Monday, September 10, 2012
Sprite Stitch Mini Swap
So its official I joined my first swap at Sprite Stitch. I figured for my first swap I should do the mini swap so I waited while they did the big swap and now its time for the mini swap!!!!! I have my swapees name address and favorite video games, made my patterns and started on the projects I plan to make. I have until October 31st to mail the package but if I keep going at the rate I've been working at I should be done late September early October. I am so excited to be doing this but at the same time a little anxious. Everyone at Sprite Stitch does such great work and they are all so creative that I'm afraid my projects won't be up to par. BMH said I'll be fine as most people are just happy to get a gift and I asked her if I was doing enough for the swap because it just seems to be coming along so quickly it doesn't seem like a lot but them again it is the MINI swap not the big swap. I really wish I could share some photos of what I have going on because I am in love with what I'm doing so far, so much in fact it's going to be a little hard to part with some of it, lol. I'm off to work on my gifts some more, have a great night.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Progress Is Made
After making my post of shame and realizing just how little progress I had on ALL my projects I decided to choose two projects to really work on, one for the daytime hours when I have good lighting and one for the evening when the lighting is poor.
For my daytime project I chose to work on A Whole Lotta Latte since its on black fabric and its nearly impossible for me to do at night. I have made visible progress on it, mind you its not too much but for me its pretty good. I would much rather be working on my Snow White project but I made a deal with myself, finish one whole cup and saucer and I can pick a new daytime project.
For my evening project I chose Tree Frog Trio. Its small but colorful and shouldnt take to long to finish and then I can pick a new project for the evenings. With this one I am concentrating on one frog at a time now instead of jumping from frog to frog like I was before. It makes the progress easier to see. It doesnt look like to much but the light grey wasnt there before and neither was most of the green.
For my daytime project I chose to work on A Whole Lotta Latte since its on black fabric and its nearly impossible for me to do at night. I have made visible progress on it, mind you its not too much but for me its pretty good. I would much rather be working on my Snow White project but I made a deal with myself, finish one whole cup and saucer and I can pick a new daytime project.
For my evening project I chose Tree Frog Trio. Its small but colorful and shouldnt take to long to finish and then I can pick a new project for the evenings. With this one I am concentrating on one frog at a time now instead of jumping from frog to frog like I was before. It makes the progress easier to see. It doesnt look like to much but the light grey wasnt there before and neither was most of the green.Tuesday, May 8, 2012
A couple finished Projects
The first was a very small project. I saw the tiny kit at Hobby Lobby and decided to pick it up. It only took me two days to finish and I think it came out pretty good. There is one mistake in it, can you spot it? This little guy was given to the wonderful surgeon that basically saved my life. It might have been nice to keep the first project I ever finished but I am pretty sure it has a good home.The second I started shortly after finishing the mouse one. The pattern for this gnome came from an issue of Cross Stitcher. If anyone really cares to know what one I shall be happy to look to see which one. This one was given to my uncle. My mom saw the pattern and said he would like it so I made it for him. This also took just a day or two. I really need to make another one for my husband.
Making a Photo Into a Chart
I do many crafty hobbies but cross stitch I will say is my favorite. If I was only allowed one hobby for the rest of my life cross stitch it would be. Cross stitch is versatile and portable and most hobby stores have all you need to get started so finding supplies is rather easy. Any picture can be made into cross stitch, some take a lot of time and work to look right while others are rather simple. Now I am not very good at making complex photos into cross stitch patterns even with the help of PC Stitch 10, but I am getting better at it.
I like to first re-size the photo using pixlr.com. It lets me re-size by pixel size. Pixel size is what I use when I import a photo to my cross stitch software. The number of pixels wide by the number of pixels high is what I put in for the number of stitches wide I want by the number of stitches high. If you just put in whatever photo you already have without resizing its probably going to be huge. You want a nice balance between detail and size.
I am going to walk you through the basics of making a simple photo into a chart with a free program called KG-Chart which you can download for free here. You will want the LE version as the Pro version is not free.
