Things you learned from your first cross stitch project

[catallne]

That is a great idea about the fabric. Even when I am working on a project, I lay it flat when I am not working on it as I found it keeps the pattern straight and it is easier to frame afterwards. But I never thought to do that with kits I have not started yet. Hmmm something to do to all my to do kits sitting on my shelf.

My first project was a book mark that I still have and use to this day. I was in my mid teens when I did them. I did my first project with flower thread when I was 19 and didn't finish it until I was in my 20's. I have done many many projects since then some small some large (I did one of those blanket kits for my neice), and a baby blanket for my first born (I never quite got to doing one for my girls, hmmm wonder why).
I learned that if I am not going to work on the project for a long time to roll the fabric and store it in a plastic bag. I still do that do this day, I will buy a kit, take the fabric out, sew the edges, roll it up and put it in the bag. This takes out the creases made from folding. I do not ever fold my material anymore. The only project I ever knotted the floss was that large embroidery blanket, I didn't know how often they would be washing it.

[Celt42]

My first project was a gift, and I managed to get 2/3 of the way through it, only to realize that when I looked at it from a bit of a distance, that I had skipped a stitch way back in the beginning, leaving most of it skewed. I almost cried when I realized that if I was going to fix it, I would have to frog about 30 hours worth of work. It's still a UFO today, seven years later.

http://www.123stitch.com/pictures/K35048.jpg" target="_blank

That's a picture of the kit. When I first started it, I also didn't realize that you took the floss apart and just used strands. I didn't get too far though before I realized that wasn't right, and went looking for how to make it look right.

[Bee26]

My first project was a gift from my brother, it was a winnie the poo bookmark that took me ages to finish.

Things i learnt:
1. Mark off the chart so you don't get lost
2. Don't leave knots in the floss at the back of your work, you will run out of the colour and it makes your stitching all lumpy!

I must have done somthing right though cos i feel in love with it and haven't stopped since!

[tankgirl]

my first one was printed sitich by numbers type thing, it was a missve tiggar, i just opened it up and picked the number thread to match the spot and started sewing, the only problem was that i had been missing out every other stitch!! (i was only bout 8 at the time) i never finshed that tho, a few years later i thought id try again, so i got a kit to do as a prezzie for my mum and tried to do it but it was like 22/26count or something silly! so that didnt happen, for xmas that year my big sister bought me some binca and threads and sat me down and tought me how to do it propley!!! i soon was hooked and moved onto adia!!

[koko]

My very first project was jewelery box for my grandmother that I made when I was 6. It is green plastic in a hexagon shape, and the cross stitches on the top were done with yarn with a big plastic needle. I don't really remember too much about making it, but what I learned from that is - whatever I make for my grandmother, I should make sure it looks good, because she will keep it FOREVER! (She still has this jewelery box on her bedside table. I am now 32 Yes, she has kept that hideous thing for over 25 years!)

My first real project was a Precious Moments scene I made when I was 14 or 15. I learned first to count, recount, and count again - I had several areas that I had to frog and re-stitch because I didn't count properly. And I also learned to get a good floss organization system, because otherwise it will be a big huge mess!

So I was visiting my grandparents for Thanksgiving last week and remembered this thread.......I found my first project in the bedroom upstairs.......I just had to take a picture and post it in here It is looking a little ragged, since it is 25 years old but......I thought I would share anyway!

[Rose]

Oh how cute!!!!!! Nice that it has been kept all this time!!!!!!!

[Like_Fine_VVine]

Awwww that's cute and soo very sweet that its still in use!

[pamelam]

That's so sweet that she still keeps your gift to her! When I was 13, I made a latch hooked rug and gave it to an Aunt and Uncle of mine. Years later, when I was visiting them, I was touched to see that rug in their house. It makes you feel special.

[MzBo]

I learned all the basic stitching etc...but the most important less I learned was to appreciate the time and patience it take to do hand work...I never looked at it the same way again..
When I see hand work, I wonder about the person who made it, why did they pick that design? What was going on in there life...
I am a sentimental sap!

[noctifyre]

My first ever foray into cross-stitching was a looong time ago, when I saw this "There's no place like home but grandma's" or something along those lines. It was a stamped cross stitch, and being the first I ever did, the one that I made the most mistakes on. (It also took me years before I ever finished it, haaaa.... I'm still surprised I ever did. :p)

I think the main thing I screwed up on was the fact that i just did crosses as I came to them - I mean, like... I would go XXXXX regardless of direction of threads. Now I pretty much try to have all the stitches go in the same direction; ie. / / / / / then \ \ \ \ \ to finish the crosses.

[HalbertMusik]

Grüße--

My first project was "God's Garden" from a Michael's outlet by my parents. I bought it on sale and thought I would give it a try.

After a few years sitting in the basement, it started to get to my nerves, seeing it undone and in my way, every time I went to work on my other great hobby - astronomy and, specifically, telescope making...

What I learned:

1.It takes alot more thread when you try to make every single stitch separately and not as a row.
2.For some reason I still do not understand, backstitching is a pain in the neck - and should be done with only one strand.
3.This hobby is fun, but takes alot of time.
4.Stitching is great for taking on the train or bus.
5.It is a great way to produce a gift - as I gave this kit to my parents for Christmas-

Just my 2 cents...

[Corey.G]

Well I had done my first cross stitch project when I was 17 (7 years ago) by just sheer curiosity of what one of my new friends was doing. I seen her do it and watched with eager eyes, and she asked me if I wanted to try it, so I did, and I had made a small sun with Anchor threads. It was cute and very small. She started me doing it at her house, then I took it home to finish it off, but I forgot how, didn't want to admit it and went down to the local craft store to ask how to make the X for cross stitching.

Then the urge over took me, as it usually does, to be competitive and try to out-do someone else. So I ventured off to the craft store where they had lots of kits and DMC and Anchor threads, it was great. So I decided on getting the Mona Lisa chart and having a go at it, and trying to get it done in two weeks. Little did I know. Then soon after I had started, they had shut down.

I tried the mona lisa, but my mistake was to make the top rows first. I learned that I should always start from the middle. Needless to say I didn't get it done in the two week time limit I had alotted myself.

Then almost two years later, after much discouragment about how my first real project failed. I had decided to start again. This time I had found a perfect piece from the dollar store of a grand piano, and I loved it and it only took me about a month and a half to do. It was my first real project and am very proud of it still. Soon after I had finished that project, not only did the local wal-mart stop selling craft stuff and anchor threads (thankfully I only had a couple of them), but the other store that sold DMC (for 95 cents CAD, what a ripoff) had stopped selling DMC, cause they said it costed too much to keep in the store cause everyone would just go to the big city (the only city, remotely close. which is a five hour drive away). Now I have a new love for cross stitch and am enjoying what I stitch and I now find it relaxing and I don't have the urge to compete with anyone anymore. And luckily when I was living in Calgary a year and a half after I had failed at my first cross stitch, I found a sale. 3 DMC threads for 35 cents. So now I have most of the DMC collection .

A little long winded there. lol

[kota]

I don't remember what I stitched for my first project. It was an ornament of some kind. What I learned was most important in any stitching though is to read the chart instructions. Even if you plan on changing some things you still need to read and verify how many threads, or if there are specialty stitches or anything like that. Oh and the other very important lesson I learned from that was that the regular flosses are divisible. Which kinda ties in with the first lesson.