Jayne Netley Mayhew's
Stitch Guide
TO MAKE A CUSHION WITH A SINGLE PANEL BORDER

For  a 15 inch  (38 cm) cushion
With a single panel and a centre square of 11 inches (28 cm) for the embroidery.
Fabric
A - 1/4 metre (approximately) Panel. Complimentary colour to backing and frill fabric.
B -3/4 metre (approximately) Backing and frill.
15 inch cushion pad

Hemming allowance 1/2 inch (1 cm) is included in all measurements.

  1. Trim the embroidery fabric down to 12 inch square (30.5), making sure the design is central.
  2. Cut border panels. Fabric A - 2 of 16 x 3 inches (40.5 x 8.5 cm). Fabric A  - 2 of 12 x 3 inches
    (31.5 x 8.5 cm). Cut two pieces of backing fabric B, 16 x 11 inches (41.5 x 28 cm) each.
  3. For the frill. Fabric B, cut enough fabric to make a 5 inch (13 cm) x 4 yards (3.75m) strip. Join
    the strips of frill, pressing open the seams, joining all the edges to form a circle. Fold the frill
    in half and iron the strip, wrong sides together, enclosing the seams.
  4. Hem each of the two rectangle backing fabric pieces along one long edge.
  5. To join border panel fabric to embroidery. Pin, tack and stitch the smaller length pieces of
    fabric A , first to the top and bottom edge of the embroidery. Press the seams open. Pin, tack
    and stitch the longer pieces of fabric A to the left and right side, press seams open.
  6. Run two lines of gathering threads along the raw edge of the frill fabric, and then pull up the
    thread (knot the two ends of the gathering threads together so they draw evenly) until the frill
    is the right length (the length is, all the four sides of the cushion front), distributing the
    gathers evenly. With the embroidered and panelled fabric facing upwards, place the frill
    around the outer edge of the cushion front, frill inwards so the raw edges face outwards.
    Distribute the gathers evenly, pin, tack, and stitch in place.
  7. Lay the embroidered fabric face up on a flat surface. With the right sides down, lay the two
    rectangles of the cushion back on top of the front so all of the raw edges match and the
    hemmed edges overlap at the centre. Pin, tack and stitch around all edges. Turn the cover
    through to the right side and insert the cushion pad.
Double
Panelled Edged
Cushion
To make 'Patchwork Roses'
(inset) see my book
Flowers in Cross Stitch.
    To add panels to a small design, decide the width and height of your design area and the
    overall size of your cushion. Take the measurement of the design area away from the total
    size and divide that amount by how many panels you wish to use. Don't forget to add your
    hemming allowance before you cut the pieces of fabric.
    For cushion needing no panels, just omit the panels, trimming down the embroidery fabric,
    not forgetting allowance and making sure the design is central.
Single panelled cushion
Adding two lines of gathering threads
Joining fabric strips to form a circle
Lovely Lemon and Plush Pink
Designs
Lovely Lemon Design
Plush Pink Design

These two bright and delicate summer
floral designs use some of DMC Light
Effects thread, which gives them an
added sparkle.
You can change the arrow borders
colour to suit any colour suitable for your
home, also using beads in place of the
French knots would look wonderful.
See 'Making a Cushion', for a helpful
guide on making up.
You will find a range of exquisite flowers
in my book 'Cross Stitch Flowers'.
I have put together some ideas on how you can use a design, where if you wish you don't have to use the entire design, just a small
part of it. By using a different count or changing the thread or stitch, the whole look of a design can look dramatically different.

Cross stitch charts are very versatile, I have met a lady who uses my charts to paint on pottery!

Where a design is stitched on a 14-1 count Aida, you could use a 28-1 count linen. Even changing the count completely say to a 11-1
count is easy, the only thing you have to be aware of is that you will need extra thread and fabric.
The smaller the fabric count the larger the design. When stitching on counts below 14-1, I would use three strands of stranded cotton
(floss), 14 to 16-1 two strands, 18-1 and above, one strand. Changing the fabric colour, where I have used black for example, which is
hard on the eyes when stitching, will look equally good on another colour.

Cross stitch charts can easily be worked up as a tapestry in half stitch, using canvas and wool. Cross stitch worked in wool on canvas
6-1 count makes a absolutely fabulous rug!

See the headers below for some ideas and then scroll down for a little bit of useful information, like my stitch guide.
Stitch It
Harvest Mice
Designs
Plush Pink and Lovely
Lemon Designs
Baby Bluetits Designs
Design
Baby Turtle
Design
Baby Turtle
Design
Tiger Stripes
Design
Making a Cushion
Harvest Mice Designs in
miniature.
Look-out Harvest
Mouse
Heading Home and
Look-out Harvest Mice

'Heading Home' and 'Look-Out'
 have been stitched using one
strand of stranded cotton
(floss) on an 40-1 silk gauze,
the pair mounted in wooden
Cabinet Handles (both from
Elizabeth R. Anderson,
"Miniature Embroideries"). The
other mounted on board,
backed and framed.
The designs can be stitched
for cards, pictures and would
very sweet made up for a
babies bib.
For more mice see my book
'Four Seasons in Cross Stitch'.
Baby Turtle Design

