I recently received a lovely email from Linda:
You’ve mentioned your cross stitch projects on the site before, but I wondered (since we’re going into high crafting season) if maybe you could do a general post about it? Because I have questions and they are pretty basic. I’ve done cross stitch here and there over the years, always from a kit, usually bought at a craft store but I’m working on a very small project now that I got on Etsy.
Here are the questions I’m running into:
- Where can I get an embroidery hoop that works well with cross stitch fabric and doesn’t need to be adjusted every 10 seconds?
- Where’s a good place to buy cross stitch kits? (Or, where are your favorite sources?)
- How does it work when you buy just a pattern? I keep seeing that for designs I like, but then where/how do I buy the fabric and all the floss?
- When you buy the pattern does it tell you what colors they used?
- And is it just regular embroidery floss? And then where do you buy that?
Normally I’m all knitting all the time, but I’m having some issues with my wrists, plus cross stitch makes pictures and that is super fun!
I know this is slightly off topic, but not really since I was listening to your podcast while cross stitching earlier and remembered that you’ve talked a little about it before. As always, thank you so much for an informative, entertaining, and enlightening podcast and website that I’m very happy to support every month!
As I said to Linda, I am delighted to answer cross stitch questions. I really like cross stitching quite a bit, and with all the subversive and terrific kits and patterns, I’d be delighted to help you stab things with needles over and over and over. It’s very satisfying, and the results can be even more delightful.
As one of my favorite cross stitchers on Instagram, BadAssCrossStitch, said:
Just as Elyse has her love of knitting, I love cross stitch.
Beginner Instructions
Let me start with basic instructions, as I have a few resources to share.
I learned to cross stitch from a Subversive Cross Stitch kit, which came with a hoop, Aida (that’s the cloth you stitch on), floss, needles, and a pattern with instructions. Her kits are around $20, and that was everything I needed to get started on my first project, which was a gift for a co-worker who had been diagnosed with cancer. From there I went on to “Fuck Off I’m Reading” bookmarks, and haven’t looked back.
The process of cross stitching is really pretty simple. You’re making an X with embroidery floss. But much like knitting, the variables within “make an X with floss” mean that you can create some truly stunning stitchy art. Subversive Cross Stitch has a page of links and animated images illustrating the different stitches.
I learned to knit using a children’s book, which I still have, though I don’t knit very much. It’s called Kids Knitting, and it was very, very helpful. So I also want to recommend a craft book that’s aimed at children, but would very likely be a great asset to someone learning to cross stitch.
SBTB commenter EC Spurlock wrote I Can Cross Stitch, and sent me a copy a few years ago when it was released. It is a perfect learning guide, I think: there are photographs with cross stitches, half and quarter stitches, back stitching, and how to finish a thread, too. Then there are patterns of different sizes (including a beautiful alphabet pattern I really like) and project ideas, too.
So if you’re looking to learn, I recommend a kit that includes all you need, and I Can Cross Stitch, which takes you through the process step by step.
Buying Kits, Patterns, and Supplies
Linda asked:
- Where’s a good place to buy cross stitch kits? (Or, where are your favorite sources?)
There are so many excellent cross stitch kits, and so many excellent places to buy them. When I lived in Jersey, I lived near a truly magical store called The Edwardian Needle that carried every supply for needle crafters. But most craft stores such as JoAnn Fabrics and Michael’s carry cross stitching supplies. And of course, there are a lot of things you can buy.
As I mentioned, the first kit I purchased was from Subversive Cross Stitch, and I recommend them most vigorously. A kit includes the hoop, fabric, needle, and floss you need.
Other sources I like for all-in-one kits:
- Lindy Stitches on Etsy has a number of beginner kits for around $20.
- PyroDogPins on Etsy has a few kits that made me laugh. I snorted audibly at this one:
A search on Etsy for “beginner cross stitch kits” yields many, many options. I think a fun way to learn is to be motivated by a pattern that gives you a lot of joy. (For me, that involved patterns with curse words but I’m presuming no one is surprised by that.)
