Stitching al fresco can be one of life’s many pleasures, provided that you take the necessary precautions. I’ve learned this the hard way – a previous stitching project was blown into the sea – so from now on, I’m considering the following hazards:

Wind and Rain. I keep all my stitching stash in a tall-sided box when I stitch outside. This gives protection  from the wind, and if it starts to rain, I can quickly grab my stitchery and disappear indoors. There’s no need to take the entire contents of your craft cupboard outside with you. Just include the basics you will need. Keep them tidy – and remember to use a thread organiser, so that the correct threads are easy to access and do not get tangled.

Poor Light. Failing light can produce eye strain, and stitching mistakes too. Abandon the session if it starts to get dark.  Conversely, if the sunlight is very bright, this can cause eye problems too. You can, of course, wear sunglasses, provided you have a good quality pair. Many of the cheaper sunglasses are designed just to protect the eyes from bright light, and they are not usable for close work.

Distractions. Going indoors to fetch something or speak on the telephone can seem harmless enough. But one thing can lead to another, as far as distractions go. It’s easy to get involved with something else, only to remember that you have left your precious project outside for hours. A friend of mine told me that some Robins took some of her threads to line their nest last year while she was preparing some lunch.

Fading. The colours of your threads and fabric will not fade if you stitch outside for a few hours; however, if you get into the habit of leaving your stash near a window of a conservatory or shed, you may find that the colours will eventually get lighter as a result of exposure to the sun. So always place a lid on your stitching box.

Beaches. Does anyone actually manage to stitch on the beach? We all know that sand manages to find its way everywhere, and if you are sunbathing, what about those greasy hands that have been applying the sunscreen - all over your fabric? And excited children and dogs, shaking sea water in all directions? If you have some tips about stitching on the beach - or elsewhere, do share them!

Happy Stitching!

Iona
 

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Most books on cross stitch list the hoop as an important part of the stitcher’s equipment, often placed alongside needles, fabric and threads in its importance. The reason for this is generally given that the hoop holds the material taut while you are stitching – and therefore helps you to produce even stitches.

Additionally, if you have any sort of mobility problem that affects the fingers or wrists, using a hoop, frame or a special lap-frame or table-frame can help to minimise pain, and deterioration of the condition. If you have a lap-frame, this can free your hands so that you can use one hand above the frame and the other one, below, so that you simply pass the needle from one hand to another through the fabric. This eliminates that swinging movement that is made when you are making stitches.

Stitchers who never use a hoop include the great Jane Greenoff and Shirley Watts. Jane asserts that she prefers working with her cross stitching in her hand as it allows the sewing action to take place without hindrance. Shirley adds that a hoop can be cumbersome and can easily leave snags or stretch marks on the fabric. She also enjoys feeling the material scrunched in her hands. It is clear that when you see close-up photographs of their work that their stitches are beautifully even.

If you do decide to use a hoop, how can you get the best from it? Hoops have two rings, one with a fastening. You sandwich the fabric between the rings, and adjust the fastening to keep it tight. The inner ring can be wrapped with tissue paper or cotton tape to prevent any damage to the fabric. If you prefer, you can use an interlocking bar frame for small projects and a rotating frame for larger pieces of work.

The hoop should never be placed over an area of stitching, as this can pull and distort the stitches. It’s also essential to remove the hoop after each stitching session, so that marks and creases are not formed. I wonder how many stitchers always use a hoop or frame? Please share your experiences with us.

Happy Stitching!

Iona

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I have an old and battered tin in which I keep charms, buttons and random embellishments for my stitching. I doubt that I shall ever use them all, but it is good to look through the charms from time to time, and plan how I could use each one.

Have every added some charms to your cross stitched projects? If you haven’t, do try this one day.  You may find that charms add new value to work that you completed a long time ago. There’s certainly no shortage of availability of all sorts of charms to buy via the internet or at your local needlecraft shop. Before you try using charms, buttons or other embellishments, here are some tips:

1. Consider the size of the charm or button. It can be disappointing to order some charms only to discover when they arrive that they are too big or too small. Placing a charm that is the incorrect size on a design can spoil the look of the picture. To use an obvious example, if your butterfly charm is twice the size of a stitched flower beside it, it will look odd. You can possibly position the charm in such a way as to make it look closer to the eye than the rose, but this may not work, visually.
 

2. When selecting charms, buy the best quality you can afford and match its style to that of your design. Cheap, stamped metal charms can spoil a beautiful heirloom sampler – although they can look appropriate with a cute card sometimes.

