Whether you have tried creating your own cross stitch designs or not, you can always add a special personal inspirational touch to your projects. Many of us buy a kit we like, and then stitch away. That is great – and a wonderful achievement in itself.

There are also ways in which we can make the designs more appropriate for our own needs. For example, you could alter the colours of a cross stitched cat design so that it more truly represents your own cat. Colours of hair, or skin colour in humans is another useful adaptation. The colour of roses can be changed in order to send a special symbolic message too.

For bolder stitchers, there are many inspirational themes that surround us every day that can be turned into a design that can bring us much pleasure. These things may be very obvious to us. For example, as I live by the sea, I love shell designs, and seaweed fascinates me too. Then, there are the sea birds, cliffs and pine trees that bring a lot of pleasure. Sometimes, it’s easy to overlook the most important things that bring us pleasure… perhaps we are used to our surroundings, and take them for granted.

I’ve recently written some lists of the things that surround me that delight. These are the things that will help me to choose designs in the future – whether I am designing my own patterns or buying kits. Here are just a few ideas to start you off if you have not already done this.

1. Inspiration can start from many sources and often can appear from where you least expect it. To make sure that you always retain ideas, always make a point of carrying a notebook and pen with you. You never know when inspiration will strike!  Jot down whatever springs to mind, as your day passes: cartoon characters, people, favourite ornaments, houses, animals and especially pets, flowers and trees designs on crockery, curtains etc.

2. Actively seek out ideas. Go for a walk with a camera and take pictures of things that attract you. Look for some details in nature. Autumn leaves, the shapes of trees, wildlife and puddles. These can all look beautiful, and often, these sights cannot be contrived; they just appear.

3. Look through books and magazines for ideas. Look at fabrics too. Keep a folder of things that attract you. Return to look at your folder, and add to it regularly.

4. Consider the way that other people’s designs work for you. Study the shading, and also the way they use backstitch for definition.

There are many ideas for you to use if you observe them and think about how they can be used for your own designs – or for adaptations of other designs.

Happy – and Creative – Stitching!

Iona

Assisi Embroidery is always a subject that has interested me. When I first saw an example of it, I felt impelled to touch the piece of work, as I could hardly trust my eyes.

The reason for this phenomenon is that Assisi embroidery using cross stitch  (and other counted stitches) showcases an unusual technique. The motif is not embroidered. Instead, stitchers fill the surrounding background fabric with crosses, leaving the motif untouched, so that the completed design has the effect of a photo negative. This method is sometimes called ‘voiding’. The results can be beautiful as well as unusual.

Assisi embroidery was practised by monks and nuns in Assisi, the Italian town where St Francis founded his famous monastery. Examples of this type of work can be seen in tapestries created as far back as the 14th century.

Originally, Assisi embroidery was rarely made in cross-stitch.  Long-armed cross-stitch was usually the stitch of choice. Examples of other stitches are also known, such as Italian cross-stitch and Algerian plait stitch. Thread colours  used were traditional ones of green, red, blue, or gold for a background, and black or brown for outlines. Motifs were usualy heraldic, especially heraldic beasts, and typically featured symmetrically arranged pairs of birds and animals surrounded by ornate borders.

Over the past last thirty years, a modern representation of Assisi embroidery has developed. Many different colours and patterns are used for the background, and the motifs are similarly varied. Nevertheless, the traditional version is still stitched in the Assisi itself – where visitors can see local women sitting in front of their houses and creating Assisi embroidery for the local co-operative craft shop.

If you are thinking of taking up the Assisi challenge, you may be interested in working from a kit first, or at least a downloadable pattern. I think the results you achieve will certainly be a target for conversation – and you will certainly have a design that is very different and eye-catching.

The kit (or pattern) below can be bought from Stitch Direct. This is one of my  favourite Assisi  designs.

Happy Stitching!

Iona

My grandmother’s wagging finger along with her favourite motto, ‘Waste Not, Want Not’ sprang to mind yesterday as I delved into my storage box to find many cross stitch items that were being neglected. Yes, there were the predictable UFOs (UnFinished Objects) lurking there. I am also ashamed to report that I found lots of USOs – UnStarted Objects!

