Overview of the perfect gear for the cross sticher
WARNING
By reading these lines do not take literally my advices and you shall know that I do not hold the truth about cross stitching. You can always ignore each of my advices and be a cross stitcher, a good one, a fanatic. It is a paradox about cross stitching; while it is necessary to count and always to count to follow the design, you are free to do it your way.
If you are a newcomer , you will quickly acquire your manias, and if you are an experienced, a passionate of the linen, I shall teach you nothing!
Anyway read my few advices because cross stitching is also about sharing experiences
The needle is at least 20.000 years old, the canvas is almost 5.000 years old and there will be always somebody to speak about it!
CANVASES
Before starting cross stitching a model, you'll have to select your canvas. My grids tell you which canvas to use. Here's a quick overview of the different canvases with a few "how and why".
Aïda :
It is a special woven material for cross stitching where every hole is visible. The weaving is regular and you can count easily. It is available also in strips to embroider (width of 2" and 4" in 14 count). Very practical to decorate cloths, bibs, hand towels, bags, etc.... Aida is classified according to the number of holes per linear inch, and the usual sizes go from 7 to 18 count.
Seeing Mum cross stitching some " Wow, truly amazing stuff!", your children could indeed ask you to try! My nine year old lad enjoys cross stitching wild aquatic animals. I drew a motif for him according to its own ideas. I use coloured pencils on an 8 ct aïda canvas. On rainy days cross stitching beats the TV remote control. But child's attention is like the good weather, it never lasts. Kids will be kids!
Waste canvas
The waste canvas (25 ct is common) allows you to embroider on other fabric rather than canvas such as fine fabrics(sheet, cloth, sweet-shirt). It is a temporary grid which allows you to count your crosses. It has often a printed grid to help you counting.
How to use it ?
Fix the waste canvas with a tacking thread( or use pins) on the fabric to be embroidered, then cross stitch through the 2 thicknesses. Do not prick the thread of the waste canvas. In other words, go through the holes of the waste canvas and do not tighten the floss too much.
Why?
Because when you finish the motif, you pull every threads of the waste canvas one by one. They say some people like this. Not me! Nevertheless I deeply encourage you to try it if you never did. It is always rewarding to learn new tricks.
For cross stitchers that aren't fans like me, DMC makes the Soluble Canvas.
How?
Use it as the waste canvas and when you are finished soak your work in hot water. That's it!
I find the idea brilliant but to be honest I never tried it. Not that I am lazy person, but simply because I could not find it in a notions store near my home.
Cotton etamine: It is a worsted fabric of loose weave. It comes with different weaving that are classified according to the number of threads per linear inch.
What that's mean and why it is important?
For example the 28 count is a very common weaving where you can count 28 threads per inch. The more the count the thinner fabric becomes. Consequently the motif becomes smaller and cross stitching becomes more difficult.
Cotton etamine is perhaps easier to work on than linen because the weaving is more regular. Therefore you keep up with counting the threads. It creases less than linen and is well suited for embroidering useful objects ( aprons, tea towels, place mats). It also offers a wider selection with magnificent colors. The common weawing goes from 25 to 40 ct.
Linen
It is a close relative to the cotton etamine but the threads are less regular.
The weaving also goes from 25 to 40 count. It is more difficult to work on because of their unevenness, and often one looses a thread and shift the crosses.
Then why linen ?
Because its rustic aspect gives a charming rendering on your work. Unevenness yes, but not to much!
Don't use any kind of linen. You can find cheap linen (furnishing fabric), but the weaving is not suited for cross stitching. Having said that, you can always make a test and the result will guide you better than words!
Beware of canvas with very loose weaving. Working on them is easy because they have a coating (starch). However they could deceive you since you will see the floss running loose behind your canvas. You might prefer thicker linen. Pleasure in cross stitching is more than choosing the design!
How much canvas you should buy?
To understand how to work out the dimensions of the canvas you need to understand what follows. The picture on the left is here to help you.
When you read your grid you will notice that dimensions are given in stitch count and the canvas are given in count. Oops! Why this damned designer doesn't give me the dimensions in inches?
Although I give advices on how to cross stitch and which canvas I used, you are free to elect your own canvas and over how many thread you will work. According to your choices, the size of the motif will change, while the stitch count will stay the same.
Usually one cross stitch over two canvas threads and with two cotton strands as shown on the picture. The canvas commonly used is a 28 ct.
Now it is time to work out an example:
Let say you are using a 28 ct linen and you cross stitch over two threads.
Then you stitch 14 crosses per inch. Simple, it is half of the 28 canvas count.
Let say the motif has a stitch count of 140 x 70.
Divide 100 (width) by 14 and 50 (hight) by 14. You get:
140 / 14 = 10 inches et 50 / 14 = 5 inches. The design measure 10'' W x 5'' H.
It is not finished!
Next, you will frame your work (we will have a tutorial shortly about framing yourself the canvas).
Add a margin of 3 inches on each side for model sizes of 8 to 12 inches. This leaves you with a margin of 2 inches around the frame and 1 inch to fold down the canvas on the back.
If you buy remnant, then you need to buy the nearest size. And if the canvas is cut for you in a shop my advice is to add 2 inches on the cut side because canvas are rarely cut straight.
FLOSSES
The choice
There is a very wide choice of colours and textiles.
