Cross-stitch cafe 2010

Emzy81

Hi
Thanks for all the replies, just had a quick look at ebay...what a lot of choice! Not sure I even know what design I want to stitch! I suppose id better decide that first :rotfl:
Just looked at the recent updates and wow!!!! The progress is great and the work is gorgeous
Im trying to find pictures that id actually like to hang on the wall...just bought a cute country companions kit off ebay but am now thinking it probably wont look right on the wall, I think I need a more 'grown up' design if you have any idea what I mean??!! I really like flowers Fairies too but they seem to be very expensive :mad: Ive still got a box full of threads from when i used to cross stitch so i might have a look and see if i can find some patterns somewhere..ebay I guess!
Oh and i like the idea of doing some coasters...is it ebay for those too lol

Anyway well done to everyone

MRSMCAWBER

Hi there Emzy81

You could have a look at black sheep -they have sales on most of the time.. but you will have to scroll through them all to see if there is something you like
http://www.blacksheepwools.co.uk/acatalog/Bargain_Prices.html
hope it helps

nmm

Shelly, the rose fairy is very pretty, much nicer than the picture

Emzy81, you have a pm

Mrs M, wow thats quick work, very vibrant

Louise, yep the sandy colours are driving me mad, haha its mostly 3 strands of half stitch, but the end is in sight. I don't know how you managed all those greens/greys with your lake piccy.

Emzy81

Shelly & NMM Thank you for the pm's about charts

MrsM Thanks for the link

Really looking forward to sharing pics etc.. and its really nice to find such a friendly group, thanks everyone

lala1974

Hi everyone,

Wow, your work is fantastic!
I've started to do some very small projects as a hobby and am really enjoying myself.
My question (probably stupid) is this. Whats the difference between cross stitch thread and regular spooled cotton? Can I use spooled cotton as a substitute?

Please don't shout at me...

Lala

harley1

lala1974 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Wow, your work is fantastic!
I've started to do some very small projects as a hobby and am really enjoying myself.
My question (probably stupid) is this. Whats the difference between cross stitch thread and regular spooled cotton? Can I use spooled cotton as a substitute?

Please don't shout at me...

Lala

Hi Lala.

There is no such thing as a stupid question. We all had to start somewhere. Welcome to a fab hobby, glad you are enjoying it.

I think the main difference is the thickness and the finish of the threads. Sewing cotton (for mending tears etc) is more glossy and mostly stronger. x stitch thread is a bit fluffier (though not much) and gives a more padded coverage of the square.

Why not try a few stitches and see the difference.

sorry if that doesn't make sense to you, got a teething baby who keeps calling me away.

xxxx

MRSMCAWBER

Morning all

I forgot to add my confession last night :whistle:
I "might" have ordered the following :-
http://www.sewalong.co.uk/ProductFull.asp?sel1=(HAE)RA14
http://www.sewalong.co.uk/ProductFull.asp?sel1=(HAE)QS20
http://www.sewalong.co.uk/ProductFull.asp?sel1=(HAE)QS1
http://www.sewalong.co.uk/ProductFull.asp?sel1=(HAE)QS18
well they are sooooooooooooooo pretty and I couldn't decide which I liked most..so I will have to do them all :rotfl:
Right off to do some sewing-have a great day everyone:D

harley1

oh, Mrs M, I love the last one, Forget me Not. I'm doing some fairy stuff for baby K later in the year, you know, after the humphreys corner, vest, christmas stocking and Popcorn calendar and pictures. lol

Can I ask if it is 100% stitched or if the background is just shown on a tie-dyed type of fabric? I've never done an HAE before but you are really tempting me.

xxxxx

elliep_2

lala - welcome! It's always good to see new faces joining us. I have tried using sewing cotton for cross stitch in the past and it really wasn't worth it. The sewing cotton is less fluffy so gives less coverage. Also you can get 8m skeins of DMC for about 35p (if you buy quite a few at a time) that's 6 threads x 8m = 48m. If you think of it that way it's not so expensive when compared to sewing cotton.
To keep cross stitch as cheap as possible then it's worth using threads, fabric, and charts that are all obtained seperately. That way you're not paying the kit manufacturer to cut and sort your threads, and you can buy exactly the sort of fabric that you like, stocking up when it's cheap. I've done a number of projects from magazines and my current Santa is from a magazine just before Christmas.

MrsM, those designs look lovely. I'm really looking forward to seeing them stitched up, as all the HAE designs seem to show paintings rather than actual stitching and I want to see what the finished pieces look like.

MRSMCAWBER

Harley1
I believe that they are 100% stitched.... I guess you could use some marble effect fabric, but I would wonder about the colours of the fairy "going" with the fabric...
That "forget me not" is the biggest -so if I do it on 28cy over 2 strands it will be 12.5" X 26" -so not my definition of "quick stitch":rotfl: -still they will keep me out of mischief