Home Page
   Articles
       links
About Us    
Traders        
Recipes            
Latest Articles
cross stitch
Page 1, 2, 3  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> Make Your Own/DIY
Author 
 Message
Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 05 11:13 am    Post subject: cross stitch Reply with quote
    

wellington womble wrote:
Bugs, I can do cross stitch, therefore you can. It's easy, you just follow the map and put a coloured cross on each square with the right symbol on (Just like painting by numbers, but with pictures, so its even easier) the holes are already in the fabric, so you sew with a darning needle (you can't even prick yourself!)


Listen to this womble, she spouts sense (sometimes ).

I haven't managed to fully solve the christening present conundrum but I did manage my first ever successful needlework project, from a little kit I bought...a letter E with little vine leaves going up and down it...the kit had the cloth, a needle, and thread, plus a map for all the letters of the alphabet and directions for how to do it, and I put the letter in the front of a frame type card, and am chuffed to bits with myself for completing something. Something a three year old could do, true, but that's not the point. I meant to take a picture because I'm so pleased with it...

Anyway, the conclusion is, cross stitch - good. Don't worry though, I'm not going to be churning out teddy bear photos for you all to admire

wellington womble



Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands
PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 05 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    


sean
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon
PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 05 5:50 pm    Post subject: Re: cross stitch Reply with quote
    

Bugs wrote:
Don't worry though, I'm not going to be churning out teddy bear photos for you all to admire


You say this now, but once you're in the bungalow with the cats who knows what will happen?

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 05 6:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Above our computer desk is a framed cross stiched unicorn; sounds kind of tacky, but it's really well done and a lovely bit of work. Done by a friend of ours a few years ago as a gift, and it was (and is) much appreciated.

If you get the knack of crossstitching, it's a great way of making presents, but it doesn't work out cheap or fast!

wellington womble



Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands
PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 05 9:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It does take absolutley forever, and then your into 'well now what do I do with it' territory. Little cards are nice, I think, but my row of cartoon owls, which I started last July, and doesn't look like getting finished before the next one, is going to hang on the wall. I've got a lovely sunflower one for my mum, but I think it's going to be xmas 2006 before she gets it.

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 05 9:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I liked doing this one as it was such a small simple thing that I did it in a couple of evenings and a lunchtime, and I hope that perhaps the card could make a nice bookmark or something rather than taking up useless space. I don't really see myself doing larger projects but it could be nice for personalising cards and some presents.

Sean...we already have the bungalow...perhaps its a slippier slope than I thought

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 05 9:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I do the little kits if I'm travelling but won't have enough room / arms to take any quilting with me. I only ever do the little card-sized ones, though, to avoid the "what to do with it when I've finished" conundrum and because my counting seems to go to pot with the larger ones.

On a frugal note, I find that if I'm really careful, they usually come with enough thread to make a second copy of the design.

nora



Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Posts: 1539
Location: West Yorkshire
PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 05 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I started like that, doing little cards but be careful Bugs, you can get carried away like i've done. I've sewn a labyrinth that I have made into a cushion so i can trace the path with my finger. I got inspired after visiting Julians Bower turf labyrinth (near Hull) so thought i'd have a go at sewing one and here it is:took ages to make though

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 05 12:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I'm not surprised it took ages ... that's most impressive Nora, how much patience you must have. I'd better be careful...though as Judith says I still have quite a bit of spare thread left over...

nora



Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Posts: 1539
Location: West Yorkshire
PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 05 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

My problem is that I spend a lot of time waiting for 2 teenage sons to arrive home at all hours, so rather than go mad, I sewed that for something constructive to do. It was easy to do as its all one colour and nice straight lines too. They and their friends now sit around tracing the pattern out with their fingers-i'm glad I made it in dark colours as I don't know if its possible to wash cross-stitch work.

mochyn



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales
PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 05 2:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Nora: wahability depends on how colour-fast the thread is. If you have any left over try damping it and then squeezing between white cloth or paper. If no colour comes out, then wash the finished piece in luke-warm water, by hand, sort of squashing it up and down in the water with the gentlest soap you can find, such as Ecover hand-wash liquid.

Dry it flat, away from direct sunlight and then press with a warm (not hot) iron under a cloth.

If I have a second I'll try to post the pin cushion I've just made for the Pincushion class at a local show: just a remnant of cloth and thread remnants, so no cost! The backing is a scrap of corduroy from something else, and the stuffing is off-cuts of fleece form the washable menstrual pad idea! Da-daaa: cross stitch can be as cheap as you like!

Look out for endsd of thread and cloth in Oxfam-type shops: if I se any, I buy them. Much cheaper than buying new every time, and as I do my own designs I don't need specific shade numbers.

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales
PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 05 3:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Making pin cushions, lavender bags or needle cases out of the tiny kits is a good way to use them up in a practical way- nice thing to do with an xstitched card ifyou ever get given one too. I made a couple of wardrobe sachets over the years with the sewn part of cards people have given me and its a nice reminder when you get that particular garment out of the wardrobe.

Somewhere I have a bagfull of the little kits that came off sewing magazines, I worked in a craft shop for a while and every now and then the reps would give us freebies of the leftovers. Mostly teddies and similar small motifs- but any use to anyone if I can dig them out? I think there are some thread sorting cards too somewhere. I'll never get round to doing them as kits, and I have threads and fabric by the mile already if I feel the urge to do any random embroidery. (prefer freehand enbroidery myself)

nora



Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Posts: 1539
Location: West Yorkshire
PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 05 7:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thanks mochyn, I have got some of the thread left and a bit of the fabric so i'll try that.

wellington womble



Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands
PostPosted: Wed Jul 27, 05 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Bookmarks are a nice idea - one can never have too many bookmarks! Suitabley managable as well! My counting went totally to pot, but I don't think anyone will actually notice! Unless one of the owls turns out to have two beaks. If I ever get it finished (doing the unecessarily fiddly border at the moment!) I'll ressurect this thread and try (yet again!) to post a photo!

Róisín



Joined: 30 Jul 2005
Posts: 578

PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 05 9:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Nora, just wanted to compliment you on that fabulous cushion. I worked in a fabric and craft shop for ages and really appreciate what you did. I think you must be sick of those colours at this stage now!

Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> Make Your Own/DIY All times are GMT
Page 1, 2, 3  Next
Page 1 of 3
View Latest Posts View Latest Posts

 

Archive
Powered by php-BB © 2001, 2005 php-BB Group
Style by marsjupiter.com, released under GNU (GNU/GPL) license.
Copyright © 2004 marsjupiter.com