Cross-Stitch by yanyj

Cross-stitch Renascence

Prologue When I came across the collaboration of Morgane Vantorre @gagane_ and her mother @mary. type on Instagram, I was instantly blown away by how beautiful it is. The cross-stitching they used was a low culture art form in China when I was a child, and I was absolutely obsessed with it. Ten years ago. Cross-stitching was indeed unrealistically popular among people in China, especially students and housewives; this is something they find enjoyable and therapeutic. But sometimes, when asking men in a family, they will just think this is just unfashionable and it is a waste of time and wives should invest their time more on family and other more valuable things. And also, when you ask a teacher’s opinion about cross-stitching, I bet he/she will say it affects student’s grades. It is just a distraction for their study; they don’t care about it as an early art development chance for them; they only treat school work as the most important thing. People who love it would love it, but for the majority, cross-stitching was being looked down upon most of the time. The people who don’t think the cross-stitching is high-class sure got their reason. When you put a cross-stitching work beside a traditional Chinese Sichuan embroidery, the comparison is undeniable; the shine and the Complicated stitches truly make the Sichuan embroidery stands out, while the cross-stitching looks flat and dull. But thinking about the uniqueness of cross-stitching and the fact that it has something in common with bitmap art, we mostly have to embrace the effect that it can create and the craftsmanship. Unlike bitmap art created on a computer, a cross-stitching piece can be more human and engaging; the texture will draw itself from any ordinary bitmap art. As a fascinating tool, the tool is only used to recreate some famous paintings such as The Great Wave of Kanagawa and some cliche flower scenes, which is remarkably Chinese ten years ago. After seeing Vantorre’s work with her mother, I realize that this specific tool’s potential is unlimited in the graphic design field. We can adapt design solutions and methods to crossstitching, and I was shocked by how design-looking and elegant it can look. We will indeed find the various way of utilizing it, and with that graphic design aspect, cross-stitching can genuinely have a chance to become ‘fashionable’. And I was thinking about the action of stitching as stabbing the canvas for thousands of times, which can be used as a tool to make a political statement that relates to angriness.

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So finding the creativeness and possibilities of cross-stitching is what I am going to focus on; how can we utilize this new but often-considered-old tool to do Graphic design or type design, to give a new life to this ‘unfashionable’ and ‘archaic’ craft and to blaze a new path for my own design practice.

Table of Content History of Creation (1) How Cross-Stitching Developed My Creativity and Self-Discipline (6) Ornate Embroidery Patterns Stitched into Metallic Objects (15)

Graphics and Visualization within Cross-Stitch (34) Hexagonal Cross Stitch (47)

History of Creation Cross-stitch is the oldest form of hand embroidery, dating back to the Middle Ages, and is found all over the world. As its name suggests, cross-stitch is a double stitch diagonally crossing intersections of the horizontal and vertical threads of the fabrics. It is completed on canvas type fabric, like aida cloth, in which the strands can be counted, or stitched on an evenly woven fabric, like linen. The Cross Stitch Guild has a great article by Jo Verso “Threads of History”, which states in part: “It is known that cross-stitch embroidery flourished during the Tang dynasty in China (618-906 AD), when it may well have spread westward along the trade routes. By the eleventh century, the most famous of all early embroideries, the Bayeux tapestry, was being worked. This is not actually a tapestry in the strict sense (that is, a woven textile), but an embroidery, depicting the Norman invasion of England in 1066. In Spain, under the influence of the Islamic civilization of the Moors (756-1492), blackwork was popular – this technique is thought to have influenced the development of cross-stitch. Blackwork featured geometric designs on white linen, using the wool from black sheep, and it is believed to have been brought to England in the sixteenth century by Catherine of Aragon, twhe Spanish first wife of Henry VIII. In Eastern Europe at this time, folk art was flourishing, and cross-stitch was used to embellish household items using geometric and floral patterns still found in pattern books to this day. But cross-stitch really came into its own with the working of samplers.” Since there were not any pattern books back then, stitchers would keep samples of their favorite stitches and patterns on long strips of narrow cloth, hence the name “sampler”. The “samplers” were not intended to be put on display, instead they were rolled up and kept safe, as there were many stitches and patterns kept all together. When printing began in Europe, the popularity of embroidery included pattern books for cross-stitch and blackwork. The stitcher would count the pattern onto the fabric or prick holes in the pattern and transfer the design through the holes using colored powder.

1This delicate example is ornamented with floral motifs that evoke the Baroque style of the seventeenth century. Although unfinished, the piece is inscribed at the bottom “Anne Chase Made This Sampler In / The Thirteenth Year of Her Age 1721.”

The earliest surviving dated sampler was stitched by an English girl, Jane Bostocke, in 1598. The inscription commemorates the birth of a child, Alice Lee, in 1596, who was her cousin. The sampler contains a variety of patterns, rows of border motifs, and also random placed motifs. As pattern books became more available in Europe and America, the function of samplers began to change to educational. Children were taught needlework skills by stitching the samplers. Samplers also became a popular way for moral verses and such to be stitched and displayed. As the years went by, the samplers became more decorative and more artistic. During the 1800s, sampler making and cross-stitch went into a decline. In the 1960s, cross-stitch was re-discovered, and continues to offer something of interest for all tastes and skills. Traditionally, cross-stitch was used to embellish items like household linens, tablecloths, dishcloths, and doilies (usually only a small portion would actually be embroidered, such as a border). Although there are many stitchers who still stitch in this fashion, it is now increasingly popular to work the pattern on fabric and hang it on the wall for decoration. Cross-stitch is also often used to make greeting cards, pillow cases, or as inserts for box tops, coasters and trivets. Today, cotton floss is the most common embroidery thread used for cross-stitch, composed of six strands that are only loosely twisted together and easily separable. As mentioned in the beginning, fabrics such as aida and linen are used for cross-stitch. These fabrics are categorized by threads per inch (referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x153;countâ&#x20AC;?) which range from 11 to 40. The count of the fabric determines the size of the finished stitching. If the count is 11, then the finished design will be larger than on a count of 18. Modern cross-stitch patterns have guides for finished stitching sizes.

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Among many craftsmen there is a great demand for cross-stitch embroidery, however, not everyone knows what is the history of embroidery creation. At all times, cross-stitch embroidery is in high demand, as it makes it interesting to express your personality. The motifs of the embroidery changed over time and improved more and more. Initially, embroidery was used for products that served as amulets, motivated by: • Natural patterns; • Motives taken from everyday life; • Original ornaments. With the development of embroidery, more original and modern motifs appeared, each of which has its own designation. The remaining motifs of the work allow you to appreciate all the beauty and unusual old embroidery for which expensive materials were used, as well as have a complete picture of the ancestors’ life. The material for work was expensive fabrics, namely silk or velvet, as well as: • Silver and gold thread; • Pearl; • Gems. Since the 18th century, embroidery with a cross has ceased to be a privilege of noble persons and is becoming accessible to ordinary peasant girls. From this moment the history of Russian embroidery goes absolutely to a new level, and completely new original patterns appear. Russian embroidery was very strongly influenced by Byzantium, so the interlacing of different styles can be seen in the works of the craftsmen. Now cross-stitching is moving to a completely new level and is in high demand.

