Conversations About Cross-stitch

Antique Lithuanian tablecloth, blue cross-stitch on white linen

Last week, I was standing by a table covered with needlework books and materials at a sale, and got involved in conversations with several ladies who were looking at the items on the table. I was surprised at how many questions and requests for advice were about cross-stitch. It reminded me that I hadn't discussed the technique in these posts for quite some time. Today I hope to remedy that situation. I have combined and reworded some of the questions, putting them in italics. But first, a little background information.

Assisi work butterfly on monks' cloth

Cross-stitch is a very old form of embroidery, probably used for more than 2,000 years. It is practically impossible to determine where and when it was first used because fabrics seldom survive for long periods. The stitch seems to have been “invented” a number of times, because it is present in ethnic embroideries almost worldwide. By medieval times, it was used in nearly every part of Europe, but also in Africa, Asia, the Near East and South America. Churches used it liberally for their linens and vestments, and royal courts used it for heraldic designs. It wasn't long before the technique spread to the village housewives, who used whatever fabrics and threads were available to them — even human hair. It was called “cushion work” in medieval times because of its widespread use in durable covers for chair seats, footstools, and kneeling mats. Here, in colonial times, it was so popular in ladies' samplers of their handiwork that it was known as “sampler stitch”. It combines nicely with other embroidery stitches and is particularly attractive in blackwork, redwork, whitework, Holbein embroidery and Assisi work.

Why do the stitches have to be done the same way?

It is a matter of light. Light strikes the upper and lower halves of the cross-stitch in different ways. This is most important when you are using glossy floss or metallic threads, but it is noticeable even with crewel wool or acrylic knitting worsted. When stitches are not all done the same way, the surface doesn't look even. People will probably not know why this is so, but they will notice it and think “Something just doesn't look right about that.” Besides, as my grandmother used to say, “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.” So take the trouble to cross all your stitches the same way. Perhaps the easiest way to do this is to put in all your bottom stitches in an area and then go back and put in all the top stitches, rather than making one cross-stitch at a time.

Does it matter which way you cross the stitches?

The English way to do this is to make the bottom half of the stitch from lower right to top left and the top half from bottom left to top right. The American and European way is to do the bottom half of the stitch from the bottom left to the top right and the top stitch from bottom right to top left. I work both ways, depending on where I start in the design. Left-handed stitchers may have a stronger preference for one way than right-handed stitchers. Try both ways and use whichever is mot comfortable for you. I don't think it makes any difference — so long as you do the same thing consistently throughout the whole piece of work!

Samples of two styles of cross-stitching

I have done a lot of cross-stitch, but sometimes I do areas I don't like. I've never been brave enough to take the stitches out and do them over. What is the best way to do that?

If there are a lot of stitches to remove, use very small, sharp scissors to clip each stitch on the right side of the fabric. Then use small tweezers to gently pull out the threads. Make a small pad of cellophane tape by wrapping it around your hand, sticky side out. To remove any “fuzz” from the area where the stitches were removed, pat the area gently with the pad of sticky tape. Turn the fabric over and do the same thing to that side in order to pick up any stray threads or fuzz. Then you should be ready to start over.

So far I have just done counted cross-stitch on things where the little X's are stamped on the fabric. Now I'd like to work from charts, but I don't know how to get started. What do you suggest?

Rose cross-stitched on 1/4 inch gigham

I like to see beginners start on one of two fabrics. The first is ¼-inch checked gingham because it is so much like graph paper and it is easy to match the checks to the squares in the charts. Also, by stitching into the four corners of each “check”, you will make equally-sized and equally-spaced cross-stitches.

Monks' Cloth

The other fabric is monks’ cloth, which has evenly-spaced holes for the ends of your stitches. Either one should be backed with non-woven interfacing, muslin, even a man's handkerchief. This will support your stitches and help keep you from leaving them too loose or pulling them too tight. (Too loose leaves the stitches easily snagged; too tight pulls the whole design out of shape.)

Downloadable cross-stitch snowflake pattern

Choose a simple pattern with only a few colors to begin with. Remember it will be larger on either the gingham or the monks' cloth than it would be on the even-weave fabric the pattern was probably designed for. Try it all in one color first, so that you only have to be concerned with the placement of the stitches. If you like the result, then work the design again in colors of your choice. Here's a simple pattern of mine that you may use in any way you choose. You can find others on these past blog posts: August 26, 2013, June 18, 2015, March 21, 2016 and January 1, 2017; or, use "Search My Blog" in the right hand column to find these and other downloads.

