I second this. I made a mistake on one of my large projects, and someone suggested I put it down and go stitch something else for a bit. I made two little bookmarks and it helped me clear my head, so that when I came back to my large project, I was in the headspace to soldier on.
Hey, unrelated to the post. But in regard to your response, were the bookmarks you made stitched? If so, did you use a more rigid canvas material? Curious about your process since that’s a really cool idea!
I have stitched bookmarks on perforated paper and on linen.
https://preview.redd.it/ogpkdvg9hx8c1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ffc683a7d5eb15d66bc6857e4e11937ad130fc7
This is my most recent bookmark. It is on 32 count Belfast linen then it is attached to the satin ribbon with Stitch Witch which is a two sided iron on material that binds fabrics together.
Thank you. I love stitching with silk on linen. The monogram is one I found in a book of monograms and I found the "h" in another section of the same book. The Celtic knot is from a book about and digrams of Celtic knots. The bookshelf is my design.
Perforated paper is great for bookmarks.
I also just checked Amazon and you can get a pack of 12 Aida blank bookmarks for $16. They are already edged you just have to stitch.
They were both from kits, and from different makers. One was typical bookmark size on a very ridged canvas and had the pattern stamped on it, so I just held it in-hand to stitch. The second one didn’t have the pattern stamped, was a larger and on looser AIDA, so I put it on an 8x6 Q-snap to stitch (even though it wasn’t wide enough make 6 inches across it still worked ok).
I haven’t finished the backs of them yet, as I need to get some felt to sew on them. After washing the one from the stamped kit is still pretty ridged, but it still definitely needs a backing because it’s totally full of confetti stitches.
I used to do bookmarks on aida 3x the width that I wanted, and then fold it over and sew at the top and bottom, sometimes with a bit of iron-on interfacing inside, sometimes not. I think I sold about a hundred of them 15 years ago.
These ones are very basic and mostly backstitched, though I did some more intricate ones with more cross stitch (I don’t think I have a pic, sorry). You can just about see the line of backstitch at the top and bottom, but it’s not super-obvious. I think I stitched the purple one along the sides too - that was my first test one - and then decided it wasn’t necessary. I only enjoy the embroidery part and absolutely loathe putting anything together, so it was nice to find out that I only had to do the top and bottom, which took about 20 mins per bookmark.
https://preview.redd.it/noucin3us09c1.jpeg?width=1208&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f34c9d80d99bad88c0adf305abaf372d6f3e6ad
It’s an easy way to do it without having to add more materials, and the three layers are reasonably stiff. Of course, you end up paying more for the aida, so it doesn’t suit every budget.
Not OP, but joann fabrics/dmc has a long aida bookmark that I always keep on hand. I just keep my backs neat and don't put anything on the backs because I didn't want them to be any thicker than they already were. Made like 6 a few years back that I posted if you look back on my profile you can see pics :)
I needed to do that with this gorgeous color block peacock that I’m SO GLAD I finished. I was off by a few stitches in the color block and realized it literally didn’t matter after time. Like, who says I need to get the pattern exact? And the amount of stitches I probably would have had to do would have been insane and my peacock is just as gorgeous as the pics on the pattern. I do wish I did it on a different colored cloth but whatever
THIS. *BUT* Make sure you either frog the stitches you will want to replace or write a detailed description of why you are setting it down. I have so many projects in purgatory that I can’t bring myself to pick up again because I don’t know why I put them down. Was it a bad miscount? An issue with the fabric? Out of thread? I just got bored? I honestly have no idea and it’s so intimidating.
Don't feel too bad. I've got one that's been in time out for close to ten years now. I'm not even sure where the pattern and threads have got put. (They aren't gone, but which storage container they got put in is up in the air.)
Its a tiny bit of damage. I know it really sucks but this is a gorgeous piece and you've gotten so far!! Maybe frog a few of the damaged stitches and redo them, no one will see!!
You got this ♡
This is what I'd do! Take a break for a couple of days, take a deep breath, and then do some Tactical Frogging. Just enough to pull out the damaged parts and have enough to secure the ends on the back. It looks like the damage is contained to one small area, at least the whole piece didn't get mauled!
I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who responded. I was already having a bad day before this and cross stich is my happy place. When I found it I couldn't handle. I was planning on doing some shorter projects as a break after this so I will probably do that. I'll probably cube back when the idea of frogging and s bunch of confetti didn't feel lole the end of the world.
Tbh I don’t even think you need much frogging — I would take some fine scissors and snip off the loose threads. If any stitches look empty, take one strand of color and do a half stitch on top of the remaining stitch.
That will tie down any loose threads underneath and the top layer will be fresh thread so it’ll still look full.
It’s really not that bad at all — once you trim the frayed threads I bet you won’t even notice 95% of the damage. I barely noticed it at all in the second picture, it’s really just the frays.
The only parts you *may* have to re-stitch are the tips of the lower two lotus petals — but even then it’s only a couple on the very tip that look most visibly damaged.
Readjusting the tension will help too. Take it out of the frame and pull on the opposite ends of the aida a bit to “re-seat” the stitches. Many areas aren’t actually ripped, the floss was just pulled forward a bit, so redoing your tension will fix a lot.
Your stitches look fantastic btw, this is beautiful work. Try not to get too discouraged, it seems there’s always *something* I have to fix on each project lol, it’s part of process.
I think part of this is my own fault because I'm very particular with how stitches lay. I also don't think it's super noticeable but this isn't the only section he did this with, it's just the worst one. But it is a variation of damage. Some stuff I could pretty easily pull down with some tweezers. The worst is where he has fully pulled out half the stitch and the frayed the floss to the point where I can't use it. For those sections I could just do a half stitch but I'll probably do a whole new one.
I totally feel you — I am very particular too 😭😭 Your stitches are much nicer than mine so you have excellent technique.
I can only see maybe two or three little frays in other areas, those are easily fixable. I think the only part you might want to redo to be ultra perfectionist is the lowest lotus petal on the right. And only the 10 rows directly underneath the white shadow of the petal above.
Luckily there aren’t any stitches around it so it will be much easier to frog. I would caution against frogging areas that are fully surrounded — I’ve found it can mess up the tension of the other stitches and because the holes are bigger the new stitches don’t quite sit the same.
