Signing Your Work

To discreetly personalize a work, add your initials and the year. Use a backstitch at the edge of the design with a floss color that is readable, but blends in with the design. Do not mat over it, but instead allow it to be seen! It’s always fun to look at your finished pieces and know when it was completed.
More detailed information could be added to the edge of the fabric where it will be hidden after framing. This information may be found years and years in the future and could be helpful in identifying when and who did the needlework.

How do I stitch ´over 2´?

Pretend you are playing tic-tac-toe and draw the grid out on a piece of paper. Now, you would bring your needle up in the lower left corner and put it down through the upper right corner -- crossing over the square in the middle. Then to cross it, you’d come up in the lower right and down in the upper left, once again, crossing over the square in the middle. That is now once stitch done over two threads. Another way to help you count this while you are stitching is to bring up your needle in one hole, and then count two threads over and two threads up, and that is where the needle goes down.

How can I create my own design? Is there a simplified method?

Depending on what you want to do.. a sampler, a design from a photograph, a design of your own, etc. there are a variety of different methods. This isn’t a very easy question to answer. :-)
There are several computer programs out there to help - PC Stitch, Stitch-A-Photo, Pattern Maker Software, Pattern Maker Cross Stitch Clipart, and I’m sure there are more. These software programs will help and provide you small images that can be used in your designs.
If you are trying to do a sampler of sorts you could just start with a book of drawn thread and cross stitch stitches and design your own on a piece of graph paper.

I would think the ’simplified’ version is to find a software program that provides you with some of the functionality you are looking for.

Framing With Glass

Do not let glass touch the needlework after it has been framed. A spacer placed under the glass will keep it away from the fabric. This is also helpful for projects with embellishments that protrude from the fabric such as French knots, ribbons, and beads.

Natural Light

As natural light is best for creating needlework, it is also excellent for photographing it. Natural light will bring out the colors and texture of your work. If natural light is not possible a flash may help; if the needlework is behind glass it will cause a glare.

Hoop Size

When ever possible use a hoop or frame large enough to fit the entire finished project inside. When this is not possible use a piece of muslin or other uncolored fabric (I use old white dishtowels torn into strips) and place it between your fabric and the hoop to preven the hoop/frame resting directly on to your finished work.