Cross Stitching Revival

[bk_forever]

After more than 18 months, I'm finally cross stitching again, it's such a pleasure to make something! Thought I'd share the finished results here - it will be nice to have a permanent record of what I've stitched as these are all destined to become birthday and Christmas cards.



First up - these two quickies are for my aunt and uncle's birthdays this year - like to do them matching designs, but I didn't get anything done last year. They're both in their 80s, so I can't afford to miss another year.






























These are the first three of a set of six that I call Tartan Santas. The designs are brilliant and I might do a second set using different colours.



Star Santa - I really love the shape!





Tentacle Santa - how very Torchwood!

I love the Tartan background on this one and already have plans to use it as a background for some other small designs.





























Chubby Sorceror Santa. He just reminds me of a wizard! I made a lot of mistakes on this one. No one else would no to look at it, but I know they're there so I'm not really happy with this one.

The three Santas are all stitched on 18 count fabric using one strand of thread, while the poppies are stitched on 14 count with two strands. To be honest, I prefer stitching on the higher counts (18, 20 or even 22 count) as I stitch better with one strand. I get in a tangle when I use two!

Comments

[mamaduck46.livejournal.com]

Love your Santas. I haven't worked on my cross-stitch for 2 1/2 years, and I have a BAP from Heaven and Earth Designs that really needs to be done.

[bk_forever]

Thanks! There are three more santas to stitch and I've already started the next one =)

I hope you manage to get back to your stitching, it's such a relaxing and satisying hobby. I hadn't realised just how much I'd missed it until I finally got to a point where I could get back to it again. I can only do small projects at the moment though - my big kits, frames and stitching stands are all still in storage until we can get the house redecorated following massive renovations, including complete rewiring.

[sassysailorgirl.livejournal.com]

How cute! Is cross stitching difficult? I used to embroider, so maybe I could figure it out ;p

[bk_forever]

It's not difficult at all really - the holes are already there, you just have to follow a chart, one little cross for each square on the chart. Just make sure all your stitches cross the same way and be careful your thread doesn't get twisted or knotted.

Most people start with 14 count Aida fabric, which means 14 holes per inch, and use two strands of floss.

There are some great designs out there. From what I've read from other cross stitchers around the world though, they seem to prefer the British magazines to American ones. Not sure why. Then again, I've only got one American cross stitch magazine, so I can't compare!

It's a great hobby though - I can't draw or paint, but I can create pretty pictures with a needle and thread =)

[analineblue.livejournal.com]

Aww, those all look great! I used to cross stitch, WAY back when, and this makes me totally nostalgic~ <3

[bk_forever]

=D Nostalgia is good!

I've only been stitching a few years but I'm completely hooked. Best thing I ever stitched was one of the Flower Fairy designs, the Holly Fairy, which I stitched for Mum's Christmas card one year on off white 22 count Hardanger fabric with one strand of thread. The colours used in the fairy's wings were so similar to each other and to the background fabric that I could only stitch it for a couple of hours each morning when the light was right so I could see what I was doing!

[analineblue.livejournal.com]

Aww, that sounds really awesome! I love flower fairies, too~ I have a bunch of Christmas ornaments that are different fairies that my mom bought me a while back. ;)

[bk_forever]

Mum and I both love them, and when I saw the Holly Fairy chart, I thought it would be great as her Christmas card, but it was so big! Hence the 22 count fabric. It wasn't ideal as it was rather loose weave and if I pulled the stitches slightly too tight they vanished under the crossweave, but I was so pleased with the finished result. I took photos, so if I ever find where I stored them, I'll post a picture. The fabric is lovely and soft to work on, but iron-on vylene is the key to using it for cross stitch, though it means having to use a sharp needle. Which reminds me - I just got some more of the fabric, so now I need some more vylene! o_O

[debmommy22.livejournal.com]

Oh I thought you just posted this on DW. Like I said over there, I love the first two for your aunt and uncle. The flowers are so pretty and you do such good work. They are really beautiful. :D I like the santa's too. I think making things for others is much nicer than going out and buying stuff because it comes from your heart. I can't make anything so I end up buying junk. lol!

Thanks for showing them to us. :)

[bk_forever]

=D Thank you!

I posted to both journals, but it was a nightmare trying to arrange the pictures and writing - my first attemp had massive blank spaces between the pictures, I had to start again on LJ. The Dreamwidth one went slightly wonky with two of the pics nearly smooshed together - don't know how that happened - I left a space between them!

I love stitching flowers, and I love the themed alphabets that are in a lot of my stitching magazines. They make quick, personal little cards for birthdays!

[daniforblue.livejournal.com]

Great work. I could never do this. I don´t have the patience and the skill.

[bk_forever]

Thanks =)

It's easier than it looks! I'm not the most patient person, but I find stitching relaxing, even though it takes hours to stitch each one. I think it takes about 12 hours for each santa, spread out over 4 or 5 days, but the two flower ones took about 2 to 3 hours each.

I've always been useless at sewing, but cross stitch is different, the holes are already there and evenly spaced, so I just have to follow the pattern!

[too-beauty.livejournal.com]

wow very neat and beautiful work! my mum does those things too, unfortunately my hands are only good with pens =S

looking forward to seeing the second set of Santas!

[bk_forever]

Thank you! Cross stitch is the only kind of sewing I can do neatly, lol!

I'm working on the fourth one, then there are just two more to go, one of which I've already stitched once; I sent it to my long-time penfriend a couple of years ago, but I'm going to stitch it again so that I have a full set ready for Christmas! I'll need to stitch lots more Christmas cards though, because I seem to have lost all the ones I've already stitched. I think they might have accidentally been put in storage while the house renovations were being done.

[magikalrhiannon.livejournal.com]

AWESOME!! I love x stitching!! :D

[bk_forever]

So do I! *hugs*

I'm so glad I'm getting back into it now - I couldn't motivate myself to da anything over winter, I get the winter blues, aka SAD, rather badly sometimes, but I'm happily stitching again now so I hope that will continue!

[alligator138.livejournal.com]

They're lovely! Especially your Santas! And I love all the colours. Great work!

Edits - And your cows are sweet too!

[bk_forever]

Thanks! I love that the colours for these designs are that little bit different - Santa in bright pink! Very modern =)

Lol, the cows are the reason I've stayed with this layout longer than any other, they always make me smile!