross-stitch kits if you want me to look for them and send them to you? I'm in America so it'll probably take forever to get to you but since I don't forsee me using it again I'd be more than willing to! Just give me a week, some of it is in my junk room and I'll have to dig it out lol.
Thanks for the info and the offer, that's really nice of you! But I've already had a couple of people irl gift me their unused kits after they saw the vid 😂, so I think I'm good to go at the moment. I really do appreciate the offer though 💙
PS. You don't need a hoop: the way I was taught and have always cross stitched is by holding the fabric in my left hand. You sort of drape it over your fingers, kind of how you tension yarn for knitting or crochet - just fold it over your pointer finger and weave it between the rest (your thumb gently holds the front down). You don't need to pull anything taut, just hold it in place (aida fabric in particular holds its shape very well). You then stitch in a sewing like motion right over your pointer finger: you start the first half of the stitch in the lower left corner, enter the needle at the top right corner - then you go straight down on the back of the fabric without dropping the needle or turning the fabric! just put the needle in a the top and out through the next hole down, then pulll through. If you have multiple stitches in a row, you don't finish each on its own, instead you continue along the line making half stitches - when you reach the end, you travel backwards (lower right corner to upper left corner) all the way back to the starting point. If your piece is wide, you can just bunch up or fold the fabric in your left hand. When you've completed the piece you give it a gentle wash and block it - it'll look perfectly even. Doing it this way, you can sit back and relax in a comfy couch or chair while stitching - no fiddly aiming required, no sitting leaned over a mounted hoop like I see so many doing, and no worrying about tension since it'll be evened out in the wash (about tension in general: just pull to, not taut - you'll get a feel for it in no time).
If you want you can use 2 stands of thread and hold them together instead of doubling the thread don’t worry about getting fast cross stitch is a slow process Try to work with something darker behind your work it will help you to see the holes in the fabric and you don’t need to tie knots when you run the thread through the other stitches it will hold them in place .Cross stitch is as addictive as crocheting That is what I do Looks great you are doing great
I looove cross stitching! I’d take it out of the hoop. That will help you not have to find the right spot through the back. My grandma taught me when I was younger. I’ve done some free embroidery projects lately using the hoops for those because I think it helps to not bunch up the fabric, and I have the same problem finding the right spot to come back through. But I don’t have the problem with the fabric bunching up with cross stitch.
-You don’t need a hoop to cross stitch. -You can find the middle of the project by counting your stitches. A lot of cross stitch grids are separated into 10x10 squares (the darker lines.) -My grandma taught me to make a guide at the bottom of my work: do 1 vertical line, then going horizontally, go over 5 stitches and under 5, do another vertical line, over 5 stitches and under 5…. And keep going. It should look something like this: |_____ |_____ |_____ | That way you can keep track of where you are on your work. -I would love to see your sweater in a cross stitch version! You can absolutely transfer ANY grid into cross stitch!!!
I haven't done a cross-stitch that had the printed pattern on it. I can see how that could be an issue. Even with latch hook, I had to follow the written pattern more than the colors on the mesh. I have done embroidery where the outline of a pattern was printed. That makes a lot more sense. I'm excited for your new hobby. Having more than one thing to do is important for me, especially when pain is an issue.
What you can do is frame it, make a bag with it or even a pillow. Or if you're daring make a lot of different ones and make a blanket. You could then sew it on to a plane blanket to make it warmer and thicker.
Fun video - Embroidery floss is great for micro crochet. I personally recommend the goofy magnifying glasses set that you wear, and very bright lights. I like 0.5mm to 0.6 mm hook with 1 strand of Embroidery floss. I am the crazy person who take an entire strand of Embroidery floss and separates it vs cutting of a bit, that way I dont have to join any "yarn". I have not been brave enough to try quilting thread yet. Clover makes ergonomic hooks under 1.0mm. In 2 different styles.
You can get frames to hold the work so you don’t even have to use your other arm to hold it. That’s what I do. Helps with the fatigue. I use one arm on top and one on the bottom, minimises hand movements. Found mine Second hand on eBay. Saves the shoulders.
I was looking through the comments to see if someone mentioned the frames. Then she wouldn't have to hold the hoop at all and it would really be easier on her shoulder. :D
Well now I'm wondering if anyone does cross stitch the way I was taught lol. My Grandma taught me when I was in middle school and she taught me to do all the stitches going one way then the other. Like do top right to bottom left of one color in one line, then when you get to the end of the row do top left to bottom right going back to the beginning. I did a few projects, and I'd bring one to school to work on in my downtime lol. I wonder where they ever went to.
