Cross stitch

[AbielleRose]

Aw! That's so cute, Kell. I love how each sheep has it's own unique design in his/her wool.

 

I don't have much going on today so I thought I'd pop by the local crafty store and see what they have for beginner's cross stitching. I used to do embroidery and am familliar with patterns and needles and such, but have never tried cross stitching before. Hopefully it isn't too hard to learn by book. I've been wanting to make my own bookmarks for a few months now but just haven't gotten the motivation to do so until this morning.

[Kell]

Calli, I'd say the best way to get started is to get a magazine that has a free kit on the cover. That way you have everything you need to try it out - fabric, floss, needle and pattern - without spending a whole lot of money. You can see if you like it before buying in any other bits and pieces. It can be quite an expensive hobby initially, buying all the materials you need, but once you have them, it gets cheaper as you only need to buy top-ups as you use things.

[AbielleRose]

Thanks Kell I can't wait to go look through the store and see what kinds of goodies they have! So many of the designs you and everyone have posted here look so intimidating

[Kell]

Have a look on my design blog - they are all quite simple. See if anything there takes your fancy - they're all free to download.

[AbielleRose]

Those are all so lovely, Kell! I really like the little owl, he would make a good subject for a first go at a bookmark Thanks!

[Kell]

I've started work on my NATO Phonetics Subversive Sampler which will go in my hallway. I'm stitching it on white 14-count aida in DMC 69 variegated floss.

 

It will be my afternoon project for a few days till I move onto "card week" on the 21st. During that week I'll stitch a design for a Xmas card and then come back to the sampler once the card design is finished.

 

I'll still be stitching Butterflies Galore in the evenings though - I can't bring myself to put that one down for a while yet, so it will most likely be my main project for stithcing in the evenings at least until the end of the month.

[rune]

These designs are lovely, such a lot of detail

[Kate]

Here is a Johnny update:

 

 

[Angel]

Well done Kate that looks really good

[Kell]

*woot woot* (that's as close as I could get to typing a wolf whistle - LOL!). Looking fabulous.

[Kate]

And I have finished him:

 

 

[sirinrob]

Very well done, thats awesome

[Kell]

Absolutely gorgeous - now just pack him up and send him to me, please.

[chesilbeach]

Gorgeous subject, beautiful work ... well done, Kate

[Kell]

I've been designing again with another fun little sampler:

 

PMS Subversive Sampler

[Shin]

Well done Kate and I love your sampler Kell. x

[Kell]

I just finished titching a tiny little circular subversive sampler for my sister so she'll have something to open on her birthday, as she already knows we're going to see The Rocky Horror Show (although that won't happen till beginning of July and her birthday is end of May). I've just washed and dried it, so I'll press and frame it this weekend and take a pic to show you. It's another of my own designs, but I've not posted this one on my Kincavel Krosses blog yet - I'll be posting it next week with the pic of the completed piece as the stitched model.

 

And I'm also busy stitching an ATC with a summer theme for an exchange on a cross stitch forum. It's a summer-themed one, and I've charted my own design for it. I'm stitching it in a gorgeous variegated floss on a hand dyed evenweave fabric, so I'm hopeful that it will look suitably summery! I have the central part stitched and now just have the border to stitch, which may take a little time... This design will also be posted on Kincavel Krosses once I've finished stitching it. I plan to design one for each of the seasons so they can be stitched together as a mini sampler.

[Kate]

I've updated my cross stitch site:

 

http://bit.ly/dtYFL6

[Kell]

Looking great already, Kate!

[Kell]

My two most recent finishes.

 

Miniature Circular WTF?

This is for my sister as I think it's very "her".

 

 

NATO Phonetics Subversive Sampler:

This one's for my own hallway.

Edited April 28, 2010 by Kell

[Kate]

Haha they are great! I love how you blend the colours

 

I've been working on my Olde World Map:

 

[Kell]

I use variegated floss a lot on that kind of project, just to give it a bit of "oomph" - I love the effect they give.

[Kell]

Ooh, I've got some lovely projects on the go now! I have to do 2 ATCs - one a letter "C" (any alphbet style I fancy) and the other on an Oriental theme (so I might do a little Momiji or Kokeshi doll); and I also have to design and stitch a 40th wanniversary sampler for a friend's parents. Is it sad that I get so excited about projects like this?

[Kate]

I've designed a new bookmark:

 

http://bit.ly/b4d4fb

 

This is a practice with a program instead of just drawing on graph paper. I'm pleased with it

[Kell]

Ooh, pretty!

 

I'm almost done stitching my Oriental ATC - I went with a koi carp desighn, to which I'm adding the Japanese character for "koi". And I think I've decided on my "C" design for the other ATC. Haven't begun designing the 40th anniversary sampler yet, but I've been having a few ideas which I hope to get down on paper soon and then start arranging in the programme to sort it all properly...