Stitch it up (original) (raw)

Do you like embroidery? It may not be as much fun as your Xbox or ‘whathaveyous’ but it is a great stress buster and it can calm you down considerably. Let’s begin with learning some cross stitch.

You will need matty cloth or Aida cloth, which are open, even-weave cotton fabric. Make sure you choose light coloured fabric and thread needed for embroidering. If you are new to this, an embroidery hoop may stand you in good stead. A pair of scissors to cut the thread would be helpful.

Cross stitch is perhaps the easiest to learn because we use just a single stitch. The stitch simply makes an X on the fabric with embroidery thread. The first stitch requires two steps.

The term embroiderers use for thread is “floss”. It is sold by the skein and is typically eight yards long and made of six strands. You can get them in any colour. If you are following a pattern, then the colour codes are specified. You will need two or three strands from the floss skein at a time.

Cross stitch is generally worked in rows going from left to right. Refer to your stitching chart to figure out where you want to begin stitching.

1. Start from the back of the fabric and bring your needle up through a hole toward the front. Leave about an inch of thread at the back.

2. As your work progresses you can cover the tail with your stitches and secure it.Next, pass your needle through a hole diagonally across from where you started, to make a slanted half cross stitch (/). Be sure to hold the tail at the back so that it does not slip through.

3. Start your second half cross stitch by bringing the needle back up through the hole that is directly below the one you last used. Before you pull this stitch tight, flip your fabric over to the back and make sure the thread tail will be trapped by the stitch. Continuing stitching along the row to make a series of half cross stitches (////).

4. Next return across the row making a series of half cross stitches in the other direction (\\).

5. Keep stitching until you reach the end of the thread or until you run out of stitches in your pattern. On the back of the fabric, pass the needle under at least three completed stitches to secure the thread. Trim the remaining thread, being careful not to cut it too close.

Published - April 29, 2019 12:40 pm IST