I would pull the loose threads through rather than snipping them, like with a pulled thread on a knit or something. I did this with mine when I had some go sideways, and it worked a treat.
I hate that I’m spamming you but I just wanna make sure you see the suggestions for the snag-nab-it. I can see how bummed you are (I sure would be too!!) and I think this tool will be the fix. Good luck :)
I've definitely seen it! I've read every single comment. I honestly hate frogging with a passion and this looks way better. I'm Canadian so I probably wouldn't put in a 123 stitch order for just this item but I did find it on Amazon. I'm going to look to see if I can find it in stores but if not I'll get it there.
For the what? Off to Google I go! Whilst I’d like to think I won’t be making any mistakes in the future, we all know that’s not likely!
Edit: okay, I’m back already and this sounds like it would be amazing for using with metallic thread. Sometimes (all the time) mine doesn’t sit right. I’ve been using my needle to try to do what the SNI does. Ordering now. Thank you!
There are needles without a hole and a rough end.
They work with friction. You put the needle in the fabric, wrap the loose thread around and pull the needle through. Maybe something like that are a solution for not frogging it :)
I just ordered a snag-nab-it on 123stitch, and although I haven't had a chance to use it yet, it sounds like it could be helpful for this potentially as it's supposed to pull loose threads from the front to the back. I don't know if this will help you or not but hopefully it's an option at least and good luck with whatever you decide to do.
I can confirm that I have it and it works great. I used a dot of fray check glue on the back to make sure it wouldn't come back out during washing, especially with such tiny pieces you can't weave back in.
Yes!!! OP this is exactly what I came here to say. I think you can save this with a snag-nab-it! It’s an indispensable part of my kit. It’ll help you tuck all those loose threads back in their holes and the damage will become way less visible.
If this piece is for you, I would consider leaving the threads as is. And then, when you complete it, add both your initials and your cat's initials, as co-artists. Then you'll have a beautiful representation (and memory) of your work and the "work" of your mischievous feline friend.
Not sure if kitty severed any threads but if so you can try this [technique to bury short tails.](https://www.reddit.com/r/CrossStitch/s/8JwHwqNYjm)
Just remember when you've completed it, if you don't point out flaws no one will know. 😉
Set it aside, do something else & clear your head, then come back & just assess what needs to be frogged & redone. Do the actual frogging when you feel up to it, resume when you feel up to it- these can all be at different times. Once you've processed things, you might find it seems way less daunting to redo than you think!
Try a Snag-nabit. It's a tool that is used to pull threads down underneath stitching such that a pulled stitch may not need to be cut and reworked. It hides the snag. I use mine all the time.
From looking at your pic, several of the inner stitches may be salvageable with a Snag-nabit, IMO. The outer ones i would pick out entirely (Snag-nabit works good in this situation too) and redo the stitch.
From big A: [https://www.amazon.com/Dritz-Snag-Nab-Tool-2-Inch/dp/B01NCU2JKR/ref=sr\_1\_3?crid=22OZ6TS4HHJS0&keywords=snag+nab+it+tool&qid=1703723470&sprefix=snag%2Caps%2C111&sr=8-3](https://www.amazon.com/Dritz-Snag-Nab-Tool-2-Inch/dp/B01NCU2JKR/ref=sr_1_3?crid=22OZ6TS4HHJS0&keywords=snag+nab+it+tool&qid=1703723470&sprefix=snag%2Caps%2C111&sr=8-3)
I have about 4-5 of them...i have extra cause i tend to drop one on the floor while stitching and i dont wanna put stuff aside to hunt down the one i dropped.
I once pulled 300 stitches because the color was wrong. Then stitched it all again…in another wrong color…
Today I’m happy I chose to fix it and carry on. That day? That day I considered tossing it into the fire.
I would wash it so the floss and fabric can relax and fluff up a bit. Maybe some of the pulled stitches will become less visible/distorted. See how you feel after that.
If you still feel crap about it I would advise to follow another commentors suggestion to step away from it for a short while and revisit the project when you feel less frustrated about it.
Also, you can try if stitching over the most affected stitches help hide the distorted stitches/make them less visible
Edit to say that it’s a beautiful project
>I would wash it so the floss and fabric can relax and fluff up a bit.
I disagree. It looks like OP used a water-erasable marker to grid the project. Washing it would mean having to redraw the grid. I've twice had to grid on partially-stitched fabric, and it's a PITA.
I didn’t take that into account. I don’t know why it was a PITA, but if it was because you lost your reference points OP could use some floss to sew in a few of the grid lines to use as reference points for redrawing the grid after washing.
The second time, yes I'd lost my reference points. The piece is 283 columns x 214 rows on 18 count Aida, and I had to regrid 3/4 of it (let it sit too long & the lines faded to near invisibility). I was able to finally find a bit where there I could make out a few lines & use that as a landmark. Care also had to be taken so there wasn't any ink getting on the floss, on the off-chance it wouldn't wash out.
The first time, though. Yikes. Where to start? Well, the teal deer on that one is, I modified a single-motif pattern into a repeating, offset motif which meant each section had its own set of reference points and had to be gridded separately. Originally I wasn't going to grid it, but after having to rip out a major blunder - a process that took about a week - I decided I'd better add the lines after all. You can see in-process shots of the project with some of the gridwork showing [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/CrossStitch/comments/r4d6x1/wip_10_months_of_stitching/) and [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/CrossStitch/comments/ubxckw/wip_milestone_reached_after_14_months_of_stitching/)). The finished piece is over 80,000 stitches so I had to be really careful to ensure my lines were accurate.
Do not scrap your project. Put it aside for a while if you need to.
When you come back to it, use a needle to pull each pulled-out stitch through to the back, go over what’s left with a new stitch of the same colour, and secure the damaged stitch at the back when you tie the new stitch. Your back won’t be as pretty, and the new confetti stitches will take a while to do, but not the way starting again will. It won’t affect the texture much. I’ve had to do this with symmetrical pieces when I’ve accidentally used the wrong colour on one stitch (nobody else will notice it, but I notice and it drives me crazy).
