You should be because . . .
1. It is a very relaxing activity.
2. It has been proven to be healthy. Check the article, “Health Benefits of Needlework,” on our website to find out why.
Some of the things you need to do or have to make it fun and relaxing:
1. Create a relaxing spot in your home for yourself where you can go when you have some time to stitch . . . could be in the middle of family activity, but it’s YOUR spot.
2. Have a supply of the necessary tools – needles, floss, scissor, good lighting, magnetic board with magnetic strips, and a magnifier.
3. Gather all the necessary floss before starting a project, wind the floss on bobbins, put the floss number on the bobbin, and put the floss numerically in a floss box.
4. Mark the grid lines on your evenweave fabric. We recommend using Easy-Count Guideline for this because the grid lines will remain on top of your stitches throughout your project. You won’t have to spend time trying to figure out where you are, you won’t make mistakes in your stitching, and you will save yourself a lot of time by not having to recount, recount, and recount.
5. Allow at least a 3″ margin of fabric on all sides of your design. You will have no problem having enough fabric to easily fit the design area in your hoop while keeping it stretched and taut. AND, this will allow flexibility for framing and finishing your project.
6. If you need to put your project away between your stitching sessions, find a bag or case to neatly tuck it away without losing the place of your previous stitching. Remember to release your hoop so your stitches don’t get squished.
This is just a summary of things you to improve your cross stitch enjoyment . . . you can find more detailed information on this website.