Creating Patchwork Cross Stitch from Leftover Embroidery Threads

Look what I finished!!

I started this patchwork cross stitch project way back in 2014, as a way to make use of those scrappy bits of leftover embroidery thread (floss) which aren't quite big enough to be worth keeping and winding back on the bobbin but which still have a few stitches left in them.

I saved up the threads in a compartment in my embroidery thread storage box, then would sit and do a whole batch of stitching in one evening - slowly building up the patchwork design in blocks of colour. It was a super relaxing process!

 

As I wrote when I blogged about this project last year, "I guess I could add a block at a time, each time I have a piece of leftover thread, but I quite like spending a few relaxing hours working on this from time to time. Plus, adding a bunch of colours at once helps me make the randomness of this project more of a controlled randomness - I can spread out the colours more easily, and get a more pleasing mix of tones and shapes than I think I would end up with if I added a block each time I had a scrap of thread to use up.

I like the randomness of this project and how the colour palette (and the speed at which it's growing) is entirely dictated by what other projects I'm working on, and the luck of what size thread scraps I'm left with... but I also want it to be something I love the look of when it's finished!"

To read more about how this piece has developed, click here to read all about how the project has progressed over the years and see lots of in-progress photos.

I'm really pleased with how the finished piece has turned out - someone pointed out that it looks like a tiny quilt, and it totally does! It's about 6 inches (15 cm) square and absolutely jam-packed with colour. Loads of happy hours of stitching have gone into it, but it also represents even more hours of stitching as, of course, these are all just the leftovers from other projects!

And - to think! - all those threads would otherwise have just gone to waste. It's going to be really hard breaking the habit of keeping my scrappy bits of thread now... maybe I'm going to need to start another leftovers-themed project? Hmm...

Want to make your own patchwork design from leftover threads? Simple! Just start keeping your own leftover threads, stitch them in blocks and just keep on going until you've slooooowly filled up a whole square with colour.

A patchwork design like this is also a great way to use up a whole bunch of embroidery threads from your stash, you don't specifically need to be using leftover threads. Just have fun playing around with colour combinations and shapes!

Last year several people asked me for the pattern for this design, which isn't really something I can properly share as I've used to many random colours making this piece. BUT, I have drawn out a chart of how my design ended up, in case you like how the arrangement of blocks look and fancy replicating it. You can use my photos as guide when picking colours and/or use felt tips or coloured pencils to colour in your printed chart to help guide your stitching.

Click here to view the chart in a new window or tab, make sure you're viewing it full size then print.

P.S. For even more scrappy goodness, check out my Patchwork Mini Squares blanket, knitted from yarn left over from many years worth of knitting projects.

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Royal Wedding 2018 - Harry & Meghan Cross Stitch Pattern

Stitch a kitsch memento of the Royal Wedding with this free cross stitch pattern!

 

After sewing a small sampler celebrating Will & Kate's wedding back in 2011, I couldn't resist updating the design for Harry & Meghan's wedding this May.

I stitched the design with stranded embroidery thread/floss (using three of the six strands) on 14 count aida fabric, then framed it in a six inch embroidery hoop. I opted for pink, purple and turquoise theme (with a golden orange colour for the crown and rings) but you could choose any colours you fancy!

To print a copy of the pattern: open the image of the chart in another window or tab, make sure you're viewing it full size then print it at 100%.

This pattern is for personal use only: you can use it to stitch as many wedding samplers as you want for yourself or as gifts, but please don't make any for sale. You may borrow a photo or two if you want to blog about this project, but remember to credit me and link back to the original source, and do not reproduce my entire post or share the pattern itself on your site. Thanks!

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How To: Cross Stitch Sampler Brooches

A little later than planned thanks to some tech issues (ugh)... I have a fun tutorial to share today: sew some cute cross stitch brooches with little slogans on them!