How Cross-Stitching Developed My Creativity and Self-Discipline

Gloria Wickman

Everyone needs a hobby, and for me, cross-stitching has been a rewarding one. It’s easy to learn, doesn’t require too many supplies, and is a great outlet for creativity. It’s also helped me with my self-discipline and has been a great way for me to de-stress after a long day. It is an activity with some surprising cognitive benefits. I’ve been cross-stitching for about six years now, and it’s been a fun and relaxing hobby. Creating my own patterns has been hugely rewarding for me creatively and has allowed me to decorate my living space with pieces of art I feel personally connected to. Putting the last stitch on a piece gives me the same sense of satisfaction of snapping the last piece of a large jigsaw puzzle into place — only better, because instead of tearing it apart to put back in the box, I have something I can show off on my wall, or put on a towel, or share as a gift for friends and family. But beyond the creative aspect of cross-stitching, I’ve also changed mentally as well. The best lesson you can learn from cross-stitching is how small, steady effort can be transformational. Before I started cross-stitching, I used to easily get overwhelmed by the size of projects. I’d look at my long to-do list for the day and end up getting nothing done because it seemed so big as to be hopeless. Working my way through cross-stitch projects taught me that a little progress each day can lead to big results. Sometimes I wouldn’t have much more than ten minutes to work on my cross-stitch, and I probably wouldn’t add much more than a dozen stitches. But even those small amounts add up over time and each day I came closer to finishing.

Needlepoint of Lt. Uhura from Star Trek, designed and made by the author

The Science Behind Activities Like Needlecrafts Studies have shown that crafts, including needle crafts like knitting, as well as cross-stitch and quilting, are beneficial in alleviating depression. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences also found that crafting activities were linked with a lower chance of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Science has also confirmed what most people already knew: engaging in leisure activities improves mood and daily health and well-being. Through his studies on creativity and the concept of “flow” (the feeling you get when you’re so engaged in an activity that you lose your sense of time), psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihaly found it to be a “secret to happiness,” while occupational therapist Victoria Schindler compared the effects of “flow” to meditation, yielding similar benefits. Cross-stitch is great whether you have several hours to devote to it or only a few minutes a day. After learning the basics, it’s easy to expand into whatever type of images you want to make—even ones based on your own photos or drawings. The only limit is your own creativity.

How to Get Started Before I begin, I want to point out that while I’ll keep the article focused on cross-stitch for clarity, everything I’m saying applies equally to the very similar craft called needlepoint. The main differences between cross-stitch and needlepoint are that cross-stitch is typically done on a more flexible fabric and each stitch is in an X shape, while needlepoint stitches are a half X or / shape, and on a firmer piece of canvas. Some people find they have a strong preference for one or the other, but many others enjoy both equally. Neither takes any more skill to learn than the other and I recommended trying both at least once to find your preference.

Two towels with the Rebel and Imperial symbols from Star Wars cross-stitched by the author.

Choosing a Kit If you’re completely new to any kind of needlecraft, I recommend starting by buying a cross-stitch kit. A good beginner’s kit will include everything you need to complete the project: an embroidery hoop, a needle, embroidery floss (the colored thread the design is made of), instructions on how to make the stitch, the pattern of the design, and the fabric or canvas to stitch the design on. More advanced or cheaper kits may not include the embroidery hoop, but hoops can be purchased online or at any craft store. In general, the fewer colors used in a design, the easier it is to complete. There is a whole subset of cross-stitching done only in red, called redwork, which is based on a style of embroidery that was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But don’t be intimidated into thinking you need to start with that style. Most beginners could easily work with up to a dozen colors on their first piece. Besides the number of colors, the other factor you’ll want to take into account when choosing a kit is the total number of stitches in the piece. As you’d expect, cross-stitches with more stitches take longer to complete. They are not always more difficult, however. To judge the difficulty of the design (if the kit itself doesn’t tell you), spend some time looking at how often the design changes colors. Designs with big areas of a single color are much easier and faster to stitch than designs that switch between multiple colors in a small area.

Cross-stitch in progress by Sally Wilson (via Wikimedia Commons)

Stick to a small project with only a few colors if it’s your first time. It’s much easier for you to see your progress and get a feel for following the pattern. You can adjust the difficulty for your second project based on your confidence after completing the first. I’ve enjoyed doing cross-stitches made by Riolis. The company has a whole line of cross-stitch kits for beginners and children called “Happy Bee.” Their “Panda” and “Swallowtail Butterfly” designs both have a lot of detail, but only use seven different colors, which keeps the pattern easy to follow. You will need to separately purchase an embroidery hoop separately for these kits, but hoops can be reused for every cross-stitch project. Dimensions is another popular cross-stitch kit brand that has good kits for beginners. Many of their kits also come with the embroidery hoop. Their “Cute Kitty” and “Playful Penguin” are two kits that are very simple and quick to work through. Both are a little less than $3 dollars, which makes them an ideal choice for getting your feet wet. They also offer many other small and simple designs, so take a moment to browse to find the perfect first design.

Doing a Cross-Stitch Once you’ve picked out your cross-stitch kit and bought an embroidery hoop (if it wasn’t included in the kit already), it’s time to start stitching. Most kits come with an instruction page that tells you the basics of making a stitch, but you can also check online tutorials or YouTube videos for a more detailed look. The first step in working a design is finding the center of your canvas. Most cross-stitches are done from the center moving out. Some kits mark the center of the canvas with an X, but others do not. If the center of your canvas is not marked, you can fold it in half lengthwise and then widthwise to find the center, and then mark that point by temporarily threading a stray piece of thread through it. After that, put the canvas in your embroidery hoop. Different hoops have different fastening mechanisms, but I personally prefer the ones that have a plastic outer band and an inner metal one. The metal band can be squeezed open to slide the canvas over it and then tightens into place once released. On your pattern, find the center of the design and look up what color is in that position. That is the color you’ll begin with and the first section of the design that you’ll work. Working from the center first ensures that your design won’t be off-center when it’s complete. Cross-stitch stitches are normally done from left to right, and from bottom to top. On your grid, count how many stitches across the row your section is, then make that number of half cross-stitches (think of it as making a / rather than an X). Once you’ve made the right number of stitches, go back in the opposite direction to complete the X (See the image above for a detailed look at an in-progress row of stitches). The other thing to remember is to not “split” your canvas when you’re stitching—that is, to pass your thread through the holes in the canvas between the weave. From the same image above, you can see that there are clear holes in a cross-stitch canvas to fit your needle through. Do not try to force it through the thicker bits of cloth or your stitches will be unevenly sized and have weird gaps. Lastly, try not to make any knots in the back of your work as you’re stitching. Instead, hold the end of your thread down and work the stitches over it so that it gets tucked inside. When you make a cross-stitch, the front of the pattern makes a row of Xs (XXXXX), but the back will appear to be vertical stitches (|||||). Your thread end should be underneath the |s. When you finish a section, or if your thread becomes to short to continue, thread it under the |s on the back and cut off the excess.

In progress cross-stitch (left) compared to the pattern grid (right). Each square on the grid corresponds to a single X of the cross-stitch.

