This is the time of year when I start wishing it were time for a beach vacation (and my daughter has decided she doesn’t like the beach so the answer to that might be about five more years). Whether you … Read More...
How Do You Store Your Cross Stitch Supplies?
Even though I’ve literally written a book on cleaning out and organizing your craft supplies, I am not the best at storing things appropriately. Especially my cross stitch supplies.
I have all of my thread in a plastic zippered bag … Read More...
America Cross Stitch Patterns
I feel like Memorial Day is the start of patriotic season in the United States. We have Memorial Day, Flag Day and the Fourth of July in a three-month span, and it feels like it’s always appropriate to have summer … Read More...
Designer Spotlight: Mamida Pattern
Here’s a little peek into the process here at CraftGossip (at least for the cross stitch site): I come up with a general idea of what kind of pattern roundups I want to write, whether that’s seasonal or something else … Read More...
All You Need to Know to Learn to Cross Stitch
Over on my blog, Our Daily Craft, I’ve been working on some pages that bring together a lot of information I’ve shared about different crafts over the course of the 15 (!) or so years I’ve been writing over there … Read More...
Funny Dog Cross Stitch Patterns
Last month I shared a bunch of cat cross stitch patterns, so it seemed only fair that I add some dog cross stitch projects to the mix. I’d actually been saving up this punny hot dog pattern for a … Read More...
Designer Spotlight: Stone Street Stitchworks
If you’re a fan of ornamental folk cross stitch designs, you’ll want to check out Stone Street Stitchworks, an Etsy designer based in Houston, Texas.
According to their shop description, they feature designs with an “ornamental country style” inspired by … Read More...
What Are Needle Minders and How Do You Use One?
One of the great things about cross stitching is that you can get started without a lot of supplies. Really just a bit of fabric, some embroidery floss and a needle are all that you need to try it out.… Read More...
Cactus Cross Stitch Patterns
It’s the time of year when I can feel summer coming on even though we’re still firmly in springtime. It makes me want to start crafting projects with more of a summery feel to them, which is probably why I … Read More...
Designer Spotlight: Goffin Design
Even though their patterns cover a wide range of seasons, holidays and motifs, there’s just something about the designs from Etsy seller Goffin Design that evokes spring to me.
The colors are bright, fresh and cheerful, whether they’re used to … Read More...
FAQs about Cross Stitch, Answered
One of the great things about cross stitch as a craft is that it doesn’t take a lot of skill or supplies to get started. You can make your first cross stitch patterns with a single color of thread, using … Read More...
How to Grid Cross Stitch Fabric
I’ve started (just barely, as you can see) a relatively big/complicated cross stitch project (the Baba Yaga house from Happy Little Mouse I told you about a while ago) and I knew that for this project I was going to … Read More...
Butterfly Cross Stitch Patterns
I love watching out for when the butterflies start heading back north in the spring. Every year I want to plant more flowers in the hope of drawing more butterflies to my yard. If it’s not yet time for butterflies … Read More...
Designer Spotlight: Little Dove Samplers
When I was casting about Etsy to find a designer to spotlight this week, I landed on Little Dove Samplers and felt like this might have been a designer that I showcased before. It turns out that I shares a … Read More...
Review: Cross Stitch for the Earth
If you’re a fan of a nature theme or know a nature lover you want to stitch for, Cross Stitch for the Earth by Emma Congdon has some fun options for you.
The 20 projects in this book include pro-environment … Read More...
Poppy Cross Stitch Patterns for Anzac Day
Anzac Day is marked each year on April 25 as a reminder of the battle of Gallipoli, a conflict against the Ottoman Turks in 1915 that resulted in the deaths of more than 8,000 Australian soldiers. Anzac is a nickname … Read More...
How to Make French Knots
French knots are a pretty common embellishment in cross stitch patterns that might be used for eyes or to add texture like polka dots or stars on a project. If you delve into other genres of needlework you’ll find French … Read More...
Designer Spotlight: Notforgotten Farm
Notforgotten Farm is an Etsy shop dedicated to primitive needlework patterns and supplies. Based in Virginia, the shop has patterns for counted and uncounted cross stitch, embroidery, punch needle and appliques, as well as a couple of hand-sewing patterns. They … Read More...
Cat Cross Stitch Patterns
In addition to writing about cross stitch for Craft Gossip, I also write about knitting and lesson plans, which means I’m always on the lookout for holidays, real and fanciful, that I can write about and share patterns and … Read More...
How to Fix Mistakes in Cross Stitch
I’ve just recently started what for me is the biggest cross stitch project I’ve ever attempted (the Baby Yaga House from Happy Little Mouse) and I know that there are going to be some mistakes in it.
It uses … Read More...