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Archive: Cross-Stitch

May 23, 2012

Free Butterfly Cross-Stitch Pendant Pattern

Danielle Thompson of Thompson Family-Life shares a sweet butterfly cross-stitch pattern that fits perfectly on a cool pre-drilled pendant. Even if you don't want to go the pendant route, the pattern would work well on an iPhone case or basic aida cloth. I love that her color choices have a nice retro vibe to them. Get the pattern and source info for the pendants over on her blog!

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May 3, 2012

Vintage Pyrex Pattern Cross-Stitch Chart

Vintage Pyrex dishes, with their bold colors and charming designs, are hard to resist. If you have a penchant for Pyrex and cross-stitch (hello, Lish!) be sure to check out this downloadable chart from Hancock's House of Happy. Some of your favorite Pyrex patterns have been translated into cross-stitch, and the result is adorable. [via @Followbunny]

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April 30, 2012

Free Needlepoint TARDIS Tissue Box Pattern

Doctor Who fans can now cover their tissue boxes with a rad TARDIS cover, thanks to Jen of Knitolution. Don't worry, the tissue box is sure to fit, because it's ... bigger on the inside.

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March 29, 2012

Create Free Cross-Stitch Patterns from Images with MyPhotoStitch.com

As someone who painstakingly designs cross-stitch patterns in Illustrator, I almost feel like I'm doing something wrong by telling you about MyPhotoStitches.com. But, when I saw it on on StitchPunk this morning, I new I had to try it out. Then, once I did, I knew I had to share it with you guys!

The idea is simple: You upload an image, then MyPhotoStitch.com will generate a free cross-stitch pattern based on the colors it finds. You can use the simple form to make a quick pattern, or you can use the advanced form to make more specific adjustments like cloth size selection, image enhancement, and color maximums and minimums.

I wanted to try something simple to start out, so I uploaded my three-color blog icon. When I clicked submit, the site generated my pattern, and I was able to download a PDF that included a pixelated image with suggested floss colors (matched to DMC numbers) and a detailed pattern grid in multiple sections. This is the first section of the resulting pattern. There are a few extra colors around the edges, but my icon is completely recognizable. Pretty great, right?

I think that MyPhotoStitch.com is a valuable resource for generating quick-and-dirty patterns while stitching on the fly, and it definitely simplifies the pattern-making process for more complex images, like family photos. It's very easy to use, so I think it's a great option for crafters who want to stitch a specific pattern, but don't have the time and/or skills to take on a large-scale design project.

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March 8, 2012

How-To: Photograph Embroidery Projects

Need a little help making your stitches pop on screen? Check out these tips for taking beautiful embroidery photos from Niamh at StitchPunk. Even if you don't have a top-notch camera or a ton of editing know-how, she'll show you what you need to know to start capturing and sharing the beauty of your projects!

As part of our Urban Entrepreneurs series, we've seen many of you now taking the leap into selling your embroidered wares online. The kicker about this is... until your product arrives in your buyers hands, it is essentially entirely digital. All they have to go on for the quality of your product are your photos, so you really want to make sure they shine.

Niamh isn't a professional photographer, but she's definitely learned some good tricks while taking photos of her own work. If you're new to craft photography, her post is a great place to get started!

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February 25, 2012

How-To: Travel Embroidery Case

Thinking about doing some stitching on the go? Check out this fantastic travel embroidery case by Erin from Clever Charlotte! Not only does it look cute, it can also help keep your fingers safe and your embroidery time stress-free by giving a good home to any runaway pins and needles at the bottom of your project bag.

[Via Pinterest]

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February 14, 2012

Doctor Who TARDIS Cross-Stitch Valentine

Sure, this awesome TARDIS cross-stitched card from our own Haley at The Zen of Making is touted as a Valentine's Day card, but I'd argue that a true geek couple would love exchanging it any old day of the year. And if you don't have time to stitch it up before your romantic escapades tonight, don't fret. I think the design is cute enough that you could just print, fold, sign and give!

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February 10, 2012

Cross-Stitch High Heels From ModCloth

Though they aren't yet available for purchase, I'm already dreaming of the outfits with which I could pair these charming cross-stitched high heels from ModCloth. More crafty footwear, please!

February 8, 2012

How-To: Cross-Stitch Valentine

I love stitching on paper, so this Valentine project from Danyelle of dandee really strike my fancy. I love that she's provided a PDF that you can print and stitch directly on to. It makes the project quick and easy with just the perfect touch of low-effort stitching for high-impact results. Here's a tip for pre-poking your stitching holes in the paper: place a piece of craft foam under the paper and then use a thumbtack or your needle to poke the holes. This makes it much easier to stitch and will keep the paper from buckling as you stitch.

Downton Abbey Dowager Countess Cross-Stitch

Like pretty much all of my fellow geek crafters, I have now officially joined the cult of Downton Abbey. While rummaging through the internet looking for projects to work on while my butt's glued to my couch, I came across this Dowager Countess cross-stitch pattern from Etsy seller Sunday Avery in her BookPilgrim shop. Her design definitely hits the nail on the head: nobody messes with the Dowager Countess, and nobody plays smart and crotchety quite like Dame Maggie Smith!

January 31, 2012

How-To: Cross-Stitch Heart And Arrow Pin Cushion

Sure, you could spin this heart and arrow pin cushion as a Valentine project, but it's beautifully designed in a way that doesn't pin (pun intended) it down to just one holiday. Head over to the Purl Bee for the chart and full tutorial.

January 26, 2012

Cross-Stitch on Mesh

When you're a needlearts person, you can't look at a material with holes in it without thinking, "Hey ... I could stitch on that!" I've seen stitching on window screens, and I've stitched on peg boards, so I love seeing this front porch sign in progress over on Stitch-Cook-Grow-Love. Lily took metal mesh and stapled it to the back of a large wooden frame, and is stitching a sign with strips of fabric. She gives some handy tips on what kind and size of fabric "thread" to use for stitching. I can't wait to see the finished sign!

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