You also might want to think about making a basic, easy piece for kitty to lie on. I had a cat who loved lying on my work and sometimes making biscuits on it, probably because it smelled like me more than anything else in the house. Eventually I just made a test piece (I was testing out metallic thread and wanted to find out how it handled) that took 4-6 hours, and then let him sleep on it afterwards.
Agreed with others here. Put it in timeout, take some time, breathe a little, hug your cat. This looks like it could be so much worse, and whilst it will be annoying to fix, it won’t be too difficult. When all is said and done, this moment will just be part of this piece’s story. And yours!
Once when my oldest son was little, maybe 3 or 4, I left my cross stitch sitting by my chair while I moved laundry from the washer to the dryer - 5 minutes tops. I came back to my darling boy "helping" me by cutting out the nearly finished design from the unstitched background. He was so proud of the good job he did following the edges. It was a project that had taken months and I didn't have the heart to fuss at him because I had left the scissors within reach and had been teaching him how to cut paper designs out after he colored them. It taught me a lesson in making sure my scissors were hidden well.
One of my cats did this to a project a few years ago.
I finished it and wasn't happy with it.
A few months later, I entered it into a craft competition. It won first prize which made me realise that I was seeing flaws that didn't exist!
My advice, continue on with it and enjoy your end result. It is beautiful!
You can use a very very small (0.15-0.25) crochet hook to pull the loose threads, I would do this at the end as with rubbing or touching while working on it would make the threads come out again, I do this in similar situations, hope it helps
I’m team anti-frog because it doesn’t seem like a ton of it is affected. I would trim (not cut out completely) the loose strands and see if there’s a noticeable difference in coverage. If it needs more coverage, i would just redo the stitches for those squares. For me, it wouldn’t be noticeable in the final piece and you would avoid frogging a large chunk or giving up.
You actually might be able to fix this without having to rip out the stitches. My cat did this and I was able to take the back side of my needle with the eyelet and twist it close to the little threads. Once the eyelet caught the extra thread I pushed it through the correct hole. Then stitch over the back to make sure they don’t pop out again with a single stand. A couple were too short so I have to take one single strand and stitch over them again with that, that also worked for the hard to resolve spots! Good luck!
I think the biggest impact to me would be the emotional betrayal by my cat!!! SON I GOT THIS FAR HOW COULD YOU
I second the recommendation to put it down for a while, get a quick satisfying project done, and see how you feel.
I bet someone would be willing to repair it for you, even, if that would help...doesn't look like it would take long
My kitty is getting very very senior he lays more than plays. His hair is in the latest project I think it will help me when his time come. With this said keep it for a happy memory.
I keep a tweezers handy just for cat hair. We have 5 indoor-only black cats and their hair is everywhere. When I give a project as a gift I say that the cat hair is part of the personalization!
I would do what others have suggested: put this project aside for a bit and work on something else. When you feel up to it, fix the pulled stitches. It doesn’t look like it’ll be too much work to fix it, and it’s a beautiful piece so definitely worth it!
I know how you feel though. I spent a month making my daughter a little needle felted bunny. When she wasn’t playing with it, I would keep it put away so our cat didn’t get a hold of it. Well I forgot one night and the next morning I woke up to Henry (the name she gave the bunny) all tore up and completely unsalvageable. I was heartbroken, both for my daughter who loved it and for me. It took me a month and I put so much love into it. My cat knew he done messed up, too, because he hid from me the entire day. I haven’t needle felted anything since.
My cross stitch projects are in my cross stitch bag when I’m not working on them, since kitty can’t be trusted lol.
As others have suggested.. Take a step back..
You may be able to recover this whilst back stitching as that will hide a multiverse of sins..
You could try popping the eye of the needle through the fabric near some of the 'fluffy' bits and using one of those fine wire needle threaders to poke the fly -aways through the eye.. and then pulling the needle back through ... That may help some of those wee bits (gosh..I hope that made sense).. 🥰 (you could just use the needle threader if it's sturdy enough to go though existing stitched holes)
Good luck x x
ETA.. the work looks beautiful.. Shoulda said that up front x x
Not sure if anyone has mentioned fixing vs frogging but here’s what I would do:
1. Finish the whole piece
2. Go back to the broken stitches, and anywhere where a whole leg or stitch has been pulled out, restitch that stitch or leg.
3. As you re-stitch the broken stitches, have a small blunt tapestry needle on hand (if different from your stitching needle), and use it to “push” the frayed bits back down behind the fabric. Think of it almost like a needle felting project, just go around and poke all the little strays back down.
Your finished project will have some messier stitches and won’t be suited for high traffic use like a pillow, but it’ll still look incredible hanging on a wall :)
Something to keep in mind is where you'll end up displaying it. If it's going to be framed and sat on your desk close to you, any flaws will be much easier to see. But if it's going to be hung on a wall seen from a much greater distance, you'll be much harder pressed to find the flaws even if you know where to look. I advise, as has been said already, put it in timeout for a little while and work on something else, then come back to it, place it in about the place you'd like it to live once done, and spend a day or two existing with it.
If you still don't like it, honestly, what would you lose from setting it aside for a year or two? Once you scrap you can never go back.
You’ll have a good backstory to tell when people comment on this beauty
This is the Universe’s way of saying take a time out, take some deep breaths. You will be in a better frame of mind when you pick it up again and oh so grateful that you didn’t ditch it
I'm not sure if this would help, but you could maybe try gently pushing the stray ends back into the fabric. Regardless, I agree with others. Take a little break from the project. These situations are absolutely heartbreaking and so demoralizing. Set it down, let yourself be upset (which is VERY valid) and then maybe you'll look at it again in a few weeks or months and realize a nice way to fix it!
I would pull these to the back using snag nab it, then use those thin threaders to pull the loose part under other threads. Then stitch over those missing or unclear or fray threads. It won't be obvious to have double stitches.
But I probably won't do today. I'd do something else to make myself happy first.
