How to Cross-Stitch Like Taylor Swift
We all knew that Taylor Swift could give us a perfect soundtrack to our relationships, rock a gown like nobody’s business, and delight us with her Instagram account—so it should come as no surprise that she’s a crafting goddess, too. As MTV discovered, the singer made BFF and fellow pop star Ed Sheeran a beyond cute cross-stitch showing the pair climbing stairs together, complete with the Drake lyric “Started From the Bottom Now We Here.” Taylor charmingly tweeted about the article, asking “But I thought everyone does this?” Luckily, we can—just follow these easy steps to craft your own pop cultural cross-stitch.
Find Your Inspiration
Take a cue from Ms. Swift by turning a favorite lyric into an encouraging motto, then add illustrations to make your piece pop. Here are a few ideas to get your creativity sparking:
- “Dark Horse” by Katy Perry: a purple horse surrounded by lightning bolts, with the words “I’m Coming At You Like A Dark Horse”
- “Royals” by Lorde: a sparkly crown or tiara, with the words “You Can Call Me Queen Bee”
- “Happy” by Pharrell: the now-iconic Pharrell hat, and the words “Because I’m Happy”
The possibilities are endless!
Get the Right Materials
To really cross-stitch like a star, you’ll need some special materials besides your trusty pencil and scissors. These items are available at most craft stores:
- Woven cross-stitch fabric
- An embroidery hoop
- An embroidery needle
- Plenty of colorful embroidery floss to make your design
Once you have everything you need, sketch your design onto the fabric and stretch it into the frame. Use the needle and embroidery floss to fill in the letters and pictures. The stitching itself is very easy—just make little crosses with the thread.
Put On a Stellar Playlist
There’s nothing like crafting while listening to music, and it seems especially appropriate for a project combining songs and sewing. Consider starting your playlist with these no doubt Swift-approved tracks:
- “22” by Taylor Swift
- “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” by Taylor Swift
- “Sing” by Ed Sheeran
- “Grade 8” by Ed Sheeran
Show Off Your Skills
After you’ve finished stitching your design, trim the extra fabric away from the embroidery hoop. Hang it on the wall as-is, or take a cue from Ed and frame the piece.