AskTheAngels
Stitching on
black fabric1
Stitching on black aida is
easier than stitching on
black evenweave. So, if you’re
new to the concept, give aida
a go first and choose lower-
count fabric for fewer holes.2
Projects stitched on
black aida can be ver y
effective, but test a piece for its
colourfastness before you start
stitching to ensure it won’t run.3
Stitch in good light with
a magnifier. Make it easier
to see the holes by working
against a white background –
or with a light behind the fabric.4
It can be a challenge to
stitch a large project on
black aida. Before you start,
check if a lighter colour would
be more suitable.5
Work the first leg of each
stitch for a whole area of
a colour. If you go wrong, it’ll be
easier to undo and stitching the
second legs will be a doddle!Our top
tips...
hard-to-master skills. DMC’s
current ready-to-stitch Baby Stars
range includes bibs, comforters,
baby health record book covers,
bath towels and soft toys, which all
come in blue, pink and grey. We
also love the new Folk Baby
flower-patterned items, which can
be bought through the website at
http://www.dmc.com – they make us feel
like spring is in the air! The range
starts at £9.99 for a sweet little bib.
We’re sure you’ll find something
super cute to personalise for your
new niece or nephew without any
waste canvas worries!Soft spot
Q
I’d like to stitch a basic
cushion cover, Angels.
What’s the easiest way to do this?
Angela Moorehouse, via emailA
Probably the easiest
method is to patch your
finished stitch onto a ready-made
cushion. Or, you could use waste
canvas to stitch your design
straight onto a cover – or stitch on
a piece of evenweave, which you
can then stitch to a ready-made
cushion back with a zip already
inserted to create the cover.
A 45.5x45.5cm (18x18in) Cushion
Back kit, costing £10.19, is
available from Marie’s Cross Stitch
at http://www.mariescrossstitch.co.uk. If
your design is worked on aida and
is smaller than the cushion cover
you want to make, stitch fabric
pieces in complementary colours
down the sides and along the top
and bottom of the aida to create a
front panel that’s the right size,
then stitch it to the cushion back.
You can also get kits, such as those
by Ver vaco, with ever ything you
need to make a statement cushion.Highly strung
Q
A friend suggested I use
Baker’s Twine for a project
I’m working on, but I can only find
it in red and white. I’d really like
something a bit more colourful – is
there anything similar available?
Rosemary Taylor, CheshireA
You’ll find this staple in
many crafters’ stashes,
Rosemar y. It has an almost iconicstatus and gives a nostalgic feel to
projects. James Lever in Bolton has
been the home of Baker’s Twine
since 1856. You can buy Everlasto
Beautiful Baker’s Twine directly
from the company at http://www.
beautiful-bakers-twine.com in over
30 colours, so you should be able
to find something to suit your
needs. The twine comes in single
colour, two-tone, tricolour and
metallics and comes in several
different weights. Treat yourself to
one of the company’s selection
boxes, which contain five 50m
spools and cost £8.70. Or, buy the
twine in lengths starting at 100m,
costing £6.29 for the standard
twine. For shorter lengths, tr y Cloud
Craft at http://www.cloudcraft.co.uk,
which stocks a selection starting at
75p for a 5m spool of twine.Back to front
Q
I’ve designed a chart based
on the view from my
window, but I’m worried a black
outline might look too dark. Would
stitching the outline first help?
Stephen Makin, via emailA
Black thread can look harsh
when used for backstitch if
the rest of the design is made up of
lighter colours. However, you
should always do backstitch last,
but before French knots and beads.
Backstitch can get lost beneath
other stitches and won’t keep its
lovely definition. Instead, you could
use a darker or lighter version of the
colours used in your design – this
should give your stitching a much
softer finish. Or, just create your
design using all or mostly whole
stitches. Jody Rice of Satsuma
Street does this to great effect
with her Pretty Little series of
cityscapes. Check out her designs
at http://www.satsumastreet.etsy.comHello Angels!
Send your stitching problems to Crazy’s Angels and we’ll come to your
rescue! Make your questions as crazy as you like and send them to the
address listed below.
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Crazy’s Angels... Cross Stitch Crazy, Immediate Media Company
Bristol Ltd, Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol BS1 4ST or email
your requests to: [email protected]✁
T DMC offers a range of
stitchable baby itemsS Baker’s Twine comes
in more shades than just
the classic red and white!T Jody Rice of Satsuma
Street uses mostly whole
stitches in her projectsS Patch your stitching
onto a ready-made cushion
back for an easier finish