My First Non-Kit Cross Stitch - Help!

[Daycare]

I am doing a lovely cross stitch of my son's baptism. I ordered the pattern in the mail. I have only done kits before, which I get professionally framed when I am done. I have a couple questions:

What is "2 fabric threads"? The pattern says it was stitched over 2 fabric threads on an 18" x 15" piece of Platinum Cashel Linen (28 ct). Does that mean it was stitched on 2 sheets?

Where do I get floss? I live in Canada. The closest craft store is called Michael's. The pattern listed DMC and a bunch of numbers. If I get a lot (someone mentioned buying the whole DMC line, whatever that means) how do I keep it organized?

Someone mentioned Thread Heaven. What is that? Should I be using it?

[karen4bells]

Lots of questions in this topic.
First off, the chart is calling for the design to be stitched on what we call an evenweave--but you can opt to stitch it on aida, which is what most of the kits come with. That way you will just stitch it like you have before, make your x stitches like you have with the kits. No you wouldn't need to sheets of fabric--it's just the threads that you would be stitching over.
As for the floss, you should be able to get them at your Michael's store--most of the stores have a good selection of threads, that is, if they still have the cross stitch section. If not, there are many online sources you can order from. I personally would only get the threads that are listed in the chart, and you can store them in a nice box--many stores have craft boxes that will hold up the carded floss very nicely
Hope this helps

Welcome to the forum

[stitchingmae]

Dmc is a brand of floss, michael's usually carries floss (thread). Getting the whole range of DMC colors at once might be a little costly as a skein of floss is usually $0.40 USD, and there are 400+ solid colors not to mention the variations etc. Alot of people on here do have the whole DMC set..but mostly they were bought at different times.

The good news...is the numbers on the chart...are the colors that you need, when you go the the store...the floss skeins will (hopefully be in numerical order) and then you will match the number you need to the number on the floss and purchase those skeins of floss.

There are many different ways to store and oganize the floss. Bobbins...Floss away bags...Stitchbows....and then then there are homemade ways as well. Then some people keep them in numerical order some people keep them in order by color. This is all a personal preference. I myself started out with stitchbows was not fond and then changed to bobbins....I would rather do the floss away bags but the bags take up more space...I may change eventually years down the road LOL we'll see.

There are many different types of fabric...and I am not even sure of them...you are referring to linen...and I am not the greatest on fabric as I haven't stitched on more than Aida at this time....but I am fairly certain that stitching over two means- when you look closely at your fabric there are fibers and your X goes over two of those fibers instead of one.... || instead of over one |...does that make any sense?
Not over two pieces of linen.

Then you get into all the counts etc but someone else will have to help you with that mabel is great with fabric conversions....i just can't wrap my mind around it..

If you are more comfy with stitching on aida which is what i believe most kits come with, you can still use that for his project...but the model it is stitched on is prob stitched on linen...again this is where the converions come into that like 28 linen= something count in aida...I am not at all knowledgeable in this.

Thread heaven is a product that is used to keep floss from fraying while stitching...I don't use this myself....I think people use it more for the specialty threads...I may be mistaken though.

Also...here is a link to a previous post that may help some...

http://crossstitchforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1043" target="_blank" target="_blank

[karen4bells]

Very good maemae--and here's another link Rebecca may want to look at too

http://www.crossstitchforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=476

[MaggieM1750]

Hi.. welcome to the forum.
28 ct Linen fabric stitched over 2= 14 ct aida

Your crosses over 2 on 28 ct linen would be the same size as on 14 ct aida. If you are more comfortable stitching on aida buy an 18 x 15" piece in a similar color to get the same effect. I think linen is much easier to stitch on if your chart has a lot of fractional stitches~ quarter and half stitches. And if Canadian Michael's is the same as the Michaels in the US, you can't buy linen in the store, only aida. But really, its all personal preference.

By the way.. what chart will you be stitching?

And when your buying your supplies.. don't forget your needles, either a size 24 or 26 tapestry needle should be fine.

[stitchingmae]

And don't forget to post pics of the stash you buy so we can all drool over it!!!

[kell]

For the stitching over two threads, it wouldlook like this (imagine each number is a hole in the fabric):

1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9

Come up at 1 and go down at 9. Come up at 3 and go down at 7 - this would make your cross stitch over 2 threads. If you were just stitching over 1 thread, you would come up at 1 and go down at 5, then come up at 2 and go down at 4. I hope that makes some kinf of sense. im' sure Mabel did a picture guide somewhere on the forum though...

[Mabel Figworthy]

im' sure Mabel did a picture guide somewhere on the forum though...

She did, and she can't find where any more, but here it is again:



And here is one to show that if you stitch "over two", either all the holes (4 of them) that you use for a stitch are next to an "upright" thread, or all of them are next to a horizontal thread:

[Daycare]

Thank you for the quick replies. I was all ready to buy two aida clothes and try stitching with them taped together

My chart is one I bought off eBay. It's out of a magazine and nicely laminated. I am just in the process of requesting the font used to personalize it, as they forgot to include it in my order. It should take about 2-3 weeks to receive it.

This gives me time to go to Michael's this weekend and see what I can pick up there. I think I would like to use the 28 ct fabric, as there are a lot of half stitches in this piece. Plus, I get a lot of satisfaction out of doing it as much like the original pattern as possible. I'm a very rule bound person, except when I'm not *wink*

Michael's cross stitch section has been really downsized, but they still have one. Once I am done there, I will be asking for your advice as to where to find any floss Michael's doesn't carry and possibly even the fabric if they don't carry what I want.

Chat later!

[tiffstitch]

Sounds like you're well on your way! You may find that you don't go back to kits after this, I find I really like working from charts and having my own floss now that I've done a few.

Good luck starting!