Designer Spotlight: Teeny Weeny XStitch

I have mentioned recently that I want to take on a large cross-stitch project this year, but the truth is most of the time I am drawn to projects on the other side of the size spectrum.

Tiny things are cute, and they’re quicker to make, so you can make more of them. Minis can be stitched up sampler style, added to bookmarks, made into pins or used in all sorts of other ways.

If you’re a fan of wee stitching, let me introduce you to Teeny Weeny XStitch on Etsy.

Designer Lior Zochovizky offers collections of little projects including seasonal designs, geeky stuff, sea animals, Greek gods and goddesses and more.

There are dinosaurs doing Christmas stuff. Animals in space. Seashells, science symbols and creepy cryptids.

You can also buy many of the patterns not as bundles, but if you’re getting one little design, why not get a bunch? There are also options for bundles than include 60+ patterns, and you can buy the whole shop in one bundle if you like minis even more than I do or just really want to support this designer.

One project of theirs I really wanted to point out is the magic potions temperature stitchalong. This project includes different styles of bottles lined up on shelves, and you can change up the style as you like and make the color of the potion the temperature it was each day where you live. (If you’re reading this around the time I posted it you still have time to catch up of the year! And of course these are minis so the whole year shouldn’t take that long, or you can do it for a special year in the past like when you got married or a child was born, etc.)

The full design is 180 by 300 stitches, which comes out to 12.9 by 31.4 inches, or 32.7 by 54.4 cm, on 14-count fabric (use 16 or 18 to make it smaller if you want). The number of colors varies depending on how granular you want to get and the range of temps where you live, but it can be up to 44 colors.

[Photo: Teeny Weeny XStitch]

Next Pattern:

Using Counting Pins in Cross Stitch

Cross stitch is not a craft I generally travel with (since I’m not that good at it, I prefer not to be moving while I’m doing it) but I’m sure there are lots of stitchers who would like to take their projects with them when they travel.

Koekoek has a post all about cross stitching on a plane, which is a great plan since it’s lots of uninterrupted time to work. As mentioned in the post, you should be able to bring embroidery needles (which tend not to be that sharp anyway) on an airplane with you.

Regulations in the United States say that scissors with blades up to 4 inches/10 cm are allowed in the cabin, but whether they are allowed by security as you pass through it is up to their discretion. And thread cutters that use a razor blade are not supposed to be allowed at any time.

Alternatives include bringing nail clippers to snip your threads, or pre-cutting thread and placing it on bobbins so you can stitch on the plane. Then pack scissors in your checked bag so you can cut any loose ends or extra long strands later.

Check out the post at Koekoek for more tips on traveling with cross stitch and suggestions for projects to pack when traveling. I’ve also written in the past about this post from Caterpillar Cross Stitch about traveling with cross stitch supplies and, importantly, what to do to make your screening as smooth as possible. And, importantly, what to do if the security agents question your supplies or want to confiscate anything you brought.

And that’s a great tip, too: if you are packing scissors in your carry on but you’re also checking a bag, pack extras there just in case.

Do you have any tips for traveling with cross stitch projects? I’d love to hear them. Also check out my post about planning a travel stitching kit.

Next Pattern:

Have you read?