Me too - and I don't use a hoop, you just hold the fabric in your hand, folded over your finges. That way you can use a "sewing motion" instead of each half stitch being a two point manoeuvre (avoids a lot of aiming).
If you want to cut around your work, make sure you use pinking shears so that your aida doesn't unravel. Then you can put your project on the front of a greeting card for example or in a frame
You have discovered another one of my craft crack addictions. Welcome! As for what to do with the finished items, I’ve framed a couple, but I mostly throw them in my bag of completed works and promptly forget about them as I start another project. 😂
The hardest thing to learn is the tension. You should try using plastic adia, as you can keep a better tension and can find the holes easier. I crochet, knit, cross stitch, long stitch, and make hook stitch rugs. I first learnt how to cross stitch with the plastic adia. Your amigurumi work is amazing and you are very talented. I make my own patterns, for doll clothes in both knitting and crochet.
You can use any size hoop that fits the cloth you are using. Sometimes a smaller hoop and moving the hoop to where you currently working works better then a bigger hoop depending on the size of the project. When it comes to printed cross stitch patterns I find that working from the outside in works just fine. If you do not have printed design on your cloth then finding the center point on both the cloth and the design before determining the closest stitch to begin stitching, this is probably what the instructions meant when they said starting from the center. There are a few ways to finish off a cross stitch piece as well. You can put in a frame, make it into something else such as a pillow or if you want to keep in the hoop you did the pattern in you can trim the cloth down before gluing it down and then backing with a piece of felt. If you back with felt you can take a marker and write when you completed a project and your name as well, I tend to do this if I am gifting the project.
If you continue to cross stitch there are embroidery hoop holders that you can buy. There are quite a few different kinds there’s floor hoop stands and stands you can sit on and ones that can sit on you’re desk. Some you can find cheaply around $20 something (desk and sit on stands) to really expensive (floor stands).
I think cross stitch is really easy to incorporate into crochet. There's a really popular pattern for a chicken pillow that uses cross stitch to make the shapes of pixelated chickens and it looks sooo cute. It also had some controversy, because the creator didn't specify in the listing that the chickens are cross stitched, and people only found out after buying the pattern (and they were expecting a new color changing method that leaves cute square stitches)
25:27 So I have a travel project that's cross stitch. In order to know that the pattern would fit on the fabric, even though it's a kit, I counted the rows. Also, since it wasn't printed, I have a based thread on every 10 squares, creating a grid that won't fade over time. Then I started from the corner and am slowly... very slowly, working across it. Yes, it adds time up front, especially if you're doing a massive 1-7 Generations of Pokemon pattern like my friend is doing, but it helps keep track of the squares/ pixels over time
As others have probably already said, there's stamped cross-stitch and counted cross-stitch. I strongly prefer counted cross-stitch (though, I've never actually tried stamped; I simply was taught counted cross stitch as a young girl and can't quite understand why people do stamped.) I also leave only about 5cm of thread at the end of my needle rather than doubling over, saves a lot of thread (though I missed if they had you use fewer strands to make up for the doubling over -- did they even have you split the floss from 6 strands down to 2 or 3?) You absolutely could do the Yarnovore as a counted cross-stitch pattern! Any grid pattern can be done as a cross-stitch (or diamond painting or tapestry or C2C crochet...) My one successful temperature year craft was a cross-stitch (the quilt and crochet blanket were both early year failures, though I do also have a second unfinished temperature crossstitch, but it's a little further along than the other two failures).
The key to cross stitch is to make sure your 'X' is made in the same way throughout otherwise it will change the texture/grain of the design visually. I have a tendency to do large cross stitch patterns so I don't usually use a hoop. I like to start at the bottom and work my way up, rolling the fabric as I go. And with counted cross stitch you can also use different colored fabrics for your backgrounds.
Cross stitch makes great holiday card pictures, pillow fronts, and (my favorite) project bags. Sew a cross stitched image to the front of a plain tote bag :-)
If you do a huge chunk of single crochet, you can use it like the ada cross stitch cloth as a grid and cross stitch on it with yarn :-) It makes for super cute pixel art scarves or sweaters or hats.
