Author Archives: Dana Batho

Sometimes it can be confusing when shopping for cross stitch needles, to know which brands to get and which sizes or types. Tapestry needles are the most commonly used in cross stitch, but there are other specialty needles available as … Read More

If you’ve ever struggled to thread needles and wondered if there’s a better way, the good news is there are many options. Whether you use a needle threader, or whether you do it by hand, you don’t have to lose … Read More

If you’ve been in any online forum or group for long enough, at some point the dreaded “c” word will come up — copyright. It’s an issue that affects both designers and stitchers, as well as the stitching industry at … Read More

If you’ve ever been wooed by the various color variations threads like DMC’s new Coloris line on your shopping sprees, you’re not alone. These gorgeous variegated threads can be subtle or striking, and add a lot of beautiful tonality and … Read More

Beading embroidery and cross stitch projects doesn’t have to be hard, and it can add a wonderful flash of bling to your pieces. This cross stitch tutorial demonstrates the various kinds of needles you can use, how to stitch your … Read More

Have you ever seen DMC pearl cotton thread (also spelled perle cotton) in your local needlework or craft store and weren’t sure what to do with it? Recently I’ve had quite a few people asking me how to use it, … Read More

  Have you ever looked at beginners cross stitch projects and didn’t even know where to start? Or have you tried to learn on your own and got hopelessly lost? Well you’re in the right place, grasshopper, help is at … Read More

If you’ve never seen a Rhodes heart before, you’ll love this simple embroidery stitch. First created by the needlework designer Mary Rhodes, this beautiful textural stitch can be used to add dimension to any project. Mary’s work was heavily influenced … Read More

Have you ever found a great cross stitch pattern with text on it, but you’d love to change one word to make it more customized? Or maybe you want to make your own cheeky stitched expressions? Using cross stitch alphabets … Read More

If you’ve ever wondered why there seems to be different ways of forming a cross stitch, then this tutorial should help! This video will discuss the English method and the Danish method of forming stitches. I’ve had several comments in … Read More

If you’ve ever attempted a big or complicated cross stitch pattern, it’s likely you’ve had to give blending threads a try. Blended threads are great for adding tonality and shading to patterns. If you’re not sure how to blend two different … Read More

If you love the look of metallic threads but sometimes find them hard to work with, then hopefully this video tutorial will help you to “see the light.” I was really fortunate to have been contacted by Kreinik, a family-operated thread … Read More

If you’ve ever wanted to create your own cross stitch phone case, this tutorial will help! Personalized phone cases are so popular right now, and what better way to show your personality than with a cross stitch phone case. There … Read More

If you’ve ever wondered if there’s a way to cross stitch faster than you already are, the good news is that there is! Cross stitch is not a race, everyone stitches at different speeds and the point is to enjoy … Read More

If you’ve ever seen a picture of what looks like thread running in a grid on a cross stitch project, it’s likely that the stitcher did their gridding with fishing line or something similar. Using fishing line is great as it won’t … Read More