Cross-Stitching

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Starting Point
Thu, Dec 12, 2013 7:53 AM
Posted by Gillian
Hi all,

as I said in a previous post, I'm a newbie. I have one question that I've been trying to find the answer to for a while. In a lot of my patterns and kits it says I should start my project from the center and work outwards, but on all of mine I prefer to start in the upper left corner (after carefully measuring and re-measuring the cloth to be sure it's big enough). What does everyone else do?

  • Reply from Maria S.
    Thursday, December 12, 2013 12:45 PM
    I find the centre of my design by following the arrows at the top and bottom and at the sides. Mark this with coloured pen in each direction. Then I fold my fabric from top to bottom or bottom to top and lightly finger press what appears to be the middle. Next I fold my fabric from side to side and find the middle once more. Usually this is dead on but if it's out a block or two on the aida cloth (or threads on evenweave and linen) I just adjust by eye. OK next I take a length of light coloured sewing thread or even a ply of floss and I do a running stitch along the fold top to bottom and then along the middle to the sides. It ends up looking like a cross and you have what appears to be 4 sections of fabric. I've looked my chart over towards the top of the design and decide what colour of floss I'll use first. Starting on my chart at the centre, I first count up each square of the chart to that point. Then taking the point of my needle, I count up to that place. If the first few stitches are to the left or right of that centre line, I count over and sort of "dig" the point of my needle in the hole around the square of the aida fabric. This makes it easier to spot your starting point. Then I start my first stitch using the loop menthod. You make nicer stitches if you start at the top and work downward. You start each new stitch in a "clean hole". The best beginners book that I ever found was the one put out by Leisure Arts Cross Stitch for Beginners. Has all the basic information and then moves you along to using waste canvas and stitching on linen or evenweave.
    What some stitches do when they count up is mark every 10th square of aida with a straight pin.
    Of course if your design is square or has a border all around it is easier to measure down 3" and in to the left 3". The result will be your starting point. If you start on the right side then it will be down 3" and from the right edge of the material in 3". Usually most people leave 3" extra on all 4 sides for finishing Go to top
  • Reply from Anita
    Friday, December 13, 2013 6:16 AM
    Gillian,
    I always start my projects in the center. I feel there is no right way or wrong way, just what works for each person.

    Anita Go to top