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Have you ever designed your own cross-stitch pattern? I've decided to decorate the baby's room in an underwater theme, and just today remembered a song about 3 little fishies that I loved as a little girl. I thought it would be neat to cross-stitch the lyrics of the song along with a few simple fishies to hang in the nursery. Should I use graph paper to map out the pattern? And how do I account for size? If you can be of any help I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
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my mom uses graph paper, and colors in the squares on everything she does, even if she has a pattern, just so it's easier to see. I'm not sure what you mean by account for the size (and barely know anything about cross stitching from experience, just listening).
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Good to know, breyerchic. By accounting for size, I mean that I'd like to have a finished picture that's either 8 x 12 or 11 x 14 size. I have no clue how to translate what I put onto the paper into the size I want the picture to come out. Clear as mud?
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Ooh! Is it the one with, "And they swam and they swam right over the dam!"
I loved that song!
And yes, use graph paper; there are very small ones you can use if you prefer not to make the pattern bigger than the finished design. Or if you want a small design, use bigger graph paper and smaller canvas. Just make a key by measuring one "x" to one square; then you can easily convert what the size will be with a ruler. There are also computer programs you can use, but I don't know that any are freeware.
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To translate, think one square = one cross-stitch square, and then choose fabric that has the squares per inch to get the size of design you want. Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
Aha! Thanks Megan. The kiddos and I are heading out right now; I'll make sure to get paper with itsy bitsy squares. The design will be *very* simple - just the lyrics backstitched, 3 fishies with a momma, and maybe a few waves backstitched.
I'm very excited about this, as I really want something I've made in the baby's room. I was going to attempt a quilt, but since I haven't even learned to run my sewing machine yet I've given up on that.
space opera
Edit: Yes, kq! That is the very song I'm talking about! I had it on a record and absolutely loved it.
[ April 11, 2005, 02:47 PM: Message edited by: Space Opera ]
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posted
No problem! This makes me want to break out my cross-stitching again; it's fallen by the wayside this year (stupid ph.D. ).
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posted
Count the number of stitches in both directions on your piece, and tape together enough pieces of graph paper to equal the same number of holes. Also, something mom always reccomends when teaching beginners (which you probably aren't but ok) is put a center line in a fast stitch that divides the piece into four quadrants.
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There are hand motions? If you want to give a go at describing them I'm sure Operaetta would love to learn them!
Megan, I think you just have to be in the mood and have the time to cross-stitch. I finally pulled back out a picture I started working on about 6 months ago just last week. It's adorable - it's a picture of 3 little cloth kittycat dolls. The caption around it says, "Mom, her whisker is touching me!" It reminded me so much of my kids I had to buy it.
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To that effect, yes, although we sang it a little differently. Did you know it was originally just a pop song? In the 30's, I think. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Down in the meadow in a little bitty pool (Open hands on "meadow", form into a circle on "pool") Swam three little fishies and a mama fishie too (Stick out three fingers, then thumb) "Swim" said the mama fishie, "Swim if you can" (Put hands together, wiggle like a fish "swimming") And they swam and they swam right over the dam. (Place one arm in front like a "dam", "swim" other hand up to it, then over and down on "dam".) Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chu! (by syllable: pat hands on lap once for each "boop", clap on "dittem" and "dattem", "roll" fists on whattem, pull out of roll and throw up on "chu!" Repeat this each time this line is sung.) Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chu! Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chu! And they swam and they swam right over the dam. (repeat prior motion on last line.)
"Stop" said the mama fish, "or you will get lost!" (Hold out hand in "Stop!" motion, then put hands on cheeks in "Oh, no!" expression on "lost") But the three little fishies didn't wanna be bossed; (shake head) The three little fishies went off on a spree (three fingers) And they swam and they swam right out to the sea. ("Swam and they swam" as in first verse, then open arms wide for "out to the sea.") Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chu! Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chu! Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chu! And they swam and they swam right out to the sea.
"Whee!" yelled the little fishies, "Here's a lot of fun! (Hold hands over head on "whee", mime a "smile" on the face on "lot of fun") We'll swim in the sea till the day is done!" (Swim hands as above on "swim in the sea"; put hands together on shoulder to mime "sleep" on "day is done") They swam and they swam, and it was a lark (Swimming motions) Till all of a sudden they saw a shark! (Hands on eyes for "binoculars"; on the word "shark", put hands in "claw" shape in front of mouth for big teeth.) Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chu! Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chu! Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chu! Till all of a sudden they saw a shark!
