Should You Use Special Needles for Cross Stitch?

I’m going to confess something, which you can probably guess what it is by the headline of this post, but I have never spent much time thinking about the kind of needle I use when I do cross stitch.

Does it fit in the holes of the cross stitch fabric? Sold.

I may just be lucky that I happen to have a good supply of needles of all sorts of thicknesses, sharpness levels and lengths in my house from years of craft hoarding and inheriting other people’s crafty things. But that can cause its own problems because old needles can get dull (maybe even rusty?) or snag your work, and of course it’s always the best idea to have the best tools you can afford that are available to you.

So having said all that, I needed to read this post from Catkin and Lillie all about different needles for use in cross stitch. Just like other kinds of needles we come across in our crafting life, sewing needles come in different sizes that are appropriate for different kinds of stitching.

The key is the finer the fabric you’re using (that is, the higher count) the smaller needle you need so it will go through the holes easily. And bigger numbers mean smaller needles.

The post over there of course goes into a lot more detail about what size needle is appropriate for different kinds of fabric and other considerations when it comes to choosing what needle you should be stitching with. There’s even a video that will show you what happens if you use a needle of an inappropriate size for your fabric.

It also covers different types of needles beyond size, such as petite needles, gold-plated needles, sharps and ball-point tips and more. Some of these are options I didn’t even know existed!

It’s definitely worth a read if you want to make your stitching life a little easier by using the right tools. And who wouldn’t want that?

[Photo: Catkin and Lillie]

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40+ Christian Cross Stitch Patterns

If you’re a fan of detailed and colorful cross stitch patterns, Design for Cross Stitch might have a pattern you want to try. This Etsy shop is based in Spain and has more than 50 designs with a focus on animals, holidays and landscapes.

I’m just going to start with the first pattern that caught my eye when I visited the site, which is this Sakura by the Lake project. This pattern is 200 by 200 stitches and the whole background is stitched, so it’s definitely not for a beginner, but it’s stunning and would be amazing to make for someone who loves Japan. Despite the detail it only uses 24 colors. Worked on 14 count fabric it will measure 14.64 inches, or 37.19 cm.

There are a few other landscape designs, including a canal in Venice and a few cabins in the woods.

The shop also has some cute animal cross stitch, with big, round faces and often holding a warm beverage. Holiday projects focus on Christmas and Halloween. Most of the patterns have a cute, chibi-like feel, but there are some that are more detailed and realistic as well. Take for examples the flower patterns, which are full of details and soft colors.

You’ll also find some fun bookmark cross stitch patterns with a watercolor feel, as well as some that look kind of like paint pouring turned into stitches.

If this sort of stuff sounds like fun to you, check out their Etsy store at Design for Cross Stitch.

Do you have a favorite cross stitch designer who I haven’t featured yet? Let me know in the comments or share more about them by clicking on “suggest a DIY” at the center top of the page and let me know the details. I’d love to share the designers you’re enjoying with a wider audience.

[Photo: Design for Cross Stitch]

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