Common Pitfalls and Hurdles The most likely problem you’ll encounter with cross-stitching happens with choosing a pattern that is too complicated for you. If that happens, you’ll find yourself feeling taxed instead of relaxed when completing the design. You’ll spend a lot of time staring at your pattern to try and figure out where the stitches are supposed to go, you’ll probably end up making a lot of mistakes. This is what happened to me when I was trying to do a kit with more than forty colors when I was a beginner. Because it was so far beyond my skill level, I had to set it aside until I built up my skills on easier kits. But if you start with a beginner’s kit, you won’t have to set your project aside in frustration. Still, there are a few hurdles you might face. The two most common hurdles are putting stitches in the wrong place on your pattern or using the wrong colored floss by mistake. Obviously, the best way to avoid putting a stitch in the wrong place is to pay careful attention to your pattern, but there are a couple of tricks that can help you make sure your stitches are going in the right spot. The first is to always carefully count how many stitches are in a row next to each other. Most patterns are drawn on grids that have darker lines every five or ten stitches, which makes it easier to see how many stitches long a section is. Even if the section I’m filling in is completely surrounded by other stitches already, I still count my stitches so that I know everything matches up. Second, whenever you start a new section, compare the location of your first stitch to two close but unrelated points on the pattern. I usually try to find one group of stitches to the left or right of the stitches I’m about to make and one group above or below the stitches, then make sure that the new stitches correctly line up with both before I start.

This method ensures that a mistake that you missed earlier won’t continue to affect your stitches, because you’ll be much more likely to catch it. If you do make a mistake and put a stitch in the wrong place, there are two things you can do. The best is to take the stitch out and put it into the correct spot. This usually isn’t too difficult, though it does feel a bit frustrating. But sometimes you won’t see a mistake until much later and the amount of work you would have to undo to take it out might be overwhelming. In cases like this, you’re better off to leave it and work the rest of the area around it according to the gridded pattern. There’s no concrete rule about when you should take something out and when you should leave it. Much of it depends on personal preference. In general, though, the larger the design, the less you’ll notice a stitch or two out of place. The closer the color of the wrong stitch is to the right stitch, the less noticeable it is. You’re much more likely to overlook a light green stitch where a dark green one is supposed to be than a bright orange one in the same place. To avoid using the wrong color, always double check the symbols on your pattern — even when you think you’re sure you know what they stand for (the instructions are often printed in black-and-white, with codes for the colors). If your kit has a lot of colors that are similar shades, you can keep yourself more organized by keeping the colors in plastic bags that you mark with the symbol that represents the colors. This level of organization is mainly used when your kit has a lot of different colors. If your colors are all easily distinguishable, you probably don’t need to bag them, but remember to pay attention to their symbols.

Next Steps After you have a beginner’s kit under your belt, there are many ways you can expand your creativity for your next project. You can explore buying larger and more complicated kits. Some kits include dozens of different colors and even require you to “tweed” two different colors together, meaning that you mix the threads from two different skeins together to create a new in-between color. I do want to warn about taking this jump too early, though. When I first started, I had a few smaller projects finished and I decided to get ambitious and purchased a needlepoint kit that was a reproduction of Claude Monet’s Japanese Bridge painting. The kit had over forty colors, including numerous tweeds. It was beyond my skill level at the time and after doing only a small portion of it, I abandoned the project entirely for almost five years. I returned to it a few months ago, and am now almost two-thirds of the way through it. So if you’ve found that you purchased something above your skill level, don’t be afraid to set it aside for a while and build up your practice on smaller, less complicated patterns. Remember, while it’s good to push yourself a bit, hobbies are meant to be fun, not chores.

Crafting Your Own Designs When you do a cross-stitch, essentially what you’re doing is coloring in a picture one pixel at a time. The amazing thing about that is that it means that anything you can photograph can be turned into a cross-stitch design. So if you’re tired of cute cartoon cats and landscapes and want to immortalize your family, a pet, or anything else you can think of as a cross-stitch, the only thing holding you back is finding a photograph of it. When I first started making my own patterns, I did it in Photoshop, which was a long and somewhat tedious process. After that, I had to go to the store and pick out colors that I thought best matched the pattern I made. Luckily, there’s now an incredible free resource on the internet, pixel-stitch.net, which automatically converts any picture you upload into a cross-stitch pattern for free.

After you upload the picture, it takes you to a new menu that lets you customize the pattern. The two factors you want to pay the most attention to are the width and the number of colors. Just like a computer image, the higher the number of stitches you allow in the width, the clearer the image will look. However, because most cross-stitch canvases are standardized at 14 stitches per inch, you’ll also be creating a bigger design. Keep that in mind before you accidentally create a three-foot behemoth of a project. Selecting the number of colors you want on the pattern is also an important decision. As mentioned above, more colors mean a higher level of difficulty. But at the same time, the more colors you use, the more closely you can match the original colors and shading of the image you uploaded. Creating photo-realism in cross-stitch will require an advanced pattern and a lot of colors. You might prefer to try a more stylized image to limit the colors. Being a nerd, two of the earliest cross-stitch patterns I made were of the imperial and rebel symbols from Star Wars. Each design used only a single color of embroidery floss. Later, I made a more detailed image of Lt. Uhura from Star Trek, but I limited the design to 8 colors, which made it very easy to complete while still having the level of detail I wanted. The overall image was large, which ensured that the shape of her face matched well without looking too pixelated. Having just a few colors for shading was enough for the most important details to stand out without overwhelming me with a lot of color changes. On pixel-stitch, you can experiment with both the width and the number of colors to generate numerous patterns until you find the right balance between the size and difficulty that you like. The best feature of pixel-stitch is that after it generates your pattern, it also creates a list of the specific skeins of embroidery floss you need to buy and the number of each you’ll need. The estimates it creates are based on crossstitches, so if you decide to use the pattern for a needlepoint instead, the numbers it suggests may be less accurate. Don’t worry if you have to make another trip to the store at some point to pick up more.

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Cross-stitch is an excellent gateway to other types of needlecraft. Embroidery is similar to cross-stitch and uses the same floss, needle, and hoop, but has many more types of stitches. Embroidery lets you move beyond the “pixelated” look of cross-stitch into images with smoother curves and more filled-in designs.

The many techniques of embroidery can and do fill entire books, as do the various cultural traditions associated with it around the world. As a beginning introduction, I would once again suggest turning to kits that give you all the supplies and directions you need for completing a relatively simple design. Because there are more varied stitches in embroidery, it can be more difficult to get the hang of initially, but mastering the techniques gives you even more freedom creatively. Conversely, you could also be drawn to latch hooking: it’s a craft that uses short strands of yarn on a wide canvas but follows patterns very similar to cross-stitching. Latch hooking is a very easy craft to learn and one I’ve done since a child (there are no sharp needles, so you don’t have to worry about getting hurt). Latch hooks make excellent rugs and pillows and can be completed quickly, but lack the finer level of detail you can get from cross-stitching and embroidery.

Traditional Japanese Embroidery. Photo by Ryan McBride via Wikimedia Commons

Personal Transformation Seeing my small stitching efforts lead to tangible results inspired me to apply that self-discipline to other aspects of my life. Knowing that I can’t finish a project in a single day no longer keeps me from getting started and I have a much more positive outlook toward the progress I make little by little. Of course, the best thing about taking up cross-stitch as a hobby is that even if you don’t see other tangible benefits in your life, you’re still left with a fun hobby and new artwork to display in your home.

