Have you ever put a cross-stitched picture in your quilt.

I've got a bunch of cross stitched pictures I made and collected over the years.

Trying to decide what to do with them...options include, putting them in a quilt, framing them for a child's room, or getting rid of them.

I would love to do this. I cross stich and have alot of them done but not made into anything.
Judy

Definitely do NOT get rid of them. How many, how large?
Certainly may use as quilt blocks.

I have lots ranging in size from really small to really large. I use to cross-stitch before I quilted.

But now that I no longer cross-stitch, I didn't know what to do with them....I thought the bigger ones might make great quilt blocks. Just wasn't sure if anyone had a quilt with a cross-stitched block and was wondering how it held up?

I bet they'd be beautiful as quilt blocks.

Do they launder well? I was thinking wall hangings if not in bed quilts :D:D:D

Yeah, that's what I was worried about....if in a quilt, and washed a few times, would it unravel .

I have several embroidered squares that I am going to use in a quilt. I think that cross stiched would add personality and charm to a quilt, why not? I recently traced some pics from a coloring book of one of the popular little girl figures and colored them w/ special fabic crayons, and used them in a quilt for my Grandaughter (8yrs.old). She loved it! I did the squares on point, and used a black background print material with very bright pink, teal blue and yellow stars on it and did the triangle frames around four sides of the sq. it turned out very lovely. Go ahead be creative! ^_^ As for the cross stitch sq.s why not use a light weight iron on interfacing on the backs of them to keep their shape and prevent fraying?

Oh do not get rid of them, they are a part of what makes you , you! Try my suggestion on this page. I think it would work great!

I do a lot of cross stitch and haven't used any in a big quilt. But I have selected a few that I've sewn borders on and made into small wall hangings. I think they've turned out cute and with the expense of getting the cross stitch pieces custom-framed, it's less expensive to combine them with quilting! :-)

The first cross-stitch I ever did, I made into a little fabric wall hanging for my grandma. Maybe I'll just do little quilted wall hangings with them. Thanks for the idea...I forgot about that first one I did.

Hi, I made a baby quilt for my god-daughter with nine baby animals on it. I embroidered all the animals. She's seventeen on Feb. 1st. and still uses the quilt. Of-course I had to redo the embroidery . I used a toddlers coloring book for the animals.

Many years ago you could buy cross stitch blocks and even quilt kits in cross stitch, women cross stitched on pillowcases and dishtowels, and those were washed a lot. I have pillowcaes I stitched in the 50's that were used a lot, and the embrodery is still good, but the case is shot. a quilt wouldnt get washed that often, so go for it!

I have used cross stitch in wall hangings. See pictures below and my avatar. I think the motifs should hold up pretty well in a quilt, especially if you bond some interfacing to the back to help secure the stitches. You can easily use the small ones for greeting cards . . . add them to a bag . . . there are so many possibilities. Don't discard them!

I really like that tulip wall hanging, DJ! Beautiful!!!

I was wondering about this too. I have a bunch of cross stitch. Pin cushions, blocks that look like quilt blocks, unframed Prairie Schooler and Prairie Schooler christmas ornaments that are finished. I was thinking of selling these on this board but didn't know if I could because it's cross stitch and not quilting. I do know about being a regular. I just bounce back and forth. :D

Wow! - Thanks for the pics *DJ*. That's what I wanted to see...you have some beautiful work.

Ok, maybe I'll keep some and maybe sell a few, because I know I will never use them all up in my lifetime. I think I have about 50 pictures I've done or collected.

As I read through this, I was first thinking about the cotton blocks that were (and still are) sold for cross stitch or embroidery for quilts. Some of the pictures shown are counted cross stitch on aida cloth. I sure hope the cross stitch on the cotton blocks will be durable for a quilt as my dear Mother left me enough to make enough quilts to "cover" the earth.

The ones that I have are all on the aida cloth...someone mentioned to put a fusible backing on them...which I hadn't thought about. that will definitely make a difference in using them. So yes, I think it's a go!

