Tips & Techniques

Out of Ingredients for Your Kit

Have you run out of or need replacement ingredients for your kit.  We can help.  If you need paint, please fill out the Contact Us form and be sure to include the numbers on the top of the paint pot and kit information so your request can be processed quickly.

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This is My First Stitching Project

Enjoy yourself. Stitching should be relaxing and enjoyable. It's best to take a few minutes to read your entire instruction sheet. It will answer many questions that you have about your design. If you still are unsure, practice with some fabric and thread from your scrap box until you get the hang of it.

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What’s Best for a Large Design

Scroll bars, stretcher bars, or an embroidery hoop?  Many stitchers have their own preferences for stitching. All of the mentioned products serve the same important purpose: they will keep your fabric taut while you are stitching. Which product you choose will depend on how you like to stitch. If your stitching travels with you wherever you go, perhaps an embroidery hoop is best for you. It makes your stitching portable and easy to pack. Hoops are available in many sizes to suit your needs. Just remember when you are not stitching to remove the hoop from your fabric. This will prevent the hoop from marking the fabric. If you prefer to stitch with two hands (one above and one below your fabric), scroll bars, Q-snaps, and stretcher bars would probably work best for you. You can place them in a purchased stand or lean them against the edge of a table to keep both your hands free to stitch. Another advantage to these products is that you can see and work any area of the fabric with ease.

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Sorting Colors

In our newer kits all the colors have been sorted for you already.  If you happen to have a kit without the colors pre-sorted then we recommend separating one bundle (knotted group of thread lengths) at a time and using the number of lengths listed in the instructions to help distinguish similar colors. If you have a thread palette, loop each color through one of the holes to keep it separated while you work.

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Yarn in Counted Cross Stitch Kits

Yarn is used to help you identify the bundles of thread in our Gold Collection kits. Since our Gold Collection designs are very detailed and subtly shaded, some of the thread colors are very close in color. Refer to the sorting list in your instructions for which color of yarn indicates which bundle. These lengths of yarn have no other purpose. Do not use them in your design.  If you have a kit with the thread pre-sorted you will not find any yarn for the purpose of identifying the bundles of thread, this has been done for you.

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My Needlepoint Canvas Colors Don’t Match My Colors of Yarn or Thread

Our needlepoint canvases are colored to help you distinguish the areas. Sometimes several colors of yarn or thread are very close in color. If these colors were used on the canvas, they would be almost impossible to distinguish. In these cases we select canvas colors that can easily show you exactly where to stitch. Refer to the color list and key in your instructions before starting to stitch.

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My Fabric and or Canvas is Smaller or Larger than My Printed Chart

The chart in your instructions is just a guide for placing your stitches. It is not printed the actual size of your design. In many cases, we enlarge the charts for your convenience. The actual size of your design can be found on your package label.

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Preventing Your Thread from Twisting

As you stitch in and out of the fabric, you are inadvertently twisting the thread by turning your needle. When your thread gets too twisted it can knot or even fray as you stitch. To prevent your thread from twisting, let your threaded needle dangle from your fabric every so often. Your thread will unwind like magic!

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Distinguishing Between Strands and Lengths of Yarn or Thread

A length of yarn is made up of three individual strands twisted together and a length of thread is made up of six individual strands (unless otherwise noted in your instructions). Each length should be separated into individual strands just before you use them. To separate the strands, hold one end of the length between two fingers and pull out one strand at a time.

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How Many Strands Should I Use

The number of strands to use for stitching is always indicated in your instructions. In some instructions, look in the key which has a column labeled "Strands." In others, look in the color or symbol list. Using the correct number of strands is very important. If you use more or fewer than we did, your design will not look like the one shown on your package label.

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How to Prevent Losing Your Place on Your Chart

There are many ways to keep from losing your place on the chart. Use a highlighter to keep track of the areas you've already stitched. This is especially helpful when you are unable to stitch on a design constantly. Or, some stitchers find it helpful to use a sticky note to keep their place. Perhaps you would find it helpful to cover your chart with clear contact paper. This not only protects your chart; you can use dry erase markers to hold your place. And just think --- dry erase markers can be wiped away if you make a mistake.

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Starting Your Thread

For Counted Cross Stitch, Stamped Cross Stitch, Needlepoint, and NoCount® designs: Start your thread by leaving a tail of thread on the back of the fabric. Holding the thread tail against the fabric; work your first several stitches over the tail. Trim away any thread that is not covered by your stitches. For Crewel designs: Start by tying a knot at the end of the thread, then pulling the needle through the fabric from the front to the back within the design area. As you stitch, work over the thread on the back. This automatically anchors it. After the thread is anchored, cut off the knot. In subsequent areas, begin your thread by weaving it through the wrong side of your stitches.

