Cross-Stitch

Charts, patterns and everything needlepoint

Tips for New Cross Stitchers

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beginner cross stitch tips

If you are new to the craft of cross stitching or just want to improve your skills and have better results and more enjoyment in your projects, check out this list of 7 things I wish I knew before I started cross stitching from Hannah Hand Makes.

Some of these are really solid, such as understanding that there are different sizes of Aida cloth and how to best work with colored cloth. I’m not sure about the one about cutting the skein of thread before you get started so you have pieces of uniform length to work with as you stitch. Have you ever tried that?

Do you have something you wish you knew when you were starting out? I’d love to hear your tips!

[Photo: Hannah Hand Makes.]

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Comments

  1. Not so much a tip, but I find it helpful to always leave my needle threaded and ready so it is easy to pick up my project again.

  2. For as long as I’ve been stitching, since about 1976 or so, I have always cut my floss to about 12″-16″ inch lengths. That way I don’t need to stop and keep cutting it. With some of the newer flosses, like the metallic, light effects, etc. I cut my floss in shorter lengths to keep it from fraying. This also makes it much easier to keep on my floss card for each WIP.

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Bookmark Cross Stitch Patterns

It seems like there’s no end to the available options when it comes to cross stitch bookmarks, which is a good thing because they’re perennially popular to stitch as well. This time I thought I’d share some colorful cross stitch bookmarks to get you ready for the new school year or to make meeting your reading goals a little more fun. 

I love these retro floral designs from The Stitch Patterns. This set of four patterns is rated as very easy, and each bookmark measures 2.5 by 6 inches (or 6.35 by 15.25 cm) on 14 count fabric. 

These cute ones that look like mosaic tile would also be fun to stitch. This set includes five designs from EmbroSTyle Designs, and they call them folk art but they mostly look like old mosaics to me. Either way, the bookmarks are 25 by 101 stitches, and to stitch the full set uses 12 colors. 

If you’re looking for more of a challenge, you can stitch up a work of art with this set of 16 bookmarks designed to look like famous paintings. Stitch some sunflowers or a great wave or a starry night. Most of these are between 14 and 20 colors (the great wave is only 8) and the bookmarks are totally covered with stitching at a count of 35 by 100 stitches. Grab this set from Sunset and Sea Design.

Or how about some bookmarks inspired by books (or by movies inspired by books)? This set of Lord of the Rings bookmarks includes four landmarks from the books/movies. Each one is 35 by 115 stitches and uses between 8 and 17 colors. You can find them at byCountryMagicStitch.

These don’t quite all fit the description of being colorful bookmarks to cross stitch, but a few of them do, and speaking of book-themed bookmarks I had to share this set from Mama Geek inspired by Heartstopper. There are seven designs in all that should be quite familiar to readers (or viewers of the series). 

25 Christmas Bookmark Cross-stitch Patterns [Cross-Stitch]

25 Floral Bookmark Cross Stitch Patterns