From the article: Cross Stitch Rules - Helpful Hints for Cross Stitch Success
Share your general rules to follow when starting to Cross Stitch to help improve your stitching experience. Share Cross Stitch Rules
Stitching
- To avoid 'stress' get up and move every 15 mins. this helps all of your body to relax, as well as prevent pain.
- —Guest Sherrie R
Rules
- My rules are that I always work the stitches in the same direction, unless they are half and quarter stitches of course. I always wash the finished item, never had any bleeding in over twenty years of cross stitching, and over forty working in general embroidery. I aways wash the material before working too, softens the material, so means the needles last longer. I always make sure the needle is not discoloured in any way. I don't leave the needles in the work unless it is for a few hours or over night, and then only at the edge. I always mark the center of the work with thread, even very small pieces. Larger pieces I grid. I've made too many mistakes in the past, especially on even weave, so gridding is part and parcel of the design to me. I am afraid I do not always wash my hands as I often stitch in places where there are no facitlities, don;t like baby wipes. I also commit the cardinal sin of using hand lotion. Aforementioned washing always gets rid of any resdiue.
- —RosaleneW1
What Knot to Do
- I never use knots. I try to always loop the ends around during the first stitch or I feed the loose end in the back of the stitching. I try to make the back look as pretty and as flat as the front.
- —Guest Robin Hartman
Seeing Color Symbols Correctly
- I am working a sunflower in a pot and there were 2 symbols very similar [ + and the divid sign]. I rarely were my glasses for stiching because I am near sighted. Well --- you guessed right --- I was constantly picking the wrong color! I finely buried my pride and bought a magnifying glass that hangs around my neck so my hands are free. WHAT GREAT TIME SAVER !!! No more pulling stitches out and grabbing a different color. Hope this helps someone else. Marilyn
- —ma1219
Slow Stitcher
- To the ladies who think they're too slow ... take whatever time you want to make it the way you want it. Remember, your stitching projects will most likely outlast you and be passed down through the family. If it takes you a lifetime to do one project, well that's perfectly okay. Enjoy it now and your family will enjoy it for generations.
- —TeaKiKi
How many stitches are there?
- This the most common question I get asked. They always seem surprised when I say "I couldnt tell you". I know some stitches know every single stitch (and wow well done to them!) but I use stitching as a relaxation - so I dont time myself nor do I count how many stitches there are!
- —vixis
Excellent rules!
- Those are all excellent rules, and I practice them daily. The hardest one to keep is the first - why do people want to touch the stitching? Keep your dirty paws off!
- —kazbels