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Ending Your Thread

For all designs: After you have worked an area, end your thread by weaving it under your stitches. Remember, avoid weaving dark colors under light ones as they may show through, making your stitching appear soiled.

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What to Do With Blank Areas or Squares on Your Chart

On Counted Cross Stitch designs, blank squares indicate unstitched fabric. In other designs, areas that are blank or not explained in your key also indicate unstitched areas of fabric. This allows the color of the fabric or the printed area to show.

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Using the Key to Stitch a Kit

The goal of our instructions is to make your kit as easy as possible to stitch. We want you to enjoy your project. To help you read your chart, we have included a key or legend for reading it. The key tells you many things. It tells you what stitch you will be using (either with a letter or an icon) and tells you where you will be stitching (either a symbol, line, or patterned area). The key also tells you how many strands to use (either a number or a circled number) and what color to use (either a color name, code number, or number from your color list).

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Chart Symbols

We do not use 1/4 or 3/4 stitches on our counted cross stitch designs. You should use a full or half cross stitch as designated by the symbol on the chart. On stamped cross stitch, each stitch is indicated by the lines that appear on your fabric. On NoCount® designs, you should use full and partial stitches as needed to fill the areas. If you are unable to determine the symbol because detail lines interfere, refer to the package label and chart to make your best guess. Usually you can easily determine what color to stitch by looking at the surrounding stitches.

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Colors with More Than One Symbol or No Symbol at All

In your symbol list or key, you may find that some colors have more than one symbol or no symbol at all. Look carefully at your symbol list or key. Colors with more than one symbol are generally used for both full cross and half cross stitches. Sometimes the additional symbols indicate using more or fewer strands of thread. Colors without symbols are generally used for detail stitches, such as back stitch or French knots.

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16 Count Fabric Design on 14 Count Fabric

Determining the size of a design and the amount of fabric you need is pretty simple. Let´s take it step by step:

1. Count the number of horizontal squares of the design. For example, let´s say there are 147 squares
2. Divide the number of squares by the fabric count you wish to use. The result it the horizontal size of the design in inches.
   Example: 147 squares ÷ 14 count fabric = 10.5 inches
3. Add at least 4 inches of fabric to the design size to allow for framing or finishing. This number is the horizontal size of your fabric.
   Example: 10.5 inches + 4 inches = 14.5 inches
4. Count the number of vertical squares of the design.
   Example: let’s say there are 287 squares
5. Divide the number of squares by the fabric count to find out the vertical size of the design. Example: 287 squares ÷ 14 count fabric = 20.5 inches
6. Add at least 4 inches to the fabric size for framing or finishing. Example: 20.5 inches + 4 inches = 24.5 inches

In our example, the finished size of your design would be 10.5 x 20.5 inches. The size of your fabric should be 14.5 x 24.5 inches. On certain fabrics you may wish to adjust the number of strands you use for stitching. The typical number of strands used on 14 count fabric is two. By increasing or decreasing the number of strands, you can create the finished effect you desire. Please note that changing the fabric count of your design will affect the amount of thread you will need.

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Roving Won’t Stay in the Fabric

It can take a lot of “jabs” to firmly attach the roving; you need to go over the entire area with the felting needle.  Keep your needle jabs close together to ensure that the roving fibers are fully interlocked with the felt surface.  If you are still having trouble, look at the tip of the needle under a magnifying glass to make sure there are notches cut into the needle tip. The notches are what help to interlock the fibers. If the needle tip looks smooth, it will not work.

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Always Start at the Outlines

Start at the outlines of an area and work toward the middle. Be sure to cover the printed outlines. If you finish filling an area and have extra roving that does not need to be felted, simply trim the excess with scissors and poke in any stray fibers.

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How Much Roving Should Be Used

Generally speaking, you want to start with a small amount of roving. A clump about 1” in diameter is easy to work with and a little roving goes a long way. If it’s not enough to fill the area, simply take another small clump and continue. If you try working with too large an amount, it can be difficult to see the outlines of the area as you apply the roving.

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Broken Needle

Felting needles are fragile, so you need to use them carefully. Here are some important things to know to help prevent breakage:

• You must use a foam block under the item to be felted. The needle tip will break if you try to felt on a hard surface (and it may damage the surface).
• Make sure you hold the needle straight up and down while you work; if it is angled it may break.
• You don’t need to be forceful with your jabs; your needle should just enter the foam block, not penetrate too deeply into it.
   