I used to make these for my shop many years ago... here are some I made earlier :)

 

As well as putting together a tutorial to show you how to make them, I've drawn up some charts so you can get stitching straight away. Hurrah!

Will you declare yourself a "COFFEE ADDICT", or proclaim "I LOVE TEA"?

Celebrate thriftiness with a "MAKE DO AND MEND" brooch or the joys of reading with a "BOOK NERD" badge?

Or explain to everyone why there's cat hair on your sweater with an "I LOVE CATS" or "CAT LADY" brooch? (There is always cat hair on my sweater).

 

Or, of course, you can always get out a pencil and some squared paper and design your own stitch-y slogans!

To make a cross stitch brooch you will need...

- the cross stitch charts provided at the bottom of this post (or your own chart)
- aida (I used white, 14 count)
- white sewing thread
- stranded embroidery thread (floss) and matching felt
- white felt
- a brooch clasp
- embroidery scissors

To make each brooch...

1. Stitch your slogan! I like to stretch my aida in an embroidery hoop to give myself a nice taught surface to stitch on.

If you've never done cross stitch before, I promise it's very easy. There are lots of beginner tutorials available online, but basically you sew two stitches through the holes in your aida to form each X... and gradually build up the design you're stitching.

I usually use half the strands of my thread (floss) when cross stitching - i.e. just using three of the six strands - but for bolder text you can use the whole thread. This isn't the world's most in-focus photo (sorry!) but it shows the difference between using three strands (top) and the whole six-stranded thread (bottom).

Here are some slogans I stitched earlier. Make sure you leave plenty of space to cut them out in the next step.

2. Iron your stitching if you need to, then cut out your slogan(s). Use the holes of the aida as a guide to help cut a neat rectangle, then trim the corners so you get a nice curved shape.

3. Using your piece of aida as a template, cut a matching piece of white felt. This will be the back of your brooch. Set it aside for the moment.

4. Stitch your cross stitch design to a piece of felt in the same colour as your letters. Use white sewing thread and whip stitch to sew the aida to the felt.

Using white thread on white aida is great because your stitches will be almost invisible... but this isn't too helpful for a tutorial! Here's the back so you can see where I've stitched. Make sure you start and finish your stitching behind the aida itself as you'll be trimming the felt in the next step.

5. Use embroidery scissors to trim away the excess felt, creating a neat frame around your stitched design. Remember not to cut too close to the edge of your stitched-on-aida - you don't want to snip your stitching!

Scallop edging looks very cute but can be a bit fiddly. If you want a less frilly look or one that's simpler to cut, just cut a plain border to frame the design.

6. Turn over the piece of white felt you cut out earlier. Sew on a brooch clasp, using a double thickness of white sewing thread.

7. Then place the front and back of your brooch together, lining up the white shapes as carefully as possible. Use small running stitches to sew the layers together (I like to follow the first row of holes in the aida) then finish your stitching neatly at the back.

And you're done! Your finished brooch will look something like this:

Click here to view the template sheet in a new tab or window and print it at 100%

This tutorial is for non commercial use only. You may borrow a couple of photos if you want to blog about this project, but remember to credit me and link back to this page on my blog, and do not reproduce my entire tutorial / share my charts on your site. Thanks!

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A Winter Snow Globe - Free Cross Stitch Pattern!

Regular readers may remember that last winter I designed my first non-text-based cross stitch pattern: a snow globe with snow-capped mountains, a little cabin and some fir trees.

There was a lot of trial and error involved in the design process, but it was very enjoyable solving the problems of how to turn the picture in my head into a little pixelated, stitched picture... and I was so pleased with how it turned out!

I totally meant to draw up a neat version of the chart to share with you guys, but (as I couldn't mention at the time) I was busy working on my new book and I just didn't have the time to get it sorted out. Boo.

11 months later, I have finally drawn up the chart so you can stitch your own cross stitch snow globe. Yay!