We are going to be using this photo which I found on the interwebs. Its a picture of a little elf from the video game Harvest Moon.. Not tons of detail but also not a simple 8-bit sprite either. Oh and if possible .png is the best file format to use as its crisper and clearer then the other formats.
When you go to pixlr you will want to open the photo editor and open a photo. My photos usually come from my computer so I choose that option, browse my computer for the photo and click open.
After the file has opened go to image at the top and go to image size. A window will pop up and you want constrain proportions to be checked so make sure it is and then put in whatever number you want in one of the boxes, the other one will change automatically because you have constrained proportions checked. I choose a width of 100 pixels.
For this image the background is transparent and that's why the background is checkered. I decided to pick a teal color that wasn't found in the photo and fill it in. I just used the paint bucket tool. The reason I did this is because if I don't the background will be black when put into the photo editor and that makes it hard to eliminate it later because the edges of the image are black also.
That's really all I do to the photo, but that's mainly because I am no good at photo-shopping things. So after that I save it to my computer in the format of .png again and now were ready to open it in KG-Chart.
Go to file and under Data Exchange click on Import.
This window will pop up and if you are following along exactly type in and check what I have filled in. If your not following along exactly then where it says Org. Width. that's the number you want to have in the Width(ct.). After you have everything filled in click OK. Oh I did change the Colors to 25 so I didn't get a crazy amount you can make it higher or lower at your discretion. For this picture it could probably be lower.
First before anything else I want to delete the teal background I put in. So to do that I zoom in so I know what symbol represents the teal and over in the section where it shows all the colors I click on Selected and scroll down until I find that symbol and then i right click it and click delete and voila its gone.
After that its pretty much manually cleaning it up which can be time consuming depending on the image you have used. This one all I would really do is erase the white around the outside of the image and check the colors against my actual floss. Maybe get rid of some colors if I feel that they are to close to each other to matter. To easily get rid of colors re-import it using a smaller number in the colors box, just do this before you do any work to it or you will have done it all for nothing.
I know that there is way more to actually do to photos before you put them into the charting software but as I said I am horrible at photo-shopping things. By all means though play around and have fun, that and the interwebs is how I learn after all.
I am going to walk you through the basics of making a simple photo into a chart with a free program called KG-Chart which you can download for free here. You will want the LE version as the Pro version is not free.
We are going to be using this photo which I found on the interwebs. Its a picture of a little elf from the video game Harvest Moon.. Not tons of detail but also not a simple 8-bit sprite either. Oh and if possible .png is the best file format to use as its crisper and clearer then the other formats.When you go to pixlr you will want to open the photo editor and open a photo. My photos usually come from my computer so I choose that option, browse my computer for the photo and click open.
For this image the background is transparent and that's why the background is checkered. I decided to pick a teal color that wasn't found in the photo and fill it in. I just used the paint bucket tool. The reason I did this is because if I don't the background will be black when put into the photo editor and that makes it hard to eliminate it later because the edges of the image are black also.That's really all I do to the photo, but that's mainly because I am no good at photo-shopping things. So after that I save it to my computer in the format of .png again and now were ready to open it in KG-Chart.
This window will pop up and if you are following along exactly type in and check what I have filled in. If your not following along exactly then where it says Org. Width. that's the number you want to have in the Width(ct.). After you have everything filled in click OK. Oh I did change the Colors to 25 so I didn't get a crazy amount you can make it higher or lower at your discretion. For this picture it could probably be lower.
First before anything else I want to delete the teal background I put in. So to do that I zoom in so I know what symbol represents the teal and over in the section where it shows all the colors I click on Selected and scroll down until I find that symbol and then i right click it and click delete and voila its gone.After that its pretty much manually cleaning it up which can be time consuming depending on the image you have used. This one all I would really do is erase the white around the outside of the image and check the colors against my actual floss. Maybe get rid of some colors if I feel that they are to close to each other to matter. To easily get rid of colors re-import it using a smaller number in the colors box, just do this before you do any work to it or you will have done it all for nothing.
