Cross-Stitch

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How to Fix Mistakes in Cross Stitch

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I’ve just recently started what for me is the biggest cross stitch project I’ve ever attempted (the Baby Yaga House from Happy Little Mouse) and I know that there are going to be some mistakes in it.

It uses a lot of colors, and there are a lot of similar colors, and the symbols are kind of small and I have old lady eyes, etc.

I think for the most part I will just let mistakes go, because it is such a colorful pattern and the colors are so similar in a lot of places. Unless I just completely mess up and put a stitch where there shouldn’t be a stitch at all, I don’t think I’ll try to correct any/many mistakes as I go.

I know not everyone has this kind of attitude about mistakes in cross stitch (or other crafts, for that matter). But if a mistake is something I wouldn’t even notice unless I was comparing the stitched project to the chart, I am not going to worry about it.

If you’re the type who wants their projects to look exactly as the chart intended, though, you’re going to need to know how to fix mistakes. Notorious Needle has a great blog post on this subject, giving you a couple of options for how to fix a miscounted or mis-stitched stitch, as well as ways to try to prevent mistakes in the first place.

The advice is solid, and there are definitely projects where it would be more important that every stitch is made in the color it was intended, so it’s good to keep these tips handy should you need them for a project like that.

You can read the post at Notorious Needle.

How do you feel about fixing mistakes in your cross stitch? Are you a by the chart stitcher or are you willing to let some things go? I’d love to hear about it!

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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]