Also, to answer your question on what to do once its finished there are LOTS of options ☺️ you can back the hoop with felt, frame it, back it onto poster board and display with a mini easel, flat fold finish, make it into a pillow... If you look up FFO (Fully Finished Object) ideas I'm sure you'll find something you like ☺️
how would you make it into a pillow? Because with the fabric still attached that wouldn't look that good would it? Just wondering cause i've been wanting to get into cross stitch to but I wouldn't know what to do with it
@coolearrow I've done it once with Aida and I still like how it turned out. But if you're not keen on the look, you can stitch on another fabric called evenweave. It looks more like regular fabric and doesn't have loads of visible holes like Aida does ☺️
Ok. So when you pull the thread apart you peel it like string cheese. I usually take the working strand and place it in my mouth and peel it from the rest while holding the other end in one hand and the bundle of strands in the other hand. It helps you have better control. Also you could double strand it and not work it double starting out so that you can easily pull out the needle if you make a mistake.
When folding the thread, don't make both ends the same, then your needle gets trapped, and you use 2 strands at the same time, which uses more thread (which is why you ran out). Leave one end longer. The longer end will be the one where the tail is and gets attached to the work, the shorter end being free (not being worked into the piece), lets you work the entire length of a single strand because you just change where the "fold" is in the thread so your needle can move along the entire length and is free to come off if you need to undo stitches.
Normally it’s not printed on the fabric. You can either use a water soluble pen to draw the grid from the pattern on to your fabric to let you start where you want. If you don’t draw the grid the starting in the middle makes sure your work is central and you don’t run out of fabric / habe space to frame etc
glad that you have discovered cross stitch. I know you were following the instructions written in the book, BUT, they instructed you wrong, at least in the beginning..you usually use 2 strands together and you double it over, but not fully...you double it for about a 3rd or quarter way and you sew using the remainder of the 2 strands...as you get closer to the four strand you pull the thread through the needle to expand your working thread..this way, if you have to undo then you just pull the thread out of the needle, fix your mistake and then re-thread the needle...it makes it a lot easier, and you're not wasting thread..
That makes so much more sense. I'll be doing that for my next project because yeah, the way this book instructed, it was way too difficult to remove stitches and I'd rather not waste the thread if I don't have too.
@SkeinSpider you're welcome. Cross stitching is one of the many craft pies that I have put my fingers into. Chuckle. I've dabbled in knitting, cross stitching, jewellery, and more. Crocheting is my main craft love, though, so much so that now I run classes to teach it.
I've become obsessed with cross stitch too in this past year lol Start where you feel most comfortable like I prefer working bottom up, my mother used to do top down and some people start from the centre and work out. Most patterns will have a recomended aida count (which is how many sts per inch) 14 is the most common but I also have 20 count fabric this will effect the size of the design (think of it as different sized hooks for the same yarn) and the pattern will tell the measurments of the design for that particular count I'd recomend adding at least 2 inches extra to be able to finish off and prevent the fabric fraying and ruining your work. As for the hoop most bigger designs won't fit on a hoop, there are frames you could buy but I only have hoops and its perfectly ok to move your hoop even over finished sts it won't damage them, if the wrinkles don't naturally sort themselves out you can iron it with a towel over it to not damage it. for finishing off there are many options you can frame them professionally or yourself, you could leave it in the hoop, for me I mount it over some board
I have periods of crosstitching, and folding the thread as you did, was making me scream: NOOOOO! YOU GOTTA START WITH 2 THREADS, YOU GET MORE OUT OF THE THREAD! And you avoid the trapping the needle part, but you also had a slightly long tail at both ends. Other than that, your result looked quite good actually. But, since you are slowly diving into the world of crosstitch, i welcome you
You did so much better than I did! My limited patience didn't allow me to continue with cross-stitch. However, I wouldn't have picked up a crochet hook so soon had I got on well with cross-stitch, so there's that! 😂 It would have been good to see a proper close-up of your completed piece, but from a distance, it looks like you absolutely smashed it 👍🏽 Noice!
I'm not a big fan of folding your threat and 'trapping' your needle in it. It can be easier for beginners, I suppose, but it makes it so much harder to undo a couple of stitches.
I agree wholeheartedly. I refuse to fold the thread trapping it in. It's easy to pick stitches back when the needle can be removed. I discovered this early on when cross-stitching. I had to cut my thread to free my needle.
Just a suggestion; don’t leave such a long tail at the beginning. You only need 1-2cm at the back, then catch it as you sew. I agree, it’s easier to use two strands, not one folded over.
Rather than 1 thread doubled over, take 2 threads and just do a normal needle threading with a free tail. Your 50cm will do more stitches and you can take your needle off if you need to.
I was taught to hold the twisty end on my thread in my mouth as I separated what I needed. It would never knot or get frustrating when I did. Probably not the solution you are looking for though
You need to look for counted cross stitch as that isn't printed onto the aida. I've been cross stitching for years and can forget the time very easily.
