Ever thought of creating your own design to stitch ?

Hyacinth

30 July 2009

As I finish off my cat and the rain cross stitch chart I have been reflecting on the process I undertake to come up with a new design.  I have previously written on my blog that it is a challenge to find and create designs that are not already available on the internet.  Many of the these designs are free.  In fact there are hundreds and hundreds of them available on the internet for free ! 

There have been many designs that I have admired and even stitched.  I tend to enjoy the designing process rather than the actual stitching of the design.  I think that comes partly from the fact that I don’t actually have alot of time to stitch my designs at the moment.  Creating the design does not take as much time as actually stitching it.

I have enjoyed cross stitch but particulary stitching with wool and canvas for at least 20 years.  It is something that I never get tired of and I have also enjoyed the creations of all the designers including favourites like Kaffee Fassett and Beth Russell to name a few.  These stitchers are in fact artists in their own right.

My philosophy with embroidery generally is to enjoy the journey.  Love the design you are stitching and enjoy working the piece until it is finished ! 

I have found over the years that there are few designs other than those created by Kaffee Fassett and others of his calibre that I actually really like or would even buy.  Many of the designs around are a little too traditional for my personal tastes.  I understand however that these designs do appeal to alot of people.  I tend to like things that are a little different hence my desire to create my own and share them.

The great thing about the internet and the world we live in today is there is enough for everyone and there is enough room for everyone to create their very own designs if they want to.

Creating a design is not that complicated if the design is simple.  I cannot compete with the designs created by Kaffee or Beth.  I can however create images that I like and try to adapt them to be stitched.  For me its more about the idea and the process of the design.  It’s also about always having something new to think about and create.   

The cat and the rain cross stitch chart I am designing now came about from a photo I took of a cat at a friend’s house who was looking through the window outside as the rain was falling.  The chart is being designed as a result of a photograph I took which at the time was nothing more than a photo of a cat on a window ledge.

There are more straightforward ways of creating a design to stitch.  I have seen some individuals simply take a photograph put it though a stiching software package and voila the photograph is translated into an identical picture to be stitched.  Although an interesting process I find these designs to be simply a reproduction of the photo without much design interpretation involved.    In fact anyone with a stitching software package can do that. 

The other way to design a cross stitch design is to draw it by hand on graph paper.  This is fun to do too but takes a bit of time and requires more design interpretation.  That’s the fun stuff.

It is much more difficult to translate an idea or to draw an image that is original and unique and interpet it into a stitching design.  This is where the real skill as a designer comes in.  I am not pretending to be anything more than someone who likes to stitch and design.  I like my designs and enjoy creating them.  I also enjoy other people’s designs if they are a little different to those we see over and over and over again.   If people like my designs that’s fantastic, if not that’s fine too. 

So with those thoughts I leave you to enjoy your Wednesday and if you have never tried designing a cross stitch design then try it.  You might surprise yourself !  You actually don’t have to be good at “art” as much as have an idea and try to interpret it into a piece that can be stitched.  Everything is possible and it does not matter if it is not “perfect” or a work of art… As I said before it’s about the journey and having fun and trying something new.

In the meantime I have uploaded a beginner’s chart and the rabbit easter egg chart in my box net widget.  Cat and the rain cross stitch chart still coming soon !

Happy Threading !

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