Ornate Embroidery Patterns Stitched into Metallic Objects

Lithuanian artist Severija Inčirauskaitė-Kriaunevičienė uses cross-stitch embroidery to apply beautiful patterns to discarded objects.

“The juxtaposition of functional objects emblazoned with traditional textile work is certain unexpected and little amusing, an aspect Severija further illustrates with some of her more humorous pieces depicting cigarette butts embroidered at the base of a tin can, or the skewed reflection of a person’s mouth on the edge of a spoon.”

Can you explain how you first began this combination of metal and embroidery?

I will admit that this is one of the most popular questions I get asked. Therefore, it is not surprising that you are asking me the same thing. So… Art critics and journalist like to associate this particular technique with my parents. Both of them are artists and professors at the Vilnius Academy of Arts (Telšiai Faculty). My father mainly uses metal in his creative practice, he makes sculptures, medals, reliefs in metal, whereas my mother, being a professional calligrapher, combines this particular art with textiles. Thus, to the majority, it may seem that the art of their daughter is the synthesis between the creative expressions of both parents. I cannot agree with this, I cannot deny it either. By the way, I should mention, that metal came into my creative practice only in 2004, before that and in my later works I have worked with different materials as well. Having grown up in an artistic environment where I saw my father creating these incredibly complex metal objects out of what may seem like a rigid and hard to yield material, I never had a fear of working with metal (for many people metal might seem like an insurmountable or resistant material), I always knew that you could make anything out of metal. All you need is knowledge and a wealth of experience (my father studied metal art at Telšiai Applied Arts School and later at Tallinn Art School, therefore he is a professional in this field). And the textile knowledge, like for many women of my and older generation is simply an integral part of daily life (even in first grade, assisted by my mother, I was able to knit myself an incredibly lifelike doll).

Kill for Peace, Photo by VidmanatasIlčiukas

Although all of the aforementioned things really had a certain (perhaps unconscious) influence on my work, I have another explanation, which I believe is more important. I discovered metal after my Textile Art studies, and I can say that it was the Textile Art studies that influenced the appearance of non-textile materials in my creative work (for 5 years I studied Costume Design at Telšiai Applied Arts School, where both of my parents studied as well, although, in their time it was known by a different name (now it’s the Vilnius Academy of Arts, Telšiai Faculty), later for 6 years I studied for a BA and MA at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, Textile department, and after that for 2 more years in the postgraduate study at the same institution). I understand and know very well textile materials and all of their possibilities. The main qualities of textile, such as softness, permanent creasing and the instability of form always irritated me and seemed to be out of my control. During my years of study, I realised that for me the important thing was the three-dimensional form (not the flatness) and that in textiles it is difficult to create a threedimensional shape. Although there is an area of textiles called “soft sculpture”, however, I am more interested in the strong, clear and stable form. Also, whilst studying I realized that in my creative practice the notion of re-making was very important, sometimes referred to as “ready-made” (when the meaning of an artwork is created out of existing objects). A lot of people like to link the remaking of objects with the ecological aspect, but for me, the use of an existing object in my work is important because of its unique history. A specific object can be itself a reference to the main idea of the artwork, tell us about the past and other things. In this way, already existing everyday metal objects quite naturally appeared in my work.

Every Stick has Two Ends

Explain how your work takes a ‘kitch’ technique and makes us relook and find the modern meaning and deeper current issues.

Cross-stitch technique is not kitsch by itself. This technique has old archaic traditions, but today, many people associate cross-stitch (and textile in general) with tasteless handicrafts rather than serious art. Indeed, the works performed by this technique are often banal handicrafts. I quote this public opinion on embroidery in my works, yet I create the objects that cast doubt on this established opinion. I strive to demonstrate that technique is only a means and everything depends on the attitude and the artist’s professionalism. A mere embroiderer will embroider a simple picture, while an artist may have a completely different approach. The handicraft technique may become a professional language of modern art.

Tarp Miesto in Kaimo

Where do you get your cross stitch patterns from? In particular, all of the flower embroidery patterns I use in my works were taken from a type of “hobby” magazines (as I call them). Virtually all of my artworks, with embroidered flowers, were created using these unified schemes from women’s handicraft magazines. And, of course, I did this not because I didn’t know how to draw (I studied art for 13 years!). I use these patterns purposefully – the element of an already made-up embroidery pattern that is widely used by other people is very important to me as a citation of popular, mass and kitsch culture. The flowers – what can be more banal than flowers? There isn’t a more banal symbol for “beauty” (perhaps apart from two white swans with their necks forming a heart). It is interesting that objects decorated with flowers (for example, such as floral fabrics) are the most commercially successful.

‘Objects to Compare’ Photo by ModestasEžerskis

Do you adapt the patterns? Yes, I usually slightly adapt the patterns in terms of colour and composition. For example, I try to match the colours to the object found (if it is a rusty object, I use brown tones). Generally, I only use the pattern and choose the colours as a painter. I paint with threads.

Kill for Peace, Photo by VidmanatasIlÄ?iukas

Can you explain about your work on basic homeware metals, from the kitchen and the garden?

The main inspirations for my creativity usually comes from everyday life, from my environment, surrounding. Of course it doesn’t mean that I am only focused on my personal feelings, emotions and problems. Opposite, when I talk about my daily life I try to find dialogue with other people. Everywhere people are similar. Everywhere they are eating from plates, use buckets, watering cans, shovels, drive cars and so on. I see a lot of similarities everywhere and think that daily routine connects people. Objects from our daily life could be significant signs for international articulation. That’s why I use many of them in my art. They disclose a lot of information and create artistic narrative or story. Our daily staff could be a symbol of our business or could show social status. Design of functional objects could be as a historical reference our disclose your personal taste. I use a lot of daily objects in my works. That’s why “Readymade” method is my favourite and the most suitable for me. I also want to stress that embroidery is not decoration of objects – it is a form of art. Therefore, I choose the objects for embroidery with a certain concept in mind and the object helps me to tell about it. Although the patterns are often similar visually, each work has its own idea and tells a different story. This is why each object has a name. For example, the Fall Collection (Rudens Kolekcija), comprised of rusty farm utensils, was created in 2005, when Lithuania (the country I live

in) had just joined the European Union. At that time, the issue of identity was very relevant in my country (“won’t this membership destroy our uniqueness?”). The corroded utensils of Lithuanian farms (watering cans, buckets, milk cans, graters, …) addressed the issues of Lithuanian identity related to agrarian culture. And the rust itself (the collection was comprised only of rusty items) was an essential element of the work: we have a lot of rain in Lithuania (we sometimes even call it the ‘country of rain’) and the corrosion process takes place in wet environment and therefore, the rusty objects served as a reference to the Lithuanian climate. I have created a number of works related to the food topic. It is also an important part of everyday life also. “MORNING TRIO” is one of them. I think it’s not necessary to comment, it’s very easy understandable work. “Three eggs for breakfast” is very universal composition. But it is a personal reference also – my family consist of three persons. Or “GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD…” – here are words from the main Christian prayer (preer) “The Lord’s Prayer”. This work was created during the global economic crisis in early 2009. Potatoes are the cheapest food of course and we (Lithuanian) have many national dishes with them. This work is ironic and serious at the same time….