Baby Turtle

These baby turtles have been stitched on two different counts,
6-1 and 16-1. A piece of felt of a matching colour is placed
under the stitched Aida, then carefully stitch the two pieces
together, as close to the cross stitch as possible, leaving a
small gap for stuffing.
Trim away the excess fabric, one stitch width away from the
stitching. Don't trim the area of your gap until after stuffing, as
the Aida could fray.
Stuff with a polyester of similar filling, stitch the gap closed.
Stitching on a 6-1 count I used 6 strands of stranded cotton
(floss) for the cross stitch and 2 strands for the backstitch.
The design can be stitched and sewn onto face flannels, towels,
mounted into pots, cards and coasters.

See my book 'Cross Stitch Animal Collection' for a whole heap
of baby turtles.
Baby Bluetits Designs
Baby Bluetits

These gorgeous spring babies can be used in so many
ways, from cards, coasters, and pictures, the whole
design as an insert for a tray. Some with or without a little
blossom, creates a delightful set of cards.  Here I have
used different counts, Linen and Aida of cream and blue
and have mounted them into some beautifully illustrated
springtime cards.
For more bird designs see my book 'Cross Stitch Animal
Collection', Masters of the air.
Make something Big!
Tiger Stripes Design

Tiger Stripes and
Leopard Spots, stitched
on a 6-1 canvas, using
DMC wools make the
most eye-catching rug.
Stitch four of the centre
pane side by side, repeat
the borders, and bind the
edges.
See my book 'Cats of the
World in Cross Stitch', for
full instructions.
Whole Cross Stitch
French Knot

Cross stitch is worked in two easy stitch
over one block of Aida, then work a
second diagonal stitch over the first stitch,
but in the opposite direction to form a
cross.
Cross stitch can be worked in rows if you
have a large area to cover. Work a row of
half cross stitch in one direction and then
work back in the opposite direction to
complete each cross.
The upper stitches of all the crosses
should lie in the same direction to
produce a neat effect.
To work a French Knot, bring the needle
through to the front of the fabric, just
above the point where you want the stitch
to be placed. Loop the thread, place the
needle point inside the loop and through
the fabric a little way from the starting
position. Pull the thread firmly around the
needle, draw the needle through forming
a knot.
Three-quarter Cross Stitch
Silk Ribbon

Forming fractional stitches such as
three-quarter cross stitch is less accurate
on Aida than on an evenweave or linen
fabric because the centre of the Aida
block need to be pierced.
Work the first half of the cross stitch in the
normal way, then work the second
diagonal stitch in the opposite corner but
insert the needle at the centre of the
cross, forming three-quarters of the
completed stitch.
The upper stitches of all the whole and
three-quarter cross stitches should lie in
the same direction to produce a neat
effect.

Following a chart

A large symbol taking up a whole square
represents a whole cross stitch.
A small symbol taking up one corner of a
square represents a three-quarter cross
stitch.
A square showing two small symbols in
opposite corners indicates that two of
these three-quarter cross stitches will
have to be made back to back.
Silk ribbon is shown on the chart by a
coloured line, follow instructions for
ribbon width and colour.
Work straight over the amount of holes
indicated by the length of the line.
Because the ribbon is so fine, it can
easily be worked through the holes of the
Aida fabric.
Work with short lengths of ribbon,
smoothing out any twisting of the ribbon
as you stitch.

Thread the needle as shown below, to
secure the ribbon ready for sewing.
Thread the ribbon on to the needle, push
the needle through the ribbon a little way
from the end and pull through, forming a
knot.
Backstitch
Longstitch

Backstitch is indicated on the chart by a
solid black or coloured line. It is worked
around areas of completed cross stitches
to add definition or on top of stitches to
add detail.
Refer to the charts instructions for the
colour of stranded cotton (floss) used in
the design.
To work backstitch, pull needle through
the hole of the fabric at point 1, and then
push back through at point 2. For the next
stitch, pull the needle through at point 3,
push back through at point 1, and then
repeat the process to make the next stitch.
These are used to work some animals
whiskers and are indicated on the chart
by a straight line - refer to the instructions
for the colour. Work long stitches on top
of the cross stitches.
To work longstitch, pull the needle
through the fabric at the point where the
line hits a cross point on the grid.
Repeat for the next stitch, carrying the
thread across the back of the fabric to the
next point.
Adding Beads

With the needle on the right side of the
fabric, thread the bead over the needle
(use a beading needle) and on to the
thread, then attach it to the fabric by
working the second half of the cross
stitch (or half stitch). All stitches must run
in the same direction so that the beads
lie in neat rows on the fabric.
  
    Jayne Netley Mayhew's Stitch Guide
Chart Example
From
Jayne Netley Mayhew's
Cross Stitch Charts
Charts are Black
and White symbols.
Some of the
Backstitch lines and
French knots are
shown in colour for
clarity.
The large charts
are spread over
two to four pages.
    How to Make a Cushion
Chart Example