Is cross stitch still popular?
The straight answer is YES. Cross stitch remains popular these days. It’s booming to say the least. You can see lots of blogs, websites, and videos teaching this hobby. The growing number of online shops and craft stores selling cross stitch supplies. All these prove that this hobby is thriving.
What can I do with finished cross stitch?
- Cushion cover
- Make quilted blankets
- Make coasters
- Design on clothing
- Make a pencil case
- Greeting Card Design
How to do basic cross stitch?
Tips that will make you cross stitch like a pro
- Aim for an even tension on your stitches. ...
- Embroidery floss tends to get twisted as you stitch. ...
- On the backside of your project, avoid making long jumps because they might show through the openings on the front. ...
- A simple advice to ensure you get the most beautiful result: be consistent in your stitching. ...
How difficult is cross stitch?
How difficult is cross stitching? Cross Stitch is one of the easiest forms of needlework as it combines a simple, straight stitch with a fabric that has evenly spaced holes to pass the thread through. The charts for cross stitch are similar to painting by numbers and by counting carefully and stitching slowly, you will easily learn to cross stitch.
When was cross stitch invented?
Traces of needlework with half stitches were also found on pieces of cloth dated at 3000-5000 BC. 2. Cross stitching has always been a global phenomenon.
How long has cross stitch been around?
Here are 7 fun facts about cross stitching that may surprise you. 1. Traces of cross stitch have been found on cloth fragments dating all the way back to the 6th century.
What were samplers used for?
Samplers were also used in the education of young women. Historically, young girls and women were taught how to cross stitch and do needlework. In a two-birds-one-stone way, the samplers they were given often contained moral values and bible verses. 6. Modern-day cross stitching emerged in the US in the 60s.
How long have pattern books been around?
4. Pattern books have been around for longer than you’d think. Pattern books have been around since at least the 17th century and consisted of black dots on the page. The choice of colors was left to the stitcher. 5. Samplers were also used in the education of young women.
Is cross stitch making a comeback?
Cross stitching is making a comeback. A lot of people still believe needlework and embroidery is a grandmother’s hobby. However, cross stitch is having a comeback among the younger age range. With sites like Pinterest the interest in homecraft has boomed, and with it, the reintroduction of cross stitching.
What is blackwork cross stitch?
Blackwork was believed to be the beginnings of what we think of as cross stitch today. It was worked with black sheep wool on white linen. Blackwork is still popular today. The first printed pattern book was made in Germany in 1524. It would be quite some time before patterns became widely available.
What is Assisi embroidery?
Assisi embroidery is a form of counted-thread embroidery based on an ancient Italian tradition where the background is filled with embroidery stitches and the main motifs are left void (unstitched), similar to a silhouette. The name is derived from the Italian town of Assisi where the modern form of the craft originated. The traditional color used for most designs was red. Green and blue were also very popular colors to use. Traditional themes included animals, plants, and mystical beings like mermaids. Assisi was named after St. Clair of Assisi. St. Francis, the Patron Saint of Needleworkers, was her brother. Redwork is also popular today.
What was cross stitch in the Tang Dynasty?
During the Tang Dynasty, cross stitch was popular in China. It is quite likely that it spread west along the Silk Road during this time between 618 to 907 Anno Domini. A females worth was closely tied to her stitching ability in China during this time, as it was her job to sew cloths for her family and her ability to embellish them beautifully was desirable. Floss, made of silk, could be purchased in open markets and was considered a precocious commodity. Perhaps there were even rudimentary patterns shared between the women of China at this time. As a females writings were often burned as an offering up to her in the after life following her death, we may never know.
Why were samplers invented?
Thus, the invention of samplers. Samplers were also intended to teach young women to sew, a valuable skill before the industrial revolution, as most women had to make their own clothes and the clothing for their families. Samplers were used as well for girls to memorize their alphabet and numbers. They were also a tool to teach moral values, and to memorize verses from the bible. Since Linen was so expensive, commoners used what is called perforated paper to do their designs.
Where is cross stitch found?
Cross stitch and needlework can be found in the earliest history, as far back as sixth century BC. Needlework has existed as long as there has been cloth to work it on. Pieces of embroidery and needlework have been found preserved in ancient Egyptian tombs and in Medieval churches all over the world.
What color is the mermaid?
The name is derived from the Italian town of Assisi where the modern form of the craft originated. The traditional color used for most designs was red. Green and blue were also very popular colors to use. Traditional themes included animals, plants, and mystical beings like mermaids.
Is cross stitch easy to do?
You can find a pattern of just about any subject today. You can even design your own patterns with computer software. Cross stitch is the most popular form of needlework today. It is very easy to do and to teach. Most people who stitch, myself included, consider it to be relaxing and enjoyable to do.
Why are samplers important?
As pattern books became more available in Europe and America, the function of samplers began to change to educational. Children were taught needlework skills by stitching the samplers. Samplers also became a popular way for moral verses and such to be stitched and displayed. As the years went by, the samplers became more decorative and more artistic. During the 1800s, sampler making and cross-stitch went into a decline. In the 1960s, cross-stitch was re-discovered and continues to offer something of interest for all tastes and skills.
What is cross stitch?
As its name suggests, cross-stitch is a double stitch diagonally crossing intersections of the horizontal and vertical threads of the fabrics. It is completed on canvas-type fabric, like Aida cloth, in which the strands can be counted, or stitched on an evenly woven fabric, like linen.
What is the most common thread used for cross stitch?
