Pyrquilt

I had surgery recently & I can't use my sewing machine or cut out blocks temporarily. I used to do counted cross stitch a lot and I could do that while I recover. I found a couple cute counted cross stitch patterns that I would like to include in the quilt that I started before the surgery. It is for an auction for a club I belong to. I assume it will be washed regularly. If I cross stitch on the Aida cloth and use as a block in my quilt, will it hold up in the wash?

Iceblossom

This is one I can't answer from personal experience. I would think at least some of it would depend on your skills. Red work, which is just typically chain stitches and sturdy knots was used in things that were extensively washed from quilts to aprons and tea towels.

With me and my prewashing habits, I would probably test a piece of the cloth to see how it reacts to washing. I'd do a bit of stitching on it to see how that reacts as well. I think most flosses today are pretty shrink/color stable but again, I run tests on products I don't know well. I would think if it holds up well as in doesn't ravel too much or shrink, it is probably easier to work on the unwashed cloth, and wait for the washing later.

sewingpup

Ahhh, just dusted the cobwebs out of my brain. I remembered I had cross stitched some sweatshirts in the past and I still have them, the cuffs are now worn, and they have been washed many, many times but the cross stich is still fine! OK, then, how did I do that. Had to do a search, I used a product called "waste canvas" which comes in various counts just like Adaia. However, you attach it to the fabric by basting, then do your counted cross stitch through your fabric and over the waste canvas. When done, the work is wetted down, and some tweezers is used to pull the strands one by one from behind the work leaving the cross stitch on the base fabric. This would give a softer feel to the completed work that can be washed. It also looks like I may have put some sort of a soft stabilizer on the back also, but only shreds of that are remaining. I also would check the embroidery threads to make sure they are colorfast. I can see the pattern book I used in my mind but have no idea where it might be in my two-story house.
Just checked, they now make dissolvable waste canvas. even easier. This way you can use any fabric you want in the quilt. Just prewash it.

Pyrquilt

Thank you fellow quilters. Great ideas. So glad I found this forum

toogie

I will just tell you my experience. I made throw pillows for my sofa and Crosstitch on Aida cloth,the fronts. However, the DMC floss eventually started breaking. I don’t know if it was because we use pillows at our backs and sitting, moving, rubbing the fronts or what, but the DMC didn’t hold up. Just telling you my experience so you can think about it, before you put in all that work….another thought, you could x stitch a wall hanging while you’re convalescing. I have several in frames, largest 16x20, but you could also hang like a quilt wall hanging. A wall hanging wouldn’t have the friction against the DMC like my pillows did and when you needed to wash, you could hand wash. Good luck!
ps. Here is my 16x20- I nearly went blind stitching these quilts, especially all the gold shading-lol - it took me longer than to piece a real quilt!

Iceblossom

I was thinking more about this, in my thrift store UFO stuff I have some large 1970s era cross stitch blocks on the preprinted fabric. The blocks are large, like 16", and the stitches are too, maybe close to 1/4"?? Unfortunately for me, the blocks were printed on really flimsy backing fabric. Some of those kits were nice reasonable fabric. I plan to line/back the blocks and prequilt inside the open areas of the design. I've cut sashing for it and will then put the whole top together with a full batt.

I'm going to wash it -- but it won't be in heavy use and since I didn't spend the time on the blocks, only maybe $5 at the thrift store, I don't mind taking the risk for the amount of effort I'll be putting in.

juliasb

My sister just finished a lovely baby quilt that had 12 counted cross stitch blocks in it. It had to be washed before sending out and it held up perfectly on a regular wash cycle. You should be ok.

RebeccaK1

Does anyone know of a video that may help with adding counted cross stitch to a quilt? I have several that my mother made, but I don't want to ruin them by cutting them down when I'm a new at quilting.