3. Be wary of brass charms or buttons. It’s possible that if the finished project becomes slightly damp (if displayed in your bathroom, perhaps), a chemical reaction may take place between the charm and the fabric which can cause discolouration.

4. Clean all charms carefully with a soft towel before adding it to your stitching. Consider coating the back of the charm with clear nail varnish to prevent any staining of the fabric.

5. When sewing on the charms or buttons, use thread that matches the background fabric.

6. When applying the charm, begin with a loop start, positioning the charm carefully, and then pass the needle through its hole from the right side, establishing its correct position. Slip the charm off the needle’s eye and pass the thread in and out of the fabric and through the loop on the right side. Then stitch the charm firmly into position, making sure that the thread remains tight.

7. If you plan to frame the finished project, make sure that the framer inserts spacers so that the charm does not touch the glass.

Happy Stitching!

Iona

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1. There are some things where economy should not matter.  For me, this is definitely a good quality lamp to work by. It’s not possible to recommend a particular lamp, because everyone has unique needs, but do buy the best you can – and place it on a birthday/Christmas present list if you cannot afford one. Look out for second-hand bargains and auctions, but never compromise on quality for what you need.

2. Do not be tempted to buy things impulsively – at needlework fairs etc. Enthusiasm is infectious, and when you see someone else saying how wonderful a product is, it is easy to reach for your money. If in doubt, do not buy… walk around, think about it, and return an hour later…

3. Never economise by buying cheap threads (floss) that you often see with giveaway kits and ‘bargains’. It’s wise to stick with the tried and tested big-name brands – purely because the results are better. The economy brands have no natural sheen, and they look cheap.

4. Invest in the best basic equipment you can afford. For example, it is false economy to buy cheap scissors or needles. I still use a pair of embroidery scissors I was given ten years ago and have no intention of buying a new pair.

5. Shop around… when you buy.  You may choose to support your local needlework shop. That’s a great principle, but many stitchers do not live near a shop, so we buy via the internet. Beware of cheap offers that lure you to a site, and then… you pay for overpriced extras while you are there. (This is a psychological trick that the giant supermarkets use to reel in customers.) Check out the delivery costs too – and additional taxes that may be added to the total of your purchases.

6. Remember that many designs are timeless. You may find some great advice and charts from second-hand books and magazines.

7. Share your books, magazines and equipment with stitching friends. You can even buy fabric and other essentials in bulk to save money. Stitching together is fun, as well as being economical.

8. Why spend many pounds on a single chart/pattern? There are many free designs on the internet, and of course, if you are a member of Patterns Patch, you can access hundreds of beautiful designs, free of charge.

I think that the ‘less is more’ principle is important in cross-stitch. Buy fewer - but always top quality - items and services. And also - Beware of ‘bargains’! Please share any money-saving tips with us!

Happy Stitching!
Iona

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Who is your favourite cross stitch guru?

For me, Jo Verso is one of my three favourites. During her career, she was the world’s best-selling cross stitch author, publishing six very successful books, and achieving sales of over 900,000 copies. Her popularity did not arise from her own personal cleverness, although that was apparent. What was special about Jo was that when she wrote a book for beginners, you could be certain that you would be able to understand and follow her patient instructions even if you had never picked up a needle before.

Jo was one of the first designers to use charting software for cross stitch design. She also explained how any stitchers with some crayons, scissors and graph paper could design their own personal samplers, creating a picture of their own life in stitches. So what was once considered to be the domain of experts was opened up to anyone who had some time and determination. This process, along with other tips and resources, is simply explained in her last book ‘Picture It in Cross Stitch Today’. The success of this book was a surprise to this modest woman.

Tragically, Jo was killed in a car accident in France in 2002. The cross stitch community has lost a great mentor, friend and expert.  However, Jo has gained stitching immortality through her books. The new edition of her last book, published posthumously earlier this year, can be appreciated by many new stitchers too.

Happy Stitching!
Iona

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I’m afraid I’m unable to stitch and watch the Olympic Games. I’ve tried, but I tend to make mistakes, or stab myself with my needle. There are lots of things I do while I’m stitching that don’t result in disaster. I wonder if you do the same. Here they are:
 
1. Listen to Audiobooks. I love listening to books, and stitching while listening is a double treat. I cannot look at a flower sampler I made ten years ago without remembering that I listening to Lord of the Rings as I completed it. Listening to the radio can be good, but I find I’m less in control of what I’m listening to.