A good overhaul of our stitching stash will almost certainly reveal many items that we have forgotten or just put aside. We can be busy stitching a project, only to be lured into starting another more urgent item. The first project is stored away, and possibly forgotten. At other times, we just lose interest in a particular project and move on to something more tempting.

I have found that the best way to overhaul the stash is to be brutal! Like clothes that hang unworn in your wardrobe, half-finished projects need to be scrutinised with a view to getting rid of them, or at least recycling them in another form.

Firstly, it’s important to look through your UFO stash, and weed out projects you know you are never going to complete. This needs to be discarded. Be ruthless! Donate it to a charity thrift shop or a youth organisation which uses craft supplies. All of a sudden, your UFO pile is suddenly a lot smaller. Now, there is more organisation to be done.

One method of organisation is called the Rotation Method, and many stitchers benefit from it. To do this, stitch a particular project for a certain amount of time – for example, 10 hours, or the evenings of one week. When that time has elapsed, you then put the project away and take up another one. The amount of time should be a planned to be ideal for your routine. Store the fabric, chart, and materials for each project and put them together in a plastic bag.

Another option is to prioritise your projects. Which one should be finished first? Deadlines spring to mind – a wedding or a birthday treat, perhaps. Choose a specific project and focus on that one first. 

As for those projects that you feel that you never complete – now is the time to donate them to a local charity project or to swap with a fellow stitcher.

Rather than consider that these incomplete projects are a problem, it is good to consider that they are a positive challenge to be experienced!

Happy Stitching!

Iona

With Christmas stitching in mind, have you considered using blending filaments? I only recently started using them, and now, I’m well and truly hooked. 

Blending Filaments are delicate, light threads that you can combine with other fibres, often stranded cotton (floss). The blending filament adds a random metallic sparkling appearance to your project. This is perfect for adding snow effects, or glistening lights – just right for a special Christmas theme.

The addition of one or to strands of blending filament to your needle does not make your thread heavier – so you can still use the needle size that you are used to. You can vary the amount of highlight or shimmer you want to add to a project by using one or two strands of blending filament in addition to your thread. One strand of blended filament will give subtle glow; two strands will give extra effect.

Here are some tips for using blended filaments to get the best results:

1. Use relatively short lengths of thread - about 45cm (18 inches) or less, when you stitch. This will avoid too much friction when pulling the thread through the fabric. The more a strand is pulled through fabric or canvas, the more ‘wear’ it causes on the thread. Using shorter lengths will maintain the quality of the thread, plus reduce tangling as shorter lengths are easier to control, and produce fewer knots.

2. Consider using a needle large enough to ‘open’ the hole in the fabric sufficiently and allow the threads to pass through more easily. This will reduce abrasion and fraying.

3. When you combine blending filament with another thread type in a needle, try moistening the filament together with the other thread with a slightly damp, soft sponge. This can help to control both thread types as they work together in your needle.

4. Stitch more slowly with blending filament to get more control and uniformity in the tension of your stitching.

5. Remember to allow the needle hang down frequently from the fabric so that the threads untwist and knotting is reduced.

6. When threading your needle with blending filament, fold about 2 cm from its end and then pass the doubled end through the needle.

Once you get used to using blending filament, you will soon find it to be an easy way to produce varying amounts of shine and sparkle to your designs, just where you want it.

Happy Stitching!

Iona
 
 

I am continuing with the theme from my last blog: making meaningful cross stitched presents for people who are special in your life. It is wonderful to create a well-chosen present – even if it is ‘only’ a card – for a person who means a lot to you. This shows the true meaning of the saying that ‘it is the thought that counts’. The theme of flowers also gives you the opportunity to choose sentiments that characterise what you wish to express. This is because each flower represents a unique emotion and message.

Many stitchers choose to associate flowers with females only. They think that men are not interested in them, and that flower messages are therefore inappropriate.  I know many men who appreciate flowers, and even the most traditional males can be enchanted by certain flowers that they have become skilled in planting. My great uncle considered himself to be an expert in growing roses – so receiving a well-chosen rose-themed  cross stitched picture was a much appreciated gift.