There is cotton floss with famous brands as DMC (washable) and Anchor (washable).
The most commonly used is the six cotton strand embroidery floss. You can therefore divide the floss and stitch with 1 or 2 strands. Cut length of about 16 inches in order to limit wearing of the strands while working. That way the thread does not fade away.
You can find other floss more confidential with unique colours, cotton, silk ,metallic, satin
Ask your local needlework store for an advice
Caution, not all flosses are washable, and some are delicate to iron.
If you need several skeins with the same colours, be sure to choose skeins coming from the same dye bath. This advice is really useful if you cross stitch a monochromatic design. I can assure you that two flosses of the same colour but coming from two different dye bath show a striking difference!
Floss management
Here you are, you bought the flosses and you are going to start your first model. May I give you six and very useful advices so you don't go crazy about you skeins?
You shall know there is two ways to pull the floss from the skein. The good way and the bad way. Murphy's law says that you have 99.99% chance to do it the wrong way! Reading my text gives you 0.01% chance to pull the right end of the floss! For example with DMC floss, catch the short paper ring and pull with the other hand the end of the floss close to the long paper ring. Pull about 34 inches and cut.
Now you need to divide one strand from the floss and again this can become a real mess!
Catch one strand with one hand and let hang down the floss. With the other hand "gather" the 5 remaining strands over a few inches . This will form a loop. Catch the 5 strands below the loop and pull down until a new loop forms. Do it again until the 5 strands can separates from the one you hold.
Finish by pulling the 5 strands. They should slide along the remaining strand.
Why did I cut 34 inches of floss?
Because I will thread my needle with a noose to cross stitch with 2 strands. The strand will be doubled, which leaves me with about 17 inches. (see Trade's Tricks)
In order to keep the reference of the remaining strands, I usually attach them in the middle of the skein with a noose. This helps the skein to keep its shape longer.
When the skein is left with little floss it has a tendency to fall apart. At this moment I wind the floss around a plastic holder. And instead of writing the reference on the holder, I place the reference paper ring on the holder and I wind the remaining floss around. The holder can be made easily by cutting cardboard. It is easy,ecological and free
Last little trick for the cross stitchers that accumulate skeins. I "put in order" my many skeins in transparent plastic freezing bags. Less ecological, but cheap and very practical
WASHING AND IRONING, THE CROSS STITCHER'S NIGHTMARE
Washing
Never wash your canvas before working on it, never!
Why?
To avoid putting out of shape the canvas or to avoid removing the starch.
As a rule you never wash the embroided canvas, and when they are for decorative purposes there is no need to. For framed work you can take out the dust with a vaccum cleaner. That is the only cleanning they will ever need.
On the contrary you always wash the canvas after they are embroided if they are intended to be assembled with a different fabric (cushion for example), or if you know that you will wash them in the future (dish towel, bib, bathrobe, cushion...).
I said never wash! Therefore why always now?
Because fabrics shrink differently one from another when you wash them. Let me tell you about a nice baby sleeping bag I washed for the first time without taking into account that both the bag and the canvas would shrink ! Guess who looked pathetic. Lukily baby was happy anyway!
Another precaution is that you should wash only washable floss. Checking the labels before buying your floss is good practice.
Ironing
I iron on the back to preserve my work. If the canvas is coated with starch (like some stiff linen), I put a white cloth between the canvas and the iron. White to avoid the colour of the fabric to run on the canvas and a cloth to avoid burning the floss when they are delicate such as synthetic ones.
In case you cannot iron on the back (Small life's book,cushion..) use also the same method.
Needles
The tip must be rounded, and the eye of the needle should be wide enough to thread two strands.
Number 22 and 24 are the most commonly used with 28 count canvas. The needle must go through the hole in the canvas without efforts. That way the needle does not put out of shape the linen. Take short needles, you will work faster.
Scissors
Cross stitchers use mostly the point of the scissors to cut the floss, unpick, open a noose. Do not cut the canvas or something else with your scissors.
The tambour
Not a compulsory thing and many cross stitchers prefer the soft touch of the canvas under their fingers. They stitch horizontally.
On the contrary if you us a tambour you cross stitch vertically. You go through the canvas using one hand on the top, pushing or pulling the needle, and then place your hand bellow the tambour to catch the needle. Up, down, up, down...
Canvas or tambour? I use a mixed method.
I use a tambour but I cross stitch horizontally!
How? I stretch the linen just a little on my tambour and holding it in the right hand (do the opposite if you are a left-handed). I place the screw on top so I don't catch the floss in it,the middle finger under the linen and pushing the canvas with it to make a bump. Then I can stitch horizontally. From time to time I shift the linen to the left so the spot I cross stitch stays under my finger.
Voilà! That was a small overview about cross stitching basics. I did share my few tricks with you because I think it could make cross stitching easier and more enjoyable for you. I hope the reading was entertaining and not an awful gibberish. Check also the other pages as you might read some other usefull tricks
While writing this page I was wondering about the origins of cross stitching and tambour. So if an archaeologist-cross-stitcher reads me, he or she shall not hesitate to correct me about needles and fabrics. I don't want to add more nonsense on the internet! And if he or she drops me a line about origins of cross stitching and tambour I would be very happy to add it this page.
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Author: Marielle Zang
Pujol
Copyright Marielle Zang Pujol 2008 - All rights reserved