Is it harder to do needlepoint than cross-stitch (indicating a piece done in tent stitch)? I already know how to do cross- stitch. And can I do cross-stitch on needlepoint canvas?

It is actually easier to do the tent stitch because you only do half a cross stitch each time! I work in continental stitch. I consider the half-cross stitch used in most commercial kits an inferior stitch for several reasons. (Don't get me started!) But, if you use a better stitch when working with a commercial kit, you will run out of yarn halfway through the project.

Gros-point butterfly with tent stitch background

You can certainly do conventional cross-stitch on any even-weave canvas, including rug canvas. When you do this, it is called “gros-point”. You just have to remember that, instead of using the two “holes” in the canvas that you used in doing tent stitches, you need to allow for four “holes” for the top and bottom cross-stitches. This is a good technique both for beginners and for older women whose hands and eyes are not as good as they once were.

Do you have suggestions about working from patterns in books?

Here are a few:

a) Purchase a little more background fabric than the pattern calls for. You may eventually decide to use your finished project for a pillow top, quilt block, applique, etc. which requires seam allowances or margins to turn under. If you are using a different gauge of fabric than what they suggest, carefully count all the horizontal and vertical stitches to determine how much fabric you will need for the design and then add margins.

b) Buy an extra skein of floss or tapestry yarn in the most often used colors in the pattern — just in case you have to take out stitches — so you don't run out.

c) If you change colors or shades from those called for in the pattern, write the names or numbers of the ones you actually plan to use (lightly in pencil) on the pattern beside the ones you are replacing.

d) If you have trouble following a pattern, color the stitch squares in with colored pencils before you begin. That saves a lot of time and frustration!

Holbein embroidery featuring cross-stitch with other straight stitches

Stitch away!

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More Questions and Answers

First, I want to thank you readers for a very special birthday gift. That day I recorded the one thousandth page view of this blog. I appreciate all of you who take the time to visit this blog site and hope you will return often. The first week in October I'll be posting the first of several articles about types of needlework which -- while they may be unfamiliar -- are great fun to do. We will revisit cross-stitch and bargello this season, too, with new techniques, materials, and pattern ideas. Also watch for more interviews with other artisans of the Annake's Garden group. Today I'm answering some questions raised by the last few blogs.

What hook did the jewelry lady use to make the wire bracelet? (An Interview with Our Jewelry Artisan,  July 1, 2013)

She used a European #19, which she says is about the same size as a G hook. It is an aluminum hook. She prefers aluminum to plastic because it is smoother and does not warp out of shape with use. We thought you would like to see a photo of a necklace she made with the same hook. She is now experimenting with crocheted ring designs.

Crocheted copper wire necklace with copper beads

Why is the rose picture in needlepoint so much smaller than the rose picture in cross-stitch when they are made from the same chart? (A Rose is a Rose, Part 2,  August 1, 2013)

The gingham for the cross-stitch has 4 squares to the inch in both horizontal and vertical lines, so it has 16 squares per square inch. The needlepoint picture is done on #7 canvas. That means it has 7 squares of mesh (think of them as square holes if you like) to the inch each way --- or 49 stitches per square inch. There are approximately 3 times as many stitches on a square inch of the #7 canvas than there are on a square inch of gingham (3 x 16 = 48). The more stitches per square inch, the more squares of the pattern you can squeeze into a single square inch. So the needlepoint rose is only about 1/3 as large as the cross-stitch rose. The larger the number of stitches per inch, the smaller the scale of the finished motif. These comparisons are approximate, because the gingham varies slightly from one manufacturer to another and the bars on the plastic canvas are thicker than either cloth or canvas threads.

1/4" Check Gingham (blue) vs. Baby Check Gingham (pink)

Let me give you another example. “Baby check” gingham is also about 7 squares to the inch, or 49 squares per square inch. Imagine that you do a cross-stitch in each square, following the rose chart. You would make 49 cross-stitches on a single square inch of gingham. 16 goes into 49 about 3 times, so the cross-stitch rose on quarter-inch check (16 stitches per square inch) would be about 3 times as large as the same rose done on the “baby check”. While the first rose is large enough for a pillow, the second one would be perfect for the bodice of a little girl's dress or the pocket of a party apron.

