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9663 Review
6303 Karma

Review on ☕️ Maydear Cross Stitch Kits - Stamped Embroidery Starter Kits for Beginners - DIY 11CT 3 Strands - Coffee Cup Design - Size 14×21 Inch by Amanda Castillo

Revainrating 2 out of 5

clearly marked but MANY problems. Re: Mug Set

I was a little surprised when I opened the box to find that this wasn't the canvas material I was used to. If you look closely at the images provided (which I didn't) you will see that this is a different material with holes. Looks cheaper than standard canvas. The feeling before you start work is more like paper than fabric. Once you work with it, the thread turns it into a fabric, and it's almost like a regular canvas, just a little stiffer. It doesn't have the strength or flexibility of a typical canvas, however, and I almost get scared when I clamp it. The design is very well defined. It will be difficult to make a mistake as the markings are very accurate and the shade guide is so clear. This is the biggest plus of the project. This is great for beginners and for people like me who embroider while watching TV or postponing a project for a few days. Although I've only just started this project, I can already say that the amount of thread provided is far from what is needed to complete the project. For me it's not that big of a problem because I have so many threads left over from other projects. I usually change colors in projects, so this lack gives me room to improvise. However, it is highly unethical to sell a kit that the manufacturer should know is incomplete. The user needs to do a quick calculation before running a given swatch to ensure the entire area can be covered, or take a quick trip to Joanne with bits of thread to find matching or similar colors (from what I've read have, DMC equivalences are not exact). At $0.56 each, this can get expensive. Some designs allow for more flexibility, but the design I chose (cups stacked on top of each other) is very precise. You can vary the shades of green in the foliage-based design, but the porcelain pattern is pretty inflexible. When I embroider the colored areas, the primary colors disappear. However, I have just realized that there is a lot of empty space around the cups and no provision has been made for that area. The paper background cannot be left as is - a large white area with holes. There is no thread and if you look at the picture the holes are blurry making it look full. I haven't looked closely at all of the designs, but I feel like the blank space between and around the swatches is up to you (and at your expense). Only colored threads are intended for the decoration of areas, and probably not enough. So what initially looked like an inexpensive set could have a significant price increase.

Pros
  • Needlework
Cons
  • Could have chosen a newer model