- How does it work when you buy just a pattern? I keep seeing that for designs I like, but then where/how do I buy the fabric and all the floss?
- When you buy the pattern does it tell you what colors they used?
Patterns are often sold as digital PDFs (one of my 2018 projects is to start developing all my cross stitch pattern ideas into PDF downloads, so stay tuned) but they will tell you that colors of embroidery floss to buy. There are a few major brands, such as DMC or Anchor, and most patterns will tell you the different numeric colors you need for those brands.
Each color has a number code, and the pattern will tell you what numbers to buy. My favorite DMC color is 666, which is a seriously vibrant, devilish red, and every time I use it, I grin like a doofus.
The good thing about embroidery thread or floss (or bad, depending on how you feel about an increasing collection of embroidery supplies) is that you don’t often use an entire skein in one project. So you’ll have leftovers (yay?).
A few words about Aida cloth.
As for buying the fabric, the pattern will also tell you what to buy. My local JoAnn’s has Aida cloth in pre-cut sizes and some fabric stores have bolts of it so you can stitch that wall-sized cross stitch tapestry you’ve always wanted.
Alas, Aida fabric shopping confuses the hell out of me every time because it has a count and a size, and that many numbers is a recipe for confused Sarah.
A pattern will tell you what size of cloth and what stitch count you need. For example, a pattern may call for “a 6″ x 6″ piece of 14-count Aida.” The most common stitch counts are 11, 14, 18, and 28, which tell you how many stitches can be made in one inch. The higher the count, the higher the number of stitches per inch, and most often the higher the level of detail in the finished piece. A pattern may also give you different stitch count options, and the resulting finished project size.
Fun trivia: speculation among stitchery historians is that the cloth was renamed as “Aida cloth” after Verdi’s opera.
- And is it just regular embroidery floss? And then where do you buy that?
Yup, regular embroidery floss, which is often cheap and often included in coupons. Most craft stores have floss, and there are a few online outlets, too, if you don’t have a crafting store near you.
Hoops!
I asked which type of hoop Linda was using, and she clarified:
I’m using a plastic hoop that I think came with my Sublime Stitching embroidery kit, but I also have one of those wooden ones that you find at craft stores (and seem rather cheap) hanging around somewhere.
I have a number of wood hoops from kits that I’ve purchased. For the giant, neverending cross stitch project I’m currently working on, I just upgraded from a circular hoop to a Q-Snap which I like a LOT better. A Q-Snap is made of plastic PVC pipes, which are lightweight and larger to hold in one hand.
If you’re seriously into cross stitching, you can find lap stands or even floor stands that scroll through your pattern, similar to what quilters might use.
I’ll continue this series with part 2 next week, where I’ll be talking about managing patterns on paper and (this rocked my life) on tablets or screens, and also about ways to organize your supplies.
What about you? Are you an avid cross stitcher who likes to stab things with needles, too? What suggestions do you have for Linda, and any other beginning stitchy bitches?
I’m actually currently in the process of stitching a stocking for my baby. It’s the first project I’ve done in years, but I’ve also been stitching for 2/3 of my life at this point so it wasn’t hard to pick up again, especially since it’s a relatively simple pattern that turns out to have whole stitches only.
DMC sells floss directly on their website for a pretty good price. And there are great online conversion tools if your pattern is written for the wrong brand for your collection. (Note: Anchor and DMC have totally different numbering for their colors. In addition, Dimensions kits use a unique numbering system of their own. A conversion chart will give you the nearest equivalent in each brand, but it may not be an exact match.)
I definitely recommend starting with kits, because they minimize how much leftover floss and Aida you’ll have if you decide cross stitch isn’t for you.
I like for patterns and Nordic Needle for supplies.
As you get more into it, you may want to think about cross-stitching on linen. It sounds intimidating but really isn’t and makes a beautiful picture. You don’t use a hoop with linen.
crap. I thought I got the links correct.
123stitch.com for patterns NordicNeedle.com for supplies.
