ive just started doing some cross stitch, but it seems to be taking a really long time. does that sound right, or am i doing it the slow way. the pattern looks really good, just slow to do.

I'm not sure if it's too late to answer your question, but that cloth can be a right pain. There's a kind of plastic canvas that can be used for cross stitch (it'll be 14 point). But for the tiny images that is best for beginners it will make it easier to make the final product into other things. The image is a work in progress on the plastic I was talking about

Also as far as sites go, I get 99% of mine from a site run by a girl named Jessica Tromp. She does more than cross-stitch, so I highly suggest you check out her other stuff even though I'm sending you to her cross stitch page.

http://www.jessica-tromp.nl/embroidery_free_cross_stitch_patterns.htm

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I have just uploaded some free Halloween cross stitch patterns to my website www.selinagreen.com feel free to donate if you think they are worth anything :) enjoy! X

Oh here is some more patterns, these ones are a bit more detailed but really pretty :)

http://www.cross-stitching.com/free-cross-stitch-charts

There are patterns/designs out there for every level of skills. They are pretty easy to find too, if you just do a google search with something like "beginner cross stitch patter" your bound to find some good free ones.

To start a project you need "Aida cloth" That's the fabric that has a large basket weave texture to it. Made just for cross stitching, pick the lowest number you can find. It will be something like 6 or 8, those are best for beginners. You can usually find it right next to the Embroidery Thread, which you will also need. Sometimes it is call Embroidery Floss, but they are the same thing. It doesn't come on a spool like sewing thread but rather in a skein like yarn, but much smaller lol. It is good to buy the basic colors, if you don't know what you'll be making. Like white, black, brown, grey, plus colors like blue, purple, red, orange, yellow and green. If you find a pattern you want to make though just buy those colors that you'll need :) While your shopping pick up a pack of Embroidery Needles, look like regular needle but have a bigger eye and dull tip, get Size 22 or 24. And also a Embroidery Hoop, I would go for about a 6 inch hoop, that's a good versatile size.

Here is a good site I just found, that explains the basics pretty well and has some free patterns to try out.

(sorry if my spelling wrong im not the best speller and i dont have it where it checks your spelling)
i want to start cross stiching but i dont know where to begin or where to get the supplies?
what supplies i would need?
is there a certain neddle i would need?
does it take a lot of time to make?
on a scale of 1 to 10 what would you rank it on diffulty?
what are some eazy patterns to start off with?

Ugh! I'm with you Pam! I hate cutting its my least favourite part of sewing. I'm also not that fond of translating my embroidery ideas from thoughts to fabric, sometimes on small things I just wing it without drawing it on or using transfer paper and hope it comes out ok.

I recently finished an embroidered wedding cushion for a friend but I need to start another one for my cousins wedding in October. I want to get it done early so I have plenty of time to get it framed. I'm going to embroider the dictonary definition for either love or marriage.

I do enjoy embroidery but my problem is any pictures I want to make for me are always at the bottom of the jobs list, I'm always making things for everyone else first. I bought some really cute cards by an artist called cori dantini in Jan and want to do a series of 3 embroidered canvases of them. i have so far managed one and although i'm really pleased with it its still waiting to be properly mounted and I don't know when I'm gonna have time to do the others.

I don't have a lot of projects lined up, I do keep a file with pic of things I want to make someday or just look like cool inspiration. But one thing I've seen lately that I want to do is a little cross stitch piece that looks like the 8-bit style characters from the IT Crowd :) My hubby and I love that show! For embroidery I really want to buy a ton of patterns from Urban Threads! Like this pack here
http://www.urbanthreads.com/product_details?product_id=7704&category_id=136
I don't usually start projects and then leave them unfinished for a long time, but quilts always bore me lol! I have at least 3 just sitting unfinished in various stages. I think because they take sooooooo long with all the cutting and piecing and ironing........ Geesh they take forever it feels like. I get bored and move on to something else, lol.

Thought it would be nice to share what cross-stitch/embroidery projects everyone is currently working on, plus any that you are itching to get started on!

I am a cross-stitcher, at the moment I am working on a Tatty Teddy Wedding piece that was supposed to be finished back in May. I am so close to finishing it, I jsut need to make time to do so. Next on the list is a Grim Reaper for my partner's 21st birthday present, which was in July. This one will be a real challenge.

After those two are finished, I have a stash of kits ready to go. They include 2 baby birth announcements, one I bought for my son (8 months) and one as a 'spare'. I also have a beautiful Madonna & Child kit that was originally for a 16th birthday present in August, but have fallen out with the recipient so I am holding onto this one for the time being.

There are so many cross-stitch projects I would like to do, but am making myself complete the ones I already have before I spend money on any more. So, at the moment I have 1 WIP and 4 waiting to start. That's not so bad is it?