If you are planning to stitch a gift for someone who means a lot to you, here are a few meanings associated with flowers to stimulate your imagination:

Apple Blossom -  Better things will come eventually. Good fortune ahead.
Camelia -  Graditude
Carnation -  Fascination and Love
Chrysanthemum (Red) – I Love You
Chrysanthemum (White) – The Truth
Daffodil – Regard and Respect
Daisy – Innocence
Fern – Fascination and Sincerity
Flowering Almond – Hope
Forget-Me-Not – True Love and Remembrance
Heliotrope – Devotion and Faithfulness
Honeysuckle – Generosity
Hyacinth – Loveliness
Iris – Warmth of Affection
Ivy – Faithfulness
Japonica – Loveliness
Jasmine – Amiability
Lilac (White) – Youthful Innocence
Lily – Majesty
Lily-Of-The-Valley – Return of Happiness
Magnolia – Perseverance
Mimosa – Sensitivity 
Rose (Red) – Love
Rose (Yellow) – Friendship
Rose (Coral) – Desire
Rose (Peach) – Modesty
Rose (Dark Pink) – Thankfulness
Rose (Pale Pink) – Grace
Rose (Orange) – Fascination
Rose (White) – Innocence
Snowdrop – Hope
Sweet Pea – Delicate Pleasures
Tulip – Love
Violet – Faithfulness

There are many patterns (charts) and kits available for the stitcher to choose from.  So you can send a favourite friend or family member a gift to be treasured by choosing a flower that has an important meaning for you.

 Happy Stitching! 

 Iona 

The global gloom relating to finances continues to invade many aspects of our lives, and we are told that we cannot expect the situation to get better soon. With Christmas looming and the prospect of present-buying, I’ve been thinking of ways to save money by making presents, using my stitching skills.

Stitching in miniature is a wonderful way to express warm feelings to your colleagues and loved ones. You can make all sorts of presents – dolls house items, jewellery, key rings, small pictures, handbag mirror backs, coasters and key rings to name a few.

Perhaps you are thinking that cross stitching miniature items is unthinkable as it must be difficult to do, and also tiring for the eyes. Those were my first thoughts too, but I soon discovered that it is less taxing than I had imagined.

Here’s all you need to know to get started: 

Fabric
You can use a 36- or 55-count linen evenweave. Many stitchers prefer using silk gauze as this is easier to work with.  Silk gauze is constructed in a similar way to interlock canvas; this means that the threads will not slide out of shape. It is wonderfully smooth and has an attractive open weave. The best news is that this makes the holes easy to see, so you will not need to strain to see the holes in the fabric.

Silk gauze is available in several counts up to as high as 112 HPI (Holes Per Inch). For your first miniature project, it is a good idea to try a 34- or 40-count gauze.

If you want to work with linen evenweave, select your fabric with care – choosing a piece with the minimum of natural imperfections.

The stitching process
Work your design using just one strand of cotton or silk, instead of two. Use the best quality thread possible. Here’s some good news for stichers in a hurry:  as silk gauze is too fine for a full cross stitch, you just stitch the design using a half cross stitch.  The bad news for sloppy stitchers is that you really cannot trail threads across the back of the fabric as you stitch, as you will see the thread  through the fabric.

If you are using evenweave fabric, work each stitch individually rather than making two journeys. This will prevent the stitches that lie underneath from sliding under neighbouring fabric threads.

If you are working on silk gauze, you will need to use a simple mount board frame. You can make this easily by cutting two pieces of stiff mount board to the size of your fabric. Then cut two sections out of the centre of both pieces of board. These cut-out sections should be just big enough to work your project. Now, sandwich the silk gauze piece between the two boards, using double-sided adhesive tape. The board can be easily removed when the project has been completed.

Framing
Check out Framecraft for your needs – there are a wide range of jewellery frames, coasters and box-tops to choose from. ‘Art in Miniature’ also sells some delightful frames for miniature projects. See below:

I’m sure you’ll agree that Small is Beautiful.

