Just joined

[lilacwine]

Good evening from the UK at the end of a very hot summers day. I am Nina & decided to return to cross stitching again after a long gap.

Did scenic pictures & made cards in the past. Have bought larger pictures (mostly Dimensions) now I have to lead a more sedentary life. Like many people who were active, it takes time adjusting. The need to keep my hands busy & mind occupied made me sort through my craft things.

I do other crafts & see you are allowed to show all things you make. There are some very pretty makes here, such skilled people.

I am gridding 18 ct pale blue Aida at the moment which will take a while. It is for a Dimensions Mediterranean bay scene.

Would you please tell me which is the best size needle to stitch with on 18 ct? I like to use the gold coated ones & have sizes 24 & 26.

Look forward to making new friends as well as learning new things

Nina

[rcperryls]

Hi Nina and welcome to the forum from South Carolina. I'm glad you found us and yes though we are a cross stitch forum we have many members who are skilled in other crafts and we love to see what wonders they achieve too. We have a special section where you can post pictures there as well. Looking forward to seeing pictures of all of your work.

It's been a while since I stitched on 18 ct fabric, but I would probably use a size 26 needle as I tend to like the smaller needles in general though a 24 would work well too. Seems to me I used to use both sizes, though not the gold needles. I now prefer 28 petites. Like everything else in cross stitch, using what is most comfortable for you is what is right.

Carole

[Ciors]

Hello and welcome from Scotland!

I'm currently working on 18ct using size 26 needles - found they work lovely for my but I haven't tried any other sizes yet As Carole says, however, use whatever you find works for you. Look forward to seeing your work!

[lilacwine]

Thank you. I will find a small piece of 18 in my spares & see which I prefer.

Nina

[fccs]

Hello from Colorado (and Wyoming where I am at the moment) and welcome to the forum

Reference needles, I tend to use size 28 for most of my projects.

[nannyrainbow]

Welcome to the forum. It is a very friendly place. No one minds what questions you ask. There is always someone around to help with anything you are unsure of

Als0 if you get busy times & can't come on here much, you re always welcomed back. Life does have it's busy times, even when you think you are retired from work! things crop up in life that need your time & attention so you can't always think to come on here.

Gridding does take time but it is worth it as it makes counting stitches easier. Look forward to seeing your picture. I love Dimensions so will be interested to see yours as it progresses.

[dawn0621]

Hi from hot and dry Northern California.

[sina28]

Hi Nina and welcome to the forum from Germany!
Looking forward to seeing your progress on your Dimensions piece. I have only stitched one of the small gold collections ones and am working on another, but I do have quite a few of the larger kits, so I'll be happy to watch yours.

As for needles, I mostly stitch on 32ct/16ct and use size 26 needles. I think they also work well for 18ct but I recently ordered some size 28 needles so will test which ones I like better.

[lilacwine]

Thank you. Good to find others who like Dimensions kits. Still have to try out needles, too hot last night to do any stitching.

After seeing such beautiful projects worked on here I ordered 2 new kits last night. 1st is Dimensions 6 snowmen Christmas ornaments. 2nd is Madonna & Child by Design Works. I know DW are not very good at giving enough floss but have some of my own. Wanted to this for years but always been too nervous to try it - thought now I would go ahead & buy it. If I get a problem when I do start it, I know I will get good advice here. It is not the fact that it has beads as I have sewn those before but I think it was the size of picture. Before I was always stitching smaller things. I really love the colours of the kit. It is such a gentle picture with the white doves as well.

[rcperryls]

The thing to remember, no matter whether you are stitching a small project or a really big one, all cross stitch is completed doing one stitch at a time. And we are always ready to jump in and offer ideas, suggestions and whatever we can do to help.

Carole

[poppy]

Hello and welcome, Nina!
Glad you joined us.

Wanted to this for years but always been too nervous to try it

I am stitching a big project too, which I would not have attempted if I were not part of this forum.
As the others said: it is one stitch at a time and we get lots of encouragements on here

[Squirrel]

Hi Nina and Welcome from me too in sunny Brisbane I am so glad you have decided to come back to stitching. Just remember no question is a silly one, it is only silly if you don't ask it.

[lilacwine]

Thank you all so much for the welcome & the encouragement. Logically, I know if I can do a small picture I can do a larger one but I've always been hesitant. My mum used to say to me, don't sit dithering, just get on & do it.

Even a few stitches at a time mean less to do the next time you pick up whatever it is you are doing. Mum used to encourage me with my crafts as she did a few when I was young.

[fuchsiafairy]

Hello & welcome. I've not long joined - hope you enjoy it on here.

[wendywombat]

Welcome from me in SW France. ...just got back from the UK where it was hotter than France.

Good to see another Newbie who has joined our happy group. Love your name BTW

[lilacwine]

Thank you both

Thank you Wendy, my Mam was a Nina Simone fan. Been able to read a few posts by others every day & gather you have been trying to sort out your father's property. Sounds a horrendous job but it seems to be heading to finality now & hope you can sit back & relax in the hot weather. Surprised UK was hotter than France - on reports of Europe weather it looked like we got it from the Continent as it drifted northwards.

Everyone is so kind & helpful on here. Looking forward to learning things & once I get my head round all the different bits & pieces, hope to be able to encourage others. So many different subjects of cross stitch - it is great to see them being done & then the finished result.

Still gridding but almost there, then threads to sort out, such beautiful colours in this European Bay one. Haven't minded sedate stitching as by the end of the day sometimes my brain feels frazzled & I can't concentrate very well!

[Serinde]

And a very belated welcome from a very hot and dry West of Scotland! So glad you found us.

[lilacwine]

Thank you. It's lovely to belong to such a friendly group of people from all round the globe

[lilacwine]

Haven't forgotten this forum, life took over. Started bay scene (Lakeside Village proper name) which I see someone else has started too. Did not concentrate properly on a couple of v. hot evenings & had to frog some, so waiting until I catch up & get into my stride before I put pic on here.

Madonna & Child came as did ornaments kit, not going to add ornaments descriptive word as way too early Found 2 pretty designs while sitting & going through my stash, Both are windows seen from outside, one with cat in window & flowers decorating the4 edges; other with 2 garden birds & wisteria.

Am going to look at Stash & Acquisitions topic to see what others have bought recently - I do realise I may be tempted to buy another x stitch to do when I've seen these

Not sure if this it right place to put this but if it should be somewhere else, please correct my mistake.

Will be in touch again when weather has cooled as I don't cope with it very well nowadays.

Thank you

[country lass]

Hi Nina, I'm Daisy &recently joined. It is me who is doing the lakeside Dimensions one. Some parts are hard aren't they?

Started off my usual way, doing one block of 10x10 , but last night decided as I had a fair bit of thread of one colour left I would go into next 2 blocks, wrong decision entirely! Should have stuck to original plan. First part of small villas roof was fine altho 3 colours but the main sec tion of roof has stiches here & there of different colours & thought I could handle it. DH always starts talking when I'm in a tricky bit but that's life! Will make sure I stick to 10x10 blocks in future, always have done in the past.

Look forward to seeing your lakeside village