Dr Who Exploding Tardis

[Pyper]

That is small enough I might be able to tackle it. Fantastic! Are the colours from KG or something reliable?

[fritobanditoz]

Awesome! Thank you so much! What is the final size of this one?

[Pyper]

Its 161 x 104 stitches which translates to 11.5" x 7.5" (30 x 19 cm) on 14 ct or 9" x 5.8" on 18 ct (23 x 14.7 cm) with 51 colours

[Sheetaaa]

Pleaaaase marry meeeee!

[sabine4242]

This is gorgeous! Thank you so much--I may even tackle the BIG one

[CrazyCucco11]

Wow! This is amazing! i am a huge fan of dr who. this would also make a great gift for a fan!

[katdun]

Thinkgeek has this on a blanket! I saw it today and had to share!

[Sammykatt]

Hello! I am new to cross stitching... well, I've done it on and off for YEARS but never actually finished anything before. I really want to make this for my new home (hopefully I'll be buying next year!) and would like some pointers on where to start exactly. I know this is kinda a big project but I really want to make it! Where do I get the fabric and everything I need from? I've only used kits before.

Can anyone help me out with a list of things I will need to buy to start this huge project?


Thank you for your help!
~SammyKatt

[slrosenbaum]

Hi Sammykatt!

I've been stitching for 20+ years and I understand how daunting it can be to go from kits to an actual pattern. I suggest you start with the smaller of the two sizes. The larger size may be so intimidating that you never finish it (trust me, I know!).

You should be able to buy any and all supplies at a Joann's, Hobby Lobby, or Michael's craft store (or equivalent). SOME Walmarts carry craft stuff but I wouldn't bet on finding everything there.

For the small piece, you'll need a piece of fabric approximately 18in x 14in (11in x 7in for the pattern itself, plus a 3 inch border for framing) in 14ct. Bigger is always better, because you can always trim back. As far as what type of fabric you'd like to get (aida, evenweave, linen, etc), I'd say go with whatever you're comfortable with. This pattern would look amazing on linen/evenweave, but if you've never used it before, it can be a little scary. The difference is the size of the holes. In aida, the holes are very large and you stitch into every one of them. The result can be a very blocky looking image. With linen/evenweave, the holes are smaller and you stitch every other one (known as stitching over 2). You end up with a more fluid result that is less blocky. I will say, however, that once you use linen/evenweave, you never go back. :-) If you do decide to go with aida, you'll want a 14ct to get the 11x7 size. If you decide to try linen/evenweave, you'll want a 28ct fabric which will give you the same size pattern and blocks as the 14ct aida. If you'd like more of an explanation on this, feel free to email me :-)

As far as the thread goes, the standard is DMC. Since, there aren't any specialty threads, you will be able to get these at Joanns/HL/Michaels without an issue. The last page of the small chart shows you all the colors you'll need. The 3 or 4 digit number next to the symbol is your DMC number. At the store, they *should* all be in numerical order so they should be pretty easy to find.

If you so desire, you can purchase some thread bobbins at the craft stores to wind and store your threads. You can also get a craft box with dividers to store your threads in, but that's entirely up to you. They also sell small bags that you can label with the DMC number to store threads in as well. Each person has their own preference as to which storage method they prefer.

Of course you'll need needles (look for a tapestry needle), and scissors, and patience ;-) You can buy a needle threader if you don't have one, but its not necessary.

Ummm...I think that's everything you'd need. Please let me know if I can help with anything else. I don't get on this forum much, but I'll try to stop by more to see if you've replied. Good luck and happy stitching!!

[Pyper]

Two things I would add to that. Firstly it is better to have lots of extra fabric, as sometimes the final size will be a little off (eg if you figure it out for exactly 14 ct and the fabric turns out closer to a 13 ct you may be short), and count out with pins or tack thread the final size of your project *before* you start stitching it (I speak from experience here). Secondly keep an open mind about the colours. If you can't get the exact colour listed another may be close enough, and if one colour looks rather unexpected/wrong then you may want to switch colour, or at least see how it looks once it is in the project.