I know that there is way more to actually do to photos before you put them into the charting software but as I said I am horrible at photo-shopping things. By all means though play around and have fun, that and the interwebs is how I learn after all.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Starting to Cross Stitch
The nice thing about cross stitch is that you don't really need to much to start but there's plenty of extras to get. To begin all you really need is some Aida cloth, embroidery floss, scissors, a needle and a pattern maybe a hoop of some sort depending on how big your project is. Just remember that if you get a standard hoop that you don't want to leave it on your project when you're not working on it otherwise it will leave creases that will be difficult to get out. Personally I like Q-snaps. I can leave them on my project without them leaving marks which is worth the extra cost to me.
If you decide to get a kit for your first project I recommend not going for the big fancy ones with tons of detail. There is a good chance that if you pick a Gold Collection or Heirloom Collection one you might drive yourself insane, damn cross stitch to the depths of hell and never pick it up again. In fact why spend $20+ on a big kit if you don't know if your gonna like it, get a smaller one. If you're like me however you will ignore this advice and pick whatever the hell you want, that's fine too.
Kits are nice because they come with absolutely EVERYTHING you will need except scissors and a hoop. I do suggest picking up spare needles though in case you lose yours, damn needles are always sneaking away on me. Most of the larger kits will range from $25 to $45 at least in my area. Usually the more expensive the greater the detail and more time consuming. Kits come with instructions too and of course the chart and key. I like to make working copies of my charts and keep the original somewhere safe, that way I can mark on the working copy. Or you could get wet erase markers and put it in a protective plastic sleeve and mark on it that way.
Now maybe just maybe you don't want a kit for your first project maybe none of them strike your fancy. In that case the inter-webs is your friend. SpriteStitch.com is my favorite place to go for pattens. Most of them are video game related but they have other patterns too if you check out their pattern wiki here.The right set of words in a google or bing search can net you tons of free patterns however the quality may vary.
If you decide to not get a kit you will need to know the dimensions of your pattern and translate that in to how big to cut the fabric. Too much is always better then too little fabric but I try to not be wasteful. I use the calculator here that does all the math for me. If you look at the calculator you shall notice it asks for fabric count. All my first projects were started on 14 count Aida cloth. You can chose between even weave or Aida cloth.
Once you have your supplies set up you re ready to stitch your first little x. Everyone stitches differently and as long as your x's cross the same way you re doing it right. When I say your x's need to cross the same way I mean that the top leg should always slant the same way as the other x's top leg. So once you pick what way the slant is going to be stick with it. The top leg can slant / or \ it doesn't matter as long as they are all slanting the same way.
Now there's about a million ways to get your cross stitch done. The most common way to start your chart is to fold the fabric in half lengthwise then crosswise to find the middle and then follow the arrows on the pattern that designate the middle of the chart. This is where you shall begin. Find the corresponding symbol in the key thread your needle with that color and stitch away. You can make your x's of that color by following the symbols horizontally or by going vertically. Yo can do half the cross stitch going one way and then when you have all the symbols done go back and do the other half of the cross stitch.
Example: / / / / / / / / / / / / or / Then go back and fill in the other half so it looks like this X X X X
/
/
/
If you want you can do each X completely before moving on to the next X. I use both ways depending on where I am at and where I need to get to on the chart. Once your done with one symbol move on to the next. If you haven't done all of one symbol but the jump to the next one is to far you can always start a new symbol then too.
Please if I left something out or my explanations are confusing let me know and I shall try again as I know my explanations can get long winded and confusing.
If you decide to get a kit for your first project I recommend not going for the big fancy ones with tons of detail. There is a good chance that if you pick a Gold Collection or Heirloom Collection one you might drive yourself insane, damn cross stitch to the depths of hell and never pick it up again. In fact why spend $20+ on a big kit if you don't know if your gonna like it, get a smaller one. If you're like me however you will ignore this advice and pick whatever the hell you want, that's fine too.
