Sprite Stitch Board!

So I decided to jump in and tackle the Super Mario/Game of Thrones mashup posted here: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5742. I eventually want to build up a collection of cross-stitched video game maps, so why not start large .

I'm currently at about 1 1/2 pages out of 12, and thought I would share my progress so far! I decided to dye the fabric blue rather than tackle all that ocean, and it turned out pretty well. I decided to go with 20 ct fabric to make the size more manageable.

Sorry that the pictures aren't fantastic - just took a few shots with my phone. The colours are even more vibrant in person - love the colour scheme a lot! Apologies for the marks created by my hoop - a cross stitch frame is on my Christmas wish list!



Close up:



To show how big it will be:

Very cool! What type/color of dye did you use? It looks great!

Thanks! I used Dylon machine dye - Ocean Blue I think. I'm from New Zealand, so not sure if you have that overseas or not. Was really easy to use - just dropped it in the washing machine with the fabric, and it came out great. A little patchy, but kinda suits the ocean anyway

Oh, it's stunning! I love how the dye came out! I was thinking of using dye for my Super Mario World map piece, and some very small part of me is a little sorry that I didn't!

Be careful if you have to wash your piece afterwards...Just in case it bleeds. I had that happen once, to a piece that was a gift, and it nearly killed me.

yafashelli wrote:Be careful if you have to wash your piece afterwards...Just in case it bleeds. I had that happen once, to a piece that was a gift, and it nearly killed me.

Thanks for the heads up! How do you suggest I wash it to avoid bleeding? Just with a neutral soap, and gentle hand wash?

I did that with my dyed one, and washed it with a Shout color catcher in the sink at the end. I also machine washed it after dying but before I stitched it, in case that made a difference, but I didn't have any trouble with mine bleeding.

I would tell you to try to wash an unstitched location with cold water. Take an old plastic bucket (white or as light colored as you can get), and wash a corner of the fabric with plain, unmoisturized soap. See if it bleeds at all--If it does, at least you'll know without ruining your stitching. Even if you don't see any bleeding by the test patch, be very careful washing it later on. Try to be quick about it, and only use cool water.

FunkyMonkey's idea regarding Shout Color Catcher is a good one. I haven't tried it myself, but if it works, let me know!

Also, if you constantly wash your hands before you touch your fabric (or after you touch your hair, or your face), it will go a very long way in keeping it clean. If you aren't working on it, keep it stored away where others won't dirty it by accident. It's possible to finish a big piece without having to wash it afterwards; it only takes a little extra planning and vigilance.

I can't wait to see more updates.

I really like how your stitching looks on that dyed fabric. The blue is perfect for the ocean and it looks like it's going to save you a LOT of time. Can't wait to see more!

yafashelli wrote:Also, if you constantly wash your hands before you touch your fabric (or after you touch your hair, or your face), it will go a very long way in keeping it clean. If you aren't working on it, keep it stored away where others won't dirty it by accident. It's possible to finish a big piece without having to wash it afterwards; it only takes a little extra planning and vigilance.

I wasn't aware of this! I wash my hands obsessively while stitching but still thought I needed to wash my piece afterwards. Now I know that all my work with washing my hands after scratching my nose and eating chips with chopsticks has actually paid off!

I still like to wash my pieces afterwards, even if they look clean. That being said, I have worked on projects using both overdyed threads (not colorfast), and large projects worked on non-washable fabrics, and obsessive hand washing has served me very well. I also keep my floor stand covered with a crib sheet, when I'm not working on it. It keeps the dust off of my fabric, and can easily be washed when it gets dirty.

In fact, when I was a young girl and not so careful about these things, I ruined a piece because it ended up with hoop marks, where I held the fabric. That was my last piece with a hoop, though my mother has always used one, and never had an issue.

This looks so cool! Can't wait to see how it turns out!