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Tools to Make Your Cross Stitch Life Easier

August 7, 2023 by Sarah White

I don’t do a lot of big cross stitch projects so I don’t have a lot of cross stitch supplies or special tools that I use, but I know there are things out there that can make the work of cross stitch a little easier, faster and more fun.

Hannah Handmakes did a podcast about essential cross stitch tools, and it’s also a blog post if you don’t want to listen along.

One that she doesn’t mention, possibly because it’s too basic, is a needle threader. I do use a needle threader sometimes (when I can find one!) as it makes threading the needle a lot easier when you have those threads that just won’t cooperate. I also have a project I need to use a seam ripper on, because it’s not worth it to try to unstitch this project where I used more threads than I should have (that one is on the list).

One thing that is on the list that I have been curious about is needle minders. These are decorative metal pieces that come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, with a magnet. You put the magnet on the back of your work and the needle minder on the front, and then when you put your needle down it stays on the plate. No more losing your needle or poking holes through your fabric to keep track of it.

If you use a needle minder I’d love to hear your experience!

Check out the blog post and/or the podcast to see what the other tools to help your cross stitch are over at Hannah Handmakes. And if you have something that you would add to the list I’d love to hear about that, too! I’m sure there are lots of things that could be helpful that I’m not aware of and that other people would like to know about, too.

[Image by Alina Kuptsova from Pixabay]

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Have you read?

Book Review: The Ultimate Cross Stitch Christmas Collection

If you’re looking for a ton of easy cross stitch designs to use for Christmas projects, look no further than Claire Crompton’s The Ultimate Cross Stitch Christmas Collection, which includes more than 500 charts for tiny stockings, angels, ornaments and much more. 

The book covers the materials you’ll use to create the projects, how to add beads and other embellishments, stitching techniques and instructions for finishing projects shown in the book. 

You’ll find ideas for using the patterns such as making greeting cards, ornaments, wall hangings, napkin rings and patches, as well as ideas for adding stitching to ready made or semi-homemade gifts. There are also tips for framing and hanging projects, making an advent calendar and designing your own Christmas sampler. 

The charts are arranged by theme like Christmas classics (bells, horns and candles), garlands including stockings and mittens, Christmas carols, advent motifs with numbers to make your own calendar, St. Nicholas, nativity projects, snowmen, Santa’s sleigh, snowflakes and snow themed projects, Shaker-style Christmas designs, Santa’s helpers and reindeer, tree decorations, snowy scenes, robins and other birds, angels, Christmas trees, penguins, baby’s first Christmas, Victorian-inspired designs, sweets and treats, Christmas flowers, child themed patterns, stitches for gift tags, fairies, bears both teddy and otherwise, 12 days of Christmas patterns, projects to work on linens for the table, sentiments for cards or other projects, and several sets of alphabets and numbers you can use to design your own projects. 

There’s a really cute parcel alphabet that has the letters on presents and there are also elves and a Santa worked in, which would be cute for a project for a child or to make a sign for your house. 

Patterns are shown several to a page with one key for all of the projects. The projects don’t say how big they are so you’ll have to count stitches on the chart and figure out how big they will be based on the fabric you are using. 

Still, this is a nice, large collection of holiday themed cross stitch designs, which is great for people who like stitching projects big and small for Christmas. 

About the book: 112 pages, paperback, published 2026 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $24.99. 

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