A pattern on 1/4" gingham, monks cloth, baby check, #12 aida

Monk's cloth is another embroidery fabric with approximately 7 stitches to the inch, so a design on plastic canvas would be roughly equivalent in size to the same design on “baby check” gingham or monk's cloth. The same design on #14 needlepoint canvas or #14 Aida cloth (196 stitches per square inch) would be considerably smaller. The photo will give you an idea of the differences in scale among four non-canvas fabrics.

I still don't understand what a “quillow” is. (An Interview with Our Quiltmaker,  August 16, 2013)

A quillow is a small quilt or throw with an appliqued pillowcase attached to one edge. The quilted part folds up neatly and slips into the pillowcase to make a pillow. Nice for naps, travel, a child's quiet time, etc. See the photo-montage below for the proper way to fold a quillow. Neat, isn't it?

Folding up a "quillow"

A Fabric Yo-yo

What is a fabric yo-yo?
(An Interview with Our Quiltmaker,  August 16, 2013)

A yo-yo starts out as a circle of plain or patterned fabric. I use a 4-inch embroidery hoop to draw my patterns around, but any small circular object in the 3- to 4-inch range would do. Turn under a quarter-inch all around and stitch it down with small running stitches and a gathering thread. Pull the thread until you have a small purse-like object with a little puckered “mouth” in the center. You have made a yo-yo.

Yo-yos sewn into Christmas tree shape

They are usually used (often over a lining) to make throws, vests, tote bags, etc. They are sewn together edge-to-edge only where they touch. Sometimes the centers are embellished by sewing a button or a ball of ball fringe inside the “mouth”. (See the Christmas tree shape made with yo-yos.)

Our quiltmaker, however, made somewhat larger yo-yos which she appliqued onto her quilt. Don't they look like flowers? The whole quilt reminds me of a garden in a painting by Monet or Renoir. Yo-yos are a good way to use odds and ends of leftover fabric.

Yo-yo Quilt

What is a waste knot? (Easy Cross-stitch on Checked Gingham,  August 26, 2013)

Ordinarily we don't knot our embroidery threads. When starting a piece of stitchery, however, we need to secure the first strand so that it doesn't simply pull through the fabric and out again. So we knot this thread. Push the needle down through the fabric some distance from where you plan to begin stitching. Pull the thread through the fabric so that the knot stays on top of the work. When you have used all but about two inches of the thread, end that strand by running it under the stitches you have just made, whipping it around them, or weaving it back and forth from one stitch to another. Then snip off the waste knot, pull the strand to the back of the work, thread it into a needle and secure it in the same way. All other strands are started and ended under existing stitches, so no other knots are necessary.

Do you ever sell the samples you use to illustrate your blogs?

Yes, indeed. A few of the photos are from our archives and the pieces have already been sold, but others are on our Etsy shop site, or will be added soon. Some photos were of works in progress which now are in the process of being framed, quilted, made into pillows, etc. We are constantly adding new items to the shop. Just keep checking for them. If there is an item shown on a blog post that particularly interests you, and you don't see it on the shop site, just ask us about it (see our “Contact Us” page). We will be happy to tell you if it is available.

Thank you for asking!

Annake

 This post by Annake's Garden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Easy Cross-stitch on Checked Gingham

(This post is the first of a series of tutorials about embroidery, starting with simple cross-stitch on checked gingham and working up through more complex techniques like blackwork and Holbein stitchery.)

A sunflower from the Garden, the model for today's cross-stitch

Cross-stitch is usually the first type of decorative needlework budding stitchers encounter; and, while it forms the foundation of other styles of stitchery that I find much more fun and interesting, many needleworkers find it satisfying enough that they never do anything else. I'm going to get you started with an easy technique of working on checked gingham, one of my favorite materials. Checked gingham is the perfect background for a beginner because the corners of its squares are so easy to see. You'll want to start with 1/4" check material, the most common gingham available. I'm going to make a sunflower freehand, but you'll probably want a pattern or a chart of some sort. I hope you'll download the FREE Rose Needle Arts Chart I introduced in an earlier blog post, but you can use simple patterns from other sources with this technique.

Rose Needle Arts Pattern, cross-stitched on checked gingham

The cross-stitch is made with a pair of diagonal stitches that cross in the middle to form an X.  Cross-stitch can be done by counting, as it is in the rose pattern and the center of my sunflower, or as a patterned filling stitch, as it is in the sunflower petals, where you only need an outlined shape to work inside.

