Cross-Stitching

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Make a pattern/Stitch To Floss Conversion
Sun, Jul 20, 2014 11:11 PM
Posted by Amy
I made a pattern at www.myphotostitch.com (awesome website!) that uses 50 DMC colors and 6 panels of cloth (I believe Aida?). It's been awhile since I made the pattern, and I have recently found it in my email, and wanted to take a chance and go for my first "solo" piece without any kind of kit. Except for the DMC colors and print of the pattern, no other details about the sizing are available. It's a rather large pattern, but it does list how many stitches each color will use. I counted one panel and it was 50 stitches across and 40 stitches up and down. I'm guessing all six panels are the same as far as the size cloth to be used, but the right edge of the entire piece (if the panels were joined into one piece) is blank, as is the bottom edge. As far as the colors, an example is DMC 154 will use 188 stitches, according to the pattern legend/index. Is there a way to configure, based on the number of stitches, approximately how much thread I will need to purchase? I know when you purchase threads at different times, you run the risk of the batch not matching, so I'd like to try and purchase them all at once. Also, how do I connect the panels to make one seamless piece? Finally, it is my understanding that when doing cross stitch, you start from the inside of the piece outward. Is this true? If so, do I connect the panels beforehand, or do I work on the panels individually and then connect them? If I connect them later on, do I start from the middle of each panel individually? If I connect the panels beforehand, do I start from the center of the entirety of the piece? I'm sorry for so many questions, but this is a relatively new concept for me. Thanks!
  • Reply from Judy
    Monday, July 21, 2014 12:29 AM
    Hey Amy, Here's my take on the situation. I would count the number of stitches both across and up and down for each panel. Then figure out what size/count fabric you want to use. Once you have the number of stitches for all six panels both height and width divide each number by the count of the fabric you are going to use and then add at least three inches to each side or a total of 6 inches in width and 6 inches in height. That should be the size fabric you need. You can use the fabric size calculator on this site once you have the stitch count. As to where to start on the fabric. I like to start in the upper left corner and I usually find the center than count up and left the number of stitches needed. Remember you won't really be starting at the 'real' upper left because you will have to go in and down three inches. I hope that makes sense and I think once you use the fabric size calculator it will make more sense. Hope that helps. Enjoy your day and happy stitching...Judy :) Go to top
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    Reply from NANCYE G
    Monday, July 21, 2014 10:51 AM
    This project sounded a little overwhelming to me when I first read your question. I am guessing that the grid is large making it easier to work with. Lay your pattern pages out so that it looks like the finished product. If each page/panel is 50 x 40 it is probably three pages across and two down. That would make the finished product 150 stitches x 80 stitches. That would make the finished product 10.7 x 5.7. Add the suggested minimum of 3 inches on each side -- (I personally prefer at least 4 or five in case I get my starting point off count.)Remember each side -- that would make 10.7 rounded up to 11 inches plus 6 inches or 17 inches across. Down would be 5.7 rounded up to 6" plus 6" or 12 inches. This means a minimum piece of cloth of 17 x 12 inches

    Do one page at a time. Start at one corner. Finish the page and then move to the next one. Make sure Page 2 lines up with Page 1. Sometimes multi-page patterns show a couple rows of gray that will overlap the previous page. Be careful here.

    This is not as difficult as it sounds.

    I think you will be happy with the finished product. I personally dislike kits. I like picking out my own supplies.

    Good Luck Go to top

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      Reply from Amy
      Monday, July 21, 2014 11:38 AM
      I see, so the 6 pages of my pattern aren't individual pieces. That's good to know! Laying out 6 pieces of 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper looked overwhelming. :-) The layout is two panels across and three down. I went back on the website to see if I could remake the pattern, but I couldn't find my original picture I'd used to do so. What I did see was when looking at the requirements area where you list your specific requirements (how much thread you want to use, and the size of the cloth), I believe I would have chosen 10.7x8.5 14 ct Aida as the option for the cloth. So, if I understand this correctly, I'd add additional inches to this size for a sort of "border?" And is there a way, based on how many stitches for each color (The pattern tells you how many stitches of each color you'll have) to figure out how much thread I would need to purchase? All of this information is so helpful! Thank you! Go to top
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        Reply from NANCYE G
        Monday, July 21, 2014 4:03 PM
        You are correct in thinking that you need at a 3" border on each side.

        At one point I was told that one skein of DMC thread produces about 1500 stitches. All depends on how much "tail" you use to anchor the floss. Also depends on how much ripping out you have to do.

        I recently completed a pattern that was 138 x 138 stitches. It took me about nine months to finish. Not as much floss as you will be using.

        Warning: Because you are stitching from a graph made from a photo there will be a whole log of shading. You could possibly have twenty shades of flesh or 15 differnet shades for the hair. This could be tedious. If you accidently make a stitch too much or too short it will probably be fine when the project is finished. Go to top

        • Reply from Amy
          Monday, July 21, 2014 4:24 PM
          Skein...is that what the bundle of thread is called? Lol. Sorry, I feel so dumb on here. If that's the case then the most stitches for one color is 910. So, it looks like I'll be able to use no more than 2 skeins per color, and some colors use hardly any thread at all. Thank you for answering all of my questions! I can't wait to get started!!! :-) Go to top