When you are just beginning your cross-stitch hobby, you may be confused by certain symbols and terminology. What are fractional stitches and how do they affect a design? If you need fractional stitches, how do you do them? Knowing how to do fractional stitches will help you create more ornate and ... Click to read the article details

The designs of Africa have a totally unique look about them, and are not typical of other designs. Their patterns are not simply "another piece of material with art designed on it", but are made and designed with the love of Africa always in mind. The people of Africa trust in their inner ... Click to read the article details

Wildflowers and herbs have been useful to mankind in many ways, ever since the beginning of our history, other than subject matter for art and needlepoint. Lately, alternative medicine has taken over part of the front seat for medicinal purposes, due to the each individual wanting some say-so in ... Click to read the article details

Everybody would like to leave their loved ones something special when they pass away so cross stitchers and the companies that develop cross stitch designs are now, more than ever, turning to the classics in order to produce a unique and very personal heirloom.

Celebrations cross stitch ... Click to read the article details

Cross stitching is a great hobby for children. It can help to develop hand to eye coordination, shape and colour recognition, as well as encourage cooperative behavior, patience and creativity. Most of all, it can be good fun for you and your child -- an interest to share together, and become a ... Click to read the article details

In the early days of the fifteenth century, respect for all books was second only to respect for the Bible alone. Books were few in number and considered valuable due to the fact not many were printed at any one time.

Queen Elizabeth I was the first to receive a book marker as a gift at ... Click to read the article details

Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is thought to be caused by work tasks which are performed repeatedly, thereby causing muscular strain and eventually injury. RSI can be defined as inflammation of the tendons round a joint resulting from regular, repeated movements of that joint. And yes, you've ... Click to read the article details

Beads can add a wonderful touch to your cross-stitch project. They bring dimension and beauty to any needlework. However, there are some things you need to know about beads so you can make sure they are appropriate for your project. There are also some tips you can use to ensure that cross ... Click to read the article details

There are many different types of cross-stitching and embroidery yarns, and a multitude of companies that produce them. What is the difference between them and their yarns? Let's look closely at two of these major companies, both producing high quality yarns, doing a comparison study between them ... Click to read the article details

As cross stitchers, we love to create personalised cards for our nearest and dearest on birthdays, at Christmas or other special times. The chances are that these cards are much appreciated by the recipients, displayed prominently for a few days, and then perhaps placed in a drawer or a cupboard, ... Click to read the article details

After you spend many hours creating a beautiful cross stitch picture, the last thing you want to do is damage it during cleaning. Many experts suggest you always clean your projects when you finish to remove the oils left behind when you touched the cloth. These oils can attract a surprisingly ... Click to read the article details

If you haven't tried cross stitching on plastic canvas, you should. With plastic canvas, you can create unique cross stitch projects that you can't create with fabric. For instance, because the plastic is firm, you can even create stunning three-dimensional projects.

Plastic canvas is ... Click to read the article details

The idea of basket weaving as a form of therapy, traditionally used for patients with mental illness is often laughed at. But in a way, there is wisdom in the use of crafts for having a calming effect.

In today's society, the meaning of "slow down", an easy and natural pace, and ... Click to read the article details

Looking through some stitching catalogues recently, I came across a wealth of fantasy dragon designs. There was a great deal of choice of creatures and designs, and they all looked attractive and impressive.

I decided to find out more about these amazing beasts before making my choice of ... Click to read the article details

I can read. I can count. I can thread a needle... so why did everything suddenly go wrong with a counted cross stitch project I started last year?

I began enthusiastically enough. I had planned to stitch a picture of a greyhound, as a birthday gift for a friend. Even before I unpacked ... Click to read the article details

Have you ever searched for ages and not found that particular pattern you've been dreaming about doing? Instead of getting frustrated and giving up, why not try creating your own cross stitch designs? There are a number of ways you can create your own patterns so that you can get the perfect ... Click to read the article details

Going away on holiday can be a great opportunity to indulge yourself in your favourite pastime... cross stitching, of course! There's the prospect of lots of time to spend on what you want to do, without those guilty feelings that arise when you're stitching at home -- when you know that the ... Click to read the article details

For more than a year British ships had blockaded Boston and British troops had occupied the hungry city. Americans had fought and died at Lexington, at Concord, on Breed's Hill and at Charleston. The Green Mountain men had taken Ticonderoga.

British armies were coming down the Hudson and ... Click to read the article details

Only one form of American needlework is wholly American, without root or kin in the Old World; that is our pieced patchwork. Oh, patches are nothing new.

Ancient Egyptians sewed fabric to fabric, and in medieval Europe women applied cloth to cloth. Patches are as old as poverty. In rags ... Click to read the article details

Three hundred years ago the then colonies in America were inhabited largely by a European hierarchy who'd brought their lower classes with them to do the hard work. There was much mingling and intermarrying with each other and with the Indians - the farmers, the peddlers, the sailors, the little ... Click to read the article details

In typical Old World needlework, each detail is a particle of the whole; no part of the design can stand alone, whole and complete in itself. The background is solid, the pattern is formal, and a border encloses all.

American women smashed that rigid order to bits. They discarded ... Click to read the article details

More than 100 years ago at the dawn of the 20th century one of America's most distinguished authors, Rose Wilder Lane, was asked to write a report on the history and development of the needlework arts in America. Mrs Lane was the ideal writer for this worthy task being herself an expert ... Click to read the article details

For many stitchers, the most exciting step of creating a cross stitch project is the final one - that of framing. Now! At last, you can finally think about showing off the results of your time and creative effort. For the very best results, framing your project involves several steps and ... Click to read the article details

There are a numerous reasons for taking up the beguiling, blue-collar craft of cross stitch, ten of which are shown below. So continue reading then pay a visit to your local craft shop and start your cross stitching career today.

1. Why "blue-collar" you might ask? Well! When compared to ... Click to read the article details

A cross-stitch sampler is an example of this beguiling craft that has been around for almost as long as cross-stitch itself. It is a decorative piece of work designed to showcase an eye catching variety of motifs, alphabets, and stitches, thereby displaying the stitcher's skill and creativity. ... Click to read the article details

Cross-stitch is not just an activity for women. Plenty of men love to pull out those needles and flosses to cross-stitch projects that they enjoy. For most men who cross-stitch it is about creating "art" or having a special interest in the design... and of course Cross Stitch is wonderfully ... Click to read the article details

It doesn't matter whether you are a beginner or an experienced cross-stitch stitcher, there are always new things you can learn to give your projects that increasingly polished look. But getting that professional look takes practice and skill, so here are three great tricks the professionals use ... Click to read the article details

A wedding or anniversary is a time to celebrate and be joyful, but it can also be time to get creative and personal with your cross-stitch craft. A wedding is something the bride and groom will want to remember for the rest of their lives, so why not give something that comes from your heart so ... Click to read the article details

"Never again," I said to myself over and over. I must have been out of my mind when I chose Majestic Magnolia, a gorgeous design I simply couldn't resist. It didn't matter to me that I was still a beginner and I had never stitched on linen. I thought I could tackle any project. Today, it's my ... Click to read the article details