Today, cotton floss is the most common embroidery thread used for cross-stitch, composed of six strands that are only loosely twisted together and easily separable. As mentioned in the beginning, fabrics such as Aida and linen are used for cross-stitch. These fabrics are categorized by threads per inch (referred to as “count”) which range from 11 to 40. The count of the fabric determines the size of the finished stitching. If the count is 11, then the finished design will be larger than on a count of 18. Modern cross-stitch patterns have guides for finished stitching sizes.
Can you cross stitch a picture?
You can create your own sampler or picture using these designs from A Touch of Cross-Stitch #12346. Stitching the design on the embroidery machine is a nice option when time is a factor, as the process is much faster, and the results are fabulous. Consider embroidering cross-stitch for samplers, pictures, or other projects.
Who made the sampler?
The earliest surviving dated sampler was stitched by an English girl, Jane Bostocke, in 1598. The inscription commemorates the birth of a child, Alice Lee, in 1596, who was her cousin. The sampler contains a variety of patterns, rows of border motifs, and also randomly placed motifs.
What was a pass time in PoW?
Cross stitch and embroidery became a pass time in PoW camps. A very interesting example of a cross stitch made from threads of his bedding was made by an English PoW. It featured pro-Nazi imagery, and as a result was taken to other PoW camps as proof of obedience.
What was the first Western embroidery?
The Bayeux tapestry. Unlike most tapestries of the past, the first western embroidery known is the Bayeux Tapestry, depicting the events of 1066AD in Britain. Whilst in Britain this tapestry is highly regarded, it featured many new forms of stitch, including the over-under, or cross stitch.
How long has cross stitch been around?
Cross-Stitch has been a staple of embroidery for nearly 2000 years, and in that time has gone through multiple dips and resurgences through the last two millennia.#N#However, the story starts back in Egypt.#N#You can view this post as an infographic by scrolling down!
What was the German wool trade in 1840?
1840AD. German wool imports. Whilst embroidery was incredibly popular up until this time, the German wool trade was suffering from lack of internal demand, and so started exporting. The English market was flooded with cheaper threads, which in turn lowered the desirability.
What is counted cross stitch?
The invention of counted cross stitch. Whilst up to this point crossed stitches had been used, there was no specific reason to use them. However, in the Islamic states, traditionally made hemp cloth cross stitches were used to create a small repeating pattern in a grid. This quickly moved across Europe and the Baltic States.
Where was the first counted cross stitch book published?
Counted Cross Stitch Books started to be published#N#The first known counted cross stitch was published in England. Whilst there is no surviving copy of this book, we do have many references to its existence.
When was embroidery first discovered?
The first known embroidery. In around 1860 a dig in a remote corner of Egypt found 3 tombs. Inside one, of what is believed to be a wealthy slave owner, was a series of well-preserved linens with embroidery of coins and wall paintings.
Overview
Cross-stitch is a form of sewing and a popular form of counted-thread embroidery in which X-shaped stitches in a tiled, raster-like pattern are used to form a picture. The stitcher counts the threads on a piece of evenweave fabric (such as linen) in each direction so that the stitches are of uniform size and appearance. This form of cross-stitch is also called counted cross-stitch in ord…
History
Cross-stitch is the oldest form of embroidery and can be found all over the world since the middle ages. Many folk museums show examples of clothing decorated with cross-stitch, especially from continental Europe and Asia.
The cross-stitch sampler is called that because it was generally stitched by a young girl to learn how to stitch and to record alphabet and other patterns to be used in her household sewing. The…
Related stitches and forms of embroidery
The cross-stitch can be executed partially such as in quarter-, half-, and three-quarter-stitches. A single straight stitch, done in the form of backstitching, is often used as an outline, to add detail or definition.
There are many stitches which are related structurally to cross-stitch. The best known are Italian cross-stitch (as seen in Assisi embroidery), long-armed cros…
Recent trends for cross stitch
Cross-stitch has become increasingly popular with the younger generation of Europe in recent years. Retailers such as John Lewis experienced a 17% rise in sales of haberdashery products between 2009 and 2010. Hobbycraft, a chain of stores selling craft supplies, also enjoyed an 11% increase in sales over the year to February 22, 2009.
Knitting and cross-stitching have become more popular hobbies for a younger market, in contras…
Cross-stitch and Feminism
In the 21st century, an emphasis on feminist design has emerged within cross-stitch communities. Some cross-stitchers have commented on the way that the practice of embroidery makes them feel connected to the women who practised it before them. There is a push for all embroidery, including cross-stitch, to be respected as a significant art form.
Cross-stitch and Computers
The development of computer technology has also affected such a seemingly conservative craft as cross-stitch. With the help of computer visualization algorithms, it is now possible to create embroidery designs using a photograph or any other picture. Visualisation uses a drawing on a graphical grid, representing colors and / or symbols, which gives the user an indication of the possible use of colors, the position of those colors, and the type of stitch used, such as full cros…
Flosstube
An increasingly popular activity for cross-stitchers is to watch and make YouTube videos detailing their hobby. Flosstubers, as they are known, typically cover WIPs (Works in Progress), FOs (Finished Objects), and Haul (new patterns, thread, and fabric, as well as cross-stitching accessories, such as needleminders). Other accessories include but are not limited to: Floss organizers, thread conditioner, pin cushions, AIDA cloth or plastic canvas, and embroidery needl…
See also
• Mosaic
• Pixel art
• Embroidery