"Help!" cried the fishies, "Gee! look at all the whales!" (On "Help!", make "Oh, no!" face with hands on cheeks like the mama in verse 2; point around at "look at all the whales") And quick as they could, they turned on their tails, (Pretend to run at "quick as they could"; roll hands on "turned on their tails") And back to the pool in the meadow they swam (Make fist with thumb sticking out and throw over shoulder at "back to the pool"; make swimming motions with hands together starting at "meadow") And they swam and they swam back over the dam. (Same as "And they swam and they swam right over the dam" in first verse.) Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chu! Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chu! Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chu! And they swam and they swam back over the dam.
Gee, that looks a lot more complicated than it really is. I hope you get it, though, it's always a lot of fun, especially for four- through six-year-olds.
posted
SO? Did you get the supplies? What colors are you going to do? Have you designed it yet? *is excited to see how this turns out, even though she doesn't have the patience for cross-stitch*
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I haven't cross-stitched in years. Now I want to try again! LOL
But, I've got work to do first, I have to sew a tunic for my oldest who is in a play on Friday. Bleh. Plain tunic out of muslin - not as colorful and pretty as a nice cross stitch.
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Do you have a pattern? Because I have a link to an easy, excellent tunic design that you don't need a pattern for, just measurements.
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posted
Never got on the 'Rack last night (had to clean out a fishtank and hope I can save the last two fishies... gee how appropriate for the thread), so I didn't see this till now.
I've done a bit of designing for my own use. I bought a program called PC Stitch a while ago out of a bargain bin at Best Buy, and I do it all electronically. The program has the entire current DMC cotton line available, although it could definitely use more variety in the symbol set.
You tell the program what fabric count you're using (14, 16, 18, etc. - and remember, if you're stitching over two threads on plainweave, tell it the actual stitches per inch, not the thread count of the fabric) and how big your piece is. The fabric count at this point is used more for converting stitch count to fabric size when it comes time to print your pattern. You can always edit this later if you need more or less room in any dimension - however, if you make a size smaller (ex.: 300 stitches wide down to 200 stitches wide), you will lose any charting in that area being removed. It will always take from bottom (for vertical reductions) and from right (for horizontal reductions).
You set your view to whatever you want (colored blocks, colored symbols, or black&white symbols), you can zoom in or out, change your background color to get an idea of what it will look like on something other than white fabric, hide gridlines, etc.
I absolutely hated trying to graph on paper because I was always making changes that rapidly made for a highly illegible chart. Doing it electronically makes corrections and edits a lot simpler for me.
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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Ok, I did it by the ultra-simple-stupid method. I bought a big old piece of stitching fabric, started at the edge, and measured my first 2 lines to ensure the fabric is long enough.
I'm using a navy/royal blue for the lettering, and the Momma fishy will be pink, baby 1 orange, baby 2 purple, and baby 3 yellow. If I have enough room and the inclination I'll also do a simple border around it in turquoise. This is the bedding I've ordered, so the colors should match nicely. I'll be sure to take a picture of it when I'm done! Thanks for all the help, everyone.
space opera
edit: kq, thanks for describing the hand motions - Operaetta and I will try them out tonight!
[ April 12, 2005, 11:18 AM: Message edited by: Space Opera ]
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posted
That sounds adorable, SO! I can't wait to see pictures. I'm going to do a Noah's ark for my little one(s). I'll have to start soon, because I am not the fastest stitcher.
I've never designed my own, though I've made modifications to kits. I don't think I'll ever be able to b/c of the OCD - if I made a mistake, I'd have to start all over again.
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The fishie bedding is so cute, and the Noah's Arc will be too! The little girl I babysit got a new room in their remodel (they added a whole story to the house and moved all the bedrooms up), so they did her room so cute, it's lavender walls with pink trim and doors, and a white crib (will be white wicker furniture when she moves up), my mom crosstitched her a butterfly and I quilted that into a pillow with pink and purple colors. I love baby rooms.
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posted
Me, too! We did Emma's in green and yellow, with a animal theme, and people seem to have gotten her duck things. Anyway, we're thrilled, because we can use all the same things for the next kid, whether it's a boy or a girl. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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