Welcome to cross stitch, I'm glad you enjoyed it! ☺️ You did a fab job, I'll be honest those instructions don't seem like the best in the world so you did really well with them 💖
Ball point needle = game changer for cross stitch. It finds the hole with no snags!
Oh I haven't crosstitch for a few years, but what I can say is. When your working on the next one, it's will be a counted cross stitched. You start from the middle of the pattern and work out. And the middle x of the fabric. Also use 2 strands of threads and don't fold it, that way you can frog it back if needed. Xx
Tunisian simple crochet makes a great backing for yarn cross-stitching. I just did a nightmare before Christmas tapestry that was giving me fits. So I just cross-stitched it that way, and it came out perfect. Corinna over at the Just Vintage Crochet YT channel did a video on combining the to craft arts together as well.
what was the name of the video?
Don’t start with a big counted cross stitch! Find a mini one to get you started. Some people mark out a grid onto the Aida, just make sure it washes out as pencil will stain the Aida. Try making something usesful bookmarks make nice gifts. Use soluble Aida and cross stitch onto a T-shirt or baby blanket you can put iron interfacing on the back to hide the treads. Blankets I just use a patterned fleece front and plain back, sewing the layers together afterwards to hide all the back! (But a true mark of an expert crosssticher is the back)
Cross stitch was one of my favorite hobbies, before I discovered crochet. I never used a hoop though, that way there was enough give to go in and out with the needle in the same move, so I don't have to move my hand to the front and back of my work as much. Also, I would use 2 strings from the floss and not fold it in half through the needle but leave several inches of thread pulled through the needle. That way you could pull the thread out of the needle easily if you needed to frog and you're still using two threads. I hope this helps. I loved cross stitch, since my grandma taught me when I was a child.
That's how my grandma taught me too!
I did cross stitch for a few years before I started to crochet. I love seeing other people find the joy in it. There are also stands that can hold your frames so you don't even have to hold that so it might not aggravate your shoulder at all. ❤
That's good to know, thanks! I'll have to check those out.
If you look at the back you’ll notice your lines are straight. So when you put the needle from the front to the back tilt the needle downward to the next hole you’d be going through from back to front since it’s directly below it. Push the tip of the needle through back to front and pull. It saves on pulls and lines you up faster. That’s how fast cross stitchers do that on those big frames. If you watch them you’ll see the motion.
You can cut it out, stitch it to a piece of fabric to tuck the edges in. Then, crochet a boarder around it
I do it every now and then I like it , you can make a small pillow with it with a crochet back and sew them up and fill with stuffing as a keepsake of melding 2 crafts together glad u found something else to do while you're waiting out health issues happy for you !!
cross stich and latch hook were my first fiber crafts when i was a child! my grandma taught me how to do both. i didn't keep up with any fiber crafting through grade school, but in university I begged my mom to teach me to knit, and while recovering from wisdom teeth extraction a few years later I taught myself how to crochet from youtube. it reignited my fiber craft passion and now I want to come full circle and get back into cross stitch and latch hook again
So you don't trap your needle: fold the thread in half *before* you put the needle on. Now flip it over so you're holding the cut ends together. Thread both cut ends through the needle. Fold over an inch or two. You stitch like that so you can remove the needle easily whenever you need to. Which can be at the end of the thread, when you need to frog, or if you need to park it to switch colors then come back to it later.
You'll get used to how or hold it so the thread doesn't pull back out. I typically lightly pinch at the end of the needle when pulling through.
You can start at the corner or in the middle, that's a personal preference. Most patterns will have a grid count, like 720 x 432 or something. That is the number of stitches across by the number high or vice versa. There are many online cross stitch calculators that you can plug those in along with the thread count of your Aida, and it will tell you what size the finished piece will be.
I find it amusing that the previous owner of that kit got like 15 stitches in and was like 'nope'. So you persevered for sure!
I will say, there are many different ways to start and stop your threads and that this is just one way to do it. As you saw, looping through the needle makes it so you can't accidentally unthread your needle, but also means that to frog you have to cut at the needle and then pull out like the tutorials you watched probably described.
Others start with the loop on the opposite end (not at the needle) to secure the thread (google loop start), some knot their threads to start, others knot to end, yet others avoid knots as much as possible.
