There are so many rules around cross stitch that most of us don’t know when we first start out, and then we have them unceremoniously dumped on us when we proudly show someone our first cross stitch, where the stitches cross every which way. “Oh, no, all the crosses should cross in the same direction.” “The proper way is to stitch top left to bottom right, then top right to bottom left.” “The proper way is to stitch top right to bottom left, then top left to bottom right.” WHY?!
In this video, I test out plain old simple cross stitches, to bust some myths and break some rules!
What you’re aiming for is not to be CORRECT, because who decided what that was anyway? What you’re aiming for is achieving the effect you want. Ignore the rules. Make it look like you want it to look like!
If you’re reading this in an email, you can find the video at https://youtu.be/osvQq7TutDs
Episode notes:
0:00 Why are there so many rules around cross stitch? Do we have to pay attention to them?
4:13 How to strip your threads and why you would want to
6:19 Top right to bottom left, then top left to bottom right, horizontal rows, English method
12:52 Top left to bottom right, then top right to bottom left, horizontal rows, English method
17:25 Bottom left to top right, then bottom right to top left, horizontal rows, English method
20:08 Bottom right to top left, then bottom left to top right, horizontal rows, English method
22:39 Top left to bottom right, then bottom left to top right, horizontal rows, English method
26:02 Bottom left to top right, then top left to bottom right, horizontal rows, English method
26:33 Top right to bottom left, then bottom right to top left, horizontal rows, English method
30:24 Discussion of those methods
31:07 Top left to bottom right, then top right to bottom left, horizontal rows, Danish method, effect of variegated thread
33:58 Bottom left to top right, then bottom right to top left, horizontal rows, Danish method
36:29 Bottom right to top left, then bottom left to top right, horizontal rows, Danish method
39:34 Railroading for untwisted, flat stitches
44:48 Using a laying tool for untwisted, flat stitches
46:46 The effect of light hitting the stitches from above
46:55 Closing remarks
Products used in the video
Colourstreams stranded cotton thread
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
Wow, that must be the most thorough investigation of cross stitches I’ve ever seen! I must really be an oddball — a couple of days ago I posted that I am pretty well self-taught, except that in DK I was taught to do it in-hand. So my preferences are probably pretty idiosyncratic; I’ve never had an official lesson or anything. I find that I do best if I work the half-crosses in columns, going up (from bottom left to top right /) and then down (from top left to bottom right \) I work the columns from right to left. It’s of course quite true that varigated thread makes the Danish method a little more complicated. I usually keep using the same method, but eyeball how many stitches I can do before going back and finishing them with the same shade. I’m using a varigated thread right now and really liking how it’s coming out. If I was using a thread that changed very fast I might decide to do it one cross at a time but I’d be more likely to try to do two. I suppose many of my preferences come of sheer laziness!
Hi Jean, there is more that didn’t make it into that video! As long as your methods work for you and you get the result you want, I don’t think it should matter how you get there.