I keep eying off scarlet quince patterns http://www.scarletquince.com
But my stash is too much to justify any more patterns…
I’m more into crewel embroidery. I was taught by my aunt as a girl and inherited the contents of her linen closet (and her aunt’s as well), but I am in the middle of a cross-stitch project right now.
If you want some embroidery porn of the more traditional type, check out Sajou. It’s breathtakingly expensive, but the quality and beauty of their material will make you cry when compared to what can be usually found. I also have a collection of silk and gold thread from India (the place where I got it is now defunct, alas), which makes me feel like a fine Regency lady, stitching away while waiting for my tea.
All these years, I’ve been fighting my urge to stab things (well, except that ragdoll blank on special occasions…), but in the event I turn my inner violence toward crafting, I would cut my teeth on this “barren field of fucks” project I’ve long envied on the internet:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/190604620/pattern-mature-behold-the-field-in-which
I’ve been into cross stitching for a while. The patterns that you purchase will have the stitches graphed out, usually with symbols for the different colors. I have some books – the most recent being Star Trek patterns – and sometimes get a cross stitch magazine for more patterns. I find it helpful to photocopy and enlarge the pattern as much as possible to make it easier to read (some of them are quite small). I also have a magnifying lamp, which makes it easier to see what I’m doing. Right now I’m working on a project that a friend requested – it says “Bitches Get Shit Done” … I really like stitching something like that and putting it in an ornate, formal frame.
I love the stabbing reference. I call knitting my need to go stab yarn. I’ve been needing to stab yarn a lot lately.
Oooh yay yay looong time reader, first time commenter because stitching!!!
Seconding Sarah’s Q-snap recommendation (they come in a few different sizes and the parts are interchangeable, so you can make a stitching frame that is the size you need for the project). I am developing a teensy bit of arthritis in my hands, and a Q-snap made stitching much more comfortable for me.
Kits are great options for beginners, as others have said. I found when I started stitching that the designs that made me go “ooooooh” tended to not be kits, and that is also completely OK, even if they aren’t “beginner” designs. Cross-stitching, at heart, is repetitive–you make an x, and then you make another one, and then you do that a whole bunch more times. There are variations on that theme (specialty stitches! Beading! Drawn thread work!) but instructions are plentiful, in both written and YouTube form. Designs that you love are much more likely to get finished!
If you have an LNS (local needlework shop), please support them if you can. They are fantastic resources and the people there are usually very helpful and knowledgeable. Sadly, many of them struggle to stay in business. My LNS closed last year, so now I also second 123stitch.com because they have just about everything and they ship very quickly.
I could go on for ages, but my last recommendation: if you want to see what other stitchers are working on, learn about designers and threads, or just see what’s up with other people who love to stitch, search “Flosstube” on YouTube. (Full disclaimer: my videos are out there too, though I haven’t made one in a long while)
My first suggestion is, of course, a local needlework store, if one’s available. Sadly, many of these specialty stores are going out of business, but they can’t be beat for hands-on assistance and ideas. Barring that, there are a lot of resources on the Internet that you can find just by poking around.
For US customers, I second MirandaB’s Nordic Needle and 123stitch recs and add the following:
The Silver Needle:
http://cloudwww.thesilverneedle.com
Mary Jane’s:
https://www.maryjanes.com
Herrschners:
https://www.herrschners.com
I was bereft when the folks at Wyndham Needleworks retired to concentrate on cat rescue, although I think that’s a pretty great retirement project.
(Sarah, there are still some great stores in the DC area, such as In Stitches in Alexandria, VA, and The Stitching Post in Catonsville, MD.)
@Jess: Hi, Jess! Thank you for commenting! Want to hear something superbly silly? For the longest time, when I saw the “Flosstube” hashtag on Instagram, I thought it was about the Q-Snap because…it’s made of tubes. And I was all, “what a funny nickname for the Q-Snap.” When I figured it out, I laughed at myself for a solid minute.
