Cross-Stitch

Charts, patterns and everything needlepoint

Q- Snap Love

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My most used tool as a cross stitcher is my group of Q-Snap hoops. I use these more than any other tool or hoop I own.

The versatility of this set soamazing. The various sizes interchange, giving you almost unlimited size options.They require very little in the way of stabilization for your fabric and they leave minimal or no markings or stretching on your finished product. They are so lightweight that you can hold them for long periods without a stand. The company does offer a floor stand, however. I just have mine in my wooden floor-stand. The hoop vises in there fine!

There are sizes ranging from 6″ to 17″. The hoops are sold in squares or rectangles,that can be pulled apart and interchanged and use a ribbed pvc clamp.

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Comments

  1. Another good suggestion for Qsnaps is to use a piece of spongy shelf liner (rubbermaid??) which you can cut in strips as a liner for the grips. It holds my linen tight and when it wears out, cut another piece. One roll of shelf liner will last years.

Have you read?

Designer Spotlight: Haunted Frames

Cute spooky and fantasy cross stitch patterns is how the designer behind Haunted Frames describes their shop, and I have to agree with them. These designs are cute and Gothic and a little bit spooky all at once. There’s a heavy focus on book themes, which you know I am a fan of, so let’s get into it. 

Stopping first in the books section, there are lots of designs that are literally on book shapes, but if you know my love of both books and cats, you’ll know I had to share the Midnight Book Cart cross stitch pattern. As the name suggests it’s a design with a witchy book cart, complete with a spiderweb, bats flying out of a book and what it describes as a ghost cat (though I would have to make a black cat instead of a white one since I have a black cat, and that fits with the vibe). 

The design is 65 by 97 stitches and is worked in 17 colors. It’s shown on 16 count fabric, which makes it 4.1 by 6.1 inches, or 10.3 by 15.4 cm. 

I also love the winter themed little free library design, which would be perfect to stitch up for the little librarian in your life (or to drop at a neighborhood book space). 

Projects with a book theme make up the majority of the patterns that are categorized in this shop, but you’ll want to scroll through all their patterns to see what else is available, since it doesn’t look like everything is in a category. You’ll find castles and dragons, more cats of course, some more obviously Halloween and Christmas themed projects and those that would suit for spooky season or any other time of year. 

If cute and dark is your aesthetic, you’ll want to check out all the patterns at www.etsy.com/shop/HauntedFrames, which you can find on Etsy. 

[Photo: Haunted Frames]