Donald Bubble Gum

Bucket of Light, 2010. Sunflower, 2010. Metal parts, cotton, wire, bulb. Cross-stitch, drilling, welding. Photo courtesy Modestas EĹžerskis.

Every Stick Has Two Ends, 2012. Shovel parts, wood, cotton. Cross-stitch, drilling. Photo courtesy Modestas E탑erskis.

Greed, 2012. Metal spoon, cotton, Cross stitch, drilling. Photo courtesy Modestas E탑erskis.

Daily Bread to Give to as Today, 2009. Metal bowl, cotton. Crossstitch, drilling. Photo courtesy Modestas E탑erskis.

After Party, 2013. Tin can, cotton. Cross-stitch, drilling. Photo courtesy Modestas E탑erskis.

MORNING TRIO. 2014. Metal pan, cotton. Cross-stitch, drilling.

MORNING TRIO. 2014. Detail

A Path Strewn with Roses (Black I)

When did you go even bigger? The biggest piece format was embroidered walls. 2007 I embroidered wall of VAA Textiles gallery Artifex. Later collection of cars 2007-2008.

What lead you to embroider on car parts? Installation ”A PATH STREWEN WITH ROSES” is one of the biggest collection which I created approximately 2 years. This collection consists of 13 really broken car parts. I started to develop this work since 2007. From that time I became a driver and exactly that year Lithuania statistically was the European leader with deadly accidents in the roads. This problem still is hot up to now. In Lithuania, we have a tradition to put plastic flowers in the places of the deadly accident. So, details from real accidents together with embroidered flowers are a reference to this big problem – “bad driving culture”.

There are different possibilities to exhibit this work: sometimes I expose separate details, but sometimes I put them on the real cars. This installation was demonstrated last year in the famous graffiti artist Banksy project â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dismalandâ&#x20AC;? (in GB) which really got a lot of attention. I tried to create a realistic impression of a car accident. And I think it looked quite realistic.

Can you expand on your exhibition of Helmets?

Where you sourced the helmets from? All helmets were collected in 20-21st century conflict hotspots: World War II, Vietnam War, Balkan Wars, Ukraine… They are from different periods and countries: German, Russian, American… Interestingly, when using my usual technique, perforation, I understood the differences in the attitude of different countries to the lives of their soldiers (some of the helmets were easy to perforate and some – hardly perforable).

Kill for Peace, Photo by VidmanatasIlčiukas

Photo-byModestas-Ežerskis

Kill for Peace, Photo by VidmanatasIlčiukas

Additional props used in the exhibition

I also used military sweaters to create tapestries, which are hanged on walls and remind of military coats or tents…

Discuss the way the helmets were mounted?

They are hanging in one line, the helmets remind us of a cemetery. They also show that all sides lose in military conflicts, death makes us all equal, and many innocent soldiers suffer.

Can you briefly explain the basic technique you use?

This is a very simple – drilling and cross-stitch embroidery.

Kill for Peace, Photo by VidmanatasIlčiukas

When you are working on a larger scale how do you adapt the type of thread you use? I just use a thicker thread.

I just use a thicker thread.

House and I, Magazine, 2016 Photo by LauraĹ˝aliauskaite

Graphics and Visualization within Cross-Stitch

Karen R. Atkinson and Jonathan C. Roberts

Abstract The leisure industry, in fields such as the games market, is immersed in computer graphics. However, non-traditional visualization techniques are slow to appear within many leisure pursuits especially cross-stitch. Even more than a decade after the Visualization area was formally defined, visualization as a discipline mainly consists of ‘scientific’ techniques and examples. Here technical data is used to generate specialised realisations for a scientific audience. However, the level of interest and application of non-scientific visualization techniques, such as visualizations for the leisure industry, is increasing. Within this paper, we evaluate the level of computer graphics and visualization within the area of ‘Cross-stitch’, and propose some new visualization techniques. We conclude that although the cross stitch field is very traditional, the use of computers in the process of generating a completed cross-stitch is very important: increasing the ease of use and the speed of production.

1 Introduction Many years ago it was stated that only four computers would be needed for the whole world. - How ideas have changed! The current aim of ‘a computer for everyone’ is becoming a more realistic and achievable goal. Due to this, there has been a growing need to develop programs that allow users to express their ideas in a more natural or convenient way: to provide packages that are usable and available to the average non-scientific householder. Cross-stitch could be seen as representative of the general leisure industry; an industry that is establishing its development and design cycle with the growth of the personal computer market. Cross-stitch is a hobby that is based on a traditional approach [Gui98]- a time- honoured activity with cross-cultural interest. It is widely used as an inexpensive method of therapeutic relaxation which has the added advantage of creating a visually appealing outcome that may be given as a gift to a friend or loved one! In this paper we evaluate the level of graphics and visualization within this cross-stitch field and propose new methods of visualization. Thus, we split the paper into two parts.

Table 1: An example of a thread chart as frequently used in specialist magazines

1. we provide an evaluation of cross-stitching and visualization, investigating the variables used within cross-stitch (section 2), different components of visualization (section 3) and the level of visualization within current cross-stitch computer products (section 4). 2. Second, we present a discussion of the level of computer graphics in cross- stitching (section 5) and describe some new ways of visualizing this pattern-based information (section 6). We summize that, although much effort is invested to place ‘computer graphics’ into these leisure packages: with fancy animations and colourful pictures adorning the most simple of tools. The application of relevant non-scientific visualization has been surprisingly neglected.

2 The Craft of Cross-Stitch: A Component Analysis Cross-stitch may be performed using a variety of stitches, methods, colours and threads, and carried out on different fabric. These represent the components of cross-stitch and will be considered in the order that a cross-stitcher would consider them as they stitch. The general quantifiable components of cross-stitch comprise the following: The Fabric Type - The most complimentary material group for cross-stitch embroidery is called ‘even weave’, e.g. Aida. This is a 100% cotton fabric has the same count or gauge in both directions, that is, the same number of threads to every 1-inch of fabric. This count varies from fabric to fabric. The Fabric Colour - Fabrics are available in large shade ranges, and textures. Thread Type (including Number of Strands) - The most widely used of the embroidery threads is the six-strand mercerised cotton embroidery floss. It is made from loosely twisted strands allowing lengths to be split up into different weightings, from one to six strands for different weights of fabric. These cottons are generally sold in skeins that are approximately eight metres (nine yards) long. The recommended, manageable length for stitching is around the 18-inch mark. The Thread Colours and Names of the Colours - Threads are available from different manufacturers who have their own colour ranges (for example [DMC98]). Some of these colour series coincide and so conversion charts are available to provide the closest possible matches between colours. Magazine patterns usually show a combination of range colours, see Table 1. Thread ranges are expanding to accommodate the demand for a wider selection of hues and effects of colour. There is now the possibility of purchasing ‘blended’ or ‘space- dyed’ threads that combine usually

two or more colours, or variations of the same colour along the length of the skein, creating a variegated appearance. Metallic threads are also becoming more common place [KH97]. Stitch Types - The choice of stitch for general cross-stitch is limited. The overall effect of cross-stitch is a general uniformity of weave, so that the eye is drawn to the colour co- ordination and impression of the pattern rather than to the effect of the textured rise and fall of the threads, as is the case with freestyle embroidery. The variations of cross- stitch, which are mostly self-explanatory, include full crossstitch, quarter stitch, three- quarter stitch and half stitch. Additionally, backstitch is used to create detail, definition, or text, and the French knot adds a raised texture [Eat91]. Position of the stitch - This is the consideration of where the stitch is to be located on the chart’s grid or pattern and ultimately on the fabric itself. A pattern designer would consider the position in relation to the other stitches, the fabric (x, y) position, other colours and the area of the pattern.

