Stitches

Difference between Embroidery and Cross Stitch?

I'm new to Cross Stitching and the pattern says to "Embroider" the pattern on the fabric. Is that just lingo for "Out Line." If so, do I just sew it in a line or should I be doing one of the "Cross" techniques they use inside? If not, how DO I Embroider? I'm confused and can't find it online. Thanks!

Public Comments

1. I wasn't sure how to help you, so I Googled "embroidery". The Wikipedia link had some pretty decent explanations and photos. Good Luck.
2. Hi: Yes, you outline the pattern with a back stitch or draw it in with a light pencil mark, However embroidery is all about the all the sewing stitches you stitch with. The back stitch ,whip ,Rice,button,cross stitch, lock...etc, where as cross stitching is using one type of embroidery stitch to do your design. It's the most used and popular embroidery stitch today. However back in the Middle ages embroiders did not have pencils{ all they had for writing was ink and pens. Ink does not work with fabric and thread too good},copy machines,printers ( Yeah ,they had them but unlike today's you could not ready put a design on it in a few second and print it now- you had to crave out the design and ink was expensive ) and iron-on paper. So what they did was to stitch the design outline in a back stitch on the fabric and sew it in with whatever sewing stitch that the design called for. Henceforth "To embroider { sew } the pattern" meant to do that . However after many centuries and the development of the Printing presses ,papers and people learn how to read and write. Books were written detailing all the embroidery stitches as well the cross stitch. Since the cross stitch is one of the simplest to learn and gives dramatic results. It became the standard popular stitch around the world today For more info on it and other stitches here are some books and websites for it: For books on the subject : All book are available in any bookstore or library How To Sew Leather, Suede, Fur by Phyllis W. Schwebke, Margaret B. Krohn Tailoring: The Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket by Staff of Creative Publishing International Sew Fast Sew Easy: All You Need to Know When You Start to Sew by Elissa K. Meyrich Start to Sew: All the Basics Plus Learn-to-Sew Projects by Creative Publishing International, Creative Publishing International (Manufactured by) Complete Photo Guide to Sewing: 1100 Full-Color how-to Photos by Creative Publishing International, Creative Publishing International (Manufactured by), Creative Publishing International Vogue Sewing by Vogue, Sixth & Spring Books (Manufactured by) 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim, and Tie Your T-Shirt into Something Special by Faith Blakeney, Ellen Schultz, Justina Blakeney, Anka Livakovic Basic Sewing (101 Essential Tips Series) by Chris Jefferys, James Harrison (Editor), DK Publishing (Manufactured by) Its A Wrap: Sewing Fabric Purses, Baskets, and Bowls by Susan Breier Simplicity's Simply the Best Sewing Book by Anne Marie Soto (Editor), Simplicity Pattern Company (Editor), Martha Vaughan (Illustrator) Sewing for Dummies by Janice Maresh, Janice S. Saunders, N. Graf (Editor) Amy Butler's in Stitches: More than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects by Amy Butler, Colin McGuire (Photographer) Complete Guide to Embroidery Stitches: Photographs, Diagrams, and Instructions for Over 260 Stitches by Jennifer Campbell, Reader's Digest Editors, Ann-marie Bakewell - a execellent book Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches by Mary Thomas, Jan Eaton, Jan Eaton, Jan Eaton (Compiler) - another execellent book on the subject Embroidery Stitches by M. E. Wilkinson - a very good book The Embroidery Stitch Bible by Betty Barnden, Debbie Bradley (Editor) - Get this book. It the best book I know on the subject for you to have. I own one. well worth your money to spend on it. Embroidery Stitches: Over 400 Contemporary and Traditional Stitch Patterns by Mary Webb (Editor) - a very good book read it. Encyclopedia of Embroidery Stitches, Including Crewel by Marion Nichols - a good book for a beginner to have. Stitches of Creative Embroidery by Jacqueline Enthoven Royal School of Needlework Embroidery Techniques by Sally Saunders, Anne Butcher, Debra Barrett, Anne Butcher (Illustrator) The Embroiderer's Handbook: The Essential Step-by-Step Guide to Creative Stitches and Versatile Techniques by Margie Bauer Basic Stitches by Katie Ebben, Chris Tubbs (Photographer) Silk Ribbon Embroidery Bible: The Essential Illustrated Reference to Designs and Techniques by Joan Gordon - another good book to have. Needleweaving and Embroidery: Embellished Treasures by Effie Mitrofanis For cross stitch info: the follow website will prove to be interesting to you: http://www.darklilac.com/upload.jsp... http://www.vsccs.com/hints-info/basic_cr... http://www.aokcorral.com/xinstructions.h... http://www.joyfulexpressions.us/html/ins... Here are some more cross stitching websites: http://www.tcsmag.com http://www.amosadvantage.com http://www.craftideas.com http://www.crosstitch.com http://www.cobweb-corner.com/crossstitch.htm?gclid=CO2_qqCR_4oCFU9FGAod1RmVKQ http://www.birdcrossstitch.com/ http://www.abc-cross-stitch-patterns.com/Free_Patterns/Archive.html http://www.patternsonline.com http://www.kustomkrafts.com http://www.bhg.com/bhg/family/index.jhtm... http://www.bhg.com/bhg/store/product.jht... - for the "2001 cross stitch designs" book- ( something you might like to have) . http://melindaseverything.tripod.com/cro... http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/hobbies_... http://www.crossstitchtips.com/...... http://www.xstreasures.com/links.html...... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cross_stitc... - put this in so you can cross reference any stitch you need to know about - for fun - http://www.dmc.com/majic/pageserver/1701... http://www.kreinik.com/kshop/home.php?ca... http://www.jaenne.com/crossstitch/crosss... (some are free, some are $1 or $2) http://www.freepatternsonline.com/xspatt... http://alitadesigns.com/cross-stitch/pat... http://www.birdcrossstitch.com/......... http://www.sanmanoriginals.com/free.html... http://www.cyberstitchers.com/patternlib... http://www.dunmanidesigns.co.uk/......... http://www.dawnsxstitch.pwp.bl... http://www.maurer-stroh.com/ems_complime... http://www.esnips.com/web/freecspatterns... http://www.rainbowgallery.com/freechartd... http://www.passionericamo.eu/indexfreebi... http://www.stitchalley.com/index.php?mai... http://www.ilboscoincantato.com/......... http://www.solaria.online.bg/gobelins/go... http://shopping.originpublishing.com/cha... http://www.artful-impressions.com/how%20... http://www.cross-stitch-centre.co.uk/aca... http://www.photopattern.com/ http://crossstitch.about.com/mbody.htm... http://www.stitcherscloset.com/store/merchant.mv? http://www.solaria-gallery.com/ http://www.scarletquince.com/ http://www.villageneedlework.com/ http://www.picturecraftwork.com/en/ http://www.daisystitches.com/ http://www.theleisureboutique.com/default.aspx?PageID=55&CategoryID=3&gclid=CJuWqdXfm40CFRI7ZQodrWkA7A http://www.topcrossstitchsites.com/ http://www.alitadesigns.com/ http://www.dmc-usa.com http://www.keepsakeneedlearts.com http://www.cyberstitchers.com http://www.mysticstitch.com/free-desi... http://www.blujay.com http://www.ecrater.com http://www.stitchesnstones.com/webrings.html http://www.herrschners.com/main_cross-stitch.aspx?pc=201144 http://www.clotilde.com http://www.lucieheaton.com http://www.charlescraft.com/freedesig... http://www.craftzine.com/blog/archive/needlearts/3.html http://www.stitchnpitch.com/ http://www.cyberstitchers.com/PatternLibrary/index.asp http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~sheal/freebies.htm http://www.topcrossstitchsites.com/ here are some books available at any bookstore or library : 2001 Cross Stitch Designs: The Essential Reference Book by Better Homes & Gardens, Victoria Forlini (Editor) - A excellent book for you to get on the subject. Cross Stitch Alphabets by David & Charles Beautiful Cross-Stitch: Inspirations from the World Around You by Better Homes & Gardens, Carol Dahlstrom (Editor) Cross Stitch by Jan Eaton Cross Stitch Book by Dorothy Wood New Cross Stitch Sampler Book: 23 Fabulous Samplers by Helen Philipps 1000 Great Cross Stitch Designs by Maria Kelly The Cross Stitch kit: 25 Elegant and Easy-to-Make Projects for Every Room in the House, with Fabric, Needle, and Thread by Juliet Bawden Design Your Own Cross Stitch to Complement Your Home by Shirley Watts Jo Verso's Complete Cross Stitch Course by Jo Verso Rodale's Visual Encyclopedia of Needlecrafts: Applique, Crochet, Cross-Stitch, Duplicate Stitch . . ., Vol. 1 by Carolyn Christmas, Rodale Press Hardcover Sampler Motif Book by Brenda Keyes Cross Stitcher's Bible by Jane Greenoff, Charles, A. L. David - a good book A-Z of Embroidery Stitches by Sue Gardner As you can see I did a lot of resreach on this. I hope this helps
3. In the middle ages designs might be drawn on fabric with ink or they might be done with charcoal or with sharpened actual lead (the metal) in black or red much as we use polymer in mechanical pencils. That's a tangent. Cross-stitch is one of many techniques of embroidery. Backstitch and outline stitch are two different stitches. Any number of different stitches can be used for outlining. Backstitch and double-running stitch are the two commonest outlines for counted cross-stitch embroidery. An alternative to embroidering the design on the finished item is to embroider (by cross-stitch or any other method) the design on another fabric and then appliqué the embroidery to the finished item. If your directions weren't originally written in English, the problem wouldn't be a matter of "lingo", but one of willy-nilly mis-use of jargon. Whether the outlining is done before the cross-stitch or after depends on the specific technique and the skills of the stitcher. If an area with be covered solidly with multicolored cross-stitch, any backstitched outlining is normally done last. For other purposes, the outline may be done first and then a cross-stitched filling (or background) added. It may be necessary to use partial X's when filling areas.
4. Cross Stitch is one of many embroidery methods. The most common cross stitch is counted cross stitch where you get a chart and fill in the corresponding areas on a gridded fabric like Aida cloth with x's or partial x's to match the chart you have. Often you use a backstitch to define edges to make the design "pop." Sometimes you use a few other stitches to give it more variety but it's mostly just the x's. Embroidery covers a number of different techniques including counted cross stitch. It includes a huge number of stitches that can be used to completely fill in areas or just partial. The most common stitches from my experience would be a stem stitch, satin stitch or a lazy daisy. If your grandmother had tea towels (for drying dishes) that had embroidery on them, it probably had those stitches. They were applied by ironing or drawing a design and then doing various stitches to cover the lines and/or fill in the areas. I learned to hand embroider starting at the age of 3 and have done a lot of different techniques but I am not an expert. I do it for fun and relaxation.
5. To embroider is to have a piece of material and have a pattern drawn on it and you go over it with thread. Something like a flower with the leaves and stems as a example. Forget they said embroider for the crossstitch you have a square insert your needle and go in this direction from right to left "/" then left to right in this direction"\". Thats your cross stitch.