E is for Embroidery
Image by romana klee via Flickr
E is for Embroidery or, actually hand cross-stitching.
A few years ago, I was thinking that I didn’t have any material thing hobbies. I collected things and learned how to do things but that’s not the same. I started looking through all kinds of hobbies: candle-making, hair jewelry, plastic spoon art.
I finally settled on cross-stitching which startled my family a bit the first time that I brought out my embroidery bag. I used the Klutz Guide to Simple Embroidery to learn. It was perfect for me. Each stitch came with a little project. I just copied it free hand from the book and did it.
At the end was project that used all the stitches together but I didn’t do it. First, I am lazy. Secondly, I wasn’t interested in the scene.
Now I have the rudimentary skills to make the stitches but I still don’t know much about when to use them. When do you use a French knot and when do you use a backstitch? Dunno.
Next step was to find some pre-made patterns. I learned that counted cross-stitch is very, very different from free-hand cross-stitch. I don’t think much of counted cross-stitch, it’s like putting together a puzzle that takes a really, really long time. I want my embroidery to have a quicker payoff.
Turns out there are lots and lots of sweet aphorisms and cute little animals. That’s about it. While I wouldn’t say no to a Hello Kitty pattern, I want to move onto something different. Steotch.com is much more along the line I want. But they do counted cross-stitch. Boo!
I have all these hobbies supplies that make me so happy. I have a wooden embroidery hoop and someday I plan to get a metal one. I don’t like the plastic kinds.
My family gave me tons of embroidery floss one year. Thanks! I want to buy some gold thread too.
There are all kinds of needles but I just bought a basic set of 16.
I have a cute strawberry pin cushion but I lost a needle in it and and now I just use a magnetic tray. Safer for me.
My niece was interested in what I was doing. So, I gave her kid sized hoop and floss and needle and started her on a pattern. Next time, I see her I hope to show her more.
Here are useful links:
Related articles
- Subversive Cross-Stitch by a Prisoner of War (neatorama.com)
- Samplers (stanfordblogging.wordpress.com)
- Space Invaders Cross-Stitch Sampler (neatorama.com)
- Hand Embroidery: Easy Tips to Help You Get Started (rockbottomt-shirts.com)
- Subversive Finds Worldwide: Steotch (craftzine.com)
- Tribute To Turkish Embroidery (trishburr.com)
