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[amalnahurriyeh]

Thanks, everyone, for the super-nice comments on my first post. I just finished working the lion for my son, and wanted to show it off. :)

From yarncrafts

Here it is from the front! I ran out of stash floss at one point and needed to buy new (this was floss that was over a decade old! I think it might have changed color with time), so there are color changes, but I don't think it's too awful.

And to give you an idea of how bad my technique is...

From yarncrafts

Here it is from the back. Eep. I'm just telling myself nobody will ever turn it over once I glue it to a backing.



In terms of all of your advice, I got a hoop while I was at the craft store. It did help with the wrist pain, but I actually had a sizing problems; I got a good-sized hoop (8 inches), but I'd already trimmed some scrap off my piece of cloth, so the part I was working wasn't 8 inches across! This meant it was hard to stretch. I'm going to be starting my next piece on a bigger piece of cloth, so I won't have that problem this time.

And working with shorter pieces of floss when dividing is definitely easier. It does mean I have to rethread more often, which can be annoying, but not ending up with terrible knots is much more important.

If I can pick your brains again: I'm starting work on this tonight, which I'm working for my son's cousin. (There was a LOT of debate about whether Cousin should get A LION JUST LIKE ME or A WHALE.) The pattern has big swatches of a single color at the center, and then smaller stripes above and below. My instinct is to work it linearly, starting from the left-hand side and working the tail first. But should I start with the big, medium blue shape of the body, and then add in the above-and-below bits? Would that make it structurally stronger?

Comments

[willidan]

I always start at the beginning of a pattern. I find the center of both the pattern and the fabric and start from there working my way out. That's how I was taught, anyway. It may not work for everyone.

[amalnahurriyeh]

See, I think "beginning" and assume "one side," not "center." But what you and bearshorty describe does make sense, starting from the middle and working out. Since I'm totally teaching myself (my mother did needlepoint/embroidery, but before I was born, so I never watched her do it), it's really good to get advice from other people about what to do! Thanks!

[willidan]

Figuring out stuff on your own is tough. That's what we're here for!

[bearshorty]

I always start at the center since that guarantees that you won't mess up the borders. And it would be stronger. So I would do that big body shape. So start with the body from the very center. Find the center on the design and bend the cloth in four to find a center there. The only time I start from the left is on those rare times I'm doing stamped cross stitch.

Are you using two-ply for this project? I can't tell if you know this but with two-ply (or any even numbered ply) it is easier and neater to use one thread and bend it in two and put the needle into the loop in the back (I don't know if I'm describing this clearly)

The lion looks very cute.

[amalnahurriyeh]

OK, let me see if I get this. So I find the middle of the pattern. Do I then start from the left of that block of color and fill in, or do I make a + shape where I stitch the height and width and then fill in the quadrants? The center shape on this one is 60-some-odd stitches across, and 10-12 up. I'm guessing I'm not supposed to work out in a spiral...

I worked the lion project with three strands of floss. I'm using 11-count aida; I think the book I read said that should be worked with 3 strands? It would be easier if I could do that doubling thing, thought...

[bearshorty]

No, no spiral. You should stitch left to right or right to left, whatever you prefer but not up and down. So start at the center and work that horizontal line for easy reference and counting. Then you can find the top left of that color and work that across. Don't do the height, just the width.

The baby blanket I'm making also says three, but I just find it so much easier to work with two that I just ignore their instructions :) I like two, I don't mind running the end of the stands under the back once I'm now, but I don't like holding the strands at the beginning at the back as I work over them, since there shouldn't be knots.

[bearshorty]

I means 'length', not 'width'! :)

I started cross stitching about twelve years ago and I learned from books and written instructions on pattern I bought. It took some time but you'd get a hang of it. And we are here to help if we can.

My grandmother used to cross stitch sometimes and I started right after she died; I think it was in memory of her. But I never watched her.

[rhianona]

As others have intimated, it is most common to start one's project from the center of the fabric. That way you don't have to worry about running out of space in the edges. Fabric sizes can be an issue with the hoops. That is why I have multiple sizes, so I don't have to worry. And if the piece is small enough, than I don't bother to hoop it.

The lion looks cute. The color change could also just be the difference of different dye vats used for the batches of floss. It doesn't look too noticeable though.

Your backs will get more neat with practice. 11 count aida probably does require three threads simply b/c it has larger "holes" so will look more full if you use three rather than two. Have you learned to start the stitches without knotting the thread?

I've been stitching on and off for ~20 years; you learn tricks as you continue. Groups like this are also helpful since experienced stitchers can tell you how to handle such fun things as metallic threads or beading.

[birgitriddle]

I've only been stitching regularly for two or three years (I'm not sure when I started doing it regularly), but first learned five years ago. However, I start from the center like pretty much everyone else said and work outward. The order I do things in is mostly dependent on the design and how my brain decides to organize the different shapes and parts that compose the pattern.

There's been only one time I did not work from the center and that was from a Subversive Cross Stitch kit in which the designer originally tried it that way, but found that she didn't have enough room for the design if she worked from the center. She ended up putting in the instructions that you should start from the right hand side, but the pattern was just a phrase and only needed one color: black.

I've learned how to cross stitch mostly from kits and I still primarily work on kit projects though I am starting to think about expanding out of my comfort zone with kits and just getting patterns and my own thread and aida fabric.

I'm a bit weird because I don't use a hoop since I don't like them, so I can't really give a suggestion as to that. I want to use scroll bars, but I can't figure out the ones I own.

[explorer0713]

One way to neaten up the back is to do a loop start. All this means if you pattern calls for an even number of floss strands - 2, 4 - use half that number and thread the two ends through the needle. When you take your first stitch, stop pulling earlier than usual. Now put the needle through to the back of the fabric and pull it through the loop that you now have on the reverse side of the fabric. Pull through as usual. I find this simpler an neater since you only have to hide one piece of floss instead of two. This only works when using an even number of strands though.

Also, to end a thread, run your needle under several adjoining stitches - 5 or 6 will do - and then trim off the excess to about 1/4 in (1cm). That will also make things neater.

Regarding the needle threading issue, some people like to thread several needles at the start of the day's stitch time instead of rethreading several times during stitching.

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Just remember, there are no stitching police that will come knocking at the door if you don't do something exactly as the books or someone else tells you to. Try different things and then stick with whatever is comfortable for you and gives you a look you are happy with. Just make sure the top leg always goes in the same direction.