residue from the iron – is there a
way to remove it?
Mary Duxbury, Athlone
A
Heather: Sorry to hear
this, Mary – in future,
its best to always iron
on the back of the work over
a cloth. To try to remove the
residue, mix some salt and
white vinegar together to make
a thick paste. Using the back of
a teaspoon, spread the paste
over the residue and leave for
30 minutes. Rinse with cold
water and repeat if necessary.
When you're happy with the
result, hand wash as normal
and, when dry, press on the
back with a cloth between the
iron and the cross stitch. Always
try to keep your iron clean – if
it's a steam iron, empty it out
regularly and put in clean
water. To keep the plate clean
buy a tub of The Pink Stuff.
It's only £1 from Sainsburys –
simply rub the mixture over the
plate, leave for a while, rinse
with cold water and then buff
it up with a tea towel.
instructions and a large colour
picture of the completed
cushion. It would be best for
your daughter to start stitching
the face and then on to the
more detailed cabbage rose
tummy when she has gained
confidence. When she has
finished, back the design with
some plain fabric, using the
finished stitching as a template.
Sew around the shape with
right sides facing (leaving a gap
big enough to turn through),
turn through, stuff with toy
stuffing and sew up the gap.
To buy the kit for £16.99 go to
http://www.gursewingmachines.com
Board room
Q
I've just invested in a
Lowery Stand and, after
years of using a piece
of card and a paper clip, I'm now
thinking of which chart holder to
buy. The DMC magnetic board
looks good, but should I get the
small size or the larger size?
Toni Chambers, Looe
A
Fiona: It really depends
on whether you
regularly stitch large
projects, but even then, you
can easily fold the chart to the
section you need. The small
board measures 18x26cm and
the large measures 28x38cm so
it would be best to have a look
through the charts you have,
and see what you use most. But
the smaller size should be able
to accommodate most cross
stitcher's needs. Both boards
come with a magnetic ruler and
a DMC floss-shaped magnet to
hold the chart to the holder.
There is also a little stand at
the back, should you want to
remove it from the Lowery
stand and work elsewhere. To
buy the small board for £7.80
or the large for £10.80 go to
Iron residue
Q
I've stupidly ironed the
front of my cross stitch
and it has left some
Neater needles
Q
I like to thread up a
few needles at a time,
especially when I'm
working with different colours,
but the only disadvantage to this
is the tangles! I only usually lose
a few threads because I'm very
careful, but I'll soon be working
with some very expensive
threads and don't want
to risk pre-threading
unless it's
foolproof. Have
you any tips?
Donna Golledge,
Swansea
A
Jo: To
stop
your
thread from
tangling, an old trick
is to fold a tumble
dryer sheet in half,
unfold the sheet,
place the thread
inside the sheet and pull it
through. Keeping the lengths
of thread between 45-50cm
(18-20in) also helps – any
longer than this and it's likely
to twist. To keep your threaded
needles safe and tangle free, I
recommend buying the Clover
Domed Threaded Needle Case.
This nifty gadget holds 10
threaded needles, with a slot
for each needle. The threads
are wound around the
blue section. Each
slot has a number,
so you can write
the number of
your thread
on a piece
of paper and
correspond it
to the number
on the slot. It's
a perfect accessory
for any stitcher,
as you can thread
your needles in the
morning when your
eyes are less tired, or travel to
your stitching club, knowing
that your threads are kept in
perfect condition. To buy the
dome for £6.50 go to http://www.
lovecrafts.com
Q
My daughter's idol is
Frida Kahlo. I would
love to stitch a picture
of her so that my daughter
can hang it on her wall at uni.
As she would have to bring
it home at the end of the
academic term, I need to find a
chart or kit that isn't too big.
Gabby Drew, Lytham St Annes
A
Fiona: This design
of Frida measures
17.5x24cm (7x9½in)
when stitched on 14-count
aida, and costs £3.87 for
a PDF chart. It will look
fantastic framed in the
hoop it's stitched in,
and won't take up
much room in the
bottom of a suitcase
when your daughter
comes home for the holidays.
This mini portrait uses just
seven DMC thread shades
- check to see if you have
them in your stash already!
For more Frida Kahlo inspired
charts from NikkiPattern
visit http://www.etsy.com.
FAB FRIDA
Your questions answered
DMC's Magnetic Board keeps your hands
free for stitching and comes in two sizesThis fabulous Frida chart can be
downloaded and stitched instantlyAlways keep your iron clean –
especially for cross stitch!
The Clover Dome stores
up to 10 threaded
needles, tangle free