Crossstitchforum - A FREE forum for Cross Stitchers

which do you prefer kits or a chart.I prefer a chart so I can see what I am getting before starting.

Depends on the subject

Have done both

No preference

I always prefer charts, for a couple of reasons.

The first kits I bought had unsorted threads and I found it a pain to figure out which colours were which. I think many threads now come sorted.

I like having all the DMC colours on hand, because I do a lot of designs from books (I have several) and other small projects. That way I know I always have the colours I need. I also like to have them all wound on bobbins, so they're organized. With kits I'd have to wind all the threads for each project, maybe have leftovers, etc.

Must be the Taurean in me, but I like organization . . .

I agree with Wandatoo. I hate sorting the threads in a kit and usually end up with either too many or not even colors sorted. I guess my eyes just aren't great at the color nuances. I have finally accumulated all the DMC colors over the years and they are already on bobbins or the extras are in bags to be wound on a bobbin once it is empty. I keep them in the little plastic organizing boxes. For projects I put one bobbin in each compartment, already threaded so I can go back and forth between colors quickly. Its cumbersome I guess, but works for me.

So I guess my answer is charts

Carole

I prefer charts as I like to change colors and fabric, I think it makes it more personal. I also don't like the way the thread comes all in one bundle.

Having said all of that I will buy a kit if it is the only way to get the pattern I want.

I use to only do kits when I first started but I hated trying to sort out all those threads (is this dark brown or chocolate brown? yellow-green or green-yellow?). I started to go for charts only because I could get things for it when I had the money. And no sorting. I now kit up several patterns together so when I take my projects somewhere I have several WIPs to choose from to suit my mood. I just make sure the patterns have similar colors.

I am seeing now that kits are coming with pre-sorted floss. A year or so ago I noticed the use to be pre-sorted but you still had to figure out between the dark brown and chocolate browns, etc. Now I'm seeing them pre-sorted and pre-labeled. I've recently picked up a few kits I've had my eye on but didn't want to get because of past problems sorting. Now that they're pre-sorted/pre-labeled I have no problems buying kits again.

What I don't like about kits is that if you ever want to stitch the design again you don't have the floss for it since it seems every kit company uses their own numbering/labeling system for floss. I have a kit that I did for my sister that I would like to do again for me but figuring out the DMC substitutes for all those colors has put me off to the project.

For me, it all depends on the image. Which increasingly means a chart.

I started out with kits.. as 20 years ago, really that was your only option unless you pieced images together from books. But now, the kits I have seen do not have images I want to stitch. I recently bought a kit.. Baby Shoes by Jannalyn.. but only used the chart from it. Switched out the fabric and half the thread. I am currently in the middle of stitching from another kit, Winter Cardinals by Dimensions. Using the thread and fabric that came with it.

I'll work from both. Sometimes I will use the materials with a kit, sometimes I will switch it out and use it for something else. It really depends on the project. But regardless of if it was a kit or a chart.. I rarely stitch exactly as instructed.. something gets changed, omitted, or added.

I have no preference. If I like a pattern, I'll buy it whether kit or chart. I don't mind the sorting as I take it as part of the hobby. I've been stitching for many years so I'm used to kits not sorting their threads.

Pengwenn wrote: What I don't like about kits is that if you ever want to stitch the design again you don't have the floss for it since it seems every kit company uses their own numbering/labeling system for floss. I have a kit that I did for my sister that I would like to do again for me but figuring out the DMC substitutes for all those colors has put me off to the project.

You can ask the manufacturer, they're usually happy to provide such information.

Kits are convenient and cheaper and if you want the finished product as shown you can't beat a product like Dimensions Gold.

The down side of kits is that you waste your money if you want to change fabric or threads. Some kits run out of threads and you need to order more. Some kits the picture is on different material than that provided which is misleading IMO.

Charts can be kitted up slowly so spreading the cost. There seems to be more variety for charts these days. Charts give you the creative choice of fabric and threads, beads etc.

The downside of charts is that you are buying a LOT of excess thread hence it's very expensive to kit up a chart in comparison to buying a kit with just enough thread in it. It also takes time to kit up a chart - to find the right materials etc.

I almost always use charts--for the same reasons others have listed. I prefer to choose my own fabric as well as change colors if I want to.

I definitely prefer charts but that sure doesn't stop me from buying a kit if I love it. I try to find them cheap on EBay or use a Michaels or Joanns coupon - I never pay full price. My best deal so far was the wizard gold collection kit that i got on EBay for $1.29! I see that kit all the time for $40... If I do buy a kit though, I switch the aida fabric out for linen or evenweave.

Charts 99% of the time. The only kits I have are a couple of Liz Turner Diehls and one art deco piece that I couldn't buy the chart separately.

I like charts but right now I'm working on completing some kits. I always shop by clearance though and always price check. I got a Disney's Princess blanket kit for $1.99!

id stitch either..but if I'm going to buy a kit..id like to see the chart..like what the symbols look like, do they use DMC,etc.

Now I have most of the DMC threads I tend to use charts - but I do have some kits though, sometimes you can pick them up cheap and I often change material.

Niki x

I have used both, and I am starting to prefer charts. I like to pick out the fabric, and if I run out of a color, I can just go to the store and get another one. However, there are still many kit designs that I love, so I don't mind doing them either.

I prefer charts. Kits are ok. I just like setting it all up, and getting my own goodies and whatnot..
Faith

one of my favourite things is "kitting up" so i definitely prefer charts

Mystonique wrote:Kits are convenient and cheaper and if you want the finished product as shown you can't beat a product like Dimensions Gold.

The down side of kits is that you waste your money if you want to change fabric or threads. Some kits run out of threads and you need to order more. Some kits the picture is on different material than that provided which is misleading IMO.

Charts can be kitted up slowly so spreading the cost. There seems to be more variety for charts these days. Charts give you the creative choice of fabric and threads, beads etc.

The downside of charts is that you are buying a LOT of excess thread hence it's very expensive to kit up a chart in comparison to buying a kit with just enough thread in it. It also takes time to kit up a chart - to find the right materials etc.

To a very large extent I agree with all that.

But I have no objection at all to sorting threads. Usually, if there is any doubt between two similar shades, it's easy to identify which is which by the number of threads of each colour (unless there are the same number of each, of course!) - and I'm lucky in that I have a pretty good eye for colour anyway.
Also, I'm a bit of an impulse buyer, so if if I see a kit or chart I really like, I'll buy it - even if I can't afford it. Which mostly I can't, but hey... Although, in fact, so far as I can find out, there are now no shops that deal only in 'stitchy stuff' in this entire city, so I can't be tempted. The shops that just sell a bit of stitchy stuff only have kits that I would never, ever, want to stitch, and no charts.