2. Listen to Favourite Music. There’s nothing to beat stitching and being transported away by your favourite music at the same time.  Have you noticed that you tend to stitch quicker when you are listening to fast-paced music?

3. Use up waiting time. Do you hate waiting your turn at the dentist’s? I know I do, and I cannot raise the enthusiasm to read the dog-eared celebrity magazines that are piled up in front of me. Who wants to know the make-up bag secrets of an eighteen-year old celebrity? Not me, for sure. It’s surprising how much you can achieve if those minutes that would have otherwise been spent worrying.

4. Chat with stitching friends. Usually when you have visitors, good manners dictate that you look at each other while talking. If your visitor is a fellow stitcher, then there’s an acknowledged acceptance that you can look at your stitching instead of your companion.
 
5. Manage stressful times. When people feel stressed, they tend to pace around, fidget, drum their fingers and carry out comforting rituals such as eating or drinking? If you stitch instead, you can channel that energy into something positive and creative. And for slimmers, hands that are stitching are not delving into the biscuit tin.

6. Meditation. Sometimes, it’s good to do absolutely nothing else but stitch in relative silence and have nothing else to distract you. The repetitive movements of your fingers and the slowly growing picture in front of you can help to clear your mind and it takes on a meditational quality.

I know many people manage to stitch on planes, trains, buses and beaches, but I have never managed this successfully. My last efforts on a train resulted in a woman brushing past me and carrying off some of my threads on the back of her coat. I never did retrieve those!

Do let us know when and where you have stitched!

Happy Stitching!
Iona

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Unicorns were fierce animals who were capable of sensing an enemy from a huge distance. They moved soundlessly through forests, being able to run faster than any other creature.

They avoided contact with all but the woodland spirits, choosing to live alone. They would occasionally allow themselves to be ridden by elf maidens of pure heart, and if treated with kindness, would be their protective steeds for life which could be 1,000 years. The secret to a Unicorn’s long life was said to be the strong magical power in their horns.

Marianna Mayer once observed in The Unicorn and the Lake, “The unicorn is the only fabulous beast that does not seem to have been conceived out of human fears. In even the earliest references he is fierce yet good, selfless yet solitary, but always mysteriously beautiful. He could be captured only by unfair means, and his single horn was said to neutralize poison.”
 
For the cross stitcher, there are plenty of opportunities to use imagination when stitching unicorns. You can add beads, metallic threads and charms to emphasize the glistening beauty of these creatures.

Here are a few tips for stitching a unicorn:

1. Consider stitching this white beast against a coloured background. Purples, reds and gold can produce a great contrast to this white beast.

2. You can be creative with the background too – perhaps adding some stars and abstract designs.

3. To make sure that the unicorn stands out from the background, use more attractive embellishments (beads, charms etc.) on the unicorn than on its background.

4. If you are stitching a unicorn design as a gift, consider placing the design on something that can be carried around by the recipient, to emphasize its protective qualities; a notebook cover, bookmark or spectacle-case.

Below, there is a picture of one of the designs that Patterns Patch members can freely download.

Happy Stitching!

Iona

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1. Consider buying fabric in bulk with friends and then sharing it between you. Fabric can be costly, especially if you buy it by the width, so sharing the cost of a bulk buy can prove to be economical.

2. Unless you have specific ideas for making cards, bookmarks etc., be wary of buying off-cuts at reduced prices. It can be tempting to choose a ‘bargain’ that you never use.

3. Check any material that you buy from shops carefully. Note any flaws. Some rustic materials such as linen have natural imperfections, and these can, where necessary, be covered by stitches. Inspect the material nevertheless.

4. Ensure that the material that you buy has no dirty marks, especially along the creases. (I once discovered a spilled coffee stain on some fabric that I bought.)

5. Ensure that the shop worker cuts your fabric carefully long the line of the thread. If she does not, you will have to pull a thread out and cut again to straighten it, which may waste material. Remember also that when you are cutting a large piece of fabric into smaller sections, to cut along a thread line – and to leave the selvedge (closed off) edge at the sides of the embroidery.

6. Beware of the temptation of buying attractively coloured fabrics. Bear in mind that the fabric is the background, and that your design should stand out from it. Dark fabrics can be more difficult to stitch on, and you may need to place a white piece of fabric or lap-light underneath the fabric, when you are stitching, in order to see what you are doing.

