Cross-Stitch

Charts, patterns and everything needlepoint

How to Transfer a Cross Stitch Pattern to Your Fabric

by

When working small cross stitch projects, it’s easy enough to follow along with the chart and always know where you are. You can start from the center and work out, or start from a corner and work across and up and down as needed without too much trouble. 

But when it comes to working bigger projects, especially if you’re new to cross stitch (or to big projects) you might want a little more help to keep you in the right place on you pattern. 

I’m a fan of gridding cross stitch fabric to help you visualize where you are in the pattern. Because the chart generally will have thicker lines every 10 stitches and 10 rows, you can make those same marks on your fabric and use that grid to help orient yourself in the pattern and on your fabric. 

But there are other options, a few of which Crewel Ghoul shares in their post all about transferring cross stitch patterns to the fabric. 

The post includes an idea you’re going to have to see to believe, where someone used colored pencils to draw the whole pattern, stitch by stitch, before actually stitching it. 

It reminds me of printed or stamped cross stitch patterns, but very DIY. I’m not sure I could be that patient, or that accurate, but it would definitely reassure you that you’re in the right place and using the right color (as long as you keep good track of which color represented which color of floss). 

I would love to know if this is something you would try or if you have another method you use to help you keep track of where you are in a cross stitch pattern. 

Go check out the post at Crewel Ghoul for all her advice on transferring patterns to cross stitch fabric, and let me know what you think. Which methods have you tried or would you like to try?

[Photo: Crewel Ghoul]

10 Ways to Transfer Embroidery Patterns [Needle Work]

8 Ways to Transfer Embroidery Patterns to Dark Fabric [Needle Work]

DIY  Image transfer with inkjet printer [Indie Crafts]

Comments

Have you read?

Designer Spotlight: Inkspire Studio Shops

Inkspire Studio Shops offers cross stitch patterns as well as tons of different stitch minders, scissor charms and thread organization tools. 

We’ll get to all that, but since we’re mostly here for the patterns, let’s start there. 

All of the patterns are in one category (called Inkspire Originals if you’re following along). There are a lot of book-themed projects and more of the designs are bookmarks than anything else. You’ll find trope bookmarks, a Reading Rainbow themed design, flowers and a super cute watercolor set bookmark, to name a few. 

And while the book themed projects are by far the most numerous, I wanted to share this super cute pile of vintage Pyrex style bowls. I love the colors on this one and it should be easy to stitch because so much of it is blocks (or bowls) of a single color. This one is only available as a printed pattern, but most of them are digital. 

It calls for six colors and comes out 5.6 by 6.9 inches, or 14.2 by 17.5 cm when stitched on 14 count fabric. 

In addition to the bookmarks and book themed projects you’ll find a few kitchen projects and some Halloween and Christmas designs as well. 

But what this shop is really about is needle minders, and there are tons of them, with all kinds of themes ranging from introverted and snarky to animal themes, food and beverages, retro designs and religious and inspiring needle minders. 

If you don’t know about needle minders, these are acrylic with magnets. You stick a magnet to the back of your work, add the needle minder to the front of the work, and then it holds your sewing needle when you’re not stitching. No need for piercing your fabric or losing your needle between stitching sessions. 

She also makes charms you can attach to your scissors (or use as a stitch marker if you’re a knitter or crocheter), inventory and project trackers and bags large and small to hold works in progress and other supplies. She’s also got a great collection of vintage cross stitch patterns and kits, so check out all the fun goodies at Inkspired Studio Shops. 

[Photo: Inkspire Studio Shops]