Kits are nice because they come with absolutely EVERYTHING you will need except scissors and a hoop. I do suggest picking up spare needles though in case you lose yours, damn needles are always sneaking away on me. Most of the larger kits will range from $25 to $45 at least in my area. Usually the more expensive the greater the detail and more time consuming. Kits come with instructions too and of course the chart and key. I like to make working copies of my charts and keep the original somewhere safe, that way I can mark on the working copy. Or you could get wet erase markers and put it in a protective plastic sleeve and mark on it that way.
Now maybe just maybe you don't want a kit for your first project maybe none of them strike your fancy. In that case the inter-webs is your friend. SpriteStitch.com is my favorite place to go for pattens. Most of them are video game related but they have other patterns too if you check out their pattern wiki here.The right set of words in a google or bing search can net you tons of free patterns however the quality may vary.
If you decide to not get a kit you will need to know the dimensions of your pattern and translate that in to how big to cut the fabric. Too much is always better then too little fabric but I try to not be wasteful. I use the calculator here that does all the math for me. If you look at the calculator you shall notice it asks for fabric count. All my first projects were started on 14 count Aida cloth. You can chose between even weave or Aida cloth.
Once you have your supplies set up you re ready to stitch your first little x. Everyone stitches differently and as long as your x's cross the same way you re doing it right. When I say your x's need to cross the same way I mean that the top leg should always slant the same way as the other x's top leg. So once you pick what way the slant is going to be stick with it. The top leg can slant / or \ it doesn't matter as long as they are all slanting the same way.
Now there's about a million ways to get your cross stitch done. The most common way to start your chart is to fold the fabric in half lengthwise then crosswise to find the middle and then follow the arrows on the pattern that designate the middle of the chart. This is where you shall begin. Find the corresponding symbol in the key thread your needle with that color and stitch away. You can make your x's of that color by following the symbols horizontally or by going vertically. Yo can do half the cross stitch going one way and then when you have all the symbols done go back and do the other half of the cross stitch.
Example: / / / / / / / / / / / / or / Then go back and fill in the other half so it looks like this X X X X
/
/
/
If you want you can do each X completely before moving on to the next X. I use both ways depending on where I am at and where I need to get to on the chart. Once your done with one symbol move on to the next. If you haven't done all of one symbol but the jump to the next one is to far you can always start a new symbol then too.
Please if I left something out or my explanations are confusing let me know and I shall try again as I know my explanations can get long winded and confusing.
Post of Shame
This shall be my post of shame. I have already told you all the projects I have started and now its time to show you how sad my progress truly is.
First we have the Whole Lotta Latte. I haven't even finished one cup. This poor kit has been neglected for years. I feel kinda bad for it. Oddly enough I still have the charts and its actually with everything. Now if only I would start working on it again, however since its on black aida its most definitely a daytime sitting in front of the window type project.
Pikachu Pile has got to be the cutest pattern I have started. I have a good amount of work done on it but like I said in my previous post the fabric is barely big enough for the design let alone to frame it. The husband really wants this one though and our five year wedding anniversary is just around the corner so maybe if I work on it while he's at work I could get it done. If I don't make it for that maybe his birthday.
The Happy Halloween Pumpkin half his pumpkin face is done but the fabric was cut to small so I lost my motivation. However theres some vines along the edges I have thought of cutting out if I have room at the top and bottom still. Both these Halloween ones were started because the husbands favorite holiday is Halloween. Mines Christmas and I want to make some stockings but after realizing how many projects I have going those stockings are going to wait.
Epic Pokemon Gen. I. Thats Blastoise but you can't really tell. Its done on 22 count fabric and the fabric is much larger then shown i just have it all folded up. This bad boy is huge. Its crazy to think that I ever started this and had never even finished a project. I was way to ambitious. If I ever happen to finish this its getting professionally framed.
This is two days work on the Snow White Discovers the Cottage. Its on 18 count and doesn't look like much work but it seems like I have worked on it for hours. I do take a lot of time double checking the chart though.
Technically theres at least three more projects I didn't include but they are small ones that can be done in a day or two and I am much to lazy to get my camera back out right now.
