Cross-Stitching

The best thing you can do for yourself is to buy a Leisure Arts book about Cross Stitch for Beginners. It contains lots of tips to make your stitching better. It also helps you when you want to begin stitching on linens/evenweaves, waste canvas, etc. It also shows finishing techniques for pillows, pin cushions, fringing afghans, etc. I wish it was available when I first began stitching.
If you are stitching with regular floss as oppposed to an overdyed one, it is best to work your stitches first in one direction and then a separate return trip. So lets say there are 5 stitches across in a row using one colour, you would first stitch ///// and then return with \\\\\. Now if you are working a downward row, you complete each stitch before you move down to stitch the next one.
DMC and Anchor have been around for a long time. DMC is a company with almost a 300 year history. Maderia is another well established firm. They make an excellent product. Go with these flosses and leave the cheap bargain stuff in the store. You get what you pay for. Go to top

Stella,
The cross stitch kits that are readily available are by Dimensions, Bucilla, and Candmar all of which I have conversions on my site. In case you want to stitch them more than once, you can use the conversions to replace the original floss with DMC. You can purchase these kits from these companies at the following links:

http://tinyurl.com/n6ccm3
http://tinyurl.com/lnz6ll
http://tinyurl.com/l4nb9a

Anita Go to top

Maria S. that is good advice. Yes I agree, buy a book Cross-stitch for beginners.

I don't know where you live, but in October they have the "Creativ Festival in Toronto
for a few days. there are some real great classes you can take, that's where you can learn a lot.

Hope this will help a bit. Lucienne Go to top

• Reply from Maria S.

  Friday, July 3, 2009 5:18 PM

  Just a good hour's drive west of Toronto. I haven't been to the Creative Needlework Festival since the fall of 2000. It's not what it used to be. I've been stitching since the very early eigthies and I've bought a number of beginner books. The one from LA is the best. I wish they came out with it first. Go to top

Don't get the cheap china floss! You get what yo pay for. It is usually thinner, tangles easily and frays. Go to top

Stella
I have been doing counted cross stitch for many years now and in my opinion DMC floss is the best one to use. There are other good ones out there too but the real cheap ones don't work as nice and don't look as good. Plus they knot up easily.
2. I find that if u do the full x and not half of the x for the row and then go back saves on floss and looks better.
3. most kits are good and a lot of them complicated but one thing i like to do is make sure I have plenty of that color b 4 i start the pattern. I have found that sometimes u don't get enough floss to do the pattern.
personally I like to buy a book of patterns and do one of the patterns instead of buying the kits. it is more expensive that way but then I know i have plenty of floss cause i usually over buy on floss so I will have some more to do another pattern I want. Have a good day Nancy Go to top

• Reply from stella

  Sunday, August 16, 2009 4:24 PM

  thank you for your replies! i am really enjoy this new found hobby. i would like to chat on emails with you guys on anything you would like share on this topic! thanks ! Go to top

I was long ago weaned off of kits, which may or may not be a valid decision, but I've been told the quality is not as good as if you kit your own using a book or leaflet pattern. I do know that much of the time the floss colors do not run true so that if you make mistakes and run out of a color, you will have trouble matching it. They seem to only give you just enough floss to do the design, and barely that. Deciding whether to do the entire cross at one time or a line at a time seems to be an individual preference, depending I s'pose on how much area you're covering in one color and/or how bored you are with the design. I have never used any floss other than DMC but did find some other brands in my mother's stash, none of which I would recommend based on their color and snarlability. Go to top

Hi
I find DMC floss the best, but other floss are Madeira (not overly keen) and Anchor. If you have a chart that has
say anchor and you want to convert it to DMC, you can easily download some conversion charts or use this site.

If you have a area of say 3 by 3 I tend to do half the stitch then go back and finish the rest of the stitch, I hope
Im making sense. If you have a colour that is sporadic stitches then its up to you. Always mark off before you
mpove on so you dont end up doing the same area.

In response to your last query, go to www.abcstitch.com they have a range of designers, I have a liking for design
works, as I am a fan of clowns, also Kustom Krafts have good charts. As I have been building up my thread box, I
find just getting the charts is better, and seeing what threads I have. Go to top

Dear Cyberstitchers,

I really love cross stitch, I found this site is vry helpfull,
specially when I try to find an old pattern.
Like " Cat with Flower" by Bob Harrison.
How to register so I can always have new update and
contact with other cross stitch lovers?

Natalie Go to top

• Hide Replies
  Reply from  Anita

  Wednesday, March 30, 2011 5:21 PM

  Natalie,
  Everything is free and open so there's no need to register. You can sign for two mailing lists however, one for when new free patterns are posted and another when someone posts to their gallery. The URLS are listed below.

  http://www.cyberstitchers.com/Galleries/MailListSignup.asp
  http://www.cyberstitchers.com/PatternLibrary/MailListSignup.asp

  Anita Go to top

  • Reply from Mary Ann

    Friday, July 5, 2013 11:32 AM

    Thank you everyone! These answers have been quite helpful. I inherited quite a stockpile of quality floss, rings, needles, ribbon, etc. I have worked with kits but never with counted patterns.

    I'm in Oregon so I'm afraid a field trip to Toronto isn't possible. I will look for the books that were mentioned. Thnak you again! Go to top

I used to purchase the kits until I discovered downloadable patterns. I pay for just the pattern I want and not the whole book or pamphlet. Plus, I am free to change the colors if I wish. Go to top