All this to say... there is no 'right' way to do things. And part of the fun is trying different things and learning what works best for your brain! You're doing great! :)
Getting the right hole by feel is definitely just muscle memory, and as you said will come with time. Proud of you for sticking with it. Hope to see more cross stitching from you if it's easier on your shoulder. Getting a stand to hold the hoop for you will help as well. :)
I'm also of the mind that messy backs are beautiful, so not only does no one need to see it. But even if they do it's what makes your work unique! As everyone stitches in a different order and will be completely different every time.
As far as what to DO with it, you can definitely leave it in the hoop and hang it. But you can make all sorts of things with it, or simply frame it. I like to make fun things out of mine, and have written a ton of tutorials with ideas of what can be made.
Feel free to reach out on Discord if you have cross stitch questions! Whether basics, patterning, finishing, etc.
Crosstitch is a great medium for making pillow covers, decorating kitchen towels. Leaving it in the hoops can make cute wall hangings. As for combining it with crochet, I use both crosstitch and embroidery for details, especially finr details on my amigarumi.
When you begin a project that is not printed on the canvas; fold canvas in half one way, then the other. Find the center of canvas and middle of pattern. That’s where you start.
Also yes you can absolutely use youre gridded crochet patterns for cross stitch and vice versa it’s really easy to do so. All you have to do is measure the stitches on the grid how many up and how many across (please find a tutorial on how to do this accurately because my brain just shut down😅) and that will show you how much fabric you will need for the design. There are cross stitch calculator apps too.
I'm glad you've found cross-stitch fun! Now you've got to do counted cross-stitch. And for counted, you basically fold your aida fabric to find the center and then use a pencil or water-soluble marker to mark off 10x10 squares. Then you just... start wherever you want really, but I think most people start from the upper left corner. If you want I think I have some old cross-stitch kits if you want me to look for them and send them to you? I'm in America so it'll probably take forever to get to you but since I don't forsee me using it again I'd be more than willing to! Just give me a week, some of it is in my junk room and I'll have to dig it out lol.
Thanks for the info and the offer, that's really nice of you! But I've already had a couple of people irl gift me their unused kits after they saw the vid 😂, so I think I'm good to go at the moment. I really do appreciate the offer though 💙
PS. You don't need a hoop: the way I was taught and have always cross stitched is by holding the fabric in my left hand. You sort of drape it over your fingers, kind of how you tension yarn for knitting or crochet - just fold it over your pointer finger and weave it between the rest (your thumb gently holds the front down). You don't need to pull anything taut, just hold it in place (aida fabric in particular holds its shape very well).
You then stitch in a sewing like motion right over your pointer finger: you start the first half of the stitch in the lower left corner, enter the needle at the top right corner - then you go straight down on the back of the fabric without dropping the needle or turning the fabric! just put the needle in a the top and out through the next hole down, then pulll through. If you have multiple stitches in a row, you don't finish each on its own, instead you continue along the line making half stitches - when you reach the end, you travel backwards (lower right corner to upper left corner) all the way back to the starting point.
If your piece is wide, you can just bunch up or fold the fabric in your left hand. When you've completed the piece you give it a gentle wash and block it - it'll look perfectly even.
Doing it this way, you can sit back and relax in a comfy couch or chair while stitching - no fiddly aiming required, no sitting leaned over a mounted hoop like I see so many doing, and no worrying about tension since it'll be evened out in the wash (about tension in general: just pull to, not taut - you'll get a feel for it in no time).
If you want you can use 2 stands of thread and hold them together instead of doubling the thread don’t worry about getting fast cross stitch is a slow process
Try to work with something darker behind your work it will help you to see the holes in the fabric and you don’t need to tie knots when you run the thread through the other stitches it will hold them in place .Cross stitch is as addictive as crocheting
That is what I do
Looks great you are doing great
I looove cross stitching! I’d take it out of the hoop. That will help you not have to find the right spot through the back. My grandma taught me when I was younger. I’ve done some free embroidery projects lately using the hoops for those because I think it helps to not bunch up the fabric, and I have the same problem finding the right spot to come back through. But I don’t have the problem with the fabric bunching up with cross stitch.
-You don’t need a hoop to cross stitch.
-You can find the middle of the project by counting your stitches. A lot of cross stitch grids are separated into 10x10 squares (the darker lines.)
-My grandma taught me to make a guide at the bottom of my work: do 1 vertical line, then going horizontally, go over 5 stitches and under 5, do another vertical line, over 5 stitches and under 5…. And keep going. It should look something like this: |_____ |_____ |_____ | That way you can keep track of where you are on your work.
-I would love to see your sweater in a cross stitch version! You can absolutely transfer ANY grid into cross stitch!!!