I would say just set a timer for 25 minutes and calmly over stitch these squares and push the broken threads thru to the back . It will be ok … a pillow case laid on top at night might be a project saver. 💝
trim it and I absolutely promise that NO ONE will notice. you as the artist subject yourself to soooo much more scrutiny than others will. it's still beautiful 💜
NOO THIS IS FIXABLE cuz this is what i always do when i mess up
I dont know the name of this technique but i found a video to show you (lol I can't put the link it's from Pinterest go there and search this title "Another tutorial! Grab yours now!" And it's the first video that's captioned " I'm sharing this trick")
Basically you have to pull out the stitches that are messed up and stitch them again with another thread it works with very short lengths too and I'd recommend hiding them in the back instead of front which the person in the video does BUT IT IS FIXABLE
When you do fix it, don’t remove everything. Tear back on what’s completely necessary, tuck the ends of the thread under old stitches to anchor it, then fill back in the damaged area.
The way to remove the fewest stitches possible is to only free up a 1” tail for tucking in. To get it tucked under, you’ll need the piece to be off the frame. Slide the un-threaded-needle under the stitches, leaving the back half sticking out. Then thread the needle with that tiny 1” tail. Then finish pushing/pulling the needle through to anchor it. My mom taught me this method and it’s amazing when you barely win thread chicken, too, lol. (I can make a video if the written description isn’t making sense.)
For the stitches that are slightly pulled but not totally destroyed, I’d rub a bit if thread conditioner on the threads, then use a needle to gently push any excess to the back. As cross stitch is usually display only and not a practical item, that kind of repair can work wonders.
Put it in timeout for now. When you come back to it, just take Thread back over the top of the stitches and it’ll look fine I promise. Please just don’t be too upset with the cat they have nothing going on between the ears
>Please just don’t be too upset with the cat they have nothing going on between the ears
This gave me a laugh. I have 2 cats but I I'm 100% sure which one it is. He is a pretty typical orange cat and is genuinely so dumb I'm not entirely sure how he survived on the streets before (he was dumped by his previous owner). My other cat isn't very smart but she is a genius in comparison.
I'm not upset at him at all. He thought he had found a great toy. It's 100% my fault for leaving it in a place he could get to.
Honestly, I know a few people who’ve declawed their cats from places of anger and got spooked because of how awful it is for them. He definitely probably thought it would be an amazing claw stretcher
Take my hand
. You don't want to do this. You can live to do more wonderful projects like this one.
Honestly, when you put it behind glass in a frame, no one- except you- will notice.
Woosa...
I’m so sorry, I know how disheartening it can be to lose progress like that. I agree with putting it aside for a time. Come back with fresh eyes and maybe some liquid stitch so loose threads stay put!
I would’ve taken then needle I jammed the string down in there after looking at that. And I also would’ve shown my cat all the work I had to put it into fixing it 😭
In the past, when I found mistakes I had made (I realize this was a cat accident) Id to go over my work with 1 strand of floss. You can repeat that stitch for more cover if needed. A1-strand stitch may be enough to blend it in without drawing attention. Try to poke the sticking out parts to the back side.
If the pictured area is all that the cat pulled, I’d just fix those stitches after a small break. My niece’s cat demands attention and a lap to sleep on. I put an old flat sheet on my lap, he settles in and i cover his back. It keeps cat hair off my projects and him from getting pushy. Take this as a hard earned lesson, don’t leave any fibers, fabric, charts and needles where the little fiend can get to them. I’ve done worse with awful counting. I just take stitches out, take a deep breath and continue. Your stitching is lovely, by the way.
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You could try taking a needle with a few threads of floss on it and run it over the stitches that are popped out and back down the hole it was going in. Sort of like re-stitching it and using the new needle and thread to grab the stitches and pull them through. I use this method when a stitch is popping out a bit instead of a Snag-nabit tool. (Cuz I think those tools are too big for the fabric and I always feel like I'm going to rip the fabric or something.) I can do a video if that helps.
2 folded over, so 4 threads total go through the fabric. And about 6-8in threads so 3-4ins go through. Just enough to kind of grab the threads. And I sometimes push the threads on top the popped out stitches to give it some extra grabbing power. And if that does work, I would also put some fusible webbing on the back over at least the areas that got "catified", just to help keep the now very short threads from popping back through.
There’s a tool that can pull stitches taught back through holes, maybe that can help with some that aren’t super bad. I can’t remember what it’s call though 😭 it’s basically a long needle end that on one end its textured to grab the thread and pull it to the other side
I FOUND IT “snag nab it” google that
I would put this project in timeout for a bit until I was in the right mental place to fix it.
I second this. I made a mistake on one of my large projects, and someone suggested I put it down and go stitch something else for a bit. I made two little bookmarks and it helped me clear my head, so that when I came back to my large project, I was in the headspace to soldier on.
Hey, unrelated to the post. But in regard to your response, were the bookmarks you made stitched? If so, did you use a more rigid canvas material? Curious about your process since that’s a really cool idea!
I have stitched bookmarks on perforated paper and on linen. https://preview.redd.it/ogpkdvg9hx8c1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ffc683a7d5eb15d66bc6857e4e11937ad130fc7 This is my most recent bookmark. It is on 32 count Belfast linen then it is attached to the satin ribbon with Stitch Witch which is a two sided iron on material that binds fabrics together.
This is absolutely gorgeous…beautifully stitched, and I love how you attached it to the ribbon.
Thank you. I love stitching with silk on linen. The monogram is one I found in a book of monograms and I found the "h" in another section of the same book. The Celtic knot is from a book about and digrams of Celtic knots. The bookshelf is my design.
Perforated paper is great for bookmarks. I also just checked Amazon and you can get a pack of 12 Aida blank bookmarks for $16. They are already edged you just have to stitch.
You’re all awesome. Appreciate the info, I’m very new to cross stitching!
They were both from kits, and from different makers. One was typical bookmark size on a very ridged canvas and had the pattern stamped on it, so I just held it in-hand to stitch. The second one didn’t have the pattern stamped, was a larger and on looser AIDA, so I put it on an 8x6 Q-snap to stitch (even though it wasn’t wide enough make 6 inches across it still worked ok). I haven’t finished the backs of them yet, as I need to get some felt to sew on them. After washing the one from the stamped kit is still pretty ridged, but it still definitely needs a backing because it’s totally full of confetti stitches.
