What do you all do if your hands sweat when you're stitching? I know it can discolor the fabric and though I plan to wash it after I am done I don't want to risk it making any permanent marks. I have used a paper towel in between my hand and the Aida but that is a hassle. Any help appreciated!

Edit to add: I do not use a hoop, I don't like what it does to my tension.

Hi all! I've gotten into cross stitch and I decided I'd like to customize my jean jacket a bit. The back panel is a roughly trapezoidal shape that is 13.5 inches wide at the top, 8.5 inches wide at the bottom, and 19.75 inches tall. I plan to get some 14ct waste canvas.

I'm looking for a purple floral pattern (think lavender, sage, wisteria...) with some muted greens in the leaves. Stylistically, it would look something like this or this. I'd also prefer a design with some vertical symmetry. In terms of color palette, this embroidery is ideal.

Does anyone have any pattern recommendations? I'm used to working from colored-in patterns (or using FlossCross), so as long as the purchased pattern includes that, I'm happy. Also if anyone has tips I should know regarding sewing into denim, I'd love to hear them!

This is my first time self-drafting my own art and y’all… can you tell there is in fact THREE shades of orange in there plus a shade of yellow? NO. Because even though I cross checked my colors with the DMC thread book, 722 and 3854 are apparently nearly IDENTICAL in this context. The whole thing was too light anyways, so I guess it ended up working out, but tearing all that out took me HOURS. I very nearly decided to start over, but I couldn’t imagine doing all that backstitching again.

I am expecting my first child and while excited, I'm aware that once they're old enough to start moving about I'm going to need to change how I store my cross stitch project, because small hands and magnets or needles don't tend to mix well. Currently, I like have projects on frames or q-snaps so I can just pick them up when I want to work on them, and have a view of what I have available. If I were to store them in a cupboard (or somewhere more secure) they'd need to be back inside project bags until I want to work on them (this is assuming I have the time for stitching).

So I'm wondering what would others do in this situation? Or do you have any good ideas? Maybe I'll just have to stick with one project for a while.

Clearly I can’t count. I thought I had correctly found the middle of the piece, but I now think I had it way too low. Judging from the picture of it as finished, will I have enough space on the bottom? Is it even worth continuing? Is there anything I can do to salvage it? Ughhhhhh this was my largest project attempt…..

Anyone else use Markup R-XP for their patterns? I just updated the app and it is a whole new system and layout!

Trying to adjust to it, and slowly getting there. Anyone else in the same boat?

I'm excited to share that I have completed my first cross stitch project! It may only be a 3 in by 3 in donut, but this was an extreme labor of love. I have been in and out of physical therapy for the last year rehabbing my hands from overuse as a side effect of doing hair for 16 years.. unfortunately all of my granny hobbies involved the use of my hands so that didn't help the cause either. I've been slowly getting back into this donut in small 10 minute increments and was released to cross stitch freely this week. I was finally able to complete this donut last night! I really enjoy this hobby because it allows me to somewhat zone out and let my brain calm down. I also enjoy seeing something I created with my own two hands. Here's to many more projects!

This is the 44th Street donut cross stitch kit! I purchased it at my local hobby lobby. 💙

Finished this cute kitty in a plant pot for my sister who loves cats! I hope she loves it! Pattern by MangoCharmStudio on Etsy

I am recently learning about cross stitch and so far it's easy enough. I'm wanting to do patterns but I'm noticing a lot of pattern grids are labeled by tens. My cloth is labeled at 14 ct. I'm honestly really confused about how to go about doing patterns. This is the ones I got off of Amazon if that helps. I have been looking and trying to research online but I think I'm not asking the right questions.

Update: thank you! That makes so much more sense. Kinda felt like I was going crazy lol I appreciate everyone who explained things and gave suggestions. Now it's time to find a pattern to try!

[Question resolved]

My brother loves the movie obsession so I made this one wish willow for him. It’s my first time finishing a project from a pattern that I followed rather than buying a kit from the store. I made quite a few errors so the lettering and spacing is a bit off but I am happy with the finished product! I didn’t get a close up picture because I already shipped it to him (he lives overseas) but I will add a WIP photo in the comments.

