How to start cross stitch for beginners
Let’s start to stitch!
For the convenience of embroidery, before starting work, you need to put a marking on the canvas. It is most convenient to do the markup in increments of 10 cells. Marking is usually applied with special markers. They come in two types: flushing (with a wet cloth) and disappearing within 24-72 hours. Also, lovers of needlework make markings with the help of threads – sew on the canvas. Make sure that your markup is directed not to the drawing, but to the fields. It is undesirable to apply markup with a simple pencil. It is very poorly washed off.
The edges of the product are processed manually with a looped seam or on an overlock. Another way is to smear the edges with glue, which is easily washed off after finishing the work. Such actions will prevent the edges of the work from crumbling and make it more accurate.
If the embroidery is not very large, it is convenient to start stitching from the middle. To do this, you need to determine the center of the canvas piece and the center of the scheme, or embroidery. It is easy to do this by folding the canvas in half. In our diagrams, the center is indicated by black triangles around the perimeter of the diagram.
When there are a lot of canvases, they embroider from the corner. Depending on which way the cross of the embroiderer lies, they start from the lower left or right corner. But be sure to lower it, since when embroidery is done from top to bottom, the drawing is closed.
Filling the thread into the needle
It seems to be a simple action – and how sometimes you have to suffer! You can use a threader, but even it does not always save the situation. When filling the thread into the needle, the end of the thread should be flat. Moisten the thread with water and flatten it.
If you need to thread a larger number of threads or woolen thread, you can use the following technique: pinch off a small piece of cotton wool, literally a few fibers. Wind them on the end of the thread. At the same time, a thin continuation of the thread is formed, but already from cotton fibers. Thread the needle, and then remove the cotton wool from the tip.
Fixing the thread on the fabric
If we stitch in two threads: a very convenient option is to take a double-length thread and fold it in half. Make the first stitch and fasten the thread by passing the needle into the loop that formed when folding the thread.
If the number of threads is odd: inject a needle into the weave of the canvas, stretch through 2-3 cells. On top of the resulting stitches, we perform cross-stitch, as if sewing these stitches.
If we stitch in one thread: we fix the thread by passing it through one cell of the canvas, and sewing it on top with a cross.
Seam “cross”
Seam “cross” is two crossed stitches. When performing it, it is necessary to ensure that the upper stitch is directed in one direction. Having secured the thread folded in half, we bring it to the front side and make a stitch from the lower left corner to the upper right. We perform the required number of semi-cross stitches. Then we close the semi-crosses with a stitch from the upper left to the lower right corner. Horizontal stripes are obtained from the inside out.
When stitchng, make sure that the upper stitches of the cross have the same slope. Otherwise, the same color will have different shades.
Do not make long broaches (longer than 2 cm) – they may sag or tighten the fabric, it is translucent. Watch the thread tension – it should be uniform. At the end of the embroidery or when the thread ends, skip the tail on the wrong side through a few stitches.
About the underside
In our opinion, the wrong side should be neat.The wrong side should be perfect if you are embroidering a shirt or a towel. After all, the wrong side will be visible.But if you embroider a picture, then there is nothing to worry about if there are a few tails and short transitions on your underside, for a few stitches.
Good luck!