Correct	Incorrect

 

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Filling an Area

When filling an area, work just inside the printed outline on the fabric. This ensures that areas of color are clearly defined on the front of your design.

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Stitching Spacing

Don’t obsess over making sure your rows of stitches are perfectly spaced. Remember, this is supposed to be fun! Yes, you want your work to look neat, but it doesn’t matter if the stitches are a little off kilter on the back or there is some white space between rows of stitches. You can always go back and add more stitches later if the loops look a little sparse. The important thing is how it looks on the front. Notice in the pictures that even though the stitches are not perfectly spaced on the back of the fabric, the front looks just fine.
 

Front	Back

 

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Trimming Loops

After you fill an area with color, check your loops on the front. If you see one or two loops of thread poking up above the others, simply trim them with a small, sharp scissors. The thread ends will blend in with the rest of the loops.

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Understanding the Punch Needle

Look at the tip of the punch needle. One side is open and cut at an angle. This is the front side of the needle. The other side is pointed and has a small eye in it. This is the back side of the needle.

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The Correct Way to Use a Punch Needle

When punching, you must lead with the front side of the needle, not the back side. The direction you work doesn’t really matter (example, left to right or right to left), as long as you lead with the front side. Work in a direction that is most comfortable for you.

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Getting the Needle to Pierce the Fabric

Having trouble getting the needle to pierce the fabric?  Your fabric might be a little loose (see diagram).  Although the needle tip is very sharp, the fabric has to be taut so that the needle can pierce it easily. See Using A Hoop for instructions on placing your fabric in a hoop correctly. You may have to retighten your fabric several times while working on a project. Always check the fabric before starting a new thread and re-tighten it if needed.

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Thread Is Tangled in the Needle Tip

Make sure the needle tip is facing the proper way when punching. You must lead with the front (beveled) side of the tip. Don’t lead with the back side.  Leading with the back side could be the cause of the thread tangling. If you wish, you can make a small mark with a permanent marker on the needle shaft just above the front side of the needle tip. That way it’s easier to see that the needle is facing the proper direction.

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How to Punch with a Punch Needle

1. Push (“punch”) the needle tip all the way down into the fabric until the plastic handle touches the fabric.
2. Lift just until the tip of the needle reappears.
3. Slide the tip a short distance (about 1/16") along the surface of the fabric, then “punch” again. As you work, loops form on the front of your fabric while a short running-type stitch appears on the back. After you work a few stitches, trim the thread tail about 1/8" away from the fabric.
4. Repeat to fill in the area with color. It’s that easy! We suggest that you outline the area first (staying just inside the printed line). Each area of color will be more clearly defined if you follow this method.
5. To fill the center of the area, you can either follow in the direction of your original outline (A) or work in rows (B). Depending on the shape of the area, you may use a combination of both methods.
    

   Step 1	Step 2
   Step 3	Step 4
   Step 5

    
   

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Getting Your Loops to Stay in the Fabric

Are your loops pulling out as fast as you’re stitching?  Check the feeder thread (that’s the thread that’s coming out the top of the hollow tube). Chances are it may be caught on something, such as the edge of your fabric or hoop or maybe even your shirt sleeve! The feeder thread must be behind your hand and there should be NO tension on it.

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Needle is Catching on Previously Worked Loops

Check to see how you are holding the needle. It should be straight up and down (perpendicular to the fabric) when punching. If you angle the needle, the tip may catch on previously worked loops or your loops may look uneven.

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Threading a Punch Needle

1.  Insert the threader into the needle shaft until the folded end of the wire appears at the other end. Place thread inside the wire loop.
    
2. Pull the threader back through the needle eye.
   
   
3. Insert the threader through the eye from back (rounded) side to front (beveled) side. Place thread inside the wire loop.
   
   
4. Pull the threader back through the needle shaft until thread emerges from the needle tip.
   
   
5. Remove the thread from the threader.
   
   
6. Remove the thread from the threader. Leave a 2" tail of thread out the back of the needle eye.
   

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Using a Hoop

Fabric must be kept taut while working Punch Needle.  A plastic hoop that has a lip on the inner ring works best for keeping your fabric taut.  Use a loop that is large enough to show the entire design.  Here are the steps for using a hoop:

1. Lay the inner ring on your work surface with the lip facing up. Center your design over the inner ring.
   
   
2. Place the outer ring around the fabric and over the lip on the inner ring. Tighten the screw at the top.
   
   
3. Gently pull on the sides of the fabric to be sure it is as tight as possible.
   
   
4. Retighten the screw if needed.
   

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