3 Visualization Techniques: A Component Analysis The components of computer graphics may be separated into many human perceivable variables. Jacques Bertin [Ber81, Ber83], for example, describes what he calls ‘retinal variables’. Their use must be selected in such ways that correct, unequivocal, and efficient transmission of data be carried to the user. Based on Bertin’s work, we describe nine variables, as follows. •(X,Y) Two Dimensions of the Plane - allows objects to be positioned in space, using regular or irregular grids. Objects mapped onto this space may be of points, lines or areas. •(Z) Position - The Z dimension adds the literal and conceptual third dimension to a visualization or image. • Size - can be used as a qualitative portrayal of proportion between two magnitudes. The perception of order is an innate characteristic of this variable. • Value - This is the ‘continuous progression which the eye perceives in a series of greys ranging from black to white’ [Ber83]. If colour is used rather than neutral black and white, then this is given an associated grey value. It is an innately ordered variable that can be easily quantified. • Texture enables a realistic appearance of the subject, allowing neighbouring areas to be visually distinguished. • Hue represents the ‘colour’ of the object. It is one of the most discussed and yet unre- solved areas of visualization. But with appropriate use, it has the potential to enhance human interpretation of an image [TS90]. • Orientation can help to clearly distinguish points, lines or areas of visualization. It may be described as the variation in the angle between areas that is formed by “one or more symbols or signs” [Ber83].

• Shape - or symbol represents “a mark with a constant area that can assume an infinite number of different shapes. This variation has unlimited length, and it is tempting to abuse it” [Ber83]. This may require some explanation, as meaning need not be innate. This variable is not selective, ordered, nor quantitative.

• Transparency could be used either to simulate reality, or to reveal an object or an image’s inner geometry or layout. These objectives require either reality simulation (or refractive transparency), or non-

Table 2: Overview of the current cross-stitch methods and the visualization techniques in use.

refractive transparency that allows the simultaneous display of multiple superimposed structures without distortion [Int98]. •Glyphs - are ideal for the representation of multivariate data due to their ability to make large data volumes quickly comprehensible and ready for analysis. They may be described as symbols that can communicate multiple values and proportions. For examples, see [RAEM94, CE98]. •Rendering Techniques - Rendering can involve familiar operations from computer graphics and image processing, but might also involve new algorithms, such as, light reflections, surface texture and realism. •Others Possible Variables could take the form of luminosity, reflectance, or animation, which could almost be seen as distortions of what is already available.

4 Visualization Techniques in Cross-Stitch Combining the previous two sections, we will now analyse the visualization techniques used in current paper-based and computer-based cross-stitch methodologies, and how they have evolved. Other analysis have been achieved, but these have been from a users viewpoint, such as that written by David Taylor [Tay98]. In the past there was a need to strengthen fabric by darning; this developed into embroidery and to the decorative craft practised today. Samplers for example, have been embroidered for centuries as a means of gathering together collections of stitches and designs, see [Per87]. These though, have been losing out to paper-based libraries of motifs, and these in turn have been superseded by the computer due to the ease of creating designs and saving them to disk. Although, samplers are still being created and designed [Mil91], the historical reasoning behind it has been more or less forgotten as technology advances and facilities improve and expand. Nowadays the art of the sampler has become no more than an art for artâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sake. Table 2 shows an overview of current cross-stitch methodologies (general paper-based, plus three examples of computer-based patterns) tabling which visualization methods they use.

Figure 1: The graphics and visualization processes involved in generating a computer based cross-stitch pattern

4.1 Current Paper-based Visualizations Current Paper-based Visualizations provide a pattern, and the fully-stitched end product in photograph form. The visualization uses a graph-paper pattern of colour and/or symbol representations which informs the user of the possible use of colours, the position of those colours and the type of stitch to use, for example full cross-stitch or quarter stitch. The pattern does not specifically include concepts dealing with the fabric type or colour, thread type, number of strands of thread, amount of fabric, area of the pattern and design size. Little consideration is given to pattern information such as the amount of thread required, and the expense entailed. Time estimations must be made from personal experience, and thread use is given very limited space and is often ignored. Some written instructions are usually provided but, help on time estimations, miscellaneous implementations, or ‘How to design your own’ are dealt with as side issues. Moreover, no graphical representation is attempted of any of this ‘meta-information’.

Figure 2: Typical clipart drawing and symbol based visualization

The photograph image of the final product gives a demonstration of how the stitched area will look on the fabric chosen by the designer but the pattern itself is generally kept free of any additional information. The patterns allow the user to create an ‘exact copy’ of the designers artwork. However, creativity should be encouraged and the pattern need not be exactly copied. Thus, it may be useful to include information about how to read patterns and how to start stitching, and perhaps delve into such developments as how to rotate borders and patterns, create corners, transfer or scale designs, ‘design original patterns’ or freestyle stitch.

4.2 Computer-based Visualizations Computer-based designing for cross-stitch has come about through the desire of a few particular stitchers to evolve their craft into a new age. Figure 1 describes the main processes involved. In essence a photograph or art image is loaded into the program. Image processing technique are then applied to generate an appropriate cross-stitch model. The visualization stage maps the coloured symbols onto a grid to generate the cross stitch pattern, Figure 2 presents a typical symbol based image. In general, packages rely on a basic grid representation that may be switched on or off,resized by specific percentages and the count adjusted to the level desired. Usually, as the cursor is moved around the screen, the grid co-ordinates are shown following it. Attempts are now being made at realistic rendering of different types of fabric - canvas, linen, and Aida, in a limited range of colours. For example, XStitch Designer Gold [Ils98] generates a form of realistic rendering, albeit on a pseudocoloured square grid. The packages only allow representations of a limited range of thread types. This does not reflect the extensive choice of these on the market. The user is told what to use in the legend to the pattern. Although, XStitch Studio [Urs98], one of the most recent packages to come on to the market has made the first attempt to represent the different thickness of thread for stitches other that backstitch. The packages provide the user with extensive colour ranges. It could easily be assumed that the colours used were in some way scientifically measured, or at least provided by the manufacturers of the threads, but sadly, all that is necessary is good eyesight! Some of these packages include descriptive names for the colours but generally, only a code number and representative colour is provided in the user-selected palette. Computer design for cross-stitch has proved to be a marvellous time saving device, allowing the fast editing and transforming of any pattern. Improved tutorials are provided for the user, with information on all aspects of the programs. Specific pattern information such as design size in number of stitches, centimetres, and inches, and thread use in number of skeins needed, is provided by the computer packages. Estimations of cost, even through inputting your own regions prices, is avoided. This analysis has shown the areas of cross-stitch still left to be tackled by the designers in terms of visualization methods. As far as the visualization techniques themselves are concerned, the approach has not evolved to any great extent.

