FIRM FAVOURITES: MEGAN CAINES
Designers share with us their top stitching essentials
Below are my five stitching essentials I love to use when designing or stitching for melocadesigns.com EMBROIDERY HOOP
Embroidery hoops are an absolute must-have for me. Specifically a 7in hoop, as I find this the optimal size for me to hold for the project sizes I tend to stitch (8-10in). In my opinion, they make stitching easier because they keep your fabric taut, which helps keep your stitches nice and neat.
PATTERN KEEPER
Honestly, Pa ern Keeper is lifechanging in the cross stitch world! It’s much easier to navigate a digital pa ern that you can mark off and zoom in on, than to faff around with a physical copy. Don’t get me wrong, I still love physical copies but it’s so great to have the option to use either. You can even import paper pa erns into the Pa ern Keeper app!
NEEDLEMINDER
Needleminders are my number one stitching accessory! I absolutely love using them and even designing them – I have so many in my collection! They’re so simple because you just a ach one to your work by pu ing the decorative side on top of your fabric and the loose magnet on the back, then when you need to put your needle down, you just place it on top and it magnetically holds it down for you, so you don’t lose it!
THE PERFECT SIZED NEEDLE
I primarily stitch on 14 count aida because I just love it! To stitch on this fabric I actually use a size 7 embroidery needle rather than the recommended size 24 tapestry needle. The reason for this is so the needle doesn’t stretch the fabric holes too much when it passes through. Using a decent needle will also keep your stitches super-tidy – I’ve had many compliments!
SCISSORS
A good, sharp pair of scissors or snips are essential for cross stitching in my opinion. They will help keep the back of your project nice and tidy by ensuring your cut ends don’t fray. It also makes your overall stitching experience much calmer and more enjoyable by not having to ba le with a pair of scissors that don’t cut properly on the first try!