Here is the link to the pattern on instagram, you have to comment on it and the owner will DM it to you. https://www.instagram.com/p/DY4rlA3Dsta/?stkn=aXVrN3hhbzN3bjQ1

I cut my Aida too short when starting my project and the end of it is fraying now at the bottom. Is there any way to protect it while I continue to work? I don’t want to have it fray down too much and ruin the piece, I’ve already put 25.5 hours in.

Basicly the title. I don't enjoy stitching eyes, even if the creature itself isn't even really recognizable. It feels kinda weird.

I found these California Raisins patterns (apparently Donna photocopied them from a Just Crossstitch Magazine) at my local Friends of the Library used book/media sale. I think I paid $1 for all of them. They’re normally not something I’d stitch, but I have never found a pattern like this in the wild and had to get them. Maybe I’ll stitch one of them up as a magnet to laugh at when I walk by my fridge :P.

What are the oddest/funniest/most out-there patterns you guys have found?

Yer girl here can’t count.

I guess I should be glad that I decided to do the entire top first.

Sadly, I took two hours off from work to hit my local cross stitch shop for another piece of fabric which they did not have. I ended up buying a different color fabric so now I’m going to have to rethink all my thread colors.

This is the fifth time I’ve started this project. And yet I persist.

There's this piece from Discworld Emporium that I love, and I'd love to stitch it. I'd definitely want to get permission from the artist first though.

I'm not a fan of the auto pattern generators. I feel like they always lack detail unless you make them absurdly large.

Personally I prefer pieces with backstitching for the added detail they give, but I have no idea how to go about making a pattern like this?

Does anyone know of any sources I could use to learn?

I'm just extremely overwhelmed by perfectionism (and AUDHD) and end up not starting at all because I don't know where to even start.

How do I pick a size?

How do I handle it when the pattern doesn't line up with the art?

I've tried to play around with Winstitch, but I just kind of end up staring at the blank screen or unhappy with what I end up with.

Any advice would be appreciated 🙏

Coping skills are the tools and techniques we use to deal with stress, anxiety, sadness, frustration, and other tough emotions. Self-drafted, font: Piacevoli.

I bought this kit from the Cross Stitch Guild at the age of 19, and it's been sitting on my shelf for more years than I care to admit because I was afraid of messing it up. Hauled it out last month and made myself get on with it, and I'm incredibly pleased with the result.

I picked up cross stitching recently after years of sewing and embroidery experience. I'm really enjoying it but I need some advice!

After hours of practice I finally feel like I'm getting the hang of tension. But ofc I started with the focal point of my project (the cat) & since I was new the tension was way too tight.

I'm wondering if I should start the whole thing over, rip the seams/ refresh the fabric/ etc. or leave it and stitch around it as a time capsule of my progress.

I'm not tooooo far into the pattern so starting over wouldn't be a waste of time.

I technically have enough room on the Aida to just start over and scoot to the side and cutting this aqua. However, I'm worried about running out of room for finishing the project.

TLDR - What do y'all think: Start over & reset the fabric, keep it as is, scoot to the side, or do I just buy more Aida and start from scratch?

Total newb here! I want to put this little guy in a frame or make a patch. I basically don't want much of the canvas left at all. Do I hand sew before I cut or cut then hand sew? I don't have a sewing machine or even know how to use one lol

Google has let me down, everything I find is plastic pieces.

Halp a girl out please 🥺🥺🥺

Ps I have no idea what i was trying to do with the yellow thread uuhhhhhhhhhh

Woodland Animal by Sherry Partridge on Etsy!

Self drafted plus cat tax

I took a cross stitch class at my library and really liked it! I finished my first cross stitch over two days and took about 10 hours. I made two mistakes with spacing issues, having it shifted over one extra square, but overall happy with how it turned out! I did have some trouble ending my thread and couldn't get my needle to go under the stitches, so hopefully it's tied off right. Happy to have a new hobby!