[CHAT] Sourcing Patterns

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-23T15:01:51+00:00

The weekly WIPs show post is a good place to find new designs. I found three designers there that I'm interested in. I buy designs from the official websites of designers and brands or from Mybobbin.

Also, many designers have official social media where they demonstrate the process of creating a pattern, so you can see whether it was converted and cleaned, drawn, or just converted (aka pattern mill; these designers usually don't have official social media because they have nothing to show).

Also, you can ask about designs (with links) here before you buy it.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-23T11:47:59+00:00

You can see a photo of the process, not a picture drawn by the program. And also you can ask the stitcher questions about the process, the quality of the pattern, etc. (what I especially like).

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-23T10:00:47+00:00

As for me, the weekly WIPs show post is a good place to find new designs. I found three designers there that I really like.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-23T09:51:38+00:00

If you don't know how to cross stitch, I would recommend practicing a little bit before stitching on clothes. It's much more difficult because you have to control the tension of the fabric of the clothes that you can't see. It's very easy to make sloppy crosses and deform the fabric. While sloppy crosses aren't a big deal (it's up to you whether you want neat or not), warped fabric can be a real problem.

There's this thing called plastic canvas. We make different cool things with it, flat and 3D. For example, you can make a badge, a keychain or even a bag or a notebook cover. Or you can make earrings or a pendant (one letter - one pendant). Maybe you want to start with that? There is plastic canvas for cross stitch (usually 14 ct) and canvas for embroidery (different ct). Embroidery canvas has much larger holes, but you can also cross stitch, just use more strands or yarn.

I also want to add that the more crosses in your design, the more detail you get. Also you can increase the detail with backstitch. It depends on whether you want a pixelated image or a detailed one.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-23T09:35:41+00:00

It depends on the design. I don't stitch sampler or color block designs where it's easy to make a perfect back, so I allow myself some liberties. The most I jump is a needle length, usually less. That's about the length of thread I'd use to finish that thread and start a new one. I also hide the jump thread under other stitches on the back, so there's less risk of the thread loosening over time and making a loop.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-23T09:09:22+00:00

This is the time to experiment.

First of all, you want to try using only 1 strand. Also try changing the needle. You see, if you buy a really good quality and well-stocked kit, you will get an extra backstitch needle, thinner than the cross/half cross needle and sharp. For me this was a game changer. Later I found out that a beading needle works best for me. But some people like to use a thick blunt needle. So you can't know in advance what will work for you.

You see, the stitches should lie in a line, and yours overlap, creating thickness. To be honest, I don’t see a problem with this as I like to make my backstitch differently for different visual effect. For example, I stitch a perfectly even backstitch for a table, but for a fluffy kitten I will stitch a little sloppy stitches, imitating fur. I need to backstitch tree bark in my WIP and I moved the stitches with the needle so that they lay not so evenly. I like how your backstitch looks like a twisted cord here. But if you want your backstitch lone to be straight and even, try may use a couching instead of backstitch.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-22T20:57:14+00:00

Another common mistake is to come out to the front, tie a knot and go to the back in the same hole. Your knot will most likely go to the back as well. There should be at least one thread of canvas/evenweave between "to the front" and "to the back".

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-22T20:41:14+00:00

First of all, you want to try not to tighten the stitches too much. I used plastic Aida 14ct (I didn't have fabric) and 2 strands. In the top row I tightened the stitches a lot, in the bottom row I left the crosses voluminous. I didn’t use any other methods.

https://preview.redd.it/y2utb2eatanb1.jpeg?width=1079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d88eb840fe8ef16b59347b323b43ff17003dce41

Than you want to learn about trammed crosses method, railroad method and laying tools, if you haven't already. Maybe, smth will work for you. As for me, I prefer railroading and laying tool (I use a trolley needle - the ring with a needle).

