Keep that leftover floss!!
If, like me, you have a lot of odd leftover lengths of floss around in your workbox after years of embroidery...or even, as in my case, a messy, tangled ball of colours too small to wind neatly .... don't throw that mess away!!!
I recently had a brainstorm. Why not create a picture without a pattern, using my imagination? I took a length of cross-stitch canvas ribbon and got to work. I used a 2 inch wide, scallopped, 26 stitch wide strip from a roll bought in a notions shop.
It was great fun! Some of the results are below. For me, who is used to following patterns, this was very liberating and I have done eight of them to date, with more ideas waiting. It is like painting with embroidery floss!
Recent Mini Cross-Stitch Paintings
forest sunlight
lighthouse in storm
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Tips and Pointers
1) Any cross stitch embroidery pattern can be worked on the cross stitch count fabric of your choice. You will have to adjust the amount of embroidery thread accordingly.
2) Cross stitch embroidery is flexible.
Your cross stitches do not have to be done in the traditional
fashion (a row of half crosses then reverse to do the other half -- or even
always left to right/right to left).
Try varying your method, especially when doing small areas.
This not only saves embroidery thread, but can give an interesting, more realistic texture to your finished work. Traditionally-worked cross-stitch can also have a slight sheen and a too obvious stitch pattern, both of which are less obvious with varied stitching.
3) When framing your finished embroidery be sure your frame has non-reflective glass.
This will allow your work to be more easily seen and admired.
4) Any pattern created on a grid can be converted to cross stitch ... so don't discard those hooked rug patterns once they are completed.
Work it in cross stitch for a great miniature version!
It's simple. Just match your embroidery floss colours to the wool you used in the rug and count out the rug pattern squares onto Aida canvas.
These special pictures make great gifts ... or can be displayed in YOUR home!
5) To keep embroidery cotton from fraying or fluffing as you work, pull the thread through a block of sewer's beeswax. This will make it easier to thread into your needle, and keep your stitches very uniform and neat.
6) When using 14 count canvas, use three strands of the standard six strand cotton floss, to ensure the background canvas is fully hidden between stitches. Two strands will cover 18 count canvas.
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Our Favourite Links
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Home of the Professional Pattern Maker for Cross Stitch software.
Quite simply the best and most user-friendly program of its type we have used -- and we have tried many of them.
All the patterns on this site were created using this software.
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Dollfus Mieg and Cie, the Paris-based manufacturer of embroidery cottons.
Lots of great information, free patterns and members area.
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Great list of links to everything stitchery related. Created by Kathleen Dyer
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Lots of good stuff on this large site. Take the time to explore.
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This site has bright, modern counted cross stitch designs based on classic themes, including Celtic and Australian-inspired designs. On line ordering.
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Patterns direct from another Canadian designer at Beautiful Creations
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