So there you have it inter webs pretty much every X I have ever stitched. Sad kinda but hopefully this post of shame will motivate me some to actually finish something.
The Many Unfinished Projects of Cross Stitch
In my last post I said I would show you all the projects I started and never finished from books, magazines and the interwebs.There's quite a few so be prepared.
The first one I started on my own was a Halloween cross stitch, two actually. I made a very beginner mistake of not cutting the fabric larger then the design dimensions. I got fairly far on one of them before I realized my mistake. I need to do some math and see if there is anything I can cut out to make it work. The other one luckily I hadn't got to far into and used the cross stitch calculator found here to determine the cloth size. I use this calculator to determine the size of my cloth ALL the time. It saves me from having to worry if my math is correct or forgetting to add in the border or what gets folded behind the frame. The only picture I have of these projects is a poor one but I shall post it anyway.
I was also working on a Pikachu Pile for my husband but it has the same problem as the first two, the fabric doesn't have extra room around the edges. The husband refuses to let me restart it and insists its fine. I disagree and hardly work on it even though its close to being done. This is the picture the pattern is based on. Its super cute and I would love to finish it but the fact that the fabric isn't large enough to frame it properly upsets me when I work on it.
The MAMMOTH project I mentioned in the previous post was Epic Pokemon Generation I. This project is HUGE but so EPIC. Believe it or not there's actually people on the spritestitch boards that finished it granted it took about a year but still. I haven't even finished one Pokemon yet.
Twisted Stitches by Phil Davison is an awesome cross stitch book with awesome patterns. Now I don't have any pictures of the patterns i am working on because I couldnt find them on the interwebs and I am not going to be the one to put them there. However I shall explain them to you slightly. The first is a picture of what seems to be a skull but upon closer inspection is the silhouette of a boy and girl with balloons on a dock. The second is a butterfly in purple but upon closer inspection there's a skull in each wing. The third is a book mark that looks like a headstone. The bookmark is mostly back stitch but luckily I don't mind it to much.
OH I almost forgot I cross stitched the cutest little gnome for my uncle from Cross Stitcher. I don't remember the issue off hand however.
There I think that's a complete list of all the projects I have going. Ridiculous yes!!! Between being a slow stitcher and having the attentions span of a gold fish I shall be lucky to have them finished before I die. This should give you an idea of what I like to stitch though especially with the last post, and think this is just ONE of my many crafty hobbies, but I do think its my favorite.
I was also working on a Pikachu Pile for my husband but it has the same problem as the first two, the fabric doesn't have extra room around the edges. The husband refuses to let me restart it and insists its fine. I disagree and hardly work on it even though its close to being done. This is the picture the pattern is based on. Its super cute and I would love to finish it but the fact that the fabric isn't large enough to frame it properly upsets me when I work on it.
The MAMMOTH project I mentioned in the previous post was Epic Pokemon Generation I. This project is HUGE but so EPIC. Believe it or not there's actually people on the spritestitch boards that finished it granted it took about a year but still. I haven't even finished one Pokemon yet.
Twisted Stitches by Phil Davison is an awesome cross stitch book with awesome patterns. Now I don't have any pictures of the patterns i am working on because I couldnt find them on the interwebs and I am not going to be the one to put them there. However I shall explain them to you slightly. The first is a picture of what seems to be a skull but upon closer inspection is the silhouette of a boy and girl with balloons on a dock. The second is a butterfly in purple but upon closer inspection there's a skull in each wing. The third is a book mark that looks like a headstone. The bookmark is mostly back stitch but luckily I don't mind it to much.
OH I almost forgot I cross stitched the cutest little gnome for my uncle from Cross Stitcher. I don't remember the issue off hand however.
There I think that's a complete list of all the projects I have going. Ridiculous yes!!! Between being a slow stitcher and having the attentions span of a gold fish I shall be lucky to have them finished before I die. This should give you an idea of what I like to stitch though especially with the last post, and think this is just ONE of my many crafty hobbies, but I do think its my favorite.
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