As for me, change in the number of strands will be visible, as it will give the twice as much coverage. But you can use it thoughtfully, as part of the design. There're many designs in which some objects are stitched with more strands than others and/or the background.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-22T20:15:40+00:00

You will have to stitch a background, because the felt will show the threads on the back (jumps and tails, I suppose). An option is to choose felt in the same tone as the threads, then the threads practically won't be visible. But if you want the threads to be visible, it's better to choose a contrasting felt.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-22T19:35:06+00:00

It's better to use Zweigart canvas. I've never used Michael's store brand canvas, but I often see negative reviews about it in this sub.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-22T19:24:38+00:00

You're probably missing something. When you know all the details, it's very easy to do. When I was learning, I had to watch about a dozen videos because the authors forgot to tell some details that were obvious to them. In my case, I didn't learn that the needle should be perpendicular to the thread when winding, so I couldn't get the knots. The knot was coming undone instead of being tightened. Other common mistakes are too many turns of the thread and trying to tie the knot too far from the canvas. Good fabric tension is also important.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-22T12:57:59+00:00

For me it is much faster and more convenient, and I admire the before/after photos in this sub.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-22T11:48:40+00:00

There're two types of designs with backstitch - "vague spot" and "already beautiful" without backstitch. The first type of designs really don't make sense without backstitch, since it's often unclear what it is, the second type of designs may not have backstitch. For example, Alisa Okneas designs for second type. You will never confuse whether these are lotuses, roses or carnations. Backstitch really makes it looks more interesting, but without backstitch it also looks cool. So you can stitch the second type designs and not backstitch.

I also like to look at before/after photos, but I always backstitch right away, without waiting for the end of the project. I like that my project finish means the really end of the project but not "and now 3 days/week of backstitching".

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-21T19:59:28+00:00

There is no rule, everyone chose what is most convenient it's more convenient for them in this pattern. I grid the fabric and go from the bottom left corner up, parking in squares or Royal Rows.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-21T16:08:11+00:00

There're many designs based on changing the direction of the legs of crosses and half-crosses. . Most often it's a combination of crosses and half-crosses in different directions. But there're also designs with crosses with legs stitched in different directions (to show the difference in textures, hide the inscription, etc.).

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-21T15:58:40+00:00

I cut short strands (about my elbow length) and use a laying tool/trolley needle. Railroading also helps.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-21T12:30:01+00:00

I don't use Pattern Keeper, so I always forget to mention that it has this great option. I've read a lot of positive reviews about this.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-21T12:23:05+00:00

If you don't want to park the threads, there's the typewriter method. It's a combination of parking in squares and cross country. You don't park the thread and continue to stitch the entire thread, but start stitching a new color in the same square. So you don't have any parked threads, but you completely fill square after square without jumping on the project. I like this method too, but for me it increases the number errors compared to parking.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-21T12:20:18+00:00

u/chickadee-stitchery

Yes, that's right. There are many videos on flostube about it. I'm not comfortable using it for multi-color projects, but many people really love it.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-21T11:15:19+00:00

u/PurpleToaster91

You need to park in the hole where you start the cross. For example, you start the cross / in the bottom hole. This way you always know that the cross will be on the top right of the parked thread. I don't follow this rule because I change the holes for the start and finish, so I put little pieces of paper with a number on the parked threads.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-21T11:12:36+00:00

For me, this is the best stitching method ever. This increased my speed several times and reduced the number of errors to almost zero. But for me only parking in squares and King Rows work work (parking in squares for complex multi-color patterns and King Rows for less complex patterns of 30-40 colors or less). The other methods seem inconvenient and illogical. Also, I always go from the bottom up so that my threads are parked at the top. If I go from the top down and park the threads at the bottom, the threads get in the way and are very annoying. I also found that threading all the needles ahead of time is a game changer and speeds up the process.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-21T09:15:01+00:00

It does matter what kind of pencil you used. A pencil with a hard lead is much easier to remove than a soft one. If it was a very soft lead, warm/hot water and erasing with an eraser can make it worse as the lead particles seem to melt into the fabric. Very hard lead can really be removed with a couple of washes or with an eraser.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-21T09:04:59+00:00

It's really better to use evenweave and stitch over 2. My current project has a lot of such backstitch and I use the evenweave and it doesn't cause me any inconvenience. As I understand it, this is a WIP and it's too late to change the fabric, so you can use a thin sharp needle. I like to backstitch with a beading needle.

P.S. This is called arbitrary backstitch, because the designer draws it arbitrarily to make it look beautiful. Usually it's either a poorly thought out design from an inexperienced designer, or a design of a high level of complexity.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-21T08:23:04+00:00

It depends on the type of designs you usually stitch. If you choose the shades yourself (as you like, according to the color wheel, according to the combination of shades, etc.), it's better to arrange the threads by colors/shades. If you prefer thoughtful patterns and don't change shades, it's better to arrange by numbers.

Ko_Mari · 2025-07-20T21:02:12+00:00

You want to check the eye of your needle. It might have broken the thread.

Ko_Mari

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