You can find the chart and a few notes at the bottom of this post. The chart should be pretty simple to follow if you look at a photo of the finished piece - I've marked all the outlines and main shapes, you just need to fill in the blocks of colour as shown in the photos. I hope the notes will all make sense, but if there's something you're not sure about, please do leave a comment and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

I haven't included suggested thread colours, as I just used some random shades from my stash but you will need: silver or light grey (the metallic silver thread looks great but it is a total pain to stitch with!), white for the snow, sky blue (this should be dark enough that the white "snowflakes" stand out clearly), brown for the cabin and the tree trunks, and green for the tree branches.

I stitched my snow globe on 14 count Aida, and used half strands of embroidery thread for all the cross stitching (e.g. three strands of six-stranded thread). I also used a single strand of black thread for the outline of the door and the window frame.

Click here to view the chart in another window/tab, and print it at 100%.

This cross stitch pattern is for non commercial use only: stitch as many snow globes as you like as gifts, but please don't make any for sale or sell the chart itself. If you blog about this project, please don't post the full size chart on your site and remember to credit me and link back to my blog or this post. Thanks!

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DIY Cross Stitch Sampler: Stop Faffing About & Just Get On With It

(Heads up, I don't usually swear here on my blog but there is a bit of mild cussing in this post)

Last autumn I tweeted that I wished I had a clue about graphic design, so I could make a motivational poster with the phrase "Stop faffing about and just bloody get on with it!" to pin up in my studio.

I need reminding to do this at least once every work day (not least when I am faffing about on Twitter!) and, in a broader sense, I think it makes a great motto... a shorthand for stopping worrying about every little detail and fiddling around making perfect detailed plans and just making a START. Take leaps! Do stuff! Make things happen!

So (since I'm a crafty lady and not a graphic design whiz) I decided to stitch it as a motivational cross stitch sampler instead and I have finally finished the chart...

Nothing fancy, but I think it does the job! I've drawn two versions - one with a bit of mild cussing and one without - so you can choose the design you prefer :)

Here are the charts:

Click on one of the images above to open the image link in another window or tab and click again to view it full size and print. It's quite large so you can print it out at the size that suits you best (or just print a copy for your wall if you can't be bothered stitching it!).

These charts are intended for non commercial use only: stitch as many samplers as you like as gifts, but please don't make any for sale or sell the charts themselves. If you blog about this project, please don't post the full size chart on your site and remember to credit me and link back to my blog or this post. Thanks!

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DIY Cross Stitch Sampler: Everything is going to be AMAZING

As promised, here's the chart for making your own "everything is going to be AMAZING" cross stitch sampler:


Click on the image to open the image link in another window or tab and click again to view it full size and print. It's quite large so you can print it out at the size that suits you best.

I decided not to add a border to my sampler in the end, but if you want to add one to yours then you can always copy the chart onto a piece of graph paper and design your own.


My finished sampler measures approx 19 x 10 cms (7.5 x 4 inches). I used white 14 count aida fabric, and one of the skeins of stranded embroidery thread (floss) from my rainbow embroidery thread packs. I used most of the skein, splitting the thread in half (i.e. using 3 of the 6 strands at a time).

I knew just how I wanted the letters to look in my head the moment I decided to stitch this and knew my basic cross stitch lettering wasn't going to be up to the task, so I planned it out in Word first to have a model in a "proper" font to work from...


... and then spent several hours puzzling over a piece of graph paper working out how best to pixelate each letter. The capital A and M were especially problematic, but I got there in the end!


I really enjoyed stitching this, and I hope you will too. If you stitch one I'd love to see a photo of your finished project :)

This pattern is intended for non commercial use only: stitch as many samplers as you like as gifts, but please don't make any for sale or sell the pattern itself. Please feel free to borrow photos if you want to blog about this project, but remember to credit me and link back to my blog or this post. Thanks!

Enjoyed this free pattern? Buy me a "coffee" and help support my blog!


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