What do you cross stitch?

[muttix2]

I like the idea of cross stitching, I did a couple small things when I was little. But with not much free time on my hands, I just can't justify sitting around working on nothing. What do you do with the finished project? Can it be made into something? Do you use it for clothes or blankets or something? I'm really lost and I'd like to make something with cross-stitching but I have no idea what. TIA

[Robbins0614]

We make lots of things. We are working on Christmas stockings for the family-they take a lot of time and patience, but they look so nice! My DH is currently working on a project that I want to have framed for our nursery/playroom. I've also made small baby gifts and pillows for friends. My MIL loved the bookmarks I made her. My first cross stitch project was a set of four blocks of the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme. I've had them finished for years, but I'm terrified to cut into them to make into a blanket. I even have the fabric, but I have such a fear of ruining the blocks! So, I guess we really do some of everything in our household!

[Katie Bugs Mama]

I make a lot of gifts. I did the Lords Prayer for DH's aunt for Christmas one year, a music-themed one for MIL to hang over her piano, and a couple of horses for my aunt who loves the beasts. I'm currently working on the Footsteps prayer/poem for my cousin and his wife, who used it for a reading at their wedding. I'm going to do something from www.subversivecrossstitch.com for my best friend for Christmas. I've been planning to do a quilt kit with a scene from Guess How Much I Love You for another good friend's next baby.

[BeckiCNM]

I frame all my projects. I just feel like I work too hard on them to let them get dirty like they would if I made them into a blanket or a bib. They're not as practical, but they look really nice on walls!

I'm partial to the florals and quilts from Paula Vaughn.

Becki

[mosesface]

i save cross stitching for travelling and i love it!!

i go get one of the little projects, get it all set up and put it in a ziploc bag, and put that in my carry on bag or purse. i pull it out when i'm on a plane, bus, or long car ride. it's travels easier than knitting and keeps me from focusing on how long the trip is.

you can use little pieces like this for napkins, pillow cases, or small frames.

[Thalia the Muse]

I've done bookmarks, but mostly I make pieces to hang on the wall -- either for us or as gifts.

Oh, and Christmas ornaments! I make one for my daughter every year.

[Hatteras Gal]

I frame all of mine. I do a lot of seasonal cross stitch and they become my decorations around my house.

I enjoy Lizzie Kate, Bent Creek, Waxing Moon, and Heart in Hand patterns that use the overdyed floss from Weeks Dye Works and Sampler Threads.

[serenetabbie]

RubyRed, your quote made me laugh so hard!

I like to make ornaments. They are quick and easy. I make mine small enough to use lids from frozen OJ (ok, really I never buy that, so I have one as a template and I cut the circles out of cardboard) as backing, then I cover that with scrap fabric or felt.

I also really enjoy samplers. I only have one that I made for myself, and it hangs in my living room. It is a all white pennsylvania dutch heart and disselfink design on a navy background. I keep hoping to design my own, but haven't gotten around to it.

Does anyone have a link to a pattern or a kit I can buy for a countryish americana sort of picture? My SIL collects flags and country-ish stuff, and I would love to make her something!

[adtake]

I think I like doing a little bit of everything. I would reccomend if you are new to CS to start on a small project (Lizzie Kates are great!). That was you arent over whelmed and get to see the finished project faster! Thet are fun and cute and what I call weekenders...

Enjoy!! and be sure and keep your first piece for yourself!!

s

[muttix2]

Thanks for all the ideas! I didn't even think about framing them though that seems so obvious now. I thought it would just sit around as a cross-stitched piece of fabric. So, now that I have some ideas of things to make...

What is the difference between counted cross-stitch and "regular" cross-stitch? I haven't seen a name for the "regular" kind, but it has a pattern you can follow. Is one easier than the other? Are there different types of threads? And most importantly, is there a book I can buy/get at the library that can explain all of this (and the thousand other questions I'm bound to have once I get started) to me? A website would be good too. But before leaving me a book recommendation, just one more question. Where do you get your supplies/patterns/etc.? Thanks!

[Hatteras Gal]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_stitch

That gives some explanations for you. I have always done counted cross stitch, either on a 10, 14, 18 count Aida cloth, or on 28 or 32 count linen. The count of the fabric means how many squares (that you stitch your x's over) in an inch. So a ten count fabric would have 10 squares an inch, a 32 count fabric would have 32 squares an inch.

As for thread, yes, there are different types. Most craft stores, like Michael's, JoAnne's, Hobby Lobby will sell DMC embroidery floss. They also sell fabric and some patterns. A speciality cross stitch store will sell DMC floss as well as some overdyed floss brands, Sampler Threads and Weeks Dye Works are two of the more well-known ones. Their thread have a color change along the piece of floss so even though you're working with one color, it will change slightly as you work. These are so nice to work with, they add an extra something special to the project. They also cost more. You probably won't find any patterns at a craft store like Michael's that will call for them.

