Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Tips, Tricks & Techniques - anything to help fellow cross stitchers.

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nettystitch
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Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 2:03 am

Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by nettystitch »

I have learnt and noted that after you hav finished your work for the night always take the hoop off the material and always roll it up with the picture in the inside so that it does not get dusty or dirty. :)
Cpleger
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by Cpleger »

Sorry I missed the suggestion about making a copy of the pattern! But, I guess as this is my first project, I can't be too mad at myself. I am learning a lot along the way, and you really need to do a project to fully understand what people are talking about, like why the stitches need to all go in the same direction, knots, counts, etc.

And as a newbie, all I can tell other newbies is to just DO IT! I was so afraid of the counted patterns and now that I have started, I cannot stop! Yeah, I made a few errors, but no one will know but me! And I have ordered several more larger patterns...some a bit ambitious...to start as gifts.

Thanks for all the great suggestions and help!
Ruggers
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by Ruggers »

As a newbie I have found this post SO helpful! Thanks everyone for their tips and tricks!!
karenstitches
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Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:45 pm

Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by karenstitches »

I'm taking notes as I read these posts!

Also, I use a highlighter to mark off what I've done on the chart. Otherwise I lose myself and get frustrated.

Don't forget that once you're comfortable wtih cross-stitch, 14 ct Aida isn't all there is. Explore other evenweaves, especially the higher counts. I'm stitching for the first time on 28 ct Monaco and swear I won't stitch on anything else ever again.

Explore the different ways to start a thread, and don't forget the loop method. It takes away having to deal wtih both a starting thread and a finishing thread.

Learn to frame your pieces yourself if you can. Cross stitch is a pretty inexpensive hobby, but not if you pay for professional framing of the finished piece (even tho' it's worth it).

Most importantly, enjoy stitching, even if you think it's slow-going. We Type As get hung up on progress, but that really isn't the point with stitching.
EileenC
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Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:34 pm
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by EileenC »

Thank you all for such a great post - as a newish stitcher it's good to have all the info in one place. Will be back and forward to this post lots of times.
Eileen x
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Black cat
All our Yesterdays card
Together Forever Wedding Sampler
sandyl
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Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2012 4:18 pm
Location: Michigan

Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by sandyl »

The best advice i ever got was when someone was watching me do a little project in a waiting room and i was struggling to knot my thread in the back. She said "give it to me and I will show you how to start a new color without knotting your thread." She took a single strand of thread folded it over put the first half cross in and pulled the thread through the loop on the back. No knotting and tying off ever again! I am sure everyone knows how to do this but it changed crosstitch for me and made it so much more enjoyable as I am terrible at knots. I also run my thread under a couple of stitches when finishing it off, instead of cutting and knotting.
I agree with not dragging your thread more than 4 or 5 holes as it shows underneath the fabric when it is done.
I never finish whole sections and then move on to the next. I always mark my center and then try to do a few rows around it to give me direction, but I get bored of colors and patterns, and tend to jump around all over my project. You can never tell what it is going to be until it is almost done. I might mark on my pattern in rows of 10 if it calls for the same color, because I get bored doing 30 stitches across of the same color. I try to keep it fun and interesting. Everyone finds what works for them.
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cougalacrafts
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by cougalacrafts »

The one piece of advice I can give is never ever cross stitch if you have to force yourself to do it because that's when you will make mistakes. Wait until you are in a state where you want to do some cross stitch or just want something to do, not because you feel you have to get it finished or should be doing it.
Lisa

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Echelstitcher
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Location: Michigan

Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by Echelstitcher »

I don't know if anyone said this yet but.. If you're tired put your cross stitch up for the night! I know some people are like "But I want to finish this last line!" or "BUT I'M SO CLOSE" but it's not a good idea. I learned that the hard way after messing up a simple frog I was trying to make >.< Also, just because you mess up it's not the end of the world. I messed up big time on my current project and after altering the pattern a little it looks fine. I'm still mad at myself for messing it up but no one else knows I messed it up besides you guys and I think it still looks decent. So enjoy your cross stitch and take your time :)
Lorna
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by Lorna »

Hi
I am a newbie myself but in the short time I have been doing this I have found if I do some thing wrong and have to frog the stitches out I think of it as another part of the process and I don't get annoyed with myself and I find this helps.I hope you don.t mind a newbie adding to these notes.
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Rose
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by Rose »

All appropriate comments are welcomed and just because you are a newbie doesn't meant you can't pass on tips that may help to others!!!!!!
If you are looking for some one to help change you, look in the mirror
LittleMoo
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by LittleMoo »

Thank you so much to everyone for all these tips. I class myself as a newbie, despite having been dabbling in cross stitch for over 20 years, because I've only ever completed 2 projects! I have about 5 unfinished and they just get put away and taken out every now and again.

I've caught the bug again recently and have just finished a Country Companions kit I started 18 years ago :oops: and have very nearly finished a small Cherished Teddies one for my Daughter. I'm also actively working on a birth sampler for my Sister-in-law.

I can't believe how long I've spent trying to separate floss strands before reading this thread. Soooo much easier now! The loop method is also new to me and has improved my stitching no end.

The only tip I can add is just an addition to one already mentioned. I too use highlighter to mark off my chart, but I always use yellow as I can then photocopy the chart afterwards (if I forget beforehand) and it will copy as though no colour has been used.
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Rose
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by Rose »

This has recently come up and so I thought I would give some picture so that a newbie can get some help from this.

Floss
Image

This is the strand as pulled from the floss to cut
Image

This is the same strand separated into the 6 threads to be ready to stitch with
Image
If you are looking for some one to help change you, look in the mirror
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SunnyDay
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by SunnyDay »

Wow! So many helpful tips that will likely help me stay ahead of the game as I haven't yet purchased my first project yet. I love the idea of the loop stitch idea for starting. One question I have is with the confetti stitches. If you shouldn't go more than a couple of spaces and there is only one stitch, how do you tie it off well so it doesn't come unraveled later on? I get the running the thread behind several stitches to secure it but what if there are no other stitches to secure it behind? I have to admit that the work unraveling is one of my greatest fears.

Thank you in advance for your help with this question and thank you so very much for all of the preceding advice.

Erika
Erika

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HAED Mini The Forgotten
HAED Storykeep Oriental Courage

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coolpenguin
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by coolpenguin »

This is great! As a newbie, this is extremely beneficial.
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various mini's
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canadastorm
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by canadastorm »

Try a hair pin to make the frame stay in position.
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JackieR
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by JackieR »

Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!
WIP:

It's Madness!
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astackhouse87
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by astackhouse87 »

Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!
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Heidi
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by Heidi »

Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!
WIP:
A Pair of Shoes - Van Gogh (10%)


Completed projects:
Sweet Dreams by Me to You - Tatty Teddy
Emerald Mermaid by Nora Corbett
Hoot Owls - Baby Sleeps Here
Angel Proclamation by Nora Corbett
Mini HAED Rose By Rachel Anderson
foreveryoung811
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by foreveryoung811 »

Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!
Lozze
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Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!

Post by Lozze »

Re: Suggestions for a Newbie!!
WIP

Winnie the Pooh birth sampler - finished bar name and backstitching
'Beauty and the Beast Falling in Love' Disney Dreams Collections
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