Anyone Into Cross Stitching?

rainmac

melissa75 wrote: »

Well, I have been bitten by the cross stitch bug again! I am bidding on a couple of kits on ebay - fingers crossed. I am looking for something that I can stitch for my Mum too, can't find anything suitable yet though!

Good luck! I sometimes prefer the shopping/looking for kits and designs more than the actual stitching of them! I got a lovely lady in a garden kit from ebay for my mum for Xmas but haven't started it yet. It has millions of beads to sew on which has put me off but I wondered if I could stitch the design and then see if I have to use all the beads or maybe if I could get away with less? I'm currently stitching a little butterfly for a card and then going to stitch a cupcake - again for a card, or maybe a coaster? Too many things to stitch and not enough time

Siren137

melissa - you had better not be the person who out bid me on the big cat kit I was bidding on for my sister hehe

Still on the hunt for a meerkat kit. I can only find the patterns and don't trust myself to buy the correct things. I know you people on here are fantastic at finding things so could some one help me out?? Pretty please!!

rainmac

Siren137 wrote: »

melissa - you had better not be the person who out bid me on the big cat kit I was bidding on for my sister hehe

Still on the hunt for a meerkat kit. I can only find the patterns and don't trust myself to buy the correct things. I know you people on here are fantastic at finding things so could some one help me out?? Pretty please!!

Hi siren, I've had a look for a meerkat kit rather than chart and not had any luck at all, sorry! I'm sure you would def. buy the right stuff - threads are usually DMC or Anchor brand and the chart would recommend a fabric and fabric shade to use. You can always substitute evenweave/linen for aida if you think that would be easier (28 count evenweave equates to 14 count aida and 32 count evenweave equates to 16 count aida). I'll have another look and see if I can find a kit.

melissa75_2

Siren137 - found this one: http://www.angellukedesigns.co.uk/page9.htm
found these meerkat keyrings too:http://www.avena.co.uk/products.asp?subcat=41&maincat=3
it does seem to be charts rather than kits that are on offer

Misty_Blue

Another cross stich addict here! I'm particularly a fan of Teresa Wenztler.

shelly wrote: »

I did come across a kit I would love to have a crack at. Its got the heads of a Tiger, Lion, Leopard and Cheetah in a row but its on black aida.

Just a word of warning (I know this is coming really late, sorry! ) - unless it is actually named "Wild Menagerie" by Janlynn, it's a cheapy rip off with only a fraction of the proper colours involved. A friend of mind got stung this way trying to buy that kit from an eBay seller for less than a tenner. The pattern has been adapted and simplified so it won't come out looking anything like as good as the proper one (though the seller still used the Janlynn picture!) When compared to my proper pattern of the same kit, the difference is staggering.

Siren137

Thanks for trying for me rainmac and melissa I may have to be brave and try to find the correct bits myself!!

MistyBlue - I've been looking at that pattern as well to make for my sister. I can't believe that people would rip off patterns like that. You've made me more cautious about what patterns I buy now. I wonder how you can tell whether its genuine or not.

Misty_Blue

Siren137 wrote: »

MistyBlue - I've been looking at that pattern as well to make for my sister. I can't believe that people would rip off patterns like that. You've made me more cautious about what patterns I buy now. I wonder how you can tell whether its genuine or not.

The ones I've seen ripping off "Wild Menagerie" just about skirt the right side of eBay regulations (without getting into copyright issues). The one linked to earlier in this thread doesn't use the proper title of the kit or claim it's by any manufacturer. They still use the proper photo, of course... If you look at some of the feedback, people are complaining about the kit being a Chinese rip-off version.

The best thing probably would be to contact the seller and just ask if it's the official kit. Asking how many colours are contained in the kit would be useful too. I honestly don't think there were more than 15 or 20 in the fake kit my friend got, whereas my genuine one has dozens. Any genuine seller will almost certainly mention the manufacturer somewhere in the listing.

Siren137

Thanks for that mistyblue, I really don't want to get stung, I've had a look online for the official one and the cheapest I've found is about £23 but I also wanted to get it framed for my sister and don't think I can afford that as well!!

The one I was looking at does mention the words wild menagerie but not Janlynn

Misty_Blue

Siren137 wrote: »

The one I was looking at does mention the words wild menagerie but not Janlynn

Could well be genuine, I'm very sure that not all eBay sellers with this kit are rip-off merchants. Any decent seller won't mind a polite "Question To Seller" asking about the item.

One cheaper option is to buy the pattern seperately and just buy the colours needed to work on one part of it, then build the others up as you go. There's hundreds of hours stitching in the kit, so you'll have plenty of time!

Siren137

I have emailed the seller but the item goes up soon. I'm hoping they will be on to watch it and therefore will se the question in time.

Just had a reply from the seller, he tells me he brought the item in China and he isn't at home to count the threads right now...hmmm don't know what to think about that one.