7. If the fabric that you buy has creases in it, don’t be put off from buying it. Just iron it carefully between damp towels to remove the creases before you begin stitching. Some stitchers recommend placing a piece of string underneath the crease and ironing on it in (under a towel) order to press out the crease.
 
Good luck with your fabric purchases, and do share any tips that you have with us.

Happy Stitching!

Iona

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Beads can be used as a sparkling substitute for French knots, so if you dislike this stitch, you could add a bead instead. The beads most often used in cross stitch and other embroidery stitches are seed beads, which can be used on both 14 and 28 count fabrics. Petite beads (glass) are better for finer counts (18 or 22). In some designs, bugle beads, which are tubular, may look great. Beware of using beads that are too large; the design may distort and the beads may pile on top of each other.

Here are some tips for using beads in your cross stitch designs:

1. Add the beads after completing all the other stitching. Otherwise, stitching thread can get caught on the beads.

2. The hole in the middle of a bead is tiny - so an ordinary needle can be too large to pass through it. Beading needles are useful here. They are long sharp needles. Another option is a size nine embroidery needle. This will pass through the eye of most beads and is shorter than a beading needle.

3. Use ordinary sewing thread to place the beads into the design, using a half stitch. Match the thread to the fabric colour. Polyester mixture threads are stronger than pure cotton.

4. Consider using a frame or hoop when using beads – to keep the fabric evenly taut.

5. Pick up the beads with a moist finger. Better still, use a bead nabber. This fits on your finger and has a small sticky pad that grabs the beads without leaving a residue. Keep your beads in small containers, and when in use, place them on a saucer for easy access.

6. If you need to wash your finished work, do this by hand very carefully, using warm water and a mild detergent. Rinse well and then roll in a towel to remove excess water; then place face down on a towel and allow to dry.

7. To iron your work, place the beaded side face down on two layers of thick towel - and press from the back, so as not to damage the beads.

8. If you decide to frame work with beads in it, ask the framer to insert spacers between the fabric and the glass; this will prevent beads from touching the glass or being distorted.

Do share with us any triumphs, tips – or cautionary advice – to others by adding your comments.

Happy Stitching!

Iona

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1. Beware of buying a kit or pattern… unless you are certain of what your friend wants. You may think, ‘She likes cats, so she’ll  surely like this cat picture.’ No! Sadly untrue. Most stitchers are very particular about the designs they stitch. After all, a large design can take many months to complete, and therefore a great investment of time. If your friend is a lover of traditional designs, and you give her a cute design, then that kit may well spend a long time at the back of a cupboard, producing guilty feelings too.

2. Don’t feel you have to spend a lot of money. Cross stitching is a relatively cheap hobby. It is wonderful to be told, ‘I saw this, and knew you would like it’. I recently received a present of a skein of thread. This was no cheapskate present. It was very thoughtful.  It was a skein of DMC’s new glow-in-the-dark thread, which looks white in the natural light and which, does as the name suggests. I shall use it in a design, among other white threads, making a secret message that is illuminated in the dark.

Now for the positive suggestions. Before listing some, I have to say that many stitchers will be happy to tell you of their needs. So try asking! If you are determined that a surprise gift is more appropriate, here are some general ideas:

1. Low cost luxuries. Stitchers love gold-plated needles. They glide through fabric more smoothly than their steel equivalents, and they do not leave rust marks. Thread Heaven is a wonderful substance that makes the threads silkier, and therefore easier to stitch. Scissor fobs are delightful adornments that helps stitchers find their scissors too. Needle-cases, pin-cushions, travel bags for projects, good quality embroidery scissors, beads and buttons, speciality threads, such as Light Effects or Metallics are always a treat.

2. Books. Rather than buying huge encyclopaedias of stitching, find out your friend’s favourite designer, then buy a book written by that person.

3. A daylight lamp for evening stitching. This can be used for reading or other hobbies too, so this is an important but relatively expensive buy. It may not be a good surprise present, as stitchers have their personal preferences about lights; you can even buy portable lamps to take around in a small bag. Do ask first!

4. A club or magazine subscription. There are numerous magazines available for cross stitchers as we know. Again, stitchers are choosy; some magazines focus on large designs, and others on small card-type projects. There are a few that explore all types of stitching interests. A membership of Patterns Patch will be appreciated too.
Do share with us the presents you have received or given that have been successful – or otherwise!

Happy Stitching!

Iona

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