Cross-Stitch

Charts, patterns and everything needlepoint

Easy Ornament Frames

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Ornament Frames were in every craft store, every dollar store, and I swear, even in service stations sometimes back when I first started stitching.  Now, sometimes, it is difficult to find frames.  I snap them up when I do find them because I love to make ornaments.

Recently I saw that Kreinik had some new options for framing smaller pieces.  They have introduced Ornament Frames with 30 or 40 ct silk gauze in them – the frames are made of an acid free board and support the gauze as you stitch on the project, then act as the presentation frame too.

I know that some of you got squinty-eyed when I mentioned silk gauze – you will be relieved to know that Krenik also offers the frames without gauze in them.  I plan to try out one of the frames for a project I am working on right now – watch for one of my WIP photos coming soon to a Craft Gossip post near you.

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Comments

  1. hi, i just saw post about the little ornament frames that used to be all over and are hard to find now. many years ago, i worked for vip yarns and aunt marys yarns, and we used to have them. i recently pulled out my old stock to do some some. i crochet around them and then glue in laminated photos. i use the 2.5″ ones. there are also the oval ones too. anyways, you still can get them. search online –janlynn corp—- they come up, like 12 for 9.00. you could get wholesale account also if that is your case. they got all the colors–red/white/green/and the famous gold color i love. have fun, rose in nj.

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]