My Favourite Cross Stitch Tips

Cross stitching is a very relaxing hobby. It's wonderful to see a pattern come to life as you complete each stitch and to show off your work when you are done. But while it may be easy to learn, there are some tricks and tips that can help you to make your cross stitching look the best it can! Here's some of my favourite tips:

1. Use magnets. They are a great way to keep track of your needles and ensure that you don't loose them in between thread changes. Plus, if you do drop your needle, just sweep the magnet over the area and it'll find your magnet for you!
2. Keep thread lengths short. It's easy for thread to become tangled, but if you use shorter lengths they won't tangle as often. Another added benefit is that the thread will look neater. That's because each time you pull the thread through the fabric, it starts to wear out. The less number of times that you pull it through the fabric, the less it'll wear out and the better it will look.
3. Use hoops or roll your fabric. The best way to remove creases from your fabric is by preventing them to begin with. The key is to not fold the fabric. You can use a hoop when stitching or roll the side up so that the fabric doesn't get any creases in it. Just make sure to remove the hoop when you have finished stitching for the day, otherwise the hoop will crease the fabric.
4. Use cold water. If your needlework does become dirty while you are working on it, simply pour some cold water and Ivory dishwashing liquid in a flat pan. Soak your needlework until the dirt comes off and then gently rinse it under cold water. Never scrub or wrinkle your needlework, otherwise you could damage it. Finally, lay the needlework out flat to allow it to dry.
   

I hope that you have found these tips useful. Please visit Beautiful Creations for more Cross Stitch Tips and Tricks. But before you go, leave a comment below to let me know what some of your favourite cross stitch tips and tricks are.

Making Gifts For Others

One of the things that I love about crafting is making gifts for other people. I love seeing their reaction. It's easy to buy something, but it takes a bit of effort to make something for someone.

I think the reaction I love the most is seeing the delight in their eyes when I give something that has been customized just for them.

For example, when my friend Vicki got married, she had a harpist play during the ceremony. She loved the music and given her musical background, this was very important to her. So, I designed a cross stitch wedding announcement that featured a harp. She loved it, especially the harp! Plus, the fact that she was so appreciative of it made my day!

I have cross stitched a lot of gifts over the years, including wedding announcements for friends and pictures for my mom. Not only do I love seeing their reaction, but I also love when I see my handiwork displayed in their house. I love it when I go to a friend's house and noticed that they have hung the wedding announcement I cross stitched for them up on the wall.

I especially love it when they show my cross stitching to others. My dad never really understood the whole cross stitch thing, until I had one framed for my mom and she hung it up. Now, whenever they have guests over, my dad proudly shows off my cross stitching! It's such a great feeling!

What things have you made for others and what was their reaction?

Creating A Cross Stitch Art Gallery

I have two walls in my house that are perfect for hanging up my cross stitch projects. They're perfect because they follow the staircase leading from the main floor to my second floor (so lots of wall space) and there are no windows (meaning no pesky direct sunlight to ruin the colours on the cross stitched pieces). So, I have purposely left those walls blank, just waiting for me to finish framing my cross stitch projects and hang them up.


Well, last week I finished framing two cross stitch projects. I put each one in a shadow box and hung them in a straight line. The cross stitch pieces look amazing in their frames and best of all, it looks like I have my very own art gallery in my house! I've decided that when I finish my current cross stitch project, I'll also frame it in a shadow box and hang it up on the other side. Then I'll really feel like I'm in an art gallery when I walk up the stairs.

In the past, I've used traditional picture frames for my cross stitch projects. But I always found that they were a bit of a pain. The frame never quite had enough room, especially if I had the cross stitching on a mounting board. But the shadow boxes had lots of room! Plus, the frame doesn't need to be fancy to have your work really stand out. With nothing else to distract people, the cross stitching is now the focus – just as it should be!

Please visit my website, Beautiful Creations, for more ideas on Framing Cross Stitch – where I show you ideas such as shadow boxes, hoops, pillows and much more!

Drawstring Bag Cross Stitch Project

A really easy cross stitch project to create is a drawstring bag. Not only is it beautiful, but it's practical. There are so many uses for a drawstring bag. You could fill it with potpourri, you could hang it on the wall, or you could use it to hold keepsakes or jewelry.

Here's how you can make your own drawstring bag:

1) First, determine the size that you want the drawstring bag to be. Then, pick a cross stitch pattern to stitch on the bag. Look for smaller patterns - they can go on the front of the bag or wrap around both sides.

2) Select the fabric to cross stitch on and cut to size. You will be stitching on one piece that will be folded in half, so it is important that you determine whether the pattern will go on the front only or wrap around to both the front and back. Once you have determined that, you can figure out how much fabric you will need. This is a great way to use up leftover scraps of aida fabric.

3) Once the aida cloth has been cut, go ahead and cross stitch the pattern as normal.

4) Prepare a drawstring for the top of the bag. You can buy one that is already made or you can create your own. To create your own, choose 3 colours of DMC floss - either colours that you used in the pattern or ones that compliment those colours. Braid the DMC floss together. Remember to use all 6 strands of DMC floss for each colour. The length of the floss should be twice as long as the fabric at the top of the drawstring bag, where the drawstring will be placed.

5) Now you are ready to attach the drawstring to the bag. Place the drawstring near the top of the bag on the wrong side. Turn the top of the bag over the braid and temporarily hold it in place with safety pins. Stitch the folded aida cloth in place by stitching little "x's" every few squares. If you like, try creating a pattern with your stitches.

6) The last step is to sew the drawstring bag together. First, fold the drawstring bag in half, with the wrong side showing out. The two sides should match up and the drawstring should be at the top. Starting from the top, backstitch the two sides together and continue until the bottom half is sew together. Be careful to leave about four to five squares on the outside of the stitch, so that the stitches won’t come loose and fall out. Once all the sides have been sewn together, except for the top of course, simply turn the bag inside out and you are done. It’s as simple as that!


If you liked this project, you can find more FREE Project Ideas on my website. Try them out and leave a comment on my blog - I'd love to hear from you!

How To Make Small Designs Larger

Free patterns are great, but sometimes they can be a little small. There are two ways that you can make the design bigger, without changing it.

The first way is to select an aida cloth with a smaller count. For example, if you switch from a 14 count aida cloth to an 11 count, your design will be instantly larger! A 5 x 7 design on 14 count now becomes 6 x 9 inches on 11 count.

The second way will make your design even larger. Keep the 14 count aida cloth, but instead of placing your stitch on one square, place it over 4 squares. Be sure not to stitch the middle hole, so that you don't change the look of the design. This method is similar to stitching on linen cloth. Now, your 5 x 7 design now becomes 10 x 14 inches. With no extra work on your part, your finished piece is now twice the size!

Happy stitching!