Making a scroll with cross stitch

[rbaron]

I'd like to make my own version of this project (viewtopic.php?f=11&t=14982#p83392), and finish it to enter into our town fair next year. Due to the nature of the project, the finished product will be long and skinny. I can either try to find a very specific frame (25-30 inches x 6-10) or I can turn it into a scroll. I've never done it before, and I was looking up some stuff about it...

Anyone have a good guide on this? And is it really so easy as to sew the fabric around a dowel?

[Eliste]

Anyone have a good guide on this? And is it really so easy as to sew the fabric around a dowel?

Yes! It can be that easy if you don't intend on rolling it easily. By which I mean, if you simply sew the fabric to create loops at each end, you can very easily put dowels on your project. It will not immediately roll without you helping it to begin as there's nothing to keep the dowel from sliding around it. Its super easy, and if you're not rolling it, super effective.

If you want to make one that doesn't rotate on the dowels, you need to somehow stick the dowel and the fabric together. Without learning woodworking, the easiest is probably glue, although I always hate that option. Some suppliers will now sell scroll ends that can catch your fabric- they're usually metal, though.

[rbaron]

Thanks!

[Yurtle]

You could also sew down the top big enough for the dowel to fit in. Then you can buy decorative caps for the ends of the dowels. So after you've sew a "hoop" in your project, stick the dowel through and then you can cap each end of the dowel. Put a bit of glue on the ends of the dowels before you cap them and you're good to go.

In case you can't imagine what I'm thinking by my terrible description - I'm thinking of the ends of that go on curtain rods. You can find wood ones at the hardware store that will fit your dowel. That's what I've used before and they work great!