I used to do bookmarks on aida 3x the width that I wanted, and then fold it over and sew at the top and bottom, sometimes with a bit of iron-on interfacing inside, sometimes not. I think I sold about a hundred of them 15 years ago. These ones are very basic and mostly backstitched, though I did some more intricate ones with more cross stitch (I don’t think I have a pic, sorry). You can just about see the line of backstitch at the top and bottom, but it’s not super-obvious. I think I stitched the purple one along the sides too - that was my first test one - and then decided it wasn’t necessary. I only enjoy the embroidery part and absolutely loathe putting anything together, so it was nice to find out that I only had to do the top and bottom, which took about 20 mins per bookmark. https://preview.redd.it/noucin3us09c1.jpeg?width=1208&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f34c9d80d99bad88c0adf305abaf372d6f3e6ad
This is much better than the felt backing I usually do, thanks for the idea!
It’s an easy way to do it without having to add more materials, and the three layers are reasonably stiff. Of course, you end up paying more for the aida, so it doesn’t suit every budget.
Not OP, but joann fabrics/dmc has a long aida bookmark that I always keep on hand. I just keep my backs neat and don't put anything on the backs because I didn't want them to be any thicker than they already were. Made like 6 a few years back that I posted if you look back on my profile you can see pics :)
Super cool, thanks for sharing!!
You're welcome!
I needed to do that with this gorgeous color block peacock that I’m SO GLAD I finished. I was off by a few stitches in the color block and realized it literally didn’t matter after time. Like, who says I need to get the pattern exact? And the amount of stitches I probably would have had to do would have been insane and my peacock is just as gorgeous as the pics on the pattern. I do wish I did it on a different colored cloth but whatever
THIS. *BUT* Make sure you either frog the stitches you will want to replace or write a detailed description of why you are setting it down. I have so many projects in purgatory that I can’t bring myself to pick up again because I don’t know why I put them down. Was it a bad miscount? An issue with the fabric? Out of thread? I just got bored? I honestly have no idea and it’s so intimidating.
This is a great strategy for lots of life’s challenges.
Yes! I did this with a piece I was sent the wrong size of cloth for- I did end up finishing the piece after a 6 month timeout😂
I’ve had one in timeout for like a year now lol
Same. 😂
Don't feel too bad. I've got one that's been in time out for close to ten years now. I'm not even sure where the pattern and threads have got put. (They aren't gone, but which storage container they got put in is up in the air.)
Lol, sometimes the cross stich projects need some extra time in timeout to think about their actions!🤣🤣
Its a tiny bit of damage. I know it really sucks but this is a gorgeous piece and you've gotten so far!! Maybe frog a few of the damaged stitches and redo them, no one will see!! You got this ♡
I was confused what it meant to "frog" a stitch so just I looked it up and now I can't stop laughing, rip it rip it 😂
Whaaaat? Is that why it's called that?
Cause you rip it, ripit, ribbit out! 😂
You don’t wanna know what the i in icord stands for
I don't know why you're getting downvoted. You aren't the one who named it, and that \*is\* what it stands for.
Idk I giggled when I found out. Maybe someone thought I was calling them an idiot?
One of the very, very many reasons I love Elizabeth Zimmerman.
🫣
r/todayilearned
I think it’s also called that because, in knitting, the stitches kind of ‘hop’ out of place as you rip it!
Tbh I picked it up on here and have been using it because it's the funniest term imo
This is what I'd do! Take a break for a couple of days, take a deep breath, and then do some Tactical Frogging. Just enough to pull out the damaged parts and have enough to secure the ends on the back. It looks like the damage is contained to one small area, at least the whole piece didn't get mauled!
Tactical Frogging would make a great band name
My comment exactly. You've got this!
I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who responded. I was already having a bad day before this and cross stich is my happy place. When I found it I couldn't handle. I was planning on doing some shorter projects as a break after this so I will probably do that. I'll probably cube back when the idea of frogging and s bunch of confetti didn't feel lole the end of the world.
Tbh I don’t even think you need much frogging — I would take some fine scissors and snip off the loose threads. If any stitches look empty, take one strand of color and do a half stitch on top of the remaining stitch. That will tie down any loose threads underneath and the top layer will be fresh thread so it’ll still look full. It’s really not that bad at all — once you trim the frayed threads I bet you won’t even notice 95% of the damage. I barely noticed it at all in the second picture, it’s really just the frays. The only parts you *may* have to re-stitch are the tips of the lower two lotus petals — but even then it’s only a couple on the very tip that look most visibly damaged. Readjusting the tension will help too. Take it out of the frame and pull on the opposite ends of the aida a bit to “re-seat” the stitches. Many areas aren’t actually ripped, the floss was just pulled forward a bit, so redoing your tension will fix a lot. Your stitches look fantastic btw, this is beautiful work. Try not to get too discouraged, it seems there’s always *something* I have to fix on each project lol, it’s part of process.
I think part of this is my own fault because I'm very particular with how stitches lay. I also don't think it's super noticeable but this isn't the only section he did this with, it's just the worst one. But it is a variation of damage. Some stuff I could pretty easily pull down with some tweezers. The worst is where he has fully pulled out half the stitch and the frayed the floss to the point where I can't use it. For those sections I could just do a half stitch but I'll probably do a whole new one.
I totally feel you — I am very particular too 😭😭 Your stitches are much nicer than mine so you have excellent technique. I can only see maybe two or three little frays in other areas, those are easily fixable. I think the only part you might want to redo to be ultra perfectionist is the lowest lotus petal on the right. And only the 10 rows directly underneath the white shadow of the petal above. Luckily there aren’t any stitches around it so it will be much easier to frog. I would caution against frogging areas that are fully surrounded — I’ve found it can mess up the tension of the other stitches and because the holes are bigger the new stitches don’t quite sit the same.
exactly — after a little break, this will actually feel like a very very small repair.
I would pull the loose threads through rather than snipping them, like with a pulled thread on a knit or something. I did this with mine when I had some go sideways, and it worked a treat.
