Always start stitching from the center of your fabric. To find the center on your fabric, fold the fabric in half twice. The center will be at the intersection of the two folds.
Finding the center of your chart by following the two arrows. One arrow will be in the top center and the other one in the middle left side of your chart. Follow these two arrows. Where they meet is your center stitch.
FABRIC
Put tissue paper in your hoop with your fabric then tear away the center where you are stitching. This will keep oils from getting onto your fabric and help your hands from being moist.
Use different qualities of fabric. Try cheaper fabric for quick designs, saving money so that you can splash out on the best fabric for heirloom projects.
You will want to allow 3 to 4 inches of fabric on each side of the design. This will help you framing your project easily.
THREADS
When stitching with 2 threads use only one strand of floss, put the ends together and thread them through the needle leaving a loop on one end. When you put the needle through on your second stitch, catch it through the loop. This keeps the material from getting bumpy.
When ending your thread by running under other stitches, try to match colors. Never run a dark color under light stitched, it might show through to the front.
Back stitch should be added when all other stitching has been completed.
NEEDLES
Many of us we have the bad habit of leaving the needle into the fabric when we end a session. Be aware that this can leave a permanent stain or large hole in your fabric. Always store a needle properly.
TIPS
If you have pets or small children do not keep your cross stitch materials in a bag. Keeping your threads, needles and scissors in a box that shuts securely will prevent little fingers and paws from getting into things easily!
If you are working on a larger needlework project, invest in a set of stretcher bars. They keep the fabric from getting warped and it makes it easier to actually do the sewing. They come in several sizes, and are fairly inexpensive.
Using a highlighter in a light color - yellow works very well for marking off stitches or areas of stitching as you complete them. If your lighting make the yellow hard to see at night, you could use another color like green or blue or orange when stitching at night.
Cross-stitch is not just an activity for women. Plenty of men love to pull out those needles and flosses to cross-stitch projects that they enjoy. For most men who cross-stitch it is about creating "art" or having a special interest in the design... and of course Cross Stitch is wonderfully therapeutic when it comes to de-stressing.
For some it is just not "manly" to call it a "craft". While men do not make up a large percentage of cross-stitchers, they most certainly do exist. Yet, many people wonder about men who like to cross-stitch, and it brings up a number of interesting questions:
Are Men Better than Women... at Cross-Stitch? The simple answer to this question is that of course men are not better than women, just as women are no better than men either. Cross-stitching is a learned skill, and any person who cross-stitches is only as good as they allow themselves to be. Practice, practice, and more practice make a person a better cross-stitcher, not their gender.
Do Male Cross-Stitch Designers Exist? Yes! Of course there are male designers. Why ever not? Cross-stitch design is an art form and certainly not restricted to the female gender. There are many men involved in creating their own cross-stitch patterns. For some it is a direct offshoot of their art - like Thomas Kinkade. For others, they are part of a design business, like the husband and wife team at Heartland House. Men are involved in designing and bringing you some of the great cross-stitch patterns. Some cross-stitch designers are also fashion designers and use their thread and floss to create patterns on the attire that they create.
Which Patterns are Popular with Men? Men tend to choose more art-like patterns than women. They may not be as open to you choosing a teddy bear pattern for a pillow.
Often men are drawn to the things they like. If a man likes sports, he may choose a kit that represents his sports team. If a man is into architecture, then he may choose to cross-stitch a pattern based on Frank Lloyd Wright. There are even some gamers that have cross-stitched their favorite video game characters.
Other men use cross-stitch to create designs on their clothing, too. If you are choosing a pattern to give to a man, then you should take a look at what they like. Go with their interests.
How Do Men Get Into Cross-Stitch? This question really depends on the man. Some men get involved simply because someone they love does it. A little boy may have wanted to do what his mother was doing. A man may help his wife finish a project only to find he liked it. Other men need something to do, and it is a craft just lying around. Often men do not find that they seek out cross-stitching, but it finds them one way or another. Some men believe it makes them look attractive to women, so they use it as a way to "pick someone up".
How Do I Handle a Man Who Wants to Cross-Stitch? Embrace it. It takes a lot of courage for a man to put aside an image of masculinity to admit they want to try a "girly" craft. If the man is a significant other, then take pride in the fact that your man wants to share something with you. If it is a young man, then encourage the creativity that will come from the craft.
It is not often that men can put away the machismo to do something enjoyable like cross-stitch, so open up and be willing to teach and inspire. Who knows... the cross-stitching man in your life may find a way to inspire you too!
Both Arthor Pens & John Wigham are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Arthor Pens has sinced written about articles on various topics from Affiliate Programs, Pets and Pets. Author is the owner of Yiotas XStitch website with fine art & victorian cross stitch charts/patterns available by post or download. Click the link below to download FREE cross stitch charts:. Arthor Pens's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.
John Wigham has sinced written about articles on various topics from Arts, Crafts and Arts. John Wigham has been a professional author and editor for 20 years and is a co-founder of an online cross stitch club dedicated to counted. John Wigham's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.