@Susan: OOOH LOCAL STORES. Thank you!! At my formerly-local store in NJ, one day there were a bunch of women doing silk ribbon work and I stood there so rudely watching them work the ribbons into twists that became hats and flowers. I will have to make the trip to visit these very soon. (Or better yet, request gift cards for the holidays, mwahahahahaaaa.)
Oh, and I’ll also add The Stitchery for kits:
https://m.stitchery.com
I’ve been doing counted cross stitch since I was about 5 years old, which equals over 3 decades now (yikes!).
Definitely start with kits. Etsy, SubversiveCrossStitch.com, 123stitch.com, badasscrossstitch.com, and longdogsampler.com, are just a few of my “go-to” options.
Aida cloth or evenweave is best for beginners, as the squares are evenly spaced and the fabric has some stiffness. The higher the “count” the smaller the squares. 14 or 18 count is the most common.
DMC floss is generally considered to be the best, as it’s colorfast and available worldwide.
Q-Snap frames are THE BEST. Although I do have a range of hoops. If you want a hoop, do NOT get the plastic ones as the fabric tends to slip a bit more since the surface is smooth. Wood or bamboo are better about gripping the fabric.
Once you get started, you’ll discover the lovely world of needleminders, thimbles, fancy needles, even fancier scissors, needle threaders, thread conditioner (Thread Magic), whether french knots are the tool of the devil or not, and the nightmare that is metallic floss.
There are also several different Facebook groups. https://www.facebook.com/groups/WTFYWXS/ (warning, contains cursing, frequently NSFW) and https://www.facebook.com/groups/1769338590006667/ (Snarky) are just two options.
There’s also a guild that has some good tutorials: https://www.thecrossstitchguild.com/cross-stitch-basics.aspx
I’d never thought of stabbing something 3000 times. It sounds oddly pleasant today. Thanks!
that tidbit about the aida cloth being named after the opera made my day!
@Roan: Me, too! I’m glad I’m not the only one who was delighted to learn that odd fact.
If you are social and like to join groups, there might be a chapter of the Embroiderers Guild of America near you – EGA defines embroidery as any technique you do using a needle with an eye, so includes cross-stitch, crewel, needlepoint/canvaswork etc.
In addition to all the resources already mentioned (I’m a big fan of Nordic Needle), check your local library for books on cross-stitch. I know my library’s a bit more current on knitting books than stitching, but most cross-stitch books – no matter how dated the designs – have an intro section.
My local Barnes & Noble carries a number of cross-stitch magazines, if you have a B&N near you.
Newbie question – what is the difference between embroidery and cross stitch?? Is cross stitch a type of embroidery with a focus on one stitch? Or do they have different kinds of patterns they can handle? Looking at Google images it seems like there’s a definite aesthetic difference – where does that come from?
I first learned cross stitching when I was about 5, when my mom got me a little Noah’s Ark kit to shut me up on a long car trip. I hadn’t done it since middle school, but I got back into it a couple months ago when I stumbled upon the subversive cross stitch trend. It perfectly combines my love of feminine accomplishments and swearing, so of course I was hooked.
I’ll second the above recommendations about starting with kits and supporting local shops if possible, although once you’ve done one or two, it’s not a huge leap at all to move to just buying patterns and needed floss. I’ve found Etsy to be a great source for some really entertaining and creative patterns; I’m working on this one right now for an expecting friend: https://www.etsy.com/listing/150628360/pattern-mature-go-the-f-ck-to-sleep-baby?ref=shop_home_active_31
I even made a simple pattern of my own recently; I just used MS Paint, zoomed way in and showing the gridlines, one pixel = one stitch. Once I had it how I wanted it, I took a screenshot and printed – bam, pattern. (I’m sure there’s probably dedicated software or some other way out there to do this properly, but it was quick and it worked for my purposes haha)
I love doing cross stitch! I haven’t done one in years, but I’ve done many in my lifetime. I’ve always done kits since they’re so convenient.
I have a scrolling frame similar to that floor stand (but without the stand) from 20+ years ago that you have to sew the fabric to the bars, but I think new ones might use other methods of holding the fabric. They’re great for larger projects.
