Cross-Stitch

Charts, patterns and everything needlepoint

Let Me Introduce Myself

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Hi! I am Connie Barwick and I will be taking over as the Cross Stitch editor here at Craft Gossip. I am really excited to be a “Gossip Girl” now – sorry for the lame joke, but that’s what I keep telling my friends.

You may also know me from my work at About.com Cross Stitch or my own site Connie Gee’s Designs. I am also the Social Media Director for Kooler Design Studio.

I have been cross-stitching since I could hold a needle. I started with stamped projects and moved into counted cross stitch as it gained popularity in the 1980’s. Cross stitch is a constant in my life, no matter the season or what’s trendy at the time. Over the years I have done all sorts of counted thread and canvas work.

I look forward to sharing my love of stitching with you and want you to help me out too! Send in your links today. Let me know about your favorite project, blog, etsy shop – whatever you think should be featured here.

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Comments

  8. I know you from About.com but didn’t know you did your own designs so I just went to have a look. Your dog is adorable! When I was 2 yrs old, my grandparents had a dog named Girlie. I don’t really remember her but I know she was a sweetheart and probably why I love dogs so much today.

  12. Craft Gossip already has cross stitch designs included in most of their daily e-mails, so , I guess this means that you, Connie, will be the new “manager” of the cross stitching portion of Craft Gossip. I hope you will take the necessary time to find the great charts available through a variety of websites.

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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]