Calling All Cross Stitchers

[xstitcher]

I feel like I live on another planet. I only know two people who xstitch..one in the UK and the other in Canada..I am in Denmark.
I'd love to hear what you are working on and any tips....

At the moment I am working on a Christmas Calendar and it is filthy. I don't know how I have managed to get the fabric so dirty. When I am finished which hopefully will be in about 10 days I plan to give it a soak in soapy water and then put it in a washing bag and wash it at 40 degrees in my machine.

Any comments and advice on this would be welcome.

[Ratty2E]

Yes JJ it is usually worked on a canvas woven to make little squares over which you sew small crosses, hence the name. Sometimes it's called counted cross stitch as often the patterns you follow are on a grid with different symbols in the squares to indicate which colour to use and where. It really is very easy to learn, if you can sew on a button you can cross stitch.

[rowanwitch]

That rules JJ out then... I think she as a lady wot does that sort of thing for her....

[Ratty2E]

I think you've lost the point of a hobby if you get someone else to do it for you lol

[xstitcher]

There are some very good magazines out there giving you the basics of cross stitching in every edition. I thought that I had died and gone to heaven when I saw all the cross stitch mags in Tescos when visiting my daughter in the UK many years ago. I started to subscribe to one of them and from there found the different outlets where I could buy materials.

[xstitcher]

http://www.dawnsxstitch.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

Here is a good, relatively easy cross stitch site with patterns to download free. I used them a lot when I was starting up again after taking time out because of raising a family.

[xstitcher]

Hi, I'm still dwelling on the cleaning of this Christmas calendar when I get it down which should be soon. If the careful washing in 30 degrees doesn't work, do any of you have opinions of getting it dry cleaned????

[daffy654]

I used to cross stitch a lot but haven't done any for a while due to poor eyesight. I always loved the Mirabilia charts and Lavender and Lace.

Some of my finished and framed pictures:

http://i452.photobuck...llaneous/IMAG0008.jpg
http://i452.photobuck...llaneous/IMAG0009.jpg
http://i452.photobuck...G0061_zps2442e606.jpg

[fredkins]

Daffy they are really lovely,I have a framed lavender and lace one too called "Little Wings".

[fredkins]

I also have another on that is not finished called Nantucket rose,I love this range.

[xstitcher]

These are absolutly stunning daffy. How long would it take you to do one?

[xstitcher]

I just Googled your Nantucket Rose fredkins...gorgeous. There certainly is a lot of talent out there!!

[daffy654]

Thank you fredkins and xstitcher. I have many more that I haven't had framed due to the expense, I really should start saving up to get them done! lol

I think each one probably took between 3 weeks and 6 weeks depending on how much beading was on them. I wish I could still see well enough to do more as I miss my hobby.

[seekeerz]

I've placed an order with sewandso for the Dragonfly and wildflowers [ 70 - 4152] kit which should be here in a couple of weeks - I tried to find an outlet here in Oz but there doesn't seem to be one just now

Not a cheap excercise from the UK but never mind, i"ll enjoy it very much !!

[xstitcher]

You¨ll have to stitch slowly seekeerz lol. It is such a shame that it is getting harder to get supplies. My cousin in Canada is having the same problem. Those of us living up here in Europe should count ourselves lucky. It may take longer that 2 weeks to get to you. I count on 2 weeks for them to send my things from the UK to Denmark which is right around the corner compared to you. As long as you know that you can plan your ordering.

Daffy have you ever tried framing yourself. I do most of my small things myself, but the larger projects I send to a framer and you are so right, they don't come cheaply.

[xstitcher]

Hello All You Clever Stitchers.

Well I finished the Christmas Calendar and today washed it in the following way:

First I wet the bad spots and then sprayed on Vanish, worked it in with an old toothbrush and let it stand about 10 min.
I then put it in a wash bag, added green Vanish (which works at 30 dgr) and my regular washing detergent and gave it a 30 min wash at the 30 dgr.

I then put it at my lowest heat in the dryer and set it to iron dry.
I am very pleased to tell you that it came out as clean as the new driven snow and ironed out like a dream.

I will now added the rings. Since I fasten them with red ribbon which might
run I waited until after the washing.

[seekeerz]

Sounds great, x-stitcher and so glad all the washing tips helped and it came out so well

while I'm waiting for my package to arrive from the uk I'm trying my hand at hardanger ... chinese torture has nothing on this I knew I couldn't count before but with this there's no way you could fudge it !!

[xstitcher]

Oh wow seekeerz, I have never tried it mainly because most of it is white on white which my eyes don't like but I have done that type of stitching many years ago.
I am working on a Permin chart now 63-9260. It feels lovely in my hands after the bulkiness of the larger project I just finished. I'm doing the table runner for my daughter. I bought it for a ridiculously low price on eBay.
Do you use a hoop or just hold the fabric in your hand. I used to do it that way but tried the hoop about 3 years ago and like it much better. You have a much better outlook on what you are doing. Some say it's easier with the hoop to keep your stitches at the same tension but I haven't seen any difference there.
Please let me know how long is takes your order from sewandso to arrive...just curious...

[xstitcher]

If you want to look up what I am doing it is:

Permin of Copenhagen 63-9260

[seekeerz]

must admit to having some probs with white on white so I'm starting with a colour -not strictly traditional but few things are these days the lady teaching me doesn't use a hoop and I'm pretty hopeless with them too, but I do use a frame for my x-stitch - lovely little American one made of oak [ I'm spoilt !!]

my permin arrived today - I opted for express as we're going away soon and I didn't want it to go missing - post can be a bit erratic here, oh it's just gorgeous but I'm going to have to break out the strong glasses to work it

I just have to finish off about half a dozen other things before I can make a start !!

[xstitcher]

I'm really pleased to hear that it arrived so quickly. Before I had my cataract operations I used contact linses +2.50 with +3 glasses on top of them....Now I use +2 on one eye and +1.50 on the other, no linses and I only need them for serious reading and stitching.....a real miracle.

I have put aside the Christmas runner in order to do something for my little granddaughter's second birthday in Nov. If I don't get it finished, which I probably won't then she'll have it for Christmas.

I used to also have so many ½ finished things but I tidied all that up in 2011 and vowed never to do it again. Having just read that last sentence I shall finish the Christmas runner first.......!!