One tip Is that you want all of your full cross stitches to go in the same direction. Sometimes the instructions specifically tell you to do the bottom stitch in a certain direction / and the top stitch in the other direction \ to make the X. Just make sure that you are consistent. I always look at my first major project and sigh because there is an area where there is a mishmash of XXXXs with some crossed / on top and some crossed \ on top.
Also, if you are doing a project with a pattern on a large piece of paper that is folded, and the folds are in the pattern, try reinforcing the folds with clear tape before you start. If you are going to be using that pattern for weeks/months/years(!) it is likely that those folds will become worn.
Another tip: if stitches of light colored thread will be adjacent to stitches of dark colored thread, try to do the light colors first because stitching next to dark colored stitches can often pull fibers from the dark stitches into the adjacent stitches.
In the far long ago when I was learning embroidery the first stitch I was taught is the cross stitch, on gingham fabric. I was instructed to place all the cross stitches / of each color going in one direction and then come back and complete each x stitching in the opposite direction. Which meant a lot of seriously boring (to kid me) diagonal stitching. Is that how these beautiful cross stitch are done? Or is each x made and completed before going on to the next?
Thanks to the Bitchery for asking and so thoroughly answering this question! I’ve been a knitter for a long while and a newer but getting better crocheter, but have been eyeing cross stitch this year. I haven’t made the jump yet, but I got a few books (including subversive cross stitch) and a kit on sale at Barnes and noble. Thanks for the encouragement and links to feed my crafting habit!
Thank you for the plug for my book, Sarah! Annie’s did a great job with the text and instructions so it is a good starter. Also Dimensions and Janlynn do a lot of small, ornament size kits that come with everything you need including a small hoop, which you can leave the piece in when it’s done and just hang it up, hoop and all. These are great for beginning stitchers because they are small and quick to do so instant gratification, and they can be found in most craft stores as well as some big-box retailers like WalMart and online.
Another thing I recommend for beginners is to stick with the 14ct Aida for visibility, or better yet try perforated paper. The holes in the paper are easier to see then in fabric, plus you can tell when your tension is too tight because the paper will curl up. Bonus: you can just cut the designs out after you’re done, no finishing required. Great for ornaments, bookmarks, or I’ve even made brooches with it. Ask for it at craft stores or order online from Darice or Wichelt.
Now a pro tip: We in the industry tell our model stitchers NEVER USE A HOOP. The reason for this is that the marks and folds from the hoop are almost impossible to get out of the finished piece, and it will also distort your piece with all the stretching and can snag stitches and pull them loose. Most quality stitching fabric will have enough sizing in it that it will stay relatively stiff on its own. The ideal is to roll the extra fabric into your non-stitching hand, back to front so the oils from your hand will be on the back of the fabric. (I recently stitched a four-foot-long piece this way, so it’s not impossible to do a large piece without support.) If for various reasons you do need that support, your best bet is a Q-Snap frame or tapestry frame with rollers. The roundness prevents creasing while stretching the fabric more evenly so it doesn’t distort. (Again, roll the fabric back to front in the frame.)
@#18 Melanie – cross stitch is mostly predicated on the eponymous stitch, which is like a little X that covers a specified number of threads on an evenweave fabric. It’s like making a little thread mosaic. Embroidery is more freehand and less structured, and uses a wider variety of stitches, threads and fabrics. Embroidery does require a hoop to stabilize the fabric, and also a pointed needle to pierce the fabric; cross stitch needles, also referred to as tapestry needles, do not have a point so that you are going between the fabric threads and not splitting them.
For those who want to make their own patterns, the easiest way is using grid paper like kids use for math. The best kind is the 8-to-the-inch grid you can get at printers who specialize in architectural blueprints; it is translucent and takes colored pencil well. You can also use Adobe Acrobat or Photoshop, just turn on the “View Grid” feature.
