Over the years it has been very difficult for me to walk into a craft store and not come out with a few counted cross stitch kits. Then I regret it later because I lack the time to complete them, beautiful as they are.
Last week I dug out my counted cross stitch flower fairy that I have been working on (and off) for ten years. I set aside an hour a night, and what do you know, I finally finished it. Now I can get going with the next one that I bought about five years ago.
This is her on the right – isn’t she gorgeous?
I find the counted cross stitch kits a lot of fun to do, but then life gets in the way. The fairy I finished was supposed to be for my daughter’s fairy room (I started it when I was pregnant with her). She now wants a One Direction room, so I guess I will use this one on one of her scrapbook baby pages.
If you enjoy cross stitch, it is really convenient to buy the kits. They come in just about any picture or theme you can imagine.
The best thing about the kits is that everything is included:
Embroidery yarn, Pattern, Needle, and Canvas.
So there is no hunting around for all the different colors you will require as they are all included in the kit. This makes the kits really convenient.
This is what a counted cross stitch pattern looks like. (on the left)
It is all set out in blocks with different symbols representing different colors of thread.
As you can see I used a pen to mark off the blocks already done, otherwise it can get quite confusing.
You will also need an embroidery ring to hold your work firm as you do it.
Counted Cross Stitch Kits You Can Get Online
Below are some gorgeous counted cross stitch kits that you can purchase online. Just click on the one you like to find out more about it.
The ones below range from beginners to advanced, and if you are just starting out, I suggest you start off with something like the ‘take time’ kit.
The best part about buying counted cross stitch kits is that they come with all the materials needed to make them, so you don’t need to go hunting down all the different colored embroidery threads needed, which can be very time-consuming. All you will still need is the embroidery hoop as seen above.
To find out more about the counted cross stitch kits, as well as see some more designs, click on the relevant picture.
Dog and animal lovers will adore it and the good news is that there is a matching one you can buy so that you can have a set for your room.
My next counted cross stitch purchase, however, will definitely be the cat sleeping in the bookshelf.
What is the Difference Between Counted Cross Stitch And Stamped Cross Stitch?
The pictures above are all counted cross stitch kits. You normally buy the kits with separate patterns like the one above to follow.
With a stamped cross stitch, you will buy the fa
bric with the crosses stamped on already. These are normally quick and easy to do like this simple but effective tray cloth that my Mom made just after she got married on the right.
One normally buys stamped cross stitch in the form of tray or tablecloths, and they are also fun to do. You can also make wall hangings out of them like the ones below.
Here are some beautiful items you can get working on for your home. The images are already stamped onto the material, so there are no complicated patterns to follow, simply sew over the design. These are excellent for beginners.
This dog is an example of a stamped cross stitch kit that is a little harder than the ones above and will take a bit more time to do, but the design is still stamped into the fabric and you don’t need to follow a pattern.
It is like coloring in with embroidery thread.
If you prefer to do your embroidery with an embroidery machine, then click here to read about some brilliant embroidery machines you can purchase online.
Feel free to comment if you have anything else to add about counted cross stitch kits and why you love them.