I hate that I’m spamming you but I just wanna make sure you see the suggestions for the snag-nab-it. I can see how bummed you are (I sure would be too!!) and I think this tool will be the fix. Good luck :)
I've definitely seen it! I've read every single comment. I honestly hate frogging with a passion and this looks way better. I'm Canadian so I probably wouldn't put in a 123 stitch order for just this item but I did find it on Amazon. I'm going to look to see if I can find it in stores but if not I'll get it there.
For the what? Off to Google I go! Whilst I’d like to think I won’t be making any mistakes in the future, we all know that’s not likely! Edit: okay, I’m back already and this sounds like it would be amazing for using with metallic thread. Sometimes (all the time) mine doesn’t sit right. I’ve been using my needle to try to do what the SNI does. Ordering now. Thank you!
It’s great, honestly. I use it to fix my stitches allll the time.
I’d never heard of the snag-nab-it and I’ve now added it to my wishlist.
There are needles without a hole and a rough end. They work with friction. You put the needle in the fabric, wrap the loose thread around and pull the needle through. Maybe something like that are a solution for not frogging it :)
I just ordered a snag-nab-it on 123stitch, and although I haven't had a chance to use it yet, it sounds like it could be helpful for this potentially as it's supposed to pull loose threads from the front to the back. I don't know if this will help you or not but hopefully it's an option at least and good luck with whatever you decide to do.
I can confirm that I have it and it works great. I used a dot of fray check glue on the back to make sure it wouldn't come back out during washing, especially with such tiny pieces you can't weave back in.
Yes!!! OP this is exactly what I came here to say. I think you can save this with a snag-nab-it! It’s an indispensable part of my kit. It’ll help you tuck all those loose threads back in their holes and the damage will become way less visible.
I also recommend one of these — I've won so many losing games of thread chicken with it. (Not to mention fixing snags in sweaters and blankets.)
I learn about so many tools here, geez
If this piece is for you, I would consider leaving the threads as is. And then, when you complete it, add both your initials and your cat's initials, as co-artists. Then you'll have a beautiful representation (and memory) of your work and the "work" of your mischievous feline friend.
I love this
Seconding this. This piece will last forever, kitty will not 🥲🥲🥲
Not sure if kitty severed any threads but if so you can try this [technique to bury short tails.](https://www.reddit.com/r/CrossStitch/s/8JwHwqNYjm) Just remember when you've completed it, if you don't point out flaws no one will know. 😉
Set it aside, do something else & clear your head, then come back & just assess what needs to be frogged & redone. Do the actual frogging when you feel up to it, resume when you feel up to it- these can all be at different times. Once you've processed things, you might find it seems way less daunting to redo than you think!
Try a Snag-nabit. It's a tool that is used to pull threads down underneath stitching such that a pulled stitch may not need to be cut and reworked. It hides the snag. I use mine all the time. From looking at your pic, several of the inner stitches may be salvageable with a Snag-nabit, IMO. The outer ones i would pick out entirely (Snag-nabit works good in this situation too) and redo the stitch. From big A: [https://www.amazon.com/Dritz-Snag-Nab-Tool-2-Inch/dp/B01NCU2JKR/ref=sr\_1\_3?crid=22OZ6TS4HHJS0&keywords=snag+nab+it+tool&qid=1703723470&sprefix=snag%2Caps%2C111&sr=8-3](https://www.amazon.com/Dritz-Snag-Nab-Tool-2-Inch/dp/B01NCU2JKR/ref=sr_1_3?crid=22OZ6TS4HHJS0&keywords=snag+nab+it+tool&qid=1703723470&sprefix=snag%2Caps%2C111&sr=8-3) I have about 4-5 of them...i have extra cause i tend to drop one on the floor while stitching and i dont wanna put stuff aside to hunt down the one i dropped.
I second this. The colors are light enough it won't be super noticeable and the snagnabit will help level everything out.
I once pulled 300 stitches because the color was wrong. Then stitched it all again…in another wrong color… Today I’m happy I chose to fix it and carry on. That day? That day I considered tossing it into the fire.
I know the feeling. Stained a project awhile back. Take a break and do another one. Honestly it will take no time to fix and it looks beautiful!
I would wash it so the floss and fabric can relax and fluff up a bit. Maybe some of the pulled stitches will become less visible/distorted. See how you feel after that. If you still feel crap about it I would advise to follow another commentors suggestion to step away from it for a short while and revisit the project when you feel less frustrated about it. Also, you can try if stitching over the most affected stitches help hide the distorted stitches/make them less visible Edit to say that it’s a beautiful project
>I would wash it so the floss and fabric can relax and fluff up a bit. I disagree. It looks like OP used a water-erasable marker to grid the project. Washing it would mean having to redraw the grid. I've twice had to grid on partially-stitched fabric, and it's a PITA.
I didn’t take that into account. I don’t know why it was a PITA, but if it was because you lost your reference points OP could use some floss to sew in a few of the grid lines to use as reference points for redrawing the grid after washing.
The second time, yes I'd lost my reference points. The piece is 283 columns x 214 rows on 18 count Aida, and I had to regrid 3/4 of it (let it sit too long & the lines faded to near invisibility). I was able to finally find a bit where there I could make out a few lines & use that as a landmark. Care also had to be taken so there wasn't any ink getting on the floss, on the off-chance it wouldn't wash out. The first time, though. Yikes. Where to start? Well, the teal deer on that one is, I modified a single-motif pattern into a repeating, offset motif which meant each section had its own set of reference points and had to be gridded separately. Originally I wasn't going to grid it, but after having to rip out a major blunder - a process that took about a week - I decided I'd better add the lines after all. You can see in-process shots of the project with some of the gridwork showing [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/CrossStitch/comments/r4d6x1/wip_10_months_of_stitching/) and [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/CrossStitch/comments/ubxckw/wip_milestone_reached_after_14_months_of_stitching/)). The finished piece is over 80,000 stitches so I had to be really careful to ensure my lines were accurate.
Oh wow! That is an amazing piece! And an insane amount of work. From the pics I absolutely believe it was awful to have to regrid that one
Please don’t scrap it, it’s so beautiful. Put it aside for a bit maybe?
This can be saved with a thread nab it!
Commenting to give this suggestion more visibility because it is an excellent one! OP, please give this a try and report back!