I have some easy free patterns in my DA gallery that you are welcome to use NevaSirenda.deviantart.com (I used to do one a month but haven’t done many this year because life went to hell in a handbasket in June and hasn’t let up since.) I have also started uploading some original patterns in my Etsy shop, mostly geeky wedding and birth samplers. (Harry Potter and Dr Who up now, Star Wars coming soon.)
@LML: Really, it depends. If there’s a whole bunch of stitches of the same color and it makes sense in terms of efficiency, I’ll stitch one row of / then go back over them all with the \ stitch. But the pattern I’m working on now is a handful of colors scattered all over the place so I make a complete stitch before I move on.
Also I can’t imagine learning to stitch on gingham. Wow! My eyes would have rebelled!
@Melanie: Embroidery is, in my brain anyway, decorating cloth with thread – so there’s cross stitch, needle point, crewel work, ribbon and silk work, etc. Lots of ways to embellish fabric with stuff! Needlepoint is usually one slash stitch (like this /) while cross stitch is a cross or “X” stitch. Within each form of embroidery there are lots of techniques. For example, within cross stitch, there is the X stitch, or a quarter stitch, half stitch, and French knots and backstitching, on and on. The more advanced patterns contain (in my experience) more advanced types and varieties of stitching. (And if I’m wrong, please please feel free to correct me!)
I just got back into cross-stitching and am working on Christmas presents. What excellent timing!
Hi Sarah! thank you for the wonderful post. I’m normally a quilter but have cross-stitched a few pieces.
My question is what do I do with it once I’m done?
do you usually just leave it in the hoop or frame it?
one time I had a pillow made for a gift at a local shop but it was SO expensive.
do you have any suggestions (like bookmarks) for things to cross stitch that you can use?
Love,
Fitzwilliam Waffles (and his second mom Leah)
A couple of points: I tend to do a complete cross stitch at a time, since the design starts taking shape earlier. I’ll do a bunch of the first diagonal if I’m going to have to go back to one point and do stitches in a different direction (as in, I did some “T”s in my current project and I’d do half the crossbar up to the middle, then start the first diagonals to the end of the crossbar, turn around and do the second diagonals until I got back to the center and then did the vertical stroke. You also need to do a complete stitch as you go along if you’re using either gradiated (is that a word? I mean the floss that shades from one color to another, or from light to dark and back again in one color) or hand-dyed floss.
For frames, I spotted some brass tacks in the Herrschners catalogue – saves having to stitch fabric into a frame (which I hate – I want to get to the decorative stitches ASAP).
And, if you want to start off with what may be the easiest, there are plastic open grids that are, I think, seven stitches per inch. Easy on the eyes and a lot less intimidating than the smaller/higher count fabrics.
This is super helpful! I’ve been wanting to get back into cross stitch. I remember really enjoying it when I was in high school…and my 20 year reunion is next year so I definitely need to refresh my memory. I’m so glad you wrote this post!
@FitzwilliamWaffles – there are many ways to finish cross stitch designs, and a lot of them are no-sew or otherwise pretty quick and easy. If it makes sense, you can use a hoop as a frame. When I do that I’ll wrap the outside of the hoop with a coordinating ribbon to give it some interest. Then there are ornaments, flat folds, and bookmarks. I’ve also attached them to plaques and box tops. And then there’s framing, which is always an option. There are quite a few tutorials on blog posts and YouTube, just search “cross stitch finishing.” I still have a stack of finished pieces that I haven’t done anything with. Someday!
This post wants me to try out cross-stitching! Maybe I’ll get a kit to try out over Thanksgiving!
Yay! Cross Stitch! I sell my own designs on Etsy. I’ve been a stitcher for 30 or more years. It’s very relaxing. I find most of my supplies on 123 Stitch, but my local Michaels store has the basics: Aida, floss and hoops. I would also recommend a good lamp if newbies stick with cross stitch.
I usually use a bamboo hoop or my wooden frame for big projects. I’ve tried the Q-snap and just don’t like it. I think you have to try it all before you know what you like!
