Lindsay Swearingen - Creepy Cross-Stitch: 25 Spooky Projects to Haunt Your Halls

The author and publisher have provided this e-book to you for your personal use only. You may not make this e-book publicly available in any way. Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this e-book you are reading infringes on the authors copyright, please notify the publisher at: http://us.macmillanusa.com/piracy. DEDICATION FOR MY CAT, LITTLE BROTHER,
WITHOUT WHOM THIS BOOK WOULD HAVE FAR FEWER FELINES. Abandon hope, all ye who enter here or rather, abandon your traditional ideas about cross-stitch.

This art form has a long history, dating back to the sixth century BC, and it continues to persist and evolve. Cross-stitch is an art form that can easily be picked up by anyone interested in learning, and the materials are easy to find and usually very affordable. Despite the fact that, historically, needlework is most often associated with women (and often, for this very reason, not considered a true art form but rather craft), this creative pursuit should be enjoyed by anyone who takes an interest in it. Within these pages youll have the opportunity to stitch spooky and peculiar patterns, perfect for any lover of the macabre! I am so pleased to present this book to you, as its filled to the brim with ideas that have been rolling around in my head for ages. Although you may be interested in stitching these patterns around Halloween, most of them are appropriate to hang in your haunted home year-round! I began cross-stitching as a child when my mom pulled out a bag of embroidery floss and an old pattern from the 1980s. I found it difficult, but not impossible, for my small hands to achieve the stitches.

I learned to follow the pattern and to count stitches. The end result wasnt perfect (I dont think I even finished), but I enjoyed the process. I didnt revisit cross-stitch for a number of years until one day I stumbled across some cool, modern patterns that cross-stitch designers were selling online. It was a whole new world to me; cross-stitch had always been a dated craft in my mind, but here I was seeing something I wanted to make. Pair that with my love of Halloween (and all things spooky, to be fair) and you have Creepy Cross-Stitch. Each pattern is sufficiently dark but also whimsicalmy favorite combination. I like to use moody tones and dark hues to help express the macabre theme.

I do hope that youll enjoy stitching these patterns as much as I enjoyed designing them.

FABRIC Choosing fabric for cross-stitch may seem confusing. There are many fabric options available, but I always gravitate toward Aida. This fabric is easy to work with and widely available, but there are many options you can try. AIDA Aida is the fabric most commonly used for cross-stitch. It has a wide, open weave that creates a sort of grid pattern, making it easy to work with.

Aida comes in different counts, which refers to the number of holes per inch (2.5 cm), which then determines the number of stitches per inch (2.5 cm). All of my designs in this book use 14-count Aida fabric, because it is easy to find in stores and is a breeze to stitch on. Dont let that limit you, thoughif you wish to create a larger piece, opt for an Aida fabric with a lower count. The reverse is true as well; to create a smaller piece, use a piece of Aida with a higher count. LINEN Linen has a tighter weave than Aida, making it a bit more difficult to stitch on. Experienced stitchers will sometimes choose linen for its soft feel and irregularities, giving the finished design more character.

Linen is generally stitched over two threads of the fabric, rather than one. EVENWEAVE Evenweave commonly has a higher thread count than Aida, such as 25, 28 or 32. Like linen, Evenweave fabric can be stitched over two threads, and its consistent texture makes it easier to work with. THREAD Picking out thread for projects is one of my favorite parts of cross-stitch. If youve ever visited the embroidery section of a craft store, you know that there are hundreds of colors to choose from. In this book, I have exclusively used DMC six-strand cotton embroidery floss for its quality and ease of use.

When working with embroidery floss, I like to use two strands measuring about 12 inches (30 cm) long (leaving a tail on one side of the needle of about 3 inches [8 cm]). Use only one strand for backstitching. Embroidery floss is generally easy to work with, but it can get tangled and knotted. Try occasionally letting your needle hang under your work to let it unwind. This will help reduce the chance of knots and give your piece a cleaner appearance. Keeping your thread relatively short (no longer than 12 inches [30 cm]) will help with this as well.

FRAMES AND HOOPS Embroidery hoops and frames keep your fabric nice and taut while stitching. Loose fabric is a difficult canvas to work on, so try to keep your fabric tight like a drum at all times. Every stitcher has a preference when it comes to embroidery frames and hoops. Some favor the traditional bamboo hoop for its accessibility and the tautness that it gives the fabric. Others prefer embroidery frames (or scroll frames) for the ability to move around large pieces without getting the dreaded hoop burn (when your hoop permanently creases or wrinkles your fabric where it was holding it in place). I prefer a scroll frame, but you should use what youre most comfortable with.

Try a few different options to see what works best for you!