Charles Dickens Saying

This is a repeat of a post from last year – I want to make sure you didn’t miss out! A beloved holiday tradition is “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens and whether you like to read the original, watch the Mikey or Muppet version, or participate in the local stage version, this free chart will allow you to create your own stitched version of Scrooge’s famous saying. Thanks to Feathers in the Nest blogger Jennifer Dalenberg for posting this free chart.

Be sure to visit her blog Feathers in the Nest for the full-size chart. (When I post about a free chart, you always want to visit the blog indicated for the full-size chart – the post here will be a thumbnail version at best. Here at Craft Gossip we always want to encourage you to visit the original post for more information about the free charts or tutorials we let you know about each day.)

Looking for more Christmas Cross Stitch patterns? Check these out on Etsy.

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Printable Cross Stitch Graph Paper

One of the most common supplies for cross stitch, aside from fabric, needles and floss, is an embroidery hoop. A hoop isn’t needed for every project, and indeed there are some stitchers who prefer not to use them at all. I generally don’t use a hoop when I’m working on a small cross stitch project, especially something that’s shape isn’t conducive to using a hoop (like a bookmark).

But embroidery hoops can be really helpful for cross stitch because they hold your fabric at an even tension, which allows you to stitch more evenly without any more work on your part. It’s great for beginners to use hoops because the tension on the fabric can both help make your stitches more even and make the holes in the fabric a little easier to see.

I’ll admit to always just buying whatever hoop is available in the right size when I’m ready to start a project without giving it much more thought than that. But there are things you should consider when choosing among the different kinds of hoops, which Caterpillar Cross Stitch covers in their great guide to embroidery hoops.

The post walks you through wooden, plastic, spring tension and flexi hoops (which I’ll admit to having never heard of; they’re made of vinyl and plastic apparently), as well as Q-Snap frames, which aren’t really hoops because they’re made of plastic tubes that you snap together in the size and shape you need.

It also covers what size hoop you should use for the project you’re working on and how to actually use a hoop in the right way.

Whether you’re new to cross stitch or more seasoned, you’re sure to pick up a tip or a product to try in this post, so go check it out over at Caterpillar Cross Stitch.

Do you have a favorite kind of embroidery hoop to use for cross stitch, or do you go without? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

[Photo: Caterpillar Cross Stitch]

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