I haven't done a cross-stitch that had the printed pattern on it. I can see how that could be an issue. Even with latch hook, I had to follow the written pattern more than the colors on the mesh. I have done embroidery where the outline of a pattern was printed. That makes a lot more sense. I'm excited for your new hobby. Having more than one thing to do is important for me, especially when pain is an issue.
What you can do is frame it, make a bag with it or even a pillow. Or if you're daring make a lot of different ones and make a blanket. You could then sew it on to a plane blanket to make it warmer and thicker.
Fun video - Embroidery floss is great for micro crochet. I personally recommend the goofy magnifying glasses set that you wear, and very bright lights. I like 0.5mm to 0.6 mm hook with 1 strand of Embroidery floss. I am the crazy person who take an entire strand of Embroidery floss and separates it vs cutting of a bit, that way I dont have to join any "yarn". I have not been brave enough to try quilting thread yet. Clover makes ergonomic hooks under 1.0mm. In 2 different styles.
You can get frames to hold the work so you don’t even have to use your other arm to hold it. That’s what I do. Helps with the fatigue. I use one arm on top and one on the bottom, minimises hand movements. Found mine Second hand on eBay. Saves the shoulders.
I was looking through the comments to see if someone mentioned the frames. Then she wouldn't have to hold the hoop at all and it would really be easier on her shoulder. :D
Well now I'm wondering if anyone does cross stitch the way I was taught lol. My Grandma taught me when I was in middle school and she taught me to do all the stitches going one way then the other. Like do top right to bottom left of one color in one line, then when you get to the end of the row do top left to bottom right going back to the beginning. I did a few projects, and I'd bring one to school to work on in my downtime lol. I wonder where they ever went to.
My grandmother taught me the same!
Me too - and I don't use a hoop, you just hold the fabric in your hand, folded over your finges. That way you can use a "sewing motion" instead of each half stitch being a two point manoeuvre (avoids a lot of aiming).
If you want to cut around your work, make sure you use pinking shears so that your aida doesn't unravel. Then you can put your project on the front of a greeting card for example or in a frame
You have discovered another one of my craft crack addictions. Welcome! As for what to do with the finished items, I’ve framed a couple, but I mostly throw them in my bag of completed works and promptly forget about them as I start another project. 😂
The hardest thing to learn is the tension. You should try using plastic adia, as you can keep a better tension and can find the holes easier. I crochet, knit, cross stitch, long stitch, and make hook stitch rugs. I first learnt how to cross stitch with the plastic adia. Your amigurumi work is amazing and you are very talented. I make my own patterns, for doll clothes in both knitting and crochet.
Thanks for the tip. I wasn't even aware there were different types of aida, so good to know.
You can use any size hoop that fits the cloth you are using. Sometimes a smaller hoop and moving the hoop to where you currently working works better then a bigger hoop depending on the size of the project. When it comes to printed cross stitch patterns I find that working from the outside in works just fine. If you do not have printed design on your cloth then finding the center point on both the cloth and the design before determining the closest stitch to begin stitching, this is probably what the instructions meant when they said starting from the center. There are a few ways to finish off a cross stitch piece as well. You can put in a frame, make it into something else such as a pillow or if you want to keep in the hoop you did the pattern in you can trim the cloth down before gluing it down and then backing with a piece of felt. If you back with felt you can take a marker and write when you completed a project and your name as well, I tend to do this if I am gifting the project.
If you continue to cross stitch there are embroidery hoop holders that you can buy. There are quite a few different kinds there’s floor hoop stands and stands you can sit on and ones that can sit on you’re desk. Some you can find cheaply around $20 something (desk and sit on stands) to really expensive (floor stands).
One of us! One of us!
Great job Leah! Giving me nostalgia for when I was first learning to cross stitch
I think cross stitch is really easy to incorporate into crochet. There's a really popular pattern for a chicken pillow that uses cross stitch to make the shapes of pixelated chickens and it looks sooo cute. It also had some controversy, because the creator didn't specify in the listing that the chickens are cross stitched, and people only found out after buying the pattern (and they were expecting a new color changing method that leaves cute square stitches)
I have always wanted to try cross stitch. That looks amazing. Definitely the push I need
You work off a grid , similar to corner to corner crochet, one square = one stitch 😊
25:27 So I have a travel project that's cross stitch. In order to know that the pattern would fit on the fabric, even though it's a kit, I counted the rows. Also, since it wasn't printed, I have a based thread on every 10 squares, creating a grid that won't fade over time. Then I started from the corner and am slowly... very slowly, working across it. Yes, it adds time up front, especially if you're doing a massive 1-7 Generations of Pokemon pattern like my friend is doing, but it helps keep track of the squares/ pixels over time
As others have probably already said, there's stamped cross-stitch and counted cross-stitch. I strongly prefer counted cross-stitch (though, I've never actually tried stamped; I simply was taught counted cross stitch as a young girl and can't quite understand why people do stamped.)
