Last week I answered a few questions here about cross-stitch. I have another quick one for you today.
Bernie asked,
“One more cross-stitch question. I know that cross stitch fabric frays and that you have finished yours, possibly with a Serger. I don’t own a Serger so should I zig-zag the edges or glue them, which I think I did in years past when I cross-stitched?”
Lots of fabric comes serged. If it doesn’t and it’s a small piece of leftover fabric I don’t worry about it. With the amount of time it takes me to finish a small project, I have it done before it frays. For large long-term projects, I zig-zag if the pieces aren’t already serged. If your machine only has straight stitch, just stitch around the piece several times. It will all be okay. I don’t recommend glue or tape. Residue from it is likely not acid-free so it could affect your piece down the road.
Now to my Floral Motif Sampler.
Here is where I was last week…
I decided that I needed to tackle one of the big flowers. I’ve been putting the big flowers off as I know they will take longer than one day to stitch. But…it was time to tackle one. I stitched as long as I could one night and got this far on the first one.
I next day I sat down and watched Olivia from Pumpkin Hollow Quilts latest floss tube and finished the flower, extended the border, and stitched the tiny flower.
Speaking of Olivia at Pumpkin Hollow Quilts, if you go to Youtube and watch her latest video, she did a segment about the frame she uses for cross stitch. I thought some of you who are interested in learning about the different methods of cross stitch might enjoy watching that.
The next night, I had wanted to stitch the initials and year but I looked in the chart and couldn’t find an alphabet. UGH. I wonder if it’s an oversight or if the chart really didn’t include a chart for the alphabet. Can anyone who is stitching this with me tell me if there is a page with the alphabet?
This is the area that I worked on this week.
I did a little bit of calculations. I think the flower right above the “0” in 2022 is the middle or halfway point. I’m almost there!!
Next week I hope to get this area filled in so then I will be officially at the halfway point.
Every day that I stitch on this I love it more and more. I don’t know if that’s because it means I’m getting closer to the end of my treatment time or because the piece is coming to life so much more. Whatever it is, I love it! I’m so pleased I got the idea to stitch this to mark my cancer journey.
So this is where I ended for the week.
I won’t get much stitching time this week. I’ll be in the hospital for a bit of the time and no stitching then…shucks. I told myself once I’m home I should just take a whole day and stitch…I think I might.
2022 snuck in here between this week and last week’s cross-stitch update so here’s the question…did I do a new year, new start?? The answer is…YES but no.
I had shown pieces I was considering in a blog post a couple of weeks ago. I loved all of your input and several of you did pick the same piece that I picked. My start will be (drum roll please…)
a Barbara Ana Design, All Creatures Great and Small. I have loved this. I bought it before I had any idea I could even stitch on 40 count linen. It was my goal to someday be able to stitch. I made a tiny start on it but not so much I wouldn’t call it a new start.
Here is a closer picture of it…
This has some new elements for me. I’ll be stitching with Anchor floss. I’ve not done that before.
I’ve said that I really want to focus on things that are meaningful to me and this one hits that. We are a farm family. We are a family of believers. I don’t plan any personalization with this, besides that center, I’ll put my initials and the year I finish it which I hope to be 2022.
I look at my New Year, New Start as a commitment that by the time the next year rolls around, 2023, this piece will be stitched. I can drag it out all year or I can sit down and stitch it all at once.
As I look at it I’ve thought that it’s almost divided into four layers. I could stitch one layer each quarter. I’ve read or listened to people who have stitched this piece that the green hill with the animals in the bottom center is the hardest to stitch. I’ve thought about stitching that first. Hmm. There are so many options.
I do know that I’ve seen several people switch out the pink barn color to a red. Lori Holt and Cynthia from Stitching in the Light have both done that I will be doing that as well. I haven’t committed to a new red but I will be.
I’m happily stitching on Vintage Country Mocha 40 count linen. It’s my long-time favorite so feel super comfortable with that.
I have no plans to put everything else down and jump with two feet into this project. My Floral Motif Sampler is my priority and after that, I’ll likely pick up A Changed World. After those two are finished, this will be front and center. I hope to stitch a night or two here on and there on this in-between it all.
Many of you voted that you thought this should be my New Year New Start. I was so tempted. I do hope to get to this one in 2022 as well. It’s a favorite of mine.
