Julie Jackson, author, cross stitcher and creator of the Subversive Cross Stitch website and book is an inspiration to many crafty introverted types. She began her business as a form of anger management therapy, works at home and admittedly avoids unnecessary phone calls and social commitments. Cross stitching is very therapeutic, and her patterns are …
Innovative Ideas to Make Gifts of Art Out of Store-Bought Items Take something ordinary and make it extraordinary. Simply add a little embroidery. Embroidery doesn’t have to be done on particular canvases or pre-marked kit cloths. Any simple item can be personalized with a touch of embroidery. It makes one-of-a-kind items, and it gives gifts …
Tips for Cleaning and Removing Stains from Embroidery Fabric Although it’s frustrating to discover a stain on your hard-labored needlework, you can remove even stubborn stains if you know what works. Nothing is more frustrating to an embroiderer or cross stitcher than discovering that the piece they’ve labored on for months has been blemished with …
Wild and Wacky – ‘Stitch on Any and Every Surface’ This book is targeted at machine embroiderers who have embroidered on every surface they can think of and are wondering ‘what next’? Machine Embroidery – Wild and Wacky is not a typical machine embroidery book. The authors take the theme of finding new things to …
These Popular Designs Offer Creative Opportunities to Embroiderers Freestanding machine embroidery designs have been cleverly created to give lacy openwork patterns that do not require fabric and can be used in a variety of ways. Freestanding machine embroidery patterns, (also known as freestanding lace) offer the machine embroiderer the opportunity to get especially creative. As …
A Look at the Classic Way to Personalize Just About Anything The art of monogramming has been around for centuries, and today’s use is as much about personal expression as it is about identification. It is a popular design element for wedding decorations, for personal stationary, and for jazzing up plain towels. It can be …
Create a Customized Needlework Pattern Here is a way to take your favorite verse and create a cross-stitch pattern of your very own. Designing Your Own Cross-Stitch Pattern Materials Needed: Tracing Paper Computer Printer Printer Paper Cross-stitch fabric Pencil Find the verse you would like to cross-stitch. You can look online if you don’t …
Simple and Low-Cost Stitching Projects for Giving You don’t have to spend months stitching a gift for someone. Here are some suggestions for cross stitching a gift when you get an unexpected announcement. Spring is the time of year when it’s common to find an unexpected graduation announcement, First Communion invitation or other special event …
Tips for Coloring Embroidery Canvases You don’t need to buy specially colored fabric for your cross stitch and embroidery projects. Why not dye your own canvases? Unless you live near a needlework shop, chances are you’re limited to only white cross stitch fabric. It’s not hard to dye your own cross stitch fabrics. Of course, …
How to Stitch Using Different Tools and Methods While some cross-stitchers prefer to use an embroidery stretcher frame or hoop, others use nothing. To find out what goes well for you, try different tools and methods. The tools and methods being used to cross stitching are different. Remember this; what works for one stitcher, may …
Tips for Finding and Selecting Stitching Designs Cross stitching is a popular hobby where much time is spent looking for patterns. Here are some tips for finding and selecting charts. Along with stitching, selecting cross stitch patterns is a major part of cross stitching. When you first start stitching, it can be confusing if you …
Create A Free-Style Stitched Pendant Using Encrusted Embroidery An easy-peasy project that could be done in a weekend or two, using leftover beading materials from previous projects and a unique button from Grandma’s button box. Who doesn’t need new or extra jewelry? Though there are a lot of choices from a brick-and-mortar or online store, …
Design Considerations, Stabilizer Choices, and Hooping Techniques With the right hooping and stabilizing techniques and the right design choice for a particular fabric, even a novice can achieve professional embroidery results. Although machine embroidery appears fairly straightforward – the machine does most of the work – it is important to realize that proper hooping and …
Considerations for Machine Embroidery on Jersey and Interlock Fabric Machine embroidery is an excellent way to embellish and personalize t-shirts but the thin stretchy fabric requires extra care to achieve professional-looking results. For adults and children around the world, t-shirts are a summertime wardrobe staple. Machine embroidery is a fun way to personalize plain shirts, …
The Symbolic Meanings of Flowers in Old China Everyone loves flowers, but in China, their love goes beyond beauty. Flowers have symbolic meanings to ward off bad luck and promote success and good fortune. In centuries past, when most people lived off the land, life was hard. Many died young, believed to be victims of …
Embroider by Machine Without an Embroidery Sewing Machine Sewing a monogram, name, simple logo, or picture is possible on a home machine. While costly embroidery machine sewing is faster, it’s limited in size and design options. For the home sewer, spending a lot of money on an embroidery sewing machine or an embroidery service to …
Learn When to Use Cotton, Linen, Paper, Plastic Canvas, Waste Canvas Cross-stitchers can choose from a wide variety of different fabrics, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Here’s a beginner’s guide to the available options. Counted cross-stitchers use special fabrics that are woven specifically to make counting stitches easier. These fabrics are also known …
Learn the Basics of Patterns, Fabric, Needles, Threads, and Hoops Cross stitch embroidery is fun, easy to learn, and portable. To get started with cross stitch, all you need is a few inexpensive supplies. The simplicity of cross stitch embroidery means you can take your stitching with you wherever you go and work on it …
Seven Different Types of Needlepoint Fabrics and When to Use Them Learn about the different types of canvas available for needlepointing: mono, interlock, penelope, rug, plastic, waste, and gauze canvas. Canvas is always the base fabric for needlepoint embroidery, which makes the end result stiffer and more durable than forms of embroidery like cross stitch, …
Learn to Choose the Right Needlepoint Yarn for any Project Needlepoint yarns and threads come in a wide variety of fibers, colors, textures, and weights. This basic guide describes the different options and when to use them. The vast assortment of different yarns and threads available today can be confusing. Which ones work best for …
