My First Cross Stitch Kit

[habbyworld]

I would just like to show of my frest cross stitch kit. Only taken me 7 years to complete, but then again, it`s been in the cupboard for about 5 years. It`s only because of this forum that i have had the will to complete it.... Now i am doing another one. Probably going to take me ages to complete. Been doing it since about the 6th of march 2008.
http://cart.habbyworld.co.uk/cross_stitch_finished.JPG

[LeonieM]

Ooh - more detail in the larger pic! I didn't realise how many shades of blues you'd used.

[habbyworld]

Thanks, the stitches are actually 1mm in size, so they are extremely small and it was very fiddley. Well worth the effort though.

[sbroadhurst]

looks great, well done

[LeonieM]

We don't have the gallery any more, but this is 'William and Bouquet' which I had timeto sit down and do once I'd left work for maternity leave and before Emma was born.

And I'll tell you, the bouquet was a nightmare! This was stitched on linen, with 2 holes equalling one standard stitch. There were half stitches across/up and diagonally, and even quarter stitches! I think I had to unpick it at least 3 times before I gave up and went with my final attempt.

Oh, and the fur was stitched in 2 threa of one colour and someones 1 each of 2 different colours!

[jilly]

They look lovely well done to you both.:D

[habbyworld]

That looks really good, i am doing something of about the same size and that has half stitches of 2 colours and back stitches and some other silly stitches. I think with cross stitch, you`ve either got it or you aint. I do know one thing though. I`ve certainly spent some quality time unpicking the darn thing quite afew times. There is nothing wotse than doing a whole skein only to realise when you get to the end of it you have miss stitched by 1 space right at the beginning and not realised until you have got to the end, then have to unpick it. Because that silly little error might determin if the final product looks any good or not when it`s finished. All of these little mistakes certainly add up when it`s finished. I have made afew mistakes that i do know, i`m just hoping it will turn out right in the end, they look ok at the moment. When it is finished, i will show it on here. Oooh dont i go on, lol

[LeonieM]

Here's a great tip if you're like me (and Habby) who need to unpick. I find it very difficult to follow a chart, so I used a yellow highlighter pen, marking off blocks of colour as I did them. That way, if you've had to unpick and do a bit again, you can still see the original key underneath.

Oh, and for anyone who doesn't know, cross stitch needs to be started more or less in the centre, and you work out in colour blocks, preferably using some sort of frame to keep the tension even. Tapestry is more or less the same except that you can start at the top or bottom and work down - but you do need to work each block of colour at the same time.

Rug-making (which I also used to do) is totally different, in that you work left to right/right to left and do each strand's colour as you come across it.

I haven't done any cross-stitching for a while - not since i discovering card making. Trouble is, now I'm getting old and need reading glasses, I find close work extremely uncomfortable to do. Even my favourite, decoupage, is difficult because I generally do it in front of the TV, and therefore I am looking down then up over the top of my glasses at the screen, etc.

[habbyworld]

i photocopy the chart, so when it comes to doing back stitches and other stuff, i can clearly see it, it`s also good to keep if i fancy doing the same chart for someone else.

[habbyworld]

started this new one on the 6th of march. I`m neally two thirds of the way through, so maybe another 2 weeks or so and i`m finished. Partly why i`m not on here much any more.