Pixel perfect
Make roses grow with cross stitches
Don’t limit the idea to florals. How about a big heart filled in with cross stitch for Valentine’s Day, or a monogram letter? Think about using different yarns and threads. Experiment with metallics, scrap yarn and pearl cotton. Go monochrome and use one colour or go abstract and block out sections in cross stitch for a contemporary look.
If you can trace it onto stabiliser, you can stick it on a sweater and fill it in with thread! There’s no limit to what you can do with this technique, so be creative with it.
YOU WILL NEED
■ A jumper
■ Stranded cotton in your choice of colours
■ Embroidery needle
■ Soluble embroidery stabiliser
■ Tracing paper
■ Pencil
■ Air or water soluble pen
■ Basic sewing kit
This will work with a range of jumpers. Ours is a standard light to medium- weight knit readily available on the high street or charity shops. You could also use a chunkier knit with wool rather than stranded cotton, or a sweatshirt. If you can find a waffle- texture knit then use the repeating square pattern within the knit as a guide to keep your stitches regular.
HOW TO MAKE THE JUMPER
Step one Decide on your palette of colours and invest in good- quality stranded cotton – you don’t want the dyes to run later. You’ll also need some form of temporary stabiliser to stop the knit stretching out as you stitch. This one is water soluble and removed by soaking the garment after stitching. 1
Step two Begin by tracing the outline of the yoke part. Lay the jumper out flat with a piece of tracing paper over the top. Trace around the shoulder, neckline and armhole seams.
Step three Use this as a template to draw on your design. We’ve kept ours very simple, with abstract floral shapes with simple oval centres. Once you’re happy with your design, trace it onto your temporary stabiliser using an air or water soluble pen. 3
Step four Pin and then tack the stabiliser to your jumper, lining up the outline you drew with the corresponding seamlines. Keep it as flat and smooth as possible. 4
Step five Fill in your design with cross stitch. Start from the top and work your way down. Keep your stitches flat to the surface of the fabric; not too tight, and not too loose. The best way to keep them even is to lay down a row of diagonal stitches, then go back in the opposite direction and fill in the crosses using the top and base of the previous stitches as a guide to where to insert and exit your needle. 5
Step six Once complete, use the manufacturer’s instructions to remove the soluble interfacing and dry flat. It’s best to carefully hand- wash your stitched jumper in future so you don’t disturb the stitching too much and keep it laying flat. 6
Designed by Portia Lawrie, www. makery. co. uk