Oh, wow, thank you soooo much! I can't wait to start it!

I found it!!
Yey!
try this link
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1wh5EKBpTlsZjRhNWQ1ZDktODc2NC00MzhmLWFhNWQtNDlhZjExZjIxZmM1/edit?hl=en&authkey=COTqhMMP&pli=1

if that doesn't work go to this link
http://www.flickr.com/photos/monikalel42/4003009862/
and read the comments, she posted a link to a larger pattern for it :)

I hope this helps, even though its a bit late, lol!

I dont know any sites but you should search online for somewhere to buy felt. I would also check craft stores near you, since they usually have felt.

Don't know if i am posting this , in the right topic. But i have recently moved home and am struggling to find a fabric shop. I am in the middle of making plushies but will need more supplies. Anyone who knows a cheap site where i can buy colourful felt fabrics drop me a line please :3 Or anyone who lives in Carmarthen or Swansea wales? Are there any shops about. Thanks.

Don't know if i am posting this , in the right topic. But i have recently moved home and am struggling to find a fabric shop. I am in the middle of making plushies but will need more supplies. Anyone who knows a cheap site where i can buy colourful felt fabrics drop me a line please :3 Or anyone who lives in Carmarthen or Swansea wales? Are there any shops about. Thanks.

I mean this one, but bigger http://crossstitcher.themakingspot.com/sites/crossstitcher.themakingspot.com/files/migrated/xst189.doctorwho.jpg

Do any of you have it? Please, I'd love to sew this but I can't make it out from that chart alone :((

I've been using embroidery thread to stitch chunky cross-stitches and running stitches on EVERYTHING- bags, books, coffee cosy... It fairly uses it up :)

You could try Kumihimo bracelets. I believe there actually is a tutorial on here somewhere. :)

Hey! Have a look at this thread:

http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/board/crafts/crochet/5430-wanting-to-learn-to-crochet-how-did-you-learn

a lot of people recommend different videos for learning. Hopefully one will help : )

this lady on youtube is the best! She has a lot of beginner videos for individual stitches and small projects.
http://www.youtube.com/user/tjw1963

Also I really like this other ladys page :)
http://www.youtube.com/user/Bethintx1

I want to start crocheing but I don't
Know anything about crochet now
I am just stuck with needles and
Yarn. Anything helps 0: )

Punch holes in the fleece then sew.I use an awl for this.Then you can push thread and thread though.
You could use safety pins to hold a paper pattern over fabric- use awl technique,Leave paper in situ and rip off paper when your done to leave stitches

Yeah if the needle wont pierce the fabric its because you need a sharper needle. If you try a different one and find its the "eye" of the needle your having problems getting through then you need a finer thinner needle.

the bigger needles might not be as sharp as smaller needles.

The needle wouldn't even pierce the fleece.

You might need to try a smaller needle then. If you use less strands of embroidery thread it should fit through a small needle and your fleece. Just double it over and tie it like you would a needled and tread for sewing on something like a button.

So I made myself a scarf out of a piece of fleece and it's plain so I wanted to embroider it. I threaded a big needle but it wouldn't go through the fleece. Have I done something wrong?
These are the big needles I have:

(The one with pink thread was the one I tried, the yellow one is plastic and came with a childs knitting set)

Other then that I just have normal small needles.

My mom had an embrodiery phase a long time ago. So now ive inherited all her thread too (i have almost every color under the sun!). I use it to make/stitch together my dolls and reconstructed clothes...since its thicker/stronger and i can only handstitch.
If i dont want it to be as thick, I usually cut the length i need. Then divide that thread into 3 sections (embrodiery thread has 6 pieces of thread stuck together, so pull out 2 pieces thread each). It'll make your hand-stitching stronger.
Well thats all i use it for too. I should really start actual embroidery though. lol

You could try Macrame. I use a lot of my embroidery threads for that. I 2nd Kiddo and Pinkweeds about embroidery and sublime stitching is awesome! They have some amazing tranfers- all you have to do is iron them on and follow the lines.

Anything with the word Ferret in it must be good :) I know you can basically turn any xstitch pattern into a beaded one, but once upon a time there were patterns specifically for that and I was looking for presents. lol The advantage was that they provided the correct colors that corresponded to the threads used and made sure there weren't a ton of backstitching or halfstitches needed. They were the lazy way out lol

I will forward these sites to her to see if she can find useful stuff on them tho.

Thanks!

The key to doing this is the size of the aida v size of seed bead.I'll go look through my stash/books to see if I can find anything else specific.

http://www.craftyferret.co.uk/index.asp

This helps to

http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_7644541_use-crossstitch-patterns-bead.html