I’ve seen a lot of ironic/sassy cross-stitch lately and I want to give this craft a try. I have many works of cross-stitch in my house- pillows and framed art from my grandmother, a sampler style work given to us for our wedding. Or did I want an embroidered saying? What was the difference?
I’ve always gotten confused about the difference between cross stitch and embroidery. They use the same thread (floss) and the same needle, stretched out on those hoop things. (It’s really funny how many embroidery hoops I have at my house, considering I have never embroidered or cross-stitched.) I realized it’s like the difference between crochet and knitting- yes, you’re still tying a complicated knot to make a piece of cloth, but the method is different. I asked my friend, Tisha, who does amazing embroidered portraits, for a definition, expecting a sarcastic answer like “one sucks and the other doesn’t” and she said:
“Cross-stitch is technically a type of embroidery using x stitches on grid based fabric. Embroidery is any decorative stitching on fabric, like cross-stitch, needlepoint, black work, candlewicking, crewel work, redwork… Most people think of hand embroidery as pictures and designs stitched with many different stitches.”
I remember doing cross-stitch kits when I was a kid, with the fabric already colored in. We have a few kits at our library that were donated to us a long time ago, piled in our craft materials. They did not have colored-in cloth, instead having a chart made up of blocks in a grid, just like a color pattern for knitting (or Minecraft). The cloth is open-weave, with lots of room for stitches to go in. This type of cloth is called Aida cloth.
Lit Stitch: 25 Cross-stitch Patterns for Book Lovers by Book Riot was a surprisingly helpful book for learning about cross-stitch. The authors did not assume you knew anything about cross-stitch, so had a great introduction to the craft, including discussion of materials, techniques, tips and careful instructions for finishing. The patterns are awesome as well, from cute to profane, all celebrating reading.
I am restraining myself from doing a complicated pattern for my first attempt. I’ll let you know how it goes.
