Tips for making a cross stitch cushion?

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peas_and_love
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Tips for making a cross stitch cushion?

Post by peas_and_love »

Hi,

I'm thinking about attempting a cross stitch cushion soon (probably with eeveelutions on :grin:) and I don't really know how to go about it. I've tried to search online but have gotten very confused, instructions tend to mention 'stretch canvas' and I have no idea what this is, can't you just use normal aida and back it with iron on material or something?

I'd just like some general tips really to get me started or what I should or shouldn't do.

Thanks in advance,

Peas x

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Eliste
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Re: Tips for making a cross stitch cushion?

Post by Eliste »

peas_and_love wrote:Hi,
I'm thinking about attempting a cross stitch cushion soon (probably with eeveelutions on :grin:) and I don't really know how to go about it. I've tried to search online but have gotten very confused, instructions tend to mention 'stretch canvas' and I have no idea what this is, can't you just use normal aida and back it with iron on material or something?
Yes, you can, although it often makes your work stiffer than most people like for pillows. I wouldn't bother doing that. If you're worried about the backs of your stitches I'd just suggest covering it with a layer of fabric that will never get seen- something light like a cotton or a polycotton lining fabric.

I never use stretch canvas, but you do need to block it which might be what they mean by stretching (unless they're talking about stretchy fabric to begin with, which you totally do not need).

Basically there are two things you have to decide between first- is your cross stitch going to be an entire side of the pillow or is it going to just be a little piece on the pillow?
If its the whole side, then you just decide what size you want it, cut it so you have extra space on all sides to stitch things together and then you're golden. Do your cross stitch, block it, and sew the other half meeting the stitchings (provided you've blocked correctly anyway)
If its the little bit, then you have to decide if you want to sew it on aida and piece that into the rest of the cushion or stitch it onto whatever other fabric you want to use.
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peas_and_love
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Re: Tips for making a cross stitch cushion?

Post by peas_and_love »

Thanks for the tips, I intend to thoroughly read your blog as I've been too terrified to wash my cross stitches before just in case something went horribly and irreversibly wrong :shock:

I'll need to get something to stick pins in, might have something lying around that would do the job.

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Eliste
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Re: Tips for making a cross stitch cushion?

Post by Eliste »

I actually always intended on adding a pillow/pillowcase section but I haven't had an appropriate project get finished. I have everything for one, but I couldn't get the one bit to work so I threw it in a box in a huff and that was like a year ago.
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