Skill Investigation: Counted Cross Stitch

Sample Book:

I learned a lot of new techniques in class, ranging from different stitch types like back stitch and whip stitch, to how a sewing machine works and the basics of how to use one. I loved learning about sewable/soft circuits and am interested in pursuing them further. I also did not know that certain fabrics were safe to laser cut, but was pleasantly surprised to learn such because it is a much more precise way of creating a desired shape out of fabric. The Cricut cutting machine was also interesting to contrast with the laser cutter.

Intention

The goal behind this project was to learn a simple method of hand embroidery called cross-stitch. I have always been interested in learning this technique because I love making things with my hands and I thought it is a fun and interesting way to make custom gifts for people. It can be very personal and thoughtful and due to the time it takes to create, it can show great appreciation for whom you are making it.

Process

I wanted to honor Jesus Christ with my project, because He is very important to me. I wanted to depict something from the Bible that is important, but not too lengthy because cross-stitch is time consuming. I chose to stitch the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, which appear in Galatians 5:22-23. To finish it off, I am going to stitch some fruit on the sides. A challenge I encountered when working on this project was figuring out how to fit all of the words in on the limited space I had. The way this was resolved was counting (and recounting, and recounting...) the height of each word and counting on the material where each of these words could fit. It was a tedious process, but it was well worth it.

Reflection

I learned that this technique is very versatile, with many different patterns and fonts and stitches available to study and practice. I learned how to carefully count the material that I am working with and how to think about the path of my needle as I was stitching each letter, trying to optimize the path from letter to letter so that I used the least amount of thread. When I do this again, I would certainly use shorter pieces of thread at each time, because I found that the longer the thread was, the more it was prone to tangle and knot up.

Product

I used an embroidery needle (like a sewing needle but with a larger eye), an embroidery hoop, Aida 14 count cloth and black thread. The thread was too thick, so I split it in half so that each letter would be more neat. This also effectively doubled the length of my thread. The website I used to guide me was 

http://www.stitchpoint.com/eng/tool/alph/cross-stitch-writing-tool.php

which has different fonts to choose from. 

I also looked around at stitching a fruit, for which I plan to use the following websites:

https://www.stitchfiddle.com/en

http://www.myphotostitch.com/Make_Pattern/Make_Pattern.html

Finally, to actually show the step by step method of how to start a thread, stitch and finish a thread, I used the following website:

https://redgatestitchery.com/blogs/red-gate-stitchery/a-step-by-step-guide-to-cross-stitch

Applications

As stated previously, this technique can be used for creating customized gifts for people in your life, or even for creating a decorative piece for your own personal enjoyment!

Final Product