I would go a cross stitch store if you have one near you and look around and ask the shop owner for assistance. I think if you picked a small pattern or a kit and read the directions, you'd be fine. And we're all here to help you! If you don't have a cross stitch store, go to Michael's or whatever craft store you have and pick a small pattern or kit to start with (the kit will have the thread, needle, fabric and pattern all there for you).

I personally shop at JoAnne for DMC threads, needles, some fabrics. For patterns, I go to a speciality store. I don't enjoy the patterns at the craft store anymore. I do my specialty shopping at: http://www.shakespearespeddler.com/

[Thalia the Muse]

To me, counted IS "regular"! The other kinds would be either stamped, where the Xs are stamped onto a fabric, or embellished, where a color design is printed on fabric and you only stitch a few parts of it.

[mosesface]

"counted" simply means that YOU count the stitches yourself. "stamped" or anything else like that is more like a paint-by-number, if you will.

but i agree that if you want to just get started, pick up a kit that looks fun to you from a craft store. it will have everything you need in it except for maybe a hoop, but those are very cheap and almost always on the same aisle. and the instructions are almost guaranteed to be exactly what you need.

don't be afraid to just jump in with something really basic! you don't have to learn it all before you try it!! (i always try to learn it all before i try anything...which is why i try so little )

[Hatteras Gal]

Originally Posted by mosesface

"counted" simply means that YOU count the stitches yourself. "stamped" or anything else like that is more like a paint-by-number, if you will.

but i agree that if you want to just get started, pick up a kit that looks fun to you from a craft store. it will have everything you need in it except for maybe a hoop, but those are very cheap and almost always on the same aisle. and the instructions are almost guaranteed to be exactly what you need.

don't be afraid to just jump in with something really basic! you don't have to learn it all before you try it!! (i always try to learn it all before i try anything...which is why i try so little )

You don't really even need a hoop though, especially for a small project. Although I find the Q-snaps to be handy.

[muttix2]

My internet was out while we moved but now I'm back. Thanks for the ideas! I don't know of any cross-stitch stores near me so I'm just going to go to a craft store. Maybe I'll find one later. I did pick up a little pattern at Joanns but when I took it out, the directions look like you need to know a special language or something to read them It would probably be more clear if I knew the terminology so I'm going to check out the links and then try again Plus, I'm not really excited about the pattern (just a little cartoon character, wanted to get something cheap in case I mess it up) so I'm going to look for something else.

I got a couple "pattern" (if that's what you call them) books from the library. I figured that they must be different than counted cross-stitch because they don't have the little symbols in the pictures. Are the symbols neccessary? (Not that I know what the mean anyway! )

[Hatteras Gal]

Originally Posted by muttix2

My internet was out while we moved but now I'm back. Thanks for the ideas! I don't know of any cross-stitch stores near me so I'm just going to go to a craft store. Maybe I'll find one later. I did pick up a little pattern at Joanns but when I took it out, the directions look like you need to know a special language or something to read them It would probably be more clear if I knew the terminology so I'm going to check out the links and then try again Plus, I'm not really excited about the pattern (just a little cartoon character, wanted to get something cheap in case I mess it up) so I'm going to look for something else.

I got a couple "pattern" (if that's what you call them) books from the library. I figured that they must be different than counted cross-stitch because they don't have the little symbols in the pictures. Are the symbols neccessary? (Not that I know what the mean anyway! )

The symbols used in the pattern are found in the key with the (usually) DMC floss number that is to be used. For example, if you see a 'T' in the pattern, you can look at the color key for 'T' and see that 'T' corresponds to DMC 930. 'T' won't always be DMC 930, that's just the example I used. You can always PM me if you have any questions. I love cross stitch and anytime I can help someone else doing it makes me happy.

[Larklinnet]

Muttix2, I am also a novice stitcher and have gotten lots of help on this board! I got a few small Christmas ornament kits at A.C. Moore if you have one of those (probably Michael's has something like this) - at A.C. Moore they are hanging on an end cap, not in the racks with the other kits. The kits have everything you need and are only 99 cents, so they are good projects for a beginner. They are pretty easy and you can get used to deciphering the symbols without being overwhelmed. Good luck!

[monocyte]

coming in late to this...but, I do wedding, birth, etc announcements for family, friends when they get married - frame it up nice and it makes a great gift!

Im working some Lizzy Kate christmas gifts now.

Here's a GREAT site where you can upload images and it prints out the grid for you...
http://www.darklilac.com//upload.jsp