I like counted cross stitch but don't do it. I've been buying pieces in thrift stores, etc. and plan to make a quilt with them. I think they may need to have interfacing behind them to keep them in shape. All the pieces I have washed have held up well to washing in a machine.

Most of the ones I have have never been washed.

Any ideas on how to wash/soak them to get the oils and hoop creases out of them?

Someone on here had a wedding quilt with different photos to fabric blocks, plus a cross stitch block of bells. Very beautiful

I made my son a quilt from Precious Moments cross stitched baby train blocks. I used a pre-quilted backing fabric that had batting already attached.

He is now 18 and it has held together beautifully. We don't use it anymore as he "outgrew" it long ago but someday, maybe his kids will enjoy looking at their daddy's first quilt. :thumbup:

I have a bunch of the precious moments pics - they are really big. Aren't they just adorable with your big eyes.

I would say a wallhanging is best - not sure how the ada cloth would hold up - I know I have some t-towels that were embroidered long ago and even bleached and the emboridery work is still in tack.

DG, your wall hangings are beautiful!

Frugalfabrics, they would make a beautiful quilt(s)

A lot of different stitchers made blocks when my daughter was pregnant. I then put the blocks together in a quilt. He's loving it to pieces! Here's a picture.

Wow! That is beautiful...looks like it's holding up really well. Thanks for sharing.

I put fusible interfacing on the back of each block but hadn't thought about that until I read this post. The quilt is holding up great and Rhys is almost 4.

love your avatar...did you make it?

Thanks. Yes, I made the avatar for my sister's 50th birthday.

I was enthralled with them! I still have several of the books. I made the wedding party to resemble my wedding--still have the blocks, never did anything with them. :oops:

I have been cross-stitching images that I downloaded into a x-stitch software program. The attached wall-hanging includes a x-stitch of a Frida Kahlo painting. As you can imagine, it took me a really long time. I quilted a border, did some free motion handwriting, and attached Mexican milagros (a type of "charm").

Wow! that's alot of x-stitch in that picture....amazing! Very nice work...it's great to see these pieces of art.

Thanks! I have others that I will share. I always find that I start a new cross-stitch project when a crisis strikes! I find Frida Kahlo's paintings have an intense meaning for me. All that concentrated cross-stitching is a type of therapy for me. I'm glad you enjoyed seeing this photo.

I totally enjoyed x-stitching when I did it. I've had too many hand and arm surgeries and my hands can no longer grip the fabric/hoop to do it anymore...and my eyes took a dive on me.

I took up quilting after I could no longer do x-stitch...so it actually turned out to be a blessing, because I really enjoy quilting.

Barb, That's a big fear of mine. I have neck problems so I can only cross-stitch for a short time. You may or may not know that Frida Kahlo suffered many surgeries in her lifetime. I became familiar with her because my late sister felt an affinity with Frida. My sister started suffering from rheumatoid arthritis in her 20's. She had numerous surgeries, including a spinal fusion. The painting in my cross stitch shows a column in frida's body. I try to be careful with my hands and neck, but I admit that sometimes sewing is just too much of a temptation for me. It's what I love to do. I'm sorry to hear that you have had to deal with surgeries. Olga

I'll have to look up Frida pics...they look very intrigueing (sp?). I too have a spinal fusion, in addition to my other ailments, but thankfully, that hurts less than the other ailments, so I still quilt and worry about the pain later. I usually wear a kozy kollar heated neck wrap while I quilt and sew, so I don't get deterred by the pain. When I'm at my machine, it is definitely therapy like no other...I can get lost in my sewing room for an entire day and never take the time to eat, drink, or go to the bathroom!...lol. It truly is a passion, that I'm glad I found.

There are tons of websites on Frida Kahlo. A movie was also made of her life, with Selma Hayek. Frida was a fascinating woman. I'm sorry to hear you had to have a spinal fusion, I know that it is a traumatic surgery to experience. It sounds like you have a very optimistic attitude. I love the quotation you use in your signature!

She definitely endured quite the painful (physical and emotional) life....I can relate! especially the line about pain and passion.

Thanks for the info...I posted a link in case anyone else wants to read it. It's very interesting.
http://www.fridakahlo.com/