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For the Love of Cross Stitch

Cross-stitching project of a rocket boy super hero by Emma McKee

Redefining Cross-Stitching

“Cross stitch for rappers? Are you joking? I’m an anomaly in this scene, for sure…I create custom, one-of-a-kind cross-stitch jackets for Chicago’s creative class.” Emma McKee

After making a cross stitch present for her mother, Emma McKee was drawn to the technique and compelled to do more. So, she taught herself the cross-stitch process, including how to create a pattern from an idea and sketches.

Emma has made her mark on the art and craft of cross-stitching, putting her own spin on pieces which incorporate what gives her inspiration - art, poetry, and music.

In a span of four years of focusing on creating cross-stitch items, she’s worked with a team of 7 – 14 Chicago-based artists, and has created close to 135 pieces, spending anywhere from 50 – 60 hours on making each item.

“My inspiration usually will come complete, finished, everything - from a person. It arrives fully formed in my head, and that’s it. I have no idea how we get there. I don’t sit around and think about it for somebody....To see something that you’ve made effect somebody in what seems to be a meaningful way is a pretty emotional thing.”

Watch the video below from Great Big Story to see what happened when she tweeted a photo of a jacket she cross-stitched, getting her start into making a living doing what she loves.

· Don't miss: You might like our blog posts American Crafters, Subway Yarn Bombing, and Altered Book Sculptures.

You can find books about subversive, feminist, mini-, and classic cross-stitching here.

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Ari Embroidery

Ari embroidery, also known as ari work, is a type of decorative needlework which produces a chain stitch.

This embroidery technique began in India. It was adopted by Europeans by the eighteeneth century, where it is known as tambour work, tambour embroidery, and Luneville embroidery.

Ari embroidery can be done on woven and un-woven materials, including paper and leather. The material which is the base for embellishment can be stretched over a frame or held in the hands.

The Victoria and Albert Museum's short documentary (below) shows craftsmen at work on an ari embroidery piece at the Sankalan Embroidery Design and Production House in Jaipur, India.

We see the embroidery design first taking shape as a drawing made on tracing paper, and then making its way to fabric stretched tightly on a frame via a paper and plastic stencil that’s been pricked with holes all along the drawn lines.

A liquid Chalk solution is applied to the pin-pricked plastic, and rubbed through the tiny holes, making an outline of the drawing onto the fabric.

· Don't miss: For the Love of Cross-Stitching, Soumak Weaving, Jacquard Weaving, and Tapestry Weaving. Find best-selling Embroidery books here. [As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you).]

Embroidery thread is held underneath the fabric, while a thin hook is poked through the top, catching and pulling the thread and bringing it through to the top of the piece, making a loop.

Each new loop is pulled through the previous one, making a continuous chain-stitch, following the dotted outline of the drawing.

After the ari work is finished, the embroiderer holds a piece of wood on the underside of the fabric as they use a wooden hammer to pound the threads flat on the upper side.

· You might find helpful: Crafting Resources.

Screen grabs from the Victoria and Albert Museum's video How Was it Made? Ari Embroidery.

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Free Crafting Resources and How-To's

POPULAR POSTS


Make a Boro Bag Follow a tutorial for making a patchworked bag with Sashiko topstitching.	Sashiko Videos Follow tutorials for how to create traditional Japanese embroidery stitching.	Vintage Maps Explore a library's digitized vintage maps, which you can download for free.	How to Care for Quilts Learn from a museum textile curator how to best care for your quilts.
Make a Scappy Quilt Learn to make a basket weave pattern quilt from scraps of fabric.	Yarn Bombing Sisters Sisters Lorna and Jill Watt create amazing yarn bomb installations .	Magnetic Ceramics Ceramic artists create fantastical structures using magnetic clay.	Knit Like the Vikings Learn about a Viking fabric-making technique which pre-dates knitting.
Make a Bilum Bag Follow a tutorial for making a bilum bag - PNG's traditional fabric.	Make a Pinhole Camera Learn to make a pinhole camera; develop paper film with common items.	What is Nalbinding? Learn about a stretchy fabric made with connected loops.	Digitized Knitting Magazines Free digitized knitting magazines 1800 - now.