How to Weave a Short End in Cross Stitch

I know we all know better than trying to stitch with what’s obviously a too-short piece of embroidery floss, but that’s also never stopped up from trying to stitch up every last inch of thread.

If you’ve played thread chicken, whether you won or lost, you’ve probably left yourself with a super short end of floss that you can’t thread onto a needle and weave in at the back like you normally would.

Generally when I do this to myself I separate the threads and try to tie a knot, which isn’t all that easy to do, probably isn’t really helpful, and it leaves you with a knot in the work (which I don’t care that much about, but I know some people do).

Of course there has to be a better way, right?

Some stitchers who are way more clever than we are surely have a technique for dealing with these little threads. Aside from being willing to join in new thread even when they’ve only got a few stitches left because it will be easier than messing with a tiny end, right?

If you’ve ever wondered about what to do with a tiny tail from a game of thread chicken, you need to check out this video from Catkin and Lillie. It will probably take you less time to watch than it took me to tell you about it, and I don’t want to spoil her method, so you’re going to have to click over to YouTube and watch it for yourself.

It’s definitely worth it for the both simple and life changing advice on offer. I know that sounds dramatic but the way you stitch is part of your life, so it’s going to change your life when you try this technique.

Go check it out on YouTube, and give them a subscribe for tons of helpful tips, techniques and floss tube episodes.

[Photo: Catkin and Lillie]

How to Cross Stitch on Linen

How to Stitch Whipped Back Stitch

I came across a post recently from Lord Libidan wondering about where all the good cross stitch alphabets have gone. While you can find lots of fonts on Etsy (and I even shared a few good cross stitch fonts recently) it can be difficult to know exactly what you’re getting when you buy a pattern for an alphabet online. You might find just what you want but it’s the wrong size, or maybe everything is plain and you want something fancier.

One option is to hit up your local library for cross stitch books. If you’re looking for large, fancy lettering to use as a stand alone for projects, I found Felicity Hall’s Stitch Alphabets & Numbers on the shelves at my local library.

This book includes lots of guidance in terms of materials, how to stitch and ways to use lettered projects, from simple framing to making alphabet blocks, pillows and a stretched canvas.

There are three sets of letters and three sets of numbers in this book. The circus letters are colorful and include circles and other details inside the letters that make some of them look like faces. They come in a variety of widths but are all 80 stitches high (making them 5.7 inches, or 14.5 cm tall on 14 count fabric.

Woodblock letters vary from a straightforward, blocky H to a G that looks like a fish tail, and they’re designed to have details in the background. There are all 80 by 80 stitches. Shadow letters are blocky with a drop shadow in a color; they vary in width but are 55 stitches tall. All the letter fonts also include an ampersand.

The number fonts include screen print numbers, which are worked in two colors that look sort of like printing; vintage numbers, which have flowers inside the numbers that also have a striped shadow; and floral numbers, where the number is a solid color surrounded by flowers and vines. These are all 79 by 80 stitches, while the vintage ones are 55 by 55 and the screen print ones vary in both width and height.

These aren’t the sorts of letters you’d add to another project, but if you want to stitch a single letter, a monogram, a short word or the table numbers for a wedding, this book offers some fun options and nice project ideas for how to use them.

About the book: 128 pages, paperback. Published 2014 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $24.99.

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