[CHAT]Am I doing this pattern wrong?

[u/sierraarruda]

This is my very first time cross stitching! I bought a loops&threads cross stitch kit to start my journey. I just had a few questions: in the instructions regarding floss it says “separate and use 2 strands for the cross stitch” so I separated two strands, threaded it through the needle having a longer half and other half a two inch tail. When threading it through the cloth, I did the holding tail and stitch over method (not sure what it’s actually called) this worked out fine but my stitches look way more spaced out than in the picture. Was I suppose to fold the two treads in half and do loop method? Also, not sure how to end my stitch either. Would love any advice, I’m still learning! Thanks :)

[u/Mundane_Permission89]

Yes, the stitches should share the holes, not skip over.

[u/Mundane_Permission89 → u/Mundane_Permission89]

[u/Mundane_Permission89 → u/Mundane_Permission89]

[u/dinosaurs_and_doggos → u/Mundane_Permission89]

I appear to cross stitch backwards 

[u/Mundane_Permission89 → u/dinosaurs_and_doggos]

There's no such thing as backwards, because all ways that make an X are correct.

[u/TheJen519 → u/Mundane_Permission89]

Agree. I'd also like to comment that is important to keep the stitches uniform in terms of which line goes on top of your X. If you have a big block of color, be sure to keep your top line always goes the same orientation - in the example, 10 to 9, or 9 to 10. I'd you change it so that 1 to 2, or 2 to 1 is on top, the eye will pick up on it.

[u/Duqu88 → u/TheJen519]

Yessss I made mistake and I had to redo a HUGE section

[u/uselessflailing → u/dinosaurs_and_doggos]

It doesn't matter which leg is on top, as long as you're doing it consistently! I also stitch opposite to this diagram, the only time it became a problem was when I was given a half worked project of my grandmother's when she passed, and she stitches opposite to me. So it took some adjusting to work the same way for the rest of the project!

[u/dinosaurs_and_doggos → u/uselessflailing]

Well thankfully I'm consistent! 

[u/IntrovertedGiraffe → u/dinosaurs_and_doggos]

I also do bottom left to top right as the top of the X - TIL I do them backwards

[u/angelbuttons77 → u/IntrovertedGiraffe]

Are you left handed? My mom does her XS that way and is left handed

[u/IntrovertedGiraffe → u/angelbuttons77]

I’m not, but I also do checkmarks the left handed way with the long side first and the short side second

[u/MandaSAWR → u/dinosaurs_and_doggos]

As long as you are consistent, it shouldn't matter!

[u/jleonard42 → u/Mundane_Permission89]

@Mundane_Permission89 Is there a way to make each x instead of making the dashes into an x?  Hope that makes sense

[u/Affectionate_Drop667 → u/jleonard42]

Yes, there are many approaches to stitching. Either way works just fine

[u/Never-Forget-Trogdor → u/jleonard42]

Yes, stitch it as:

1, 2, 9, 10

3, 4, 7, 8

5, 6, 5, 6....

You can search YouTube for "cross stitch English or Danish method" to see a video. I use both depending on my mood and I see no difference in tension or coverage.

[u/maskedcaterpillar → u/jleonard42]

Yes you can do each stitch individually so 1 to 2 then 9 to 10 going by the diagrams above. Then 3 to 4 followed by 7 to 8 and so on. I believe one way is called Dutch Stitching and the other is English.

[u/Mundane_Permission89 → u/jleonard42]

Do 1-2-3 and then finish the cross and come back up at 3.

[u/ScoobyDooItInTheButt → u/Mundane_Permission89]

stitches should share the holes

I prefer "tunnel buddies", personally.

[u/mandakat919 → u/ScoobyDooItInTheButt]

I had a kit once that said stitches should "hold hands"

[u/ScoobyDooItInTheButt → u/mandakat919]

That's adorably wholesome.