Hi I’m Abi, I’m a multidisciplinary textile designer based in the Cotswolds, UK. I work with embroidery but also other textile techniques such as knitting, punch needle and felting, and I also create illustrations too!
How did you get into cross stitch?
My full time job is actually creating embroidery designs but it actually wasn’t until earlier this year that I started creating cross stitch designs! I love trying new needlecraft techniques, so cross stitch has been my latest endeavour.
What do you enjoy most about cross stitching?
I actually love how versatile designing cross stitch can be. It lends itself really well to simple pixel style art, but you can also be really detailed with it too. It’s also really versatile with how you can use the same chart on different count fabrics to change the scale of the design.
Where do you get your inspiration from when designing cross stitch patterns?
I get a lot of inspiration from nature, so if I’m away on a trip or just out on a dog walk I end up taking loads of photos wherever I go, so I often look back and use these photos for inspiration. I also love getting inspiration from other design practices, whether it’s fine art, architecture or fashion, so I have a lot of design books in my home office.
Otherwise I find Pinterest and Instagram great for inspiration. I have loads of different folders that I am constantly saving posts into, whether it’s the colour of something I like or the texture.
How do you use Stitchly in your design workflow?
I find it really helpful having the design somewhat planned out to start with, I tend to work on a sketch first and then drop it into Stitchly to trace. I find that it isn’t until you start charting that you really get a feel for the scale of the design though, it’s really useful being able to copy and paste and easily move sections around.
What stands out compared to other tools you’ve used?
Being able to use Stitchly on the iPad is a huge bonus for me, and probably what finally got me to try my hand at cross stitch designing. I usually use the iPad to create my design, so it’s handy having everywhere in the same place. But not only that, I find using the Apple Pencil / stylus, and being able to draw the design into Stitchly a lot more intuitive than using a computer.
It’s also more modern and user friendly than some of the computer software that I’ve tried and failed to get on with!
Which feature do you find most useful?
My favourite tool is probably the colour picker. It makes choosing colours really easy, as you can use it to literally match the colour to the below sketch or image. Also being able to swap out colours really easily is helpful too.
To find out more about Abi, please visit her website or follow her on Instagram.
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You can create your own cross stitch patterns by converting images or drawing your own designs using the Stitchly app.
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Abi Skinner› |
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Tatiana Kecskemeti› |