Frequently Asked Questions

How are the charts created?
I start with an image I think would make a striking finished design and be interesting to stitch. I work with my own personal photos, art in the public domain, or art I have been licensed to chart by the artist.

I scan the image, resize it and try importing it into the charting software (I use Pattern Maker Professional). It will often take many imports with different settings for both the image and the import to get something suitable to work with. I then remove any inappropriate thread colours and manually clean up the stitches in the pattern until I have something I would be prepared to stitch myself.

What do I get?
All patterns come in a sealed plastic bag, with a full colour cover and a black and white pattern. A full symbol list is included and an information sheet with any relevant information about the design or the artist.

Are they hard to stitch?
I don't believe so. Computer generated patterns tend to use more colours and have the stitches more spread out than most other designs (unless you're a big Teresa Wentzler stitcher!). That means more patience is required, but the patterns aren't really hard.

Do you have any tips for stitching?
Personally, whenever I stitch a computer generated chart (or any chart since I developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), I make a copy of the pattern and mark it with highlighter pens.

I use a yellow pen to mark what I am going to stitch next; as I stitch it I mark over it with a blue highlighter, which turns the square green.

So my patterns have two colours on them, yellow to-do squares and green done ones. I find it makes following the pattern much easier to follow.

What do you recommend stitching them on?
Really, you can stitch them on anything. What you choose will determine the final size of the design.

I find that computer generated designs tend to look better if they are stitched on a tighter weave, making a smaller finished project. (Computer generated designs show the image better from a distance than up close - perfect when hanging on a wall.) If you prefer stitching on Aida, I suggest 16-count or 18-count. For linen or evenweave, 32-count using two threads over two. Another option is to go to a 25-count evenweave such as Lugana and stitch with one thread over one.

I have stitched my designs on both 16-count Aida and 25-count Lugana and I personally prefer using Lugana. For a number of newer designs, I have also recommended using hand-dyed fabrics and these recommendations are here on the website and on the patterns themselves. The bottom line is that there is no required fabric and it is you choice to pick what suits you best.

Why do you leave in all that background?
I have found that, when charting art and photographs, the background is generally such an integral part of the picture that removing it both reduces the impact of the design and is very difficult to do and still have nice, smooth edges to the image that look good when stitched. If I believe it is possible to remove a background and it will enhance the design I will do so - providing the artist is happy about its removal.

For some designs where the background has been removed, as Waiting for the Mists to Clear, the background is large and would be horribly boring to stitch. Instead, I have recommended using hand-dyed fabrics which will give a similar effect to the removed background. For other designs - The Bunch of Lilacs is a good example - removing the background would seriously minimize the design's effect and therefore it stays.

How about copyright?
I am careful to ensure I don't violate anyone's copyright.

The photographs I use are either taken by me personally, or I have the photographer's permission to use them. The "older" art is now in the public domain and available for use.

I have licensing contracts with the other artists whose work I chart. They have the final say in when a chart is available for sale, and receive a commission for every pattern sold from their artwork.

I own the copyright on the patterns themselves and they may not be distributed in any way, shape or form without written permission. You are however, welcome to make one working copy of the design to assist with your stitching.

What if I find an error?
I try very hard to avoid errors, but unfortunately some slip through. If you have a problem, first look on the Pattern Corrections page. If we already know about the error, we will have put the correction up there. If it's not there, please email me to ask about it. I will get back to you with an answer as soon as I can.

What if a colour looks really peculiar?
Again, I try very hard to avoid this, but sometimes it slips though. Take a look on the Pattern Corrections page in case it has already been noted and corrected. You can email me to ask about it, or go ahead and change it yourself to something better. If you feel you've made a better choice than I did, you are welcome to email me and let me know. If I agree, I may update the pattern with your suggestion.

A pattern I like seems to have disappeared. What happened?
Some of my early charts, especially the fine art ones, were created when I was still learning the best way to use the software, size the charts and get the colour balances right. I have never been happy with them and I made a decision to remove them from the catalogue. I am intending to return at least some of them to the site and catalogue when I have recharted them to my satisfaction. If you wish to ask about a particular design, drop me an email at mapgie@crreations.co.nz.

What are your shipping policies?
All charts are sent by either New Zealand Post or by courier.

Shipping within New Zealand:
The minimum shipping and handling charge within New Zealand is NZD$4.00. This applies to the first six patterns. Each pattern after that incurs an additional $0.50 charge.

International Shipping:
The minimum shipping and handling charge for international orders is USD$5.00. This applies to the first two patterns. Each pattern after that incurs an additional $0.75 charge.

How can I pay?
For sales within New Zealand, payment by cheque is preferred. For international sales, prices are in US dollars and the preferred method of payment is by Pay Pal.

We will also accept money orders and send patterns upon receipt of payment.

All cheques and money orders should be made out to "Character Creations".

Why are the two prices for each chart?
Character Creations is based in New Zealand and sells directly to New Zealand customers, so all the charts have a price in New Zealand dollars.

For international sales and payment, the US dollar is the most convenient currency, so all charts also have a price in US dollars.

To change the currency, go to the My Account page and click the currency of your your choice. Click Save and the site will display that currency.

How can I stay up-to date with new releases?
I run a mailing through Yahoo! Groups where I post notification of new patterns and updates to the website. If you would like to join, please click here.

How can I speed up loading times when browsing?
If you go to My Account, you can choose to disable the thumbnails on the design list pages.

How does the search engine work?
The search engine offers choices on how a search will run. These setting can be canged on the My Account page. Make sure you remember to click "Save" after making any changes. (You don't have to have filled in your details to be able to change any site settings.)

The first option allows you to choose whether to search only for complete words, or to allow partial word matches. For example, if you search for the word maid with "Full Words" selected, then you will only get results for the complete word. If "Partial" is selected, the results will include longer words that contain maid such as mermaid.

The second option allows you to choose how the search will run if you run a search with more than one word. For example, if you search for the words red and dragon with "Any Words" selected, then the results will include all designs that contain either word. When searching in "All Words" mode, you will only get a result for a design that contains both words. The search engine does not require the words to be consecutive, only present.