5 A Summary Cross-stitch patterns enable the user to generate a crossed-weave representation of an original design on a material canvas. Such patterns may be generated using a computer by image processing techniques, to split the image into regions and quantise the colour-space, and visualization techniques to map the segmented data into a displayable and form, see Figure 1. Within the previous sections we have analysed and evaluated different components of the cross-stitch, described the visualization variables and discussed the level of graphics in current pattern creation products. In summarising these previous sections, especially from the comparison table (Table 2), we state: a) Thecurrentpatternvisualizationsareveryeffective,ausermaytakeapatternandeasily generate an appropriate fabric version. b) Thethreadcolourisoftenvisualisedusingbothasymbolandacolourmapping.Thisre- dundancy of information [Tuf83b] is useful as colour is visually ordered and the symbols are individually recognisable. c) Thepatternsaregenerallyintuitive,allowinganovicetoeasilygeneratearepresentation. However, 1) The current computer-generated patterns are â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;paper basedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; equivalents. They do not utilise the full potential of the computers interactivity. 2) The current patterns display the minimal amount of information, some include information about the length of cotton required, but it may be useful to visualise extra statistical information within the pattern. 3) Computers are capable of rendering complex scenes. Products are appearing that generate a realistic rendering of the cross-stitch, but other complex computer graphics could be used. 4) The information content on a pattern is quite high. This is because all the descriptions to generate one cross-stitch is placed on one pattern and each of the quantised segments on an image are represented as icons on the pattern. These four points come under the headings of: Interactivity, Meta-information, Complex Graphics and Simplification, respectively.

6 Proposed Visualizations Within cross-stitch visualization and many other leisure visualizations the realisation needs to be developed so the user may understand the encoded information and be able to generate finished cross-stitch. Thus, some visualizations may be possible, but in fact unrealistic, as they obfuscate the information to such an extent that it would be difficult to generate an effective cross-stitch. Within this section we describe some new visualizations (based on the four headings from our Summary section), explain they were achieved and discuss their merits.

Figure 3: Computer based manipulation of the cross-stitch pattern, showing zoom and resolution change

6.1 Interactivity and Meta-information Computer based cross stitch patterns have the advantage over the paper based equivalents in that the computer based versions may be interrogated and dynamically manipulated. The patterns may be enlarged (zoomed) to focus on a particular area or scaled to provide a more coarse pattern of the same image, see Figure 3. Moreover, additional information may be included with the visualization. For example, the user achieving the cross-stitch continuously counts the number of symbols in a line, to generate the next row of stitches. This count information may be added to the visualization, to the position of the mouse click. Figure 4, depicts this width and height count information on a typical computer generated pattern. Here the computer is aiding the cross-stitcher in following the pattern. These images are generated by our Cross-Stitch visualiser (VisXS). This software uses OpenGL and C and reads in SGI image files. The user may display the image as symbol representations or colour cubes, change the scale and detail of the displayed pattern, take a snapshot of the image or export VRML code.

Figure 4: A cross-stitch pattern of the mouth of a fish, showing the extents of a row and a column. The user may select a square to display the meta-information.

Figure 5: Left, depicts the colour of the stitch; Centre, encodes the shape of the backstitch; and the Right image represents the number of threads by height.

Interactivity is very important within visualization, and allows additional information to be displayed to the user. However, such techniques require the user to be present at a computer something that the traditional cross-stitcher may not wish to do, and such interaction does not lend itself to being ‘printed on paper’!

6.2 Complex Graphics From our previous analysis, we see that the current patterns do not use the third dimension. It is possible to use the third dimension to represent, for example, the number of threads of the pattern; Figure 5 depicts such a visualization. These visualizations were generated using IRIS Explorer [HYM92], they give an ‘impression’ of the overall image and give some information of where the emphasis and high- lighting of the backstitch are to appear. They do not give exact information and are thus open to interpretation. This uncertainty information may be beneficial: as to encourage creativity of design.

6.3 Simplification The information content of the patterns tends to be quite dense: a typical pattern is made from a lot of closely packed symbols. This tends to generate a low ‘data ink ratio’ [Tuf83b], with a lot of redundant ink that could be removed. We present two methods to improve the visualization of a typical pattern: separation and abstraction. Separation (as named by Tufte [Tuf83a]) or Multiple Viewing [Rob98] enables the information to be separated into different views, rather than overlaying all the information in one view. Figure 6 depicts four views of the same ‘pattern’. Here, separate images represent the amount of strands, colour of the cotton and the backstitch information; a fourth image merges each of the images together to generate a ‘glyph’ view of the entire information. It is useful to separate the information out into multiple views, this may generate a ‘more correct’ understanding of the information [Rob98]. However, within this visualization it is difficult to view the amount of cotton strands and in practice, the cross-stitcher may find it hard to follow three ‘views’ of information. Abstraction techniques generate visualizations that display generic or the most important information. Techniques may augment, adapt or simplify the information to display a clearer realisation [Rob95]. In this pattern based information, there is usually a lot of repeated runs of icons; it may be clearer to generate a visualization that displays a reduced number of the symbols together with a count on how many stitches in a particular row. Figure 7 depicts such an abstract visualization. Here, the numbers represent the total quantity of stitches in the specified row, terminated by the change in icon. This realization provides a simplified view on the data, the user does not need to contin- ually count the number of stitches, as the information is presented in the visualization. This realisation may be used both interactively and printed to paper. However, when the visualization becomes large the font size would become small and may become unreadable, but, the online version would allow the image to be enlarged to view a particular area.

7 Conclusion We have evaluated the level computer graphics and visualization within the cross-stitch leisure pursuit. We conclude, that the visualization content used within cross-stitch patterns is currently based on the paper based method. Some interactivity and realistic rendering is being introduced within the computer based products. But, there are many techniques that are currently available and would be useful to an end-user both following a pre-designed pattern (on a computer screen) and to generating their own designs. It is true that the whole craft of cross-stitching is extremely traditional. But as the computer becomes â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;part of the furnitureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; it will increasingly be more accepted and used to aid such traditional hobbies.

Figure 6: A Separation of the different cross-stitch variables into multiple views. Top left, represents the backstitch. Top right is the cross-stitch colour. Bottom left shows the number of threads (one circle is one thread, two circles two threads, triangle three threads, square four threads, etc). Bottom right depicts a combined glyph visualization of the same information.

Figure 7: The right image shows an abstract visualization of the fish on the left, the numbers represent the extents of the particular cross-stitch.

