Preparing your Fabric for Stitching

Written by Loretta Oliver


Sorepparttar first step to stitching is preparing your fabric and you don't know what to do if it's your first time doing this right? So here are a few ideas and tips to help you get started.

First make sure you haverepparttar 116241 right size fabric. Most kits come with fabric in them so that part is done for you. But if you bought just a pattern and supplies separate you want to measure your fabric. Now, most patterns will tell you what size fabric you need .... important thing to remember are that your design will be different sizes on different counts of fabric. Also if you stitching on linen or even weave your design size will change if you are going over one thread or over two threads ofrepparttar 116242 fabric. You may need to use a fabric calculator. There are several gadgets you can buy at your local needlework shop or you can use an online version (easily found by doing a search for "fabric calculator" or "cross stitch fabric calculator" in your favorite search engine.)

Remember before cutting that is always better to measure multiple times than it is to cutrepparttar 116243 wrong size and bigger is better than smaller. You will want to leave 2 or 3 inches on all sides for finishing/framing your work when you're done as well so don't forget to add that extra space.

Now your wondering about those edges...they are so out there and exposed aren't

Unfinished Projects and What to Do With Them

Written by Loretta Oliver


We all know how this story begins. Shopping at your local craft store and something catches your eye. Impulse buy, in a manner of speaking. You get it home, you open it up, you even organize and beginrepparttar project only to find its more than you may have bargained for! So you put it away for now and go on about life as usual. Projects come and go and you get torepparttar 116240 bottom ofrepparttar 116241 project bin and there it is again,repparttar 116242 Unfinished Project! You take it out, look atrepparttar 116243 parts and wonder will it ever be done?

How does a project become a UFP? Well, usually it's something that was too time consuming. However there are many other reasons as well. It could have been more difficult than it first appeared and you needed to learn more before continuing it. It may have been larger than your eyes perceived. Perhapsrepparttar 116244 pattern is difficult to read. Mayberepparttar 116245 directions aren't as concise as you would like them to be and it leaves you wondering.

We've all done it and we've all had them. Nowrepparttar 116246 question is what do we do with them?

I had a UFP for about 2 years, then one day as luck would have it my curious toddler lost some ofrepparttar 116247 floss and a page of instructions for me ~ andrepparttar 116248 first thought in my mind was GREAT, I can Finally throw it out! Which is exactly what I did with it, threw it out. This is our first option for your dreaded UFP ~ throw it out.

Now you may think this is harsh but if it's been hanging around long enough to down right annoy you its time to part with it. If your stitching (or any other craft) for relaxation and you dread even looking atrepparttar 116249 project that is hiding inrepparttar 116250 bottom ofrepparttar 116251 project bin then it is defeating its purpose. We want to enjoy our crafts, relax and relieve daily stress.

What else can I do with my UFP?? I've gotten too far to throw it away now! This is an excellent questions. Below is our list of suggestions and ideas for cleaning out your project bin and either getting rid of or finishing all of your UFP's.

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