Thanks so much to all of you for putting in suggestions and comments for my new start. I know many of you watch my progress and cheer me along. Thanks for that.
Last week I mentioned a possible stitch along. That will be happening. I’m working out the details and will let you all know as soon as I know more. I can’t wait. It should be lots of fun.
I’ll catch up with all next Friday for my next cross stitch update.
Wonderful post this. I have done cross stitch and do love it. That’s how I do my quilt labels. Bht I’m so much into mini hexigons, string quilting, and thread crochet that cross stitch is on back burner unless it’s bookmarks or jartops for gifts. But I do enjoy watching your projects.
Wishing you all the best as you go through your treatments. And thanks for sharing so much if that journey with us. ❤❤❤
Jo, your floral motif sampler is looking beautiful already! You always choose such lovely samplers.
I love all your cross-stitch and I like your idea of starting a new project for the new year. Your floral motif sampler is going to be quite lovely, so much prettier than the picture. I like to see you finish a Changed World because I have the silly idea that we might be out of this pandemic then! The Love sampler is so pretty but I’d like to see you put a beagle at the bottom in place of the cat. Thanks for sharing this journey with us. We admire you.
The most cross stitching I’ve done in the last 20 years is a small piece I keep in the car for road trips. And I’ve only ever stitched on Aida. When you have these pieces are stitched on linen did I see somewhere you said it’s one thread of floss over on thread of cloth? Are pieces like the one that you chose transferable to an evenweave, or not really?
Your making wonderful progress on the Floral Motiff and I must admit that I really like the other 2 designs as well. I think the All Creatures Great & Small is loaded with lots of details and I will enjoy seeing you work on that one. Happy stitching Jo
Wow, you are just getting it done! It is going to be beautiful! Too bad you can’t do it in hospital because you would whiz through it quickly.
Oh I love this All Creatures piece. My sister and I went to the Houston Quilt show a few years back. Neither one of does cross stitch (she doesn’t even sew! Lol) but we were mesmerized by the cross stitching booth. The pieces that especially caught my eye were the large detailed ones like this All Creatures. I know better than to start something like this (I will stick with quilting) but I will enjoy your posts as you work on it!
Love the progress on the floral motif and it’s making me want to get it…lol I love All Creatures and I will have to put that on my wish list. I started up last year and finished just two pieces and now have almost 10 WIPs. I hope to get several done this year and have plans to start others too so we’ll see…lol Wishing you all the best during your days of isolation. So happy that you’re able to move forward with treatment! Continued prayers!
Wow, can’t believe how much you get done in just one evening! Way to go! I am stitching along with you but much more slowly :-| I just checked my pattern and did not see any reference to an alphabet. Guess they think you are pretty experienced to stitch this one. Ha, if they only knew!
Your floral motif samplèr is wonderful! You are such a fast stitcher!
Regarding the linen edges – what Jo said. A 2nd issue with glue or tape – it will need to be removed before finishing, leaving you with the raveling issue anyway, so it seems best to deal with it properly once.
Jo – your flower sampler is looking lovely. I need to go back through posts and see what linen you used. I think it might be a good one for a large sampler pattern I just got. Speaking of which – have you ever thought of adding a “past projects details” tab where you could add information like what linen, pattern, or fabric line you used? I’m thinking it *MIGHT* answer some of those questions you get months after you’ve completed a project, like when one of your quilt patterns gets published in a magazine.
I like to use Fray Check to finish my linen edges before starting to stitch. Works for me. I agree with JustGail-a “past project details” tab would be ever so helpful. In your “spare time” of course. I do appreciate all you share in your blog but for now concentrate on getting healthy!
My Mom used to use masking tape on the edges of fabric to keep it from getting unraveled.
I like to read about your progress.
I use to cross stitch in my twenties. However, along came the littles, and then a learned I had a stigmatism. My eyes grew to tired.
Anyway, your work is amazing.
I sure want to follow your progress!
All your work is worth a million words.
And, GOD speed your recovery from cancer.
I bought a unmarked cross stitch kit snd don’t know where to start, can you give me a few tips. I may have yo return it.
Start anywhere. Some people prefer to fold the piece in half, then in half again to find the exact middle. Then they know the piece will fit exactly in the middle of the cloth.
Always start in the middle