Choosing a cross stitch kit

At almost all times, cross-stitching has enjoyed immense popularity, because it is not only an opportunity for the development of creativity and fantasy thinking, but also an excellent way to decorate any woven product.

And if in the old days the materials for embroidery had to be selected separately, and the cells for the drawing had to be calculated independently, now there are many different sets that include everything you need to reproduce this or that image. Let's take a closer look at the features of choosing a set for cross stitching, as well as get acquainted with the existing assortment of images.

To choose a set, which will contain all the tools and materials necessary for embroidery, you must carefully study its contents. Most often, a quality product includes the following elements.

• The set must include a canvas. In some cases, the pattern is printed directly on the canvas, and you just have to fill it with threads.

• If the canvas in the set has no image, which means that the diagram is presented on a sheet of paper in printed form, where the number of lines and cells in them is counted.

• Also, the set must include a needle with a large enough eyeso that you can thread the thick woolen thread with ease.

• The most important component of the kit is the threads, the color palette of which should cover all the shades present in the picture. Often, diagrams contain a description of colors, their number and correspondence to areas in the image.

• There is a special instruction for beginners.describing the principle of action step by step.

Some kits also include a hoop and special embroidery frames, but if this item is missing, you will need to purchase it yourself from any fabric store or art department.

There are several types of embroidery kits. In addition to the picture, they may also differ in other parameters.

One of these parameters is the size of the canvas and the pattern applied to it. If you are new to embroidery and have never done this before, we recommend that you pay attention to the small images. In case you decide to be puzzled by creating a full-fledged picture from threads, you can safely stop your choice on large canvases. The same goes for the complexity of the image.

There are also several types of cross stitch that can be found in sets. Let's consider in more detail the features of the implementation of each of them.

• Regular cross - performed within one cell with two stitches crossing each other diagonally. This type of embroidery is the most common and easiest to do, but for accuracy it is necessary that all the top stitches lie in the same direction.

• Elongated cross - usually this technique is used to add texture elements to the embroidery, as well as to fill the pattern faster. Such embroidery is carried out according to the principle of an ordinary cross with one difference - vertically, each element can occupy 2 or 3 cells.

• Half-cross - the easiest option, since it is performed in the form of a half cross. Typically, this technique is used in conjunction with a regular cross to give the embroidery a watercolor lightness.

• Bulgarian or double cross - consists of two crosses, the lower one is made according to the usual technology, and the upper one is a vertical element.

• Complicated double cross - performed along the directions of the canvas lines by crossing parallel lines.

A rich assortment of beautiful patterns for cross stitching allows everyone to choose an image to their liking.

Embroidery of landscapes looks very impressive, but it is quite laborious, since it contains many small details. Thanks to the details, the picture comes to life on the canvas and looks as natural as possible.

For example, in this picture, glare on the water and thick clouds are very naturalistically emphasized. Flowers and fluffy trees located on a picturesque lawn also look very gentle and beautiful. And thanks to the use of several shades of green for grass embroidery, the feeling of playing sunlight is created.

Another version of a picturesque natural landscape with a cozy wooden house has many small details. Thanks to the play of colors on the embroidery, the beauty of the setting sun, as well as the harmonious combination of trees and flowers, will be neatly emphasized. A small river and a bridge, near which butterflies and animals have gathered, give a special charm to the embroidery.

Not only a natural landscape, but also an urban one can be beautiful and original. For example, this image shows amazingly beautiful architecture, narrow winding streets and other details reminiscent of a trip to a small European city.

Embroidering images of birds also requires a certain focus and delicacy. The thing is that to obtain a three-dimensional image from threads, it is necessary to take into account every detail, to emphasize the structure of the feathers and their lightness.

For example, this embroidery with peacocks beautifully emphasizes not only colorful spectacular tails, but also graceful play of shades on the necks of birds, as well as an unusual feather structure in the back. Bird paws and mischievous tufts on their heads are very subtly depicted.

The owl shown in this embroidery is a little simpler in execution, but also has many small details. For example, the iris of a bird's eyes and a thin beak, fluffy villi in its area and spots on the crown of the head. In addition, this picture shows dry ears covered with snow, which look no less realistic and voluminous.

Embroidery with swans, peacefully resting on the surface of the reservoir, looks beautiful. In this case, not only the birds themselves are shown in detail, but also ripples on the surface of the water, and the reflection of swans. Swan embroidery can be a wonderful gift, especially for newlyweds.

Images with animals are quite popular. For example, you can choose a kit with a pattern of a cat that is as similar as possible to your pet, and after embroidery you will get a beautiful portrait of your pet.

Embroidery with horses looks very impressive. These animals are distinguished by their special grace and charm. You can choose a sketch with a portrait of a horse or with an animal against the backdrop of a picturesque landscape. But it is worth noting that the most beautiful embroideries are obtained with the image of horses in motion, for example, running on water.