Happy stitching!

Iona

Most cross stitchers will be familiar with that exciting feeling of Christmas project-planning at this time of year. Have you decided how many cards you will make? And any additional cross stitched decorations or special projects?

I was searching through my workbox yesterday, and came across some coloured aida – red and green – perfect for making Christmas cards or bookmarks. This brought to mind some of the pitfalls – and tips - relating to working with coloured fabric…

Coloured fabric can be difficult to work with. Many people agree that working with a bright-coloured background can cause eyestrain. Also, it can be tricky to choose the best coloured threads to use with this fabric. Most standard designs are created with a white or cream background in mind, after all. Therefore, some colours may not harmonise well with a coloured background.

Here are some tips to help with these challenges:

1. Choose your threads with the background colour in mind. Make any necessary changes to the pattern you’re working with. If in doubt, hold your chosen threads against the fabric in a good light to see how it looks in terms of contrast and harmony.

2. Always try to stitch in natural light, or try using a good daylight bulb. Not only will this make it easier to see your fabric, but it will also help you to identify similar thread shades as well.

3. Make it easier to identify each aida hole by placing a white piece of fabric beneath your fabric – or wear some white trousers! Alternatively, invest in a laplight, which will illuminate your work from below. If you do not have a laplight, you can improvise by putting a lamp underneath your work, facing upwards and lighting up the holes. Then you can see where your needle should go.

You can also make counting easier by adding a grid in a contrasting coloured thread on your fabric.

4. Stitch for short periods of time, taking a break every few minutes to allow for your eyes to rest.

5. Use a magnifier to reduce eyestrain, especially if you are struggling to stitch onto dark fabrics. They come in a variety of strengths and sizes, so there is bound to be one that suits your needs.

6. Create a more intense colour block by stitching with three strands of thread, rather than two. This will also reduce the amount of fabric that is visible through your stitches when using light coloured threads on dark or vibrant fabric.

7. Protect your project by storing it in a clean pillow case or in acid-free tissue paper. This will help to keep your work dust-free.

8. Remove any fibres or fluff from your project by dabbing with Scotch tape. (This is less sticky than Sellotape.)

 Happy Festive Stitching!

 Iona

Many cross stitchers enjoy placing small cross stitched motifs into cards – and this can produce an extra special treat for people who mean a lot to us.  We spend a lot of time and expertise to get our cross stitching as good as possible – but do we always give the same amount of attention to the cards into which we place our crossed stitched treasures?
 
Sometimes, our card-making inexperience can let some of us down.  Cards can be spoiled by lumps of glue, fingerprints, poor cutting skills etc.

Here are a few tips for stitchers who are inexperienced in card-making – to get your cross stitched cards looking professional:

Use good quality card. A lightweight card will sag under the weight of your stitching and soon look rather sad as it wilts on the mantelpiece. Aim to use heavyweight card – 200 gsm is recommended.

Use a colour of card that harmonises with your stitchery. Too many colours can give a crowded and garish appearance, so if in doubt, use fewer colours for the overall look.

Avoid mess. It’s easy to make mistakes with glue or ink, adding smudges to your card. Complete your card methodically, removing all items that are not being used at a particular time. Keep your hands clean, of course. If you are using shiny card, polish the finished card gently with a soft cloth to prevent finger-prints.

Cut your lines accurately and straight. Draw lines using a ruler and soft pencil before you cut them Use a paper trimmer rather than scissors (and never use your precious embroidery scissors with paper).  Always measure distances and do not rely on your eyes to tell you where the centre of the card is.

Consider adding a lightweight paper insert to the card in a harmonising colour. This looks classy, and also it is easier to write clearly on this paper rather than having to write on coloured cardboard. You can write your message before placing it in the card, and use a corner punch to make it even more attractive.

Avoid a cluttered appearance. Some clean space will draw the eye to the main part of the design which should be the focal point of the creation. Resist the temptation to fill all spaces with toppers, stickers or drawings.

With many opportunities arising for crafty evenings, in anticipation of Halloween, Christmas, New Year  and other celebrations, it make sense to present your cross stitched  projects as best you can.