Whether you work from my rose chart or one in a book, study your chart. If there are directions with it, read them carefully. Make a list of the colors you will need. Be sure you know which symbol or number represents each color. You will begin with simple, readily available embroidery floss. You will need a skein of floss for each color. If one color appears more often than the rest, buy two skeins of it. I prefer blunt needles for the stitching. These are usually labeled tapestry needles. Try to find a mixed package of numbers 18 through 22 and buy a couple of them so you will have a needle for each separate color. If you are more comfortable with crewel (sharp-pointed) needles, then use them.

Free Rose Needle Arts chart downloadable PDF

Count the longest line of squares, both horizontally and vertically, in your pattern. This will tell you how big the finished design will be, figuring an inch for every 4 squares. Allow at least 2 inches of background around the whole design. If you are using my rose pattern, you will need to buy a half yard of quarter-inch checked gingham. You will have enough left over to do another picture or to back a pillow. Be sure you buy gingham that has the checks woven in --- not printed on. Select your floss first and try the skeins on different colors of gingham to find the combination that pleases you the most.

Yellow checked gingham basted for cross-stitch

I baste interfacing, muslin, or a piece of an old white pillowcase to the back of the gingham and stitch through both layers. This helps keep an even tension and conceals the stitches you make on the back of your work. Press both pieces before you baste them together. Run a basting line of a contrasting color through the horizontal and vertical centers of the gingham. Match the center where they cross with the center of the chart and choose a color that crosses the center for your first stitches.

I use all the strands of the floss on 1/4-inch check, but split them in two when I work on 1/8-inch “baby check”. Never use a piece of floss that is more than 18 inches long. I start my first line of stitches with a waste knot well off to one side of the center on the front of the work. I end the first line by securing at least 2 inches of the floss on the back of the work, under my finished stitches. Then I cut off the knot, pull the rest of the waste floss to the back, thread it in the needle and run it under finished stitches. No other knots are needed, since I start the next piece of floss by running it under finished stitches on the back before bringing it to the front. Work progressively outward from the center to the edges of the pattern.

Sample diagonal, cross, star and back stitching

I start my first stitch in the lower left-hand corner of the check square and end it in the upper right-hand corner. This is the same as the basic tent stitch in needlepoint. The second half of the X starts in the lower right-hand corner and ends in the upper left-hand corner. You can reverse the two halves and do the left-leaning part of the stitch first. This may be easier for left-handed people. The important thing is to be consistent. Whichever way you cross the stitch, be sure you do all of them the same way. Don't switch back and forth. It will be noticeable and detract from your work. The star stitch is made by stitching a + over a completed X, and like the basic cross-stitch, should be done the same way each time. Another useful device is to back-stitch the outline of the square around a completed X. These are useful for texture and shading.

Once you are comfortable with the stitch, you can do rows or whole sections in the right-leaning stitch, then come back later to do the left-leaning ones. You may work lines of stitches right to left as I do, since that is how I also do needlepoint, or left to right. If you're a beginner, however, I suggest you do one complete X at a time. I also suggest you make a small pencil mark on the corresponding square of your chart. You can erase them later and they will keep you from losing your place in the pattern if you are interrupted. (Unless you smell smoke, hear gunfire, or see blood, take the time to finish the stitch you are on and secure your needle with the tip pointing in the direction of your next stitch before you put your work down.)

Sunflower center, filled in with cross, star, and back stitches

Tension is important in cross-stitch. Your stitch should just fill the line between the two corners. If it is loose and floppy, it will snag. If it is too tight, it will pull the square out of shape. A little practice on a scrap or edge of the material will help you to sense when your stitch is just right. If you use the proper tension, your finished work may not need blocking --- just pressing with a steam iron. The ends of stitches in adjacent squares should touch when they meet, with no background showing between them. This also assures that all your X's are the same size. Background should show behind your stitches and anywhere there is a blank square on your chart.

Cross-stitch sunflower showing back stitching

Back-stitching the finished rose is optional. If you do a dark-colored rose, I recommend back-stitching it with shades 1, 2, or 3; if a light-colored one, shades 5, 6, or 7; if a medium-colored one, shades 3, 4, or 5. If you are doing a project from a book, back-stitch according to the directions on the chart. I did a lot of back-stitching on the sunflower to get it to really stand out from its background.

Now get out there and start X-ing! Happy stitching!

Annake

 This post by Annake's Garden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.