Wildflowers on this embroidery will allow you to recall with warmth and awe the carefree summer days spent in nature. You can depict them in the form of a bouquet, as in this example, or choose a drawing with a large beautiful field.

It will take many evenings to embroider a large basket of roses, but the result is worth any effort. Such a canvas can be safely framed and used as a painting by decorating one of the walls in your apartment. If you look closely, you will notice that the basket's shadow is embroidered in a half-cross, which gives it a softer look.

Peonies themselves are very beautiful and delicate flowers, so they look no less attractive on embroidery. A sophisticated bouquet with peonies and other flowers, depicted against the background of a picturesque landscape in an open window, looks especially beautiful.

Embroidery of such a bouquet of tulips does not require much effort, even a beginner can easily handle it. Despite all the simplicity, tulips in such a picture look colorful and very pretty.

The lilac bouquet on this embroidery looks like a real work of art. Very delicate shades were selected for the work, and the transitions from one to the other are made so carefully that the embroidered drawing looks like a full-fledged picture and deserves a place of honor in a beautiful frame.

It is difficult to describe all the possible variants of images that are used for cross stitching, because often icons, frames from films or even paintings by artists are used as the initial illustration.

For example, even the most famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci "Mona Lisa" can be embroidered on canvas and used as a decoration in your home. But it should be borne in mind that in order to reliably convey all the main details, you will have to work hard on this product.

Quite often, manufacturers release collections of festive-themed embroidery kits.

• For example, you can embroider an Easter towel, with which you can decorate a basket of Easter cakes.

• Christmas embroidery can be used as a gift or as an element of its decoration. Also, if your loved ones are also into embroidery, you can give them a Christmas set.

• Also, cross-stitching is actively used to create wedding towels for a loaf, often in the set there is a ready-made canvas for these purposes.

• Many embroidered canvases are used as room decor.For example, a product featuring a beautifully designed shelf will be a great addition to your kitchen. This embroidery can be used as a wall decoration or as a napkin or tea towel.

Walking past shop windows in fabric or handicraft stores, you might have noticed a huge number of cross stitch kits from various companies, in absolutely any price range.

Expensive sets differ in quality and fullness of various elements, while the cheapest ones do not always meet expectations. Fortunately, there are also options from a quite budget price segment, the quality of which is not inferior to the elite options.

Let's take a closer look at several of the most popular manufacturers.

Among domestic brands, the following are most in demand.

• "The Golden Fleece" - the brand is widely known among embroidery lovers. In the assortment of the company, you can find not only ready-made kits, but also all the necessary materials separately. The goods are of high quality and are available for purchase not only in regular stores, but also online.

• "Marya the Artisan" - this Russian brand has existed for more than 15 years, delighting its customers with quality goods. The production is located in the Nizhny Novgorod region, and the goods are delivered to all Russian stores and are sold at quite affordable prices.

• "Alice" - a domestic company that offers a large assortment of sets not only for adults, but also for children. Each copy contains detailed instructions that will help a child understand the peculiarities of embroidery without the help of adults.

Among foreign manufacturers, there are both Chinese and European, as well as American brands. The most famous of them are as follows.

• Dimensions - the company has been producing sets for over 30 years. The assortment includes many options for embroidery with beautiful themes, as well as easy designs for beginners.

• Janlynn - this brand was founded in 1979 and during its existence has managed to earn a good reputation. A large-scale staff of 130 people regularly works on improving technologies, so the products are of high quality and truly original. It is worth noting that the kits of this company are more suitable for professionals, since beginners may have difficulty learning the schemes.

• Lanarte - sets of this brand have a rather high cost, which is not surprising, because absolutely all components are of high quality. In addition to colorful illustrations, the set also includes durable threads that will not fray even after numerous washes of embroidered garments.

In addition, you should pay attention to brands such as:

• DMC;
• Panna;
• Anchor;
• Vervaco;
• Dome.

So that you can easily choose the right kit for embroidery, we have compiled several recommendations to simplify the task.

• First of all, you need to decide on the theme of the pattern that you are going to embroider. You can build on the desired color scheme, personal interests, or any other criteria.
• Correctly assess your strengths, desire and skills. If you have never experienced such a lesson, it is better to start with light drawings, where a small number of colors are used. This way, you are more likely to get the job done without stopping halfway because of the complexity.
• Also, if you are a beginner, we recommend that you choose a set with as detailed a paper diagram as possible. The sketch applied to the fabric will not be easy for you to master the first time.
• When choosing a set, by no means the last factor to consider is the quality of the canvas. For beginners, the best option is canvas number 14, canvases numbered 16 and 18 have a denser structure, it is more difficult to work with them.
• Check the number of needles in the set. For convenience, you may want to purchase additional tools so that you don't have to change the thread every time.