Perhaps you have some additional tips that spring to your mind. If so, please share them with us.

Happy Stitching – and Card Making!

Iona

Remembrance Sunday takes place on 9 November this year – just four weeks from today.

A two minute silence is observed at 11am on 11th day of the 11th month because this is when the Great War, or World War 1, came to end in 1918, ninety years ago, with an Armistice being declared. The nearest Sunday to that date is always known as Remembrance Sunday.

It seems almost unbelievable that 20 million soldiers lost their lives during this war, and a further 40 million were wounded. Even though most of the fighting stopped on Armistice Day, some continued fighting until the end of the war was made official on 28 June 1919 with the Treaty of Versailles. This was exactly five years after the war started, triggered by the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.

Nowadays, this anniversary is used to remember all the people – worldwide – who have died in wars since World War 1.

Many stitchers will be considering making a special card, bookmark or picture with a poppy design. The poppy was chosen as a symbol of remembrance because soldiers remembered that they were in full bloom in the Flanders Fields, between southern Belgium and north-west France.

In the UK, ex and current servicemen and women, veterans and members of the public join with the Royal Family and dignitaries in London’s Whitehall, where they lay poppy wreaths on the Cenotaph. Similar events take place all over the country, with army bands playing traditional music of remembrance.

Poppy designs are abundant on the internet, and there are some beautiful patterns (charts) to choose from.

Heritage Crafts have gone one step further – by converting the painting by a military artist, Malcolm Greensmith into the pattern illustrated below. It is called ‘Remembrance’. The conversion was done by Susan Ryder. You can buy this on Heritage Crafts’ website.

Stitching an eye-catching design can be a good way to remind everyone of the tremendous sacrifices made by the armed forces both in the past and today, and to respect the losses experienced by so many families.

Warm Regards

 Iona
 

Frequently, I see articles in Cross Stitch magazines about the importance of storing stitching items well in order to be tidier and better organised. These articles usually recommend spending a small fortune on craft tote bags, storage solutions and attractive craft boxes.

These are wonderful objects to own, but they are not necessarily exactly what you - as an  individual – need. We all have our personal preferences for storing our stitching stash. Many of us are untidy too… leaving projects scattered around the home, and possibly gathering dust.

For many stitchers, it can be helpful to tidy and reorganise equipment, before  settling down to cosy evening stitching sessions this autumn and winter.

It’s a good idea to go through your equipment and stores, maybe spend an evening exploring various boxes and piles of magazines and deciding how your storage could be improved to make everything easy to find, and tidy too.

The big surprise may be that you do not need that expensive storage tote bag after all.

As for me, I moved house two years ago, and when packing to move, I placed all my stitching paraphernalia in a filing cabinet. Two years on, I have organised that cabinet to be my perfect store of stitching goodies, even using suspension files to store patterns and magazines. For me, it works well.

There are other ways to store your stash that does not cost a lot of money.

These include the following:

1. Using various boxes and containers that have had other functions. Margarine boxes, washing machine tablets boxes, old film canisters, and the cardboard interiors of kitchen paper all have their useful functions for storing stitching items. If this all seems a bit unattractive, there are lots of ways you can brighten up these objects by covering with coloured paper, or by painting them.

2. Buying plastic storage cases intended for storing nails and screws, fishing equipment etc. in hardware stores. I recently bought an excellent storage box , ideal for keeping threads neat and easily accessible.

3. Storing your free cover kits from magazines in a separate box, rather than letting them get lost among your magazines. Remember that you may need to cut out the relevant instructions from the magazine to keep with the cover kits. Each cover kit comes with a needle, fabric and plenty of thread – so if the design of the kit does not appeal to you, you can keep these extras and ditch the design itself. If you are still puzzled as to how to use these items, then consider giving them to a stitching charity. There are many people who advertise for cover kits to stitch for charity purposes. So it’s a pity to leave these kits at the bottom of your workbox, unused.

Do you store your stitching stash in unconventional ways? Do share your tips with us.

Happy Re-organising!

Iona