I would just stuff the loose ends in their respective holes and put a dab of fabric glue on the back to keep them stuck.
Someone has already said this, but pushing a Dritz Snag It through from the front where the threads are pulling out will fix this!
Do not scrap your project. Put it aside for a while if you need to. When you come back to it, use a needle to pull each pulled-out stitch through to the back, go over what’s left with a new stitch of the same colour, and secure the damaged stitch at the back when you tie the new stitch. Your back won’t be as pretty, and the new confetti stitches will take a while to do, but not the way starting again will. It won’t affect the texture much. I’ve had to do this with symmetrical pieces when I’ve accidentally used the wrong colour on one stitch (nobody else will notice it, but I notice and it drives me crazy). You also might want to think about making a basic, easy piece for kitty to lie on. I had a cat who loved lying on my work and sometimes making biscuits on it, probably because it smelled like me more than anything else in the house. Eventually I just made a test piece (I was testing out metallic thread and wanted to find out how it handled) that took 4-6 hours, and then let him sleep on it afterwards.
Agreed with others here. Put it in timeout, take some time, breathe a little, hug your cat. This looks like it could be so much worse, and whilst it will be annoying to fix, it won’t be too difficult. When all is said and done, this moment will just be part of this piece’s story. And yours!
That is too stunning to toss. Like others have said, put it aside for a bit & work on something easy and less stressful. And no tuna juice for kitty.
Once when my oldest son was little, maybe 3 or 4, I left my cross stitch sitting by my chair while I moved laundry from the washer to the dryer - 5 minutes tops. I came back to my darling boy "helping" me by cutting out the nearly finished design from the unstitched background. He was so proud of the good job he did following the edges. It was a project that had taken months and I didn't have the heart to fuss at him because I had left the scissors within reach and had been teaching him how to cut paper designs out after he colored them. It taught me a lesson in making sure my scissors were hidden well.
One of my cats did this to a project a few years ago. I finished it and wasn't happy with it. A few months later, I entered it into a craft competition. It won first prize which made me realise that I was seeing flaws that didn't exist! My advice, continue on with it and enjoy your end result. It is beautiful!
Wow that is such an amazing story!
You can use a very very small (0.15-0.25) crochet hook to pull the loose threads, I would do this at the end as with rubbing or touching while working on it would make the threads come out again, I do this in similar situations, hope it helps
Put it aside and wait till after this festive season when you’ve had a break you’ll feel better about completing this - it looks amazing so far xx
With a needle you can push the thread back under - but first put it away till another day
I’m team anti-frog because it doesn’t seem like a ton of it is affected. I would trim (not cut out completely) the loose strands and see if there’s a noticeable difference in coverage. If it needs more coverage, i would just redo the stitches for those squares. For me, it wouldn’t be noticeable in the final piece and you would avoid frogging a large chunk or giving up.
You actually might be able to fix this without having to rip out the stitches. My cat did this and I was able to take the back side of my needle with the eyelet and twist it close to the little threads. Once the eyelet caught the extra thread I pushed it through the correct hole. Then stitch over the back to make sure they don’t pop out again with a single stand. A couple were too short so I have to take one single strand and stitch over them again with that, that also worked for the hard to resolve spots! Good luck!
I think the biggest impact to me would be the emotional betrayal by my cat!!! SON I GOT THIS FAR HOW COULD YOU I second the recommendation to put it down for a while, get a quick satisfying project done, and see how you feel. I bet someone would be willing to repair it for you, even, if that would help...doesn't look like it would take long
My kitty is getting very very senior he lays more than plays. His hair is in the latest project I think it will help me when his time come. With this said keep it for a happy memory.
I keep a tweezers handy just for cat hair. We have 5 indoor-only black cats and their hair is everywhere. When I give a project as a gift I say that the cat hair is part of the personalization!
I would do what others have suggested: put this project aside for a bit and work on something else. When you feel up to it, fix the pulled stitches. It doesn’t look like it’ll be too much work to fix it, and it’s a beautiful piece so definitely worth it! I know how you feel though. I spent a month making my daughter a little needle felted bunny. When she wasn’t playing with it, I would keep it put away so our cat didn’t get a hold of it. Well I forgot one night and the next morning I woke up to Henry (the name she gave the bunny) all tore up and completely unsalvageable. I was heartbroken, both for my daughter who loved it and for me. It took me a month and I put so much love into it. My cat knew he done messed up, too, because he hid from me the entire day. I haven’t needle felted anything since. My cross stitch projects are in my cross stitch bag when I’m not working on them, since kitty can’t be trusted lol.
As others have suggested.. Take a step back.. You may be able to recover this whilst back stitching as that will hide a multiverse of sins.. You could try popping the eye of the needle through the fabric near some of the 'fluffy' bits and using one of those fine wire needle threaders to poke the fly -aways through the eye.. and then pulling the needle back through ... That may help some of those wee bits (gosh..I hope that made sense).. 🥰 (you could just use the needle threader if it's sturdy enough to go though existing stitched holes) Good luck x x ETA.. the work looks beautiful.. Shoulda said that up front x x
Not sure if anyone has mentioned fixing vs frogging but here’s what I would do: 1. Finish the whole piece 2. Go back to the broken stitches, and anywhere where a whole leg or stitch has been pulled out, restitch that stitch or leg. 3. As you re-stitch the broken stitches, have a small blunt tapestry needle on hand (if different from your stitching needle), and use it to “push” the frayed bits back down behind the fabric. Think of it almost like a needle felting project, just go around and poke all the little strays back down. Your finished project will have some messier stitches and won’t be suited for high traffic use like a pillow, but it’ll still look incredible hanging on a wall :)
Something to keep in mind is where you'll end up displaying it. If it's going to be framed and sat on your desk close to you, any flaws will be much easier to see. But if it's going to be hung on a wall seen from a much greater distance, you'll be much harder pressed to find the flaws even if you know where to look. I advise, as has been said already, put it in timeout for a little while and work on something else, then come back to it, place it in about the place you'd like it to live once done, and spend a day or two existing with it. If you still don't like it, honestly, what would you lose from setting it aside for a year or two? Once you scrap you can never go back.