Additionally, a cross-stitcher may not be near a computer whilst relaxing and following a pattern. But, many ‘hand held’ devices are being developed that could be used to display the cross-stitch developer or stitch-aid program. Indeed, such stitch-aid programs, especially on the portable computers, could then dynamically aid the cross-stitcher by (say) automatically updating the pattern with information about ‘how far through the design the cross-stitcher has proceeded’ or to notifying the user of the ‘best place to start stitching’ and to estimate the ‘amount of thread required’ for a particular design. Within this paper we have analysed the components of cross-stitch, the variables of the visualization space and looked at the visualization content within both the paper and computer based methods. The whole essence of our progression of this evaluation, itself, provides a structured way to evaluate the visualization content within a new area. We have described and implemented some new computer based cross stitch visualizations. One of the methods uses a technique of abstraction; this is a very powerful process, and if appropriately used, it achieves an improved visual representation of the viewed information. Our abstract view removes the need for the user to ‘count the number of stitches’ in a row, and thus reduces the mathematical calculations a typical user would achieve. Through our evaluation procedure it is possible to see that there are additional visualization methods that may be easily applied to this non-scientific data. It is true that some visualization techniques, such as using the third dimension, may not be useful to the person following the cross-stitch pattern, but they are useful in allowing an ‘interpretation’ of the pattern and to generate an understanding of how the final canvas may appear.

Hexagonal Cross Stitch Craig Kaplan

At least year’s Bridges Conference in Stockholm, I attended a short presentation by Susan Goldstine about “selfdiagramming lace”. As motivation for the new work she was presenting, Susan referenced her paper from the year before on what she calls “symmetry samplers”. Samplers are an old tradition in fibre arts. A symmetry sampler combines small swatches depicting every possible mathematical pattern type that can be realized in a given medium. As an example, Susan showed a picture of Mary Shephard’s piece “Wallpapers in Cross-Stitch”:

Mary Shephard’s “Wallpapers in Cross-Stitch”

If you are familiar with repeating two-dimensional patterns, you will know that there are precisely 17 distinct pattern types, known as wallpaper groups. This sampler shows only 12. But as Susan pointed out in her talk, Shephard’s piece is nevertheless a complete symmetry sampler. In cross-stitch, the stitches are applied to a woven fabric (called “aida”), which has holes for stitches arranged in a square lattice. Rectangular grids are fundamental to woven cloth, and necessarily constrain the symmetries that are achievable in cross-stitch. In particular, the square grid cannot support threefold or sixfold rotations (consider, for example, that no three points in a square lattice can form an equilateral triangle), which prohibits the five wallpaper groups that include them (for the record, they are p3, p31m, p3m1, p6, and p6m in the traditional crystallographic notation).

But hang on a minute. The restriction to 12 groups follows directly from the structure of the aida, not from a mathematical law. And while it’s certainly true that almost every cloth on earth is woven using warp and weft at right angles to each other, producing a rectangular arrangement of holes, other weaves are possible. I started thinking about an article I had worked on in my past capacity as editor of Journal of Mathematics and the Arts: Paul Gailiunas’s study of the mathematical properties of mad weave:

Five mad weave polyhedral models by Paul Gailiunas, presented at Bridges 2013.

Mad weave is triaxial: it’s made from threads in three evenly spaced directions. And look at the arrangement of holes left behind:

A sample of mad weave with the holes illustrated on the right.

With a suitable stitching pattern, those holes would permit threefold and sixfold rotational symmetries! Sitting in Susan’s talk, these two threads came together (so to speak). If I could find (or make) a suitable piece of triaxial cloth, I could use it as a kind of aida. Then I’d have to develop a new stitching pattern that’s as analogous as possible to traditional cross-stitch. At that point, I’d be able to create a hexagonal cross-stitch symmetry sampler. I resolved to attempt this project in time for the following year’s Bridges conference. Obviously, the cloth would have to be very fine, so that stitches on it would be sufficiently small. I wasn’t eager to weave that myself by hand. So first, I looked into the manufacturing of woven triaxial fabrics. It turns out that they do exist. They have good engineering properties: they tend to be more isotropic than regular woven cloth (they behave similarly in every direction) and less stretchy (because they don’t shear). After a lot of exploration, I reached out to Sakase Adtech in Japan. They very generously sent me a few samples of their polyester triaxial fabrics. The weave they use is actually not the same as mad weave; it’s what Paul Gailiunas called “open hexagonal weave” in his article. But the large hexagonal holes in that weave are still in the correct arrangement:

Image from Sakase Adtech’s site showing their triaxial weave.

I had never done any cross-stitching before, so I thought it would be prudent to start by creating a traditional square piece. I adapted a small piece of pixel art I had created a couple of years ago for a laptop sticker, leading to my first ever cross-stitch project:

My first ever crossstitch project.

I made a bunch of mistakes in transcribing the pattern, and you should see the horrific mess in back. But it provided a suitable introduction to the medium, enough to get working on the hexagonal piece. I needed to develop a stitching pattern that would produce little units as similar as possible to the X that forms the units of traditional cross-stitch. After experimenting with and rejecting a few alternatives, I settled on this pattern: Here, three individual stitches in a prescribed order (â&#x20AC;&#x153;vertical, backslash, slashâ&#x20AC;?) make up an asterisk-shaped unit. The stitches begin in the six hexagonal holes surrounding another hexagon and jump over that central hole, meaning that a number of holes have no stitches in them. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fine, of course, if the units are small enough, and this approach turns out to be the most convenient way to work with this fabric.

It was then time to design patterns. I decided to divide the sampler into a kind of hexagonal honeycomb (to emphasize the sixfold symmetry), and I created vector drawings in Illustrator for every cell. Each drawing shows the low-level hexagonal holes of the fabric, with larger, filled-in hexagons showing the intended units: With all those pieces in place, the last step was very simple: hours upon hours of punishing, tedious manual labour. My close-up vision has taken a sharp nosedive in the past couple of years, so here I was aided by a very stylish magnifying visor with built-in LED headlamp. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m quite happy with the finished result: There are five large hexagonal cells, containing the five symmetry groups that are not possible using traditional cross-stitch: reading in rows from the top, p31m, p3m1, p3, p6, and p6m. The other three cells are each divided into three rhombi, showing the other nine wallpaper groups that are also possible with hexagonal holes: p1, p2, pm, pg, cm, pmg, pgg, pmm, and cmm. This fabric canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t show fourfold rotations, which leaves precisely three wallpaper groups (pm, p4g, and p4m) on the sewing room floor. That makes for a grand total of 14 groups, versus 12 for traditional cross-stitch. Take that, Mary Shephard!

An example of a piece of hexagonal cross-stitch.

A pedantic mathematician will no doubt observe that the sampler doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t actually have all the symmetries advertised here. In each individual unit, the stitches are layered, which strictly speaking eliminates nearly all possible kinds of symmetry. Pedant, I salute you! Indeed, if you take the layering of threads into account, and require every unit to follow the vertical-backslash-slash pattern, then I think youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re able to represent only groups p1 and p2. Of course, the same layering problem arises with traditional cross stitch, and we respond with the same simplification: for the

A (more) complete cross-stitch symmetry sampler (2019)

purpose of evaluating symmetry we flatten stacks of thread into conceptual blobs of colour. Very special thanks to Ryoji Sakai and Sakase Adtech for sending me samples of their triaxial fabrics, and to Teruhisa Sugimoto for providing assistance in reaching out to them. Thanks also to Veronika Irvine for providing feedback on both the mathematical and stitching sides of this project, and to Linda Carson for suggesting the oddly shaped matte, which was expertly cut by The Artstore in Waterloo. And of course, thanks to my wife Nathalie for teaching me the basics of cross-stitch, giving me access to her large stash of supplies, and not mocking my visor too much.