Cross Stitch Thread Organisation

Let me tell you. I am one of those people who manage to make organisation seem like a mess. Or make a mess seem like organisation...
Either way, its a gift.

So I figure as part of this blog, I shall give everybody I sneak peak into my organisation systems. As they are organised. No holds back, I'll show you the ones that work for me, the ones that don't, and why.

So first up is cross stitch thread.
This stuff is hellish. It gets knotted, I have quite a bit of it (especially given I have only just started to grow my own collection, instead of stealing my mothers.) One of my best friends gave me her collection of threads, some of which have been organised. Some that hadn't been.

The beginning of my organisation process

So first things first, I gave pinterest a solid browse. I found some really good posts about how other people had organised their collections (you can see some of them on my board here).

I decided on using the wooden peg method. It means that I can wrap my thread around them, and put a note on them with their number. Because I inherited a lot of thread, it wasn't all the same brand. There is a combination of DMC, Anchor and other brands (some that I don't even know, they just had a number written on the card). So I have colour coded my numbers, pink for DMC, blue for Anchor, and green for everything else.

I then put them into a plastic box. the ones in the long panels on either side are Anchor and other brands. While the middle sections are DMC, divided into numbers by the 100.

Every time I start a new cross stitch project, I pick out the threads that I need from my box and put them into my cross stitch project bag, along with my needles, cloth and thread scissors.

Once I've finished the project, the threads go back into the box (DMC 360, black thread, normally just stays in my project bag, as I use it in some form in all of my cross stitches).

Next step is to buy another container for all my duplicate threads!

Pros and cons:

• The wooden pegs are a lot cheaper than the fancy cross stitch thread organisation thingys. I picked up 100 for $3 NZ. Because of how cheap they are, I don't feel bad writing all over them 
• I can see the thread a lot easier, I'm not entirely sure why that is, probably because they are  wound closer together than you can do on the fancy ones 
• I find them easier to get the thread off then on the fancy ones. That might just be because I am useless, but I just have the end pinched so I know exactly where I am starting from 
• But I can't fit as many of the pegs into my container as I could if I used the fancy cross stitch thread 
• A few times my thread has got caught on the wood. Probably because I bought cheap pegs, so there are a few splinters and things in them. Its still annoying to have to be that careful.

I hope this helps you make decisions on your mess techniques!

Till next time!

Dat girl

For Fox Sake

So recently I have rediscovered cross stitch. By rediscovered when I originally discovered it, it was not really very good. Everything was a mess, I don't think I finished, and they weren't actually very cool patterns. They were cool for 10 year olds. But I'm sure there is a reason that I lost them, never finished them, and they have yet to be seen again.

I'm starting to really enjoy cross stitch, the stuff that you can make is amazing! It truly is incredible what a bunch of little squares in different colours put together can make.

So my first project was a little christmas ornament for myself (which I'll show you another day, it is currently stored with my other christmas decorations, and there are a ton of them).

But my second project was a funny one that I stumbled across on pinterest. It was hilarious, every time I think of it it makes me snigger.

I couldn't find a pattern for the one that I found on pinterest, so based on the picture of the cross stitch I found, I made my own pattern!

And I think that it turned out pretty good! My Aunt, who I gave it to, is pretty pleased with it. Which is always great.

Now, because I am a truly generous person, I have decided to give away my pattern! So if you think that this is as fab as I do feel free to download the pattern below!

For Fox Sake - Cross Stitch Pattern

Some tips!

• Be creative!  there are lots of ones like these online all over the place. If you decide that you want your fox to be in the trees, then add trees! If you want them to be in the grass, then add grass! the sky is the limit! (well, I'm sure you could do a space fox if you wanted too...)
• Don't get to stuck in the colours. There are thousands of different DMC threads to chose from, if you have orange, brown and white on hand that you like together, than use those! Or use any other colours that you think look good together. Its up to you! 
• Don't freak out if you lose count. Its not the end of the world. Worst case scenario is you fox is slightly skinner or fatter! 

Till next time! 

Dat Girl