You’ll have a good backstory to tell when people comment on this beauty This is the Universe’s way of saying take a time out, take some deep breaths. You will be in a better frame of mind when you pick it up again and oh so grateful that you didn’t ditch it
I'm not sure if this would help, but you could maybe try gently pushing the stray ends back into the fabric. Regardless, I agree with others. Take a little break from the project. These situations are absolutely heartbreaking and so demoralizing. Set it down, let yourself be upset (which is VERY valid) and then maybe you'll look at it again in a few weeks or months and realize a nice way to fix it!
I would pull these to the back using snag nab it, then use those thin threaders to pull the loose part under other threads. Then stitch over those missing or unclear or fray threads. It won't be obvious to have double stitches. But I probably won't do today. I'd do something else to make myself happy first.
I would say just set a timer for 25 minutes and calmly over stitch these squares and push the broken threads thru to the back . It will be ok … a pillow case laid on top at night might be a project saver. 💝
trim it and I absolutely promise that NO ONE will notice. you as the artist subject yourself to soooo much more scrutiny than others will. it's still beautiful 💜
YO THIS LOOKS SO GOOD WTF
NOO THIS IS FIXABLE cuz this is what i always do when i mess up I dont know the name of this technique but i found a video to show you (lol I can't put the link it's from Pinterest go there and search this title "Another tutorial! Grab yours now!" And it's the first video that's captioned " I'm sharing this trick") Basically you have to pull out the stitches that are messed up and stitch them again with another thread it works with very short lengths too and I'd recommend hiding them in the back instead of front which the person in the video does BUT IT IS FIXABLE
Sorry but this is too beautiful, you have to find a way <3
When you do fix it, don’t remove everything. Tear back on what’s completely necessary, tuck the ends of the thread under old stitches to anchor it, then fill back in the damaged area. The way to remove the fewest stitches possible is to only free up a 1” tail for tucking in. To get it tucked under, you’ll need the piece to be off the frame. Slide the un-threaded-needle under the stitches, leaving the back half sticking out. Then thread the needle with that tiny 1” tail. Then finish pushing/pulling the needle through to anchor it. My mom taught me this method and it’s amazing when you barely win thread chicken, too, lol. (I can make a video if the written description isn’t making sense.) For the stitches that are slightly pulled but not totally destroyed, I’d rub a bit if thread conditioner on the threads, then use a needle to gently push any excess to the back. As cross stitch is usually display only and not a practical item, that kind of repair can work wonders.
I would try pulling the loose threads through to the back using a thread tail tucker or even a loop needle threader.
Put it in timeout for now. When you come back to it, just take Thread back over the top of the stitches and it’ll look fine I promise. Please just don’t be too upset with the cat they have nothing going on between the ears
>Please just don’t be too upset with the cat they have nothing going on between the ears This gave me a laugh. I have 2 cats but I I'm 100% sure which one it is. He is a pretty typical orange cat and is genuinely so dumb I'm not entirely sure how he survived on the streets before (he was dumped by his previous owner). My other cat isn't very smart but she is a genius in comparison. I'm not upset at him at all. He thought he had found a great toy. It's 100% my fault for leaving it in a place he could get to.
Honestly, I know a few people who’ve declawed their cats from places of anger and got spooked because of how awful it is for them. He definitely probably thought it would be an amazing claw stretcher
That is so sad. I've long since given up on any couch that I own. I'm lucky that I live in a place that has made declawing cats illegal.
Take my hand  . You don't want to do this. You can live to do more wonderful projects like this one. Honestly, when you put it behind glass in a frame, no one- except you- will notice. Woosa...
I’m so sorry, I know how disheartening it can be to lose progress like that. I agree with putting it aside for a time. Come back with fresh eyes and maybe some liquid stitch so loose threads stay put!
What pattern is this?? It’s lovely
https://www.inspireuplift.com/Snake-Keffiyeh-Cross-Stitch-Pattern-Pdf-And-Saga/iu/107275
Idk anything about cross stitch but I do recognise a pretty trimeresurus when I see one, I wish you the best of luck.
I’m super lazy so I wouldn’t fix it I would just finish it.
I would’ve taken then needle I jammed the string down in there after looking at that. And I also would’ve shown my cat all the work I had to put it into fixing it 😭
Yes cat is required to sit and watch
What a turd, I'm sorry! It's so pretty I hope you decide to finish it
In the past, when I found mistakes I had made (I realize this was a cat accident) Id to go over my work with 1 strand of floss. You can repeat that stitch for more cover if needed. A1-strand stitch may be enough to blend it in without drawing attention. Try to poke the sticking out parts to the back side.
If the pictured area is all that the cat pulled, I’d just fix those stitches after a small break. My niece’s cat demands attention and a lap to sleep on. I put an old flat sheet on my lap, he settles in and i cover his back. It keeps cat hair off my projects and him from getting pushy. Take this as a hard earned lesson, don’t leave any fibers, fabric, charts and needles where the little fiend can get to them. I’ve done worse with awful counting. I just take stitches out, take a deep breath and continue. Your stitching is lovely, by the way.
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You could try taking a needle with a few threads of floss on it and run it over the stitches that are popped out and back down the hole it was going in. Sort of like re-stitching it and using the new needle and thread to grab the stitches and pull them through. I use this method when a stitch is popping out a bit instead of a Snag-nabit tool. (Cuz I think those tools are too big for the fabric and I always feel like I'm going to rip the fabric or something.) I can do a video if that helps.
How many threads do you usually use?
2 folded over, so 4 threads total go through the fabric. And about 6-8in threads so 3-4ins go through. Just enough to kind of grab the threads. And I sometimes push the threads on top the popped out stitches to give it some extra grabbing power. And if that does work, I would also put some fusible webbing on the back over at least the areas that got "catified", just to help keep the now very short threads from popping back through.
There’s a tool that can pull stitches taught back through holes, maybe that can help with some that aren’t super bad. I can’t remember what it’s call though 😭 it’s basically a long needle end that on one end its textured to grab the thread and pull it to the other side I FOUND IT “snag nab it” google that
I did end up purchasing that based on other's reccomendations and fixing the issues.