I also leave only about 5cm of thread at the end of my needle rather than doubling over, saves a lot of thread (though I missed if they had you use fewer strands to make up for the doubling over -- did they even have you split the floss from 6 strands down to 2 or 3?)
You absolutely could do the Yarnovore as a counted cross-stitch pattern! Any grid pattern can be done as a cross-stitch (or diamond painting or tapestry or C2C crochet...)
My one successful temperature year craft was a cross-stitch (the quilt and crochet blanket were both early year failures, though I do also have a second unfinished temperature crossstitch, but it's a little further along than the other two failures).
The key to cross stitch is to make sure your 'X' is made in the same way throughout otherwise it will change the texture/grain of the design visually.
I have a tendency to do large cross stitch patterns so I don't usually use a hoop. I like to start at the bottom and work my way up, rolling the fabric as I go. And with counted cross stitch you can also use different colored fabrics for your backgrounds.
I've used a basic cross stitch design as a tapestry crochet grid. So I imagine it would work just as well in reverse.
Cross stitch makes great holiday card pictures, pillow fronts, and (my favorite) project bags. Sew a cross stitched image to the front of a plain tote bag :-)
Also, you are supposed to start in the middle so that the image fits in the middle of the hoop
You could get a hoop holder! It is like a stand. Helps to itch the craft without aggravating your shoulder!
Tie a knot in the end of your thread to keep from coming through the sew in rows like crochet going back and forth where your color goes.
If you do a huge chunk of single crochet, you can use it like the ada cross stitch cloth as a grid and cross stitch on it with yarn :-) It makes for super cute pixel art scarves or sweaters or hats.
“Editing Leigh” cracks me up! 😂
Well done on your project!
Have a terrific weekend and week 🧡
Also, to answer your question on what to do once its finished there are LOTS of options ☺️ you can back the hoop with felt, frame it, back it onto poster board and display with a mini easel, flat fold finish, make it into a pillow...
If you look up FFO (Fully Finished Object) ideas I'm sure you'll find something you like ☺️
how would you make it into a pillow? Because with the fabric still attached that wouldn't look that good would it? Just wondering cause i've been wanting to get into cross stitch to but I wouldn't know what to do with it
@coolearrow I've done it once with Aida and I still like how it turned out. But if you're not keen on the look, you can stitch on another fabric called evenweave. It looks more like regular fabric and doesn't have loads of visible holes like Aida does ☺️
Ok. So when you pull the thread apart you peel it like string cheese. I usually take the working strand and place it in my mouth and peel it from the rest while holding the other end in one hand and the bundle of strands in the other hand. It helps you have better control. Also you could double strand it and not work it double starting out so that you can easily pull out the needle if you make a mistake.
When folding the thread, don't make both ends the same, then your needle gets trapped, and you use 2 strands at the same time, which uses more thread (which is why you ran out).
Leave one end longer. The longer end will be the one where the tail is and gets attached to the work, the shorter end being free (not being worked into the piece), lets you work the entire length of a single strand because you just change where the "fold" is in the thread so your needle can move along the entire length and is free to come off if you need to undo stitches.
Normally it’s not printed on the fabric. You can either use a water soluble pen to draw the grid from the pattern on to your fabric to let you start where you want. If you don’t draw the grid the starting in the middle makes sure your work is central and you don’t run out of fabric / habe space to frame etc
glad that you have discovered cross stitch. I know you were following the instructions written in the book, BUT, they instructed you wrong, at least in the beginning..you usually use 2 strands together and you double it over, but not fully...you double it for about a 3rd or quarter way and you sew using the remainder of the 2 strands...as you get closer to the four strand you pull the thread through the needle to expand your working thread..this way, if you have to undo then you just pull the thread out of the needle, fix your mistake and then re-thread the needle...it makes it a lot easier, and you're not wasting thread..
That makes so much more sense. I'll be doing that for my next project because yeah, the way this book instructed, it was way too difficult to remove stitches and I'd rather not waste the thread if I don't have too.
