Anyone Into Cross Stitching?

Ruth_honey

rainmac wrote: »

My work has been in them but not me, hate having my pic taken!!! I did a Brittercup cat in Cross Stitcher last year I think (got bouquet of flowers), cross stitched coasters in World of Cross Stitching also last year (got large Country Companions kit) and a Bent Creek wedding sampler that appeared in Cross Sticher but no prize. The letters pages are the first ones I read, I am so nosy and love finding out what other people have been up to

Maria, will look through my magazine stash and see what advent calendars I can find x

Next time, get in the photo! That's an order! I love reading the letters pages and often I see people I know from my group, or names I recognise from forums. It gives me a little buzz and motivates me to send in pictures.
Here's a pic of me when I was in Q&E magazine-think it was about 6 years ago.

rainmac

Ruth_honey wrote: »

Next time, get in the photo! That's an order! I love reading the letters pages and often I see people I know from my group, or names I recognise from forums. It gives me a little buzz and motivates me to send in pictures.
Here's a pic of me when I was in Q&E magazine-think it was about 6 years ago.

Wow, that's brilliant, do you still run the club?

If you wait till October time, WOXS and XS Crazy do Xmas offers on subscriptions but you forgo the free gift. Much cheaper for the subscription though

Ruth_honey

rainmac wrote: »

Wow, that's brilliant, do you still run the club?

If you wait till October time, WOXS and XS Crazy do Xmas offers on subscriptions but you forgo the free gift. Much cheaper for the subscription though

Thanks! Yes, I still run the club. The website mentioned on the post needs updating, but you can join the yahoo group from there. It's been quiet recently, so it could do with some new faces to liven things up. I've made some amazing friends through it and it helped me settle in when I first moved to London.

Don't think I can wait til October. WOXS has a lovely clifftop poppy kit as the free sub gift at the moment. Am tempted, but know it would take forever to stitch. Need more hours in the day. How many times have we all said that???

Flat_Eric

I have been sorting out all the free kits I have got with my cross stitch magazines (matching the charts up with the kits) and now intend to do a few!

I know how to mount my cross stitch in a three fold card (i.e. stick some wadding behind it and secure the design with double sided sticky tape) but do not know how to display the cross stitch if it is a single folder card. i.e. I would like to be able to stick the cross stitch design to the front of the card, fraying the edges of the aida to give it that perfect finished look.

similarly if I am stiching a bookmark design, how can I finish this? I bought some framecraft clear plastic covers to stick the bookmark in but presumably I should back of the aida with ???? so that the back of my stiching is not visible! I am getting neater but still....

Ruth_honey

Flat_Eric wrote: »

I have been sorting out all the free kits I have got with my cross stitch magazines (matching the charts up with the kits) and now intend to do a few!

I know how to mount my cross stitch in a three fold card (i.e. stick some wadding behind it and secure the design with double sided sticky tape) but do not know how to display the cross stitch if it is a single folder card. i.e. I would like to be able to stick the cross stitch design to the front of the card, fraying the edges of the aida to give it that perfect finished look.

similarly if I am stiching a bookmark design, how can I finish this? I bought some framecraft clear plastic covers to stick the bookmark in but presumably I should back of the aida with ???? so that the back of my stiching is not visible! I am getting neater but still....

My mum always uses the 'fray the edges, stick on front of card' method now. She says it's much easier, and the cards are cheaper.
As for bookmarks, I think the last time I did one from a kit, it had some felt in it to attach to the back and I used bondaweb(?) to stick it on. It's this fabric you cut to size and iron on. Or you could make a double sided bookmark. Oh! Just remembered my wedding favours. They were bookmarks and the girls who made them for me used this ribbon that had wire in it to make it stronger. That just ironed on to attach it. All this sounds really vague, I know....sorry! My brain is a bit 'fluffy' today. Might be worth having a look in somewhere like hobbycraft (or Sew & So's website might have some stuff) to see what they've got.

Anglea

Hi all,

Just come over to catch up on here, what a beautiful wedding sampler, you have such lovely friends Ruth-honey, well done for being brave enough for a picture with it. I must admit, I'm with rainmac on this, and would avoid being in one if I could.

I also used to get every stitching mag going even the US ones when I could find them, stopped now as it was getting out of hand, although occasionally buy the odd Mary Hickmott as I like the variety of projects and crafts. I also loved the letters pages and it made you feel part of a cosy community.

Flat Eric -bookmarks. If the covers you have are the ones I'm thinking of, then you won't have much room to put anything on the back of your aida. I wonder if felt would be too thick? Otherwise you could try card, or even patterned paper. Or paper with a message on it?

I was given a stack of blank bookmark cards (Craft Creations) years ago and only used one so far, so your post has reminded me of them.

Ruth_honey

I do have fab friends! I was so touched that they did that for me and I really love it. It's hanging above me on the wall now. I arranged a similar thing for my friends 70th birthday. I got lots of my stitching friends to stitch something that reminded them of her and also to write a message, and I put them all in an album. She was so pleased with it. I stitched a dolphin, because we're both dolphin crazy, and a row of beach huts because she lives by the sea.

It doesn't bother me being in the photos with my stitching. It's not like many people I know would be reading them.

rainmac

Flat_Eric wrote: »

I have been sorting out all the free kits I have got with my cross stitch magazines (matching the charts up with the kits) and now intend to do a few!

I know how to mount my cross stitch in a three fold card (i.e. stick some wadding behind it and secure the design with double sided sticky tape) but do not know how to display the cross stitch if it is a single folder card. i.e. I would like to be able to stick the cross stitch design to the front of the card, fraying the edges of the aida to give it that perfect finished look.

similarly if I am stiching a bookmark design, how can I finish this? I bought some framecraft clear plastic covers to stick the bookmark in but presumably I should back of the aida with ???? so that the back of my stiching is not visible! I am getting neater but still....

For cross stitched cards I nearly always use single fold cards and fray the edges of the fabric. I use iron on interfacing by Vilene or simply back the fabric onto a piece of paper or card using double sided tape. Here are a few of my cards that I've done with paper on the back... http://rainmacsplace.blogspot.com/2009/04/more-easter-cards.html

For your bookmark I would back with paper or card or a piece of fabric and then pop into the plastic cover. I stitched some coasters for Xmas presents and put the stitching into clear plastic coasters. I backed the stitching with iron-on interfacing (so the fabric wouldn't fray) and then backed that with Xmasy scrapbooking paper. The effect was lovely.

rainmac

Ruth_honey wrote: »

Thanks! Yes, I still run the club. The website mentioned on the post needs updating, but you can join the yahoo group from there. It's been quiet recently, so it could do with some new faces to liven things up. I've made some amazing friends through it and it helped me settle in when I first moved to London.

Don't think I can wait til October. WOXS has a lovely clifftop poppy kit as the free sub gift at the moment. Am tempted, but know it would take forever to stitch. Need more hours in the day. How many times have we all said that???

I may just do that Card making is taking over my life at the moment and stitching has a bit of a back seat, will you still want me?

Ruth_honey

rainmac wrote: »

I may just do that Card making is taking over my life at the moment and stitching has a bit of a back seat, will you still want me?

Yep! All of you are very welcome. Come and cause some trouble with us! There's an guy there who does the most amazing large pieces and he's so quick-maybe he could give me some tips.:rotfl:
Not sure if I'm allowed to link to the group, so you'll have to search yahoo groups for cross stitch heaven. It should come up at the top of the list-Est August 1999. Hope to see some familiar names there soon.