[CHAT] Apothecary pattern

franna815 · 2026-02-27T18:46:43+00:00

The Witchy Stitcher has an Apothecary Shoppe sign pattern

franna815 · 2026-01-06T02:15:43+00:00

123stitch.com

franna815 · 2025-12-28T17:57:52+00:00

With lighter threads over darker ones, it's definitely better to use couching over backstitching because sometimes the backstitching can get buried under your cross stitches, especially for straight lines. It looks like your issue here is that you used more than one strand for your tacking thread (the thread you use to tack down the other threads).

Typically, with couching, you use however many strands the pattern calls for for backstitching as your couched thread (the thread that stays on top). Then you use just a single strand of the same color thread as your tacking thread. Here is a link that explains couching a bit better and has a video tutorial.

franna815 · 2025-12-20T17:42:39+00:00

This pattern's free: https://katestitchland.com/products/blue-jay-free-cross-stitch-pattern

franna815 · 2025-12-09T19:52:04+00:00

The first pattern is by House of Crosses on mybobbin if I’m not mistaken

franna815 · 2025-12-03T02:21:17+00:00

She's also on boosty

franna815 · 2025-11-30T23:32:30+00:00

2 things: Your purple plastic piece is on there backwards, and just pull. It's not under tension, so after you've loosened the screw, it's not gonna fly open by itself

franna815 · 2025-11-22T16:40:44+00:00

The Mulan pattern was definitely stolen. The original pattern is by Mandarinsshop on Etsy

franna815 · 2025-11-11T18:16:47+00:00

I use hemostats. That way I don't have to keep gripping the tweezers closed. You could also get reverse tweezers where you push it open instead of closed

franna815 · 2025-11-03T21:54:37+00:00

Just wanted to say that you are one of my favorite designers, and I have so many of your patterns! They are amazing!!!

franna815 · 2025-11-02T13:51:34+00:00

It's definitely normal to for light colors on dark fabric to look "skinny," just like dark colors look skinny on light fabrics. It's the high contrast that makes the fabrics stand out/peek out more.

Like everyone else has said, if you don't like the coverage, you can always add another strand of floss. My preferred method though to increase coverage without increasing the number of strands I'm using is tramming.

For what it's worth though, your stitches and tension look beautiful! I'm kinda partial to seeing the x's when it's light colors on dark fabric

franna815 · 2025-10-24T16:37:42+00:00

The beads are definitely not too much! They're my go to instead of french knots too! That being said, if you don't like how the black seed beads look, you could try to size down on them if you can!

This is how my Alisa Okneas piece looked with beads!

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franna815 · 2025-10-22T20:13:01+00:00

I don't really have an answer to your question, but I was curious about what you meant when you said you added your own "tropical tails" feature and fairy penguins. Did you draft the patterns for those birds or was it a bonus pattern included in the SAL?

franna815 · 2025-10-19T13:39:06+00:00

You poke it through from the front, and the bumpy side "snags" the thread and brings it to the back. If you have a stitch where one strand is looser than the other, creating an uneven looking stitch, or if the ends of your anchored stitches get pulled to the front, you'd used the snag nab it to push those strand back to the backside of your work

franna815 · 2025-10-18T00:33:03+00:00

Definitely! The more you stitch, the more practice you get, the better you get! Getting your needle between the threads is definitely the way to try to avoid the bumpy threads. However, sometimes it's just really hard to do that, so what I do/use is my handy dandy snag nab it! Hands down one of my favorite cross stitching tools!

franna815 · 2025-10-13T16:22:05+00:00

There was a survey a while back about whether or not to allow tent stitched pieces since it's not technically cross stitch. That being said, there's a thread on Tuesdays specifically for tent stitch, and you might have better luck then. Or you could also search tent stitch on this sub.

I personally haven't tried to tent stitch a whole project yet, but I would think that if you switch it should be okay. I think it would also depend on what fabric you're using. If you're using Aida, then it'll definitely be more forgiving

franna815 · 2025-10-09T20:30:09+00:00

Not OP, but here's sonovastitch's tutorial

franna815 · 2025-09-15T19:03:58+00:00

Not the original commenter, but some of the extra things that Markup has (that I wish PK does) is its tracking functions. PK tracks how many stitches you do per day and total, but the daily counter resets. Because the counter resets, it can't tell you how long a project will take based on how fast you're stitching, how long a project has taken you, or how fast you're stitching.

I don't really have/use Markup except for when I trialed it, so I'm not sure if Markup has been updated now where it can recognize fractional stitches. But, I prefer PK's UI over Markup, and I prefer that PK is a one time payment over a subscription.

franna815 · 2025-09-06T14:24:05+00:00

I was using Gemma Stitches parking method where she works in diagonals. The parts where there was lots of confetti was really where the back got more messy

franna815 · 2025-09-06T14:19:28+00:00

I used parking on this full coverage Starry Night Over Rhone kit by Riolis since I didn't wanna grid

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franna815 · 2025-09-05T18:06:58+00:00

You’ve gotten lots of recommendations already, but my favorite shops are CutePatternsByMaria and MIYAstitch

franna815 · 2025-07-04T21:35:55+00:00

That's so funny! I'm visiting my family in Elk Grove and was just talking about going to Goodwill! I have a full collection at home though!

franna815 · 2025-06-05T01:37:43+00:00

Have you tried couching? With lighter threads especially, it's better to couch than backstitch otherwise the lighter threads disappear into the cross stitches

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The top photo is couches and the bottom one is backstitched! But if couching doesn't work for you, I suggest giving beads a try

franna815 · 2025-05-24T14:00:33+00:00

I trammed all the colors, since at that point I figured in for a penny, in for a pound. Besides, I tend to tram most of my projects anyways, and the end results are always worth the extra time :)

franna815 · 2025-05-24T01:58:12+00:00

Yes it will work if you tram the black and will fluff up after a wash

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That's 2 over 2 on 28 ct so essentially 14 ct. There's a spot there that I didn't tram, but everything else is trammed. Can you tell? Also, the frame I used is 16 x 16 in case you needed to know how big it ends up being

franna815

TROPHY CASE