@SkeinSpider you're welcome. Cross stitching is one of the many craft pies that I have put my fingers into. Chuckle. I've dabbled in knitting, cross stitching, jewellery, and more. Crocheting is my main craft love, though, so much so that now I run classes to teach it.
One more. You will develop a sense of where you need to come up the longer you do cross stitch
I've become obsessed with cross stitch too in this past year lol Start where you feel most comfortable like I prefer working bottom up, my mother used to do top down and some people start from the centre and work out. Most patterns will have a recomended aida count (which is how many sts per inch) 14 is the most common but I also have 20 count fabric this will effect the size of the design (think of it as different sized hooks for the same yarn) and the pattern will tell the measurments of the design for that particular count I'd recomend adding at least 2 inches extra to be able to finish off and prevent the fabric fraying and ruining your work. As for the hoop most bigger designs won't fit on a hoop, there are frames you could buy but I only have hoops and its perfectly ok to move your hoop even over finished sts it won't damage them, if the wrinkles don't naturally sort themselves out you can iron it with a towel over it to not damage it. for finishing off there are many options you can frame them professionally or yourself, you could leave it in the hoop, for me I mount it over some board
I have periods of crosstitching, and folding the thread as you did, was making me scream: NOOOOO! YOU GOTTA START WITH 2 THREADS, YOU GET MORE OUT OF THE THREAD!
And you avoid the trapping the needle part, but you also had a slightly long tail at both ends.
Other than that, your result looked quite good actually.
But, since you are slowly diving into the world of crosstitch, i welcome you
It's never a mistake, it's a design objective, and if all else fails ? Stick a butterfly on it 😂😂😂
I'll keep that in mind 😂😂😂
Welp. that makes me want to learn to cross stitch, so good on you! Imagine all the possibilities when applied to crochet clothing 😮
100% percent read my thoughts lol. I'm trying to think up ways to include cross stitch on a crochet jacket, maybe in the form of patches 🤔
You did so much better than I did! My limited patience didn't allow me to continue with cross-stitch. However, I wouldn't have picked up a crochet hook so soon had I got on well with cross-stitch, so there's that! 😂 It would have been good to see a proper close-up of your completed piece, but from a distance, it looks like you absolutely smashed it 👍🏽 Noice!
I'm not a big fan of folding your threat and 'trapping' your needle in it. It can be easier for beginners, I suppose, but it makes it so much harder to undo a couple of stitches.
Yeah, I thought that was an odd instruction. Even as a young kid, I never trapped my needle when doing cross stitch.
I agree wholeheartedly. I refuse to fold the thread trapping it in. It's easy to pick stitches back when the needle can be removed. I discovered this early on when cross-stitching. I had to cut my thread to free my needle.
yarnivore cross stitch! also you can use stitchfiddle for cross stitch and crochet :D
I tried cross-stitch once. Not for me. Back to crochet, especially amigurumi.😁
Just a suggestion; don’t leave such a long tail at the beginning. You only need 1-2cm at the back, then catch it as you sew. I agree, it’s easier to use two strands, not one folded over.
I have done counted cross stitch for a very long time, but never with a printed on pattern, only counted cross stitch. Also, I've never used a hoop.
Rather than 1 thread doubled over, take 2 threads and just do a normal needle threading with a free tail. Your 50cm will do more stitches and you can take your needle off if you need to.
I was taught to hold the twisty end on my thread in my mouth as I separated what I needed. It would never knot or get frustrating when I did. Probably not the solution you are looking for though
You need to look for counted cross stitch as that isn't printed onto the aida. I've been cross stitching for years and can forget the time very easily.
Welcome to cross stitch, I'm glad you enjoyed it! ☺️ You did a fab job, I'll be honest those instructions don't seem like the best in the world so you did really well with them 💖
A few people have said the same. I think it'll be worth watching a few TH-cam tutorials before starting my next project.
Also the loop should be at the bottom of your thread then when you do your first stitch you kind of trap it that way if it makes sense?
I have seen cross stitch used as patches or used within other yarn work projects.
Patches is one of the ideas I was toying with. Perhaps making a crochet jacket but adding cross stitch patches.
🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
I have always used 2 strands then not a full equal ends. That way you can pull incorrect stitches.
btw you can cross stitch on crochet :)
Is that your tie-dye shirt from the swatch test video? It looks great!
step one said to measure for midpoint
Yep, don't know how I completely missed that 🤷🏻♀️😂
step one in the instructions tells you how to find your midpoint.
Yep, it did. I don't know how I missed it, I read that booklet like three times 🤦♀️😂