Cross-Stitch

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Victorian Summer Cross Stitch Chart

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One of the volunteer groups I work with is based in my little hometown of Summerville, Georgia. A few years ago, several people got the idea to build window displays related to a Victorian Christmas theme. The Victorians were the one that introduced the Christmas tree, just in case you weren’t aware.

While I was looking for some inspiration for a sampler design (I volunteered to stitch one for one of the displays this year), I came across some delicious projects on the Wool Work website.  The one shown here is the Victorian Summer Cross Stitch Chart which sells for $24 USD and comes with the wool to stitch the design, instructions, stitch guides, and the chart.  You can purchase the suggested fabric at your local needlecraft shop or order online.  A companion piece, Victorian Winter, is also available for an affordable $10 USD.  (Both projects are going on my wish list!)

I haven’t ordered from the Wool Work company (yet), so I can’t speak about it from personal experience.  If you are familiar with the shop, please let us know about your experience with purchasing and/or stitching from Wool Work charts using the comment section below.

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

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Have you read?

Everything You Need to Know About Embroidery Hoops

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]