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Yes I used to do those sequined calendars you would poke the needle through the dot on the calendar and then add a sequin and bead it did take awhile to do it. I made the mistake of trying one of those kits with the picture already on it and you just added x's here and there. I thought it would be easy, I threw it away. While I admire anyone else doing the beads and cross stitch, I really don't think that would keep me doing cross stitch LOL Good Luck to you though!

When you buy a kit, it will have arrows width and length showing you if you bring those two arrows using your finger to the middle of the material. You need to leave at least 2 inches to 3 around your pattern as a kit will always have ample material. You fold your material in half and then half again. Crease it real well at the point of the middle of the fabric. Where you see the very middle in the material and where the two arrows come to is the middle of your cloth. It does not matter which way you go if you are starting in the middle. Whatever my first stitch is if I see more of the same color in any of the four directions then I follow the color and that is the area I start working on. Its kind of up to the pattern and the symbols. When you get a pattern that is more of a tapestry piece, where every part of your material will be stitched, again get enough cloth to start with 1 to 2 to 3 inches around all sides once you measure in and down in the upper left hand corner and know where your first stitch is, I put a needle in the first hole. Get my floss for that symbol and make my first cross stitch. From there you just go down and follow your pattern. I tend to stay in 100 (10 holes down and 10 holes across)sets as you will notice the grids on cross stitch are usually marked off in 10's which equal 100 stitches. The grid lines will be darker than the usual cross stitch lines. Just follow the pattern as you feel comfortable I shade my stitches I have stitched so I know they are done either on the pattern itself or on a copy of the cross stitch pattern. Hope this answer helps you.

Hello there. Cross stitching tips surely helped a lot especially from you. As they say, take it from the expert. ;) I take your advices especially on folding the cloth. I always leave three to four inches on the side to give way when it is framed. I also mark or shade the pattern that I had finished but sometimes, you can't help to make mistakes.

I have a friend who is a perfectionist when doing cross stitch. Unfortunately I cannot be like her. I want to enjoy my craft and hobby. ON the other hand I have a friend that says, if we make a mistake, the only person that will know is ourselves. And my friend says if we make a mistake,then the cross stitch piece is one of a kind and done out of love and kindness not perfection. So I never strive to be perfect. Don't think I have been perfect in anything but crafting has been a gift that I can enjoy no matter what.

I have been known to work on more than one but now that I am working on larger pieces I just work on one at a time. Although I think I will be working on two now to finish my son's and the new one I am starting.

That should not be hard to frame. I frame my 5x7's on my own and leave the larger pieces to Hubby. I finished a beautiful piece by Paula Vaughn. We went to hobby lobby to get the frame and mat. Gave it to John's daughter for Xmas about 4 years ago. This past Xmas gave her a christmas cross stitch. It was from country cross stitching and I got the frame from them too. I have got to get the backstitching done on the French Cuisine. Then I will get the frame in they show in the picture of country cross stitch magazine. May have to go sit a Paneras Bread and finish that off.

Yeah, I have a drawerful of frames. It's the Round Tuits that are in short supply.

I was going to stop on this project as it was darker colors and very depressing to me to work on. Once I actually got to her face I noticed I picked up speed. I have another piece I am backstitching on but this piece on the birthstone I love because its all x's no specialty stitches and no backstitching. But you change your colors a lot. Thats where the depth and color brings out the quality of the piece rather than having to backstitch. Just set your cross stitch out where you can see it. Gonna watch a movie? thats an hour and half you can do of cross stitching as you watch a movie. Start out small and you will gracefully get your craft back Good luck hope you take a picture of your WIP to let us cross stitchers see.