I’m glad you wrote a post on this hobby. I’ve read the knitting posts and although I’m getting more into knitting, cross stitch was my “gateway” craft.
@Dear Mr. Waffles: Thank you for asking! Usually I take pieces I’ve finished and put them in a small inexpensive hoop. The one major piece I did, I spent the money for a nice framing job, and I am so happy that I did, even though it was, like you said, expensive. I have stitched a few small pieces and mounting them with a small hoop with a piece of fabric behind the aida so it puffs forward a little worked very well. Cheers to you & Leah!
Perhaps those of you with finished cross stitch pieces could make quilt squares.
Oh, this was a wonderful post and comment section too! I took up stabbing, er, needle felting, last November as a stress relief outlet… it led to spinning and then to knitting, and I’m afraid my hubby will eventually draw the line if I take up cross-stitch too 😉
I do recommend needle felting for anyone who isn’t getting enough stabbing with cross-stitch. It’s VERY therapeutic!
I am a cross-stitcher at heart. This is my craft and has been for ages, (I contributed ASCII art showing how stitches worked back on the old Usenet group) although I’ve finished only a few projects over the past decade.
I tend to not use hoops. I prefer frames if I’m to use anything. Honestly, I stitch most of my projects on loose fabric. You have to be easy on your tension, but it allows me to move up and down without the annoyance of moving a hoop. (And never ever leave your hoop crimped onto the fabric when you’re not stitching. It can leave visible crimping and breakage in the fibres that you can’t always wash away.)
At the bookstore last week I found a new inspiration of cross stitch patterns: Really Cross Stitch by Rayna Fahey. It is wonderfully cathartic for a liberal feminist in today’s climate. I’ve got to trawl through my stash of fabric and floss this weekend so I can put together a new project!
Chiming in again to say I *never* use a frame/hoop for cross stitch, but just hold the fabric taut between the fingers of my left hand while I stitch with the right. Really, you don’t need a lot of stuff to start cross-stitching.
(I sometimes use a frame/hoop for embroidery, but it depends on how much tension is required. Goldwork, always. Hardanger, sometimes. And I pretty much always use one for needlepoint–those brass tacks Todd mentioned are great for that.)
I also always complete both legs of the X before moving to the next. It’s mostly a personal preference thing but, as noted upthread (ha), it can sometimes make a difference depending on the thread/fibers used. Whatever you do, it’s *imperative* that the top stitch always goes in the same direction; otherwise, the finished product will look like crap. (Sorry, but it’s true. If you spend that much time working on a project, you want it to look good.)
Seriously, the Internet/YouTube are great resources for beginning and advanced stitchers of all kinds and I highly recommend that route for people who can’t get hands-on instruction. And, yes, most local libraries also have at least some reference books. Heck, start a stitch ‘n bitch group with friends or coworkers so you can all help each other out.
And, finally, another note for DC area SBs, if you’re not already aware of it, the annual needlework show at Woodlawn Plantation is great. (It’s also near In Stitches so you can make a day of it.) If you don’t mind looking like an idiot, you can take opera glasses/small binoculars so you can see some of the pieces on the far sidesof the roped-off rooms more clearly. 🙂
http://www.woodlawnpopeleighey.org/annualneedleworkshow/
I am unable to register at Etsy so I am going to try to get a beginner kit on Ebay.
Beading is the coolest/easiest thing to add to any cross-stitch pattern you want, I LOVE that stuff.
@LML: they had a similar quilt at my state fair this year that would work well with cross stitch! It was a Christmas themed quilt, the squares being pre-printed fabric with houses that were colorfully and very skillfully stitched over in a variety of patterns. It was awesome! I imagine adding in cross stitch pictures would be similar to how redwork patterns are used in quilts.
I got so excited when I saw this post! In addition to fueling my love of romance, SBTB also got me interested in cross stitch earlier this year. Thanks for adding a little extra joy to my life! 🙂
In terms of kits, I highly recommend The Stranded Stitch on Etsy – they have lots of fun patterns (my very first stitching project was a kit from there of the salsa dancer emoji).