for me to start a project. Even as small as a single motif. I've been putting it off, dragging myself to the stitching parlor (sounds better than the room full of stitching stuff thrown everywhere) and the only task accomplished - ridding. I decided to browse the huge file of printed freebies looking for motifs and smalls. One by one, these pages kept for a decade or more, went into a pile for burning. This was the third and last pile.
There were many working copies of previously stitched pieces also, and my own freebies. Some of which I actually looked at and thought - this might be nice stitched. You already did and gave it away Hotflash Harriet. They are your designs. Putz.
Mary Monier was passing by and although I do not like script letters, it is a very narrow project which is good. Short rows don't test my patience which is really an issue during a slump. Hurry up and complete the row, move on, get this damn thing finished. That's my mind set and it has never lasted this long. I took a little break, got a haircut, ate another watermelon, and not much has changed. But as the sweat is rolling from my brow on this chilly morning, we all know that when I reach a certain number of sweat fests, I change. I do know one thing that will not change, I just can't seem to go back to double thread. It always humped and twisted with uneven tension and after several projects on high count and one thread, I'm hooked.
The pin stitch that was foreign to me until last year (this post), has made it much easier especially when only a few stitches of one color is needed. I saw Nicola's video on YouTube for the stitch (here) and tried that method of horizontal and vertical instead of diagonal and those threads show. I prefer the diagonal but maybe the linen count makes a difference in how visible the horizontal pin actually is. That would make sense, right? Her videos by the way are better than some movies I've seen. The method I posted about uses two threads but using one is just as easy and covers the middle break perfectly. It can be worked from the top and trimmed as her video shows, just stitched diagonally, or the tail left to the back as the diagram shows. To end, I usually loop the back and run the thread through for that naughty knot we are told never to use. I always do. There is no bump, there is no long tail, there is no loose thread.
What I don't understand is why a pin stitch is needed when using a double thread because the loop method is just as secure and much easier. That's just me. I am certainly not a needleworker remotely close to the caliber of instructors.
Well my forehead is now dry, I am chilled from being wet in a cool house, and I hate the thought of losing summer. I do not notice the flashes as much since my body is warm to begin with, but during the cool months, yuk.
Hope you had a nice weekend.
My thoughts are with so many people and animals suffering through terrible conditions right now in several states. And now, more coming.
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11 comments:
I did that same thing with patterns I had printed out, freebies, etc. What was once appealing isn't even remotely so these days. It felt good to get rid of so much...just hoping I don't decide to miss it all one of these days...
Must be in the air. I rid myself of soooooooooooo many freebies two weeks ago. I recycled them, no burning. ;)
donating, recycling and tossing going on at my house this week...a little hooking slump has me clearing out with a vengeance...the only remotely creative thing I've done is go through my quilt fabric scrap basket to cut strips for machine piecing...my cross stitch charts fill a large basket, sigh...I need to find them a good home...
I have always dreaded that pin stitch. Your diagram is so helpful.
Have stitched one piece for Thanksgiving "Give thanks" and one for Christmas "A Merry Old Christmas". Now to decorate for Fall/Halloween.
I, too, feel for the folks AND animals in the path of the hurricanes. Someone on Facebook mentioned "is God trying to tell us something".
Praying for our country and it's people.
Charlotte in Va.
I don't seem to have problems with random stitches, but... apparently I don't have them enough! I am pretty picky about the patterns I do nowadays, with a shorter attention span. In fact, I also went and looked at my 'freebies'--the ones in a BIG folder on the computer! Printed a few more 'smalls' out that will interest me for the next few months... And just threw them on the 6-inch or so high pile on my bookshelf! Maybe I shall start giving some away when I do posts... it could happen! Cause there are many I am no longer interested in doing now... tastes change. I have been 'collecting' them since about 2007, so many of the stitchers today probably never saw them! Ha!
Thank you for the diagram. Maybe one day I'll remember to use the pin stitch instead of running thread tails under the stitches on the back :-)
As far as why use it for 2 threads instead of loop start, I'm thinking maybe for when you don't have a loop. Like when you've stitched an area but there's too much left on the needle to toss aside, but not enough to take out and double the remaining threads. You may have guessed I'm one who tends to use every last inch I can.
Yes, there's something in the air. I pulled out a bunch of magazines I've had since the late 80s and am going through, pulling what I still find interesting, and will be removing from my house. I've found over the years that cross stitch isn't my love, even if it were, my tastes have changed.
Marly: You hit the nail on the head, I do the double and catch the hoop in the back I have seen many teachers and designers do the same thing, I am sure there were many stitcher's years ago that did the same thing to make a back look better.
I like doing small designs when I am on vacation or riding in the car, I leave the larger stuff for home, or else I screw up big time.
Blessings
Catherine
Yes, I remember reading about this pin stitch. Your diagram is great and I just printed it out for future remembering. Sorry about your 'hot flashes'. My mother never had them and I inherited that from her among other things that I will not be sharing. Love ya Mom...
Pray for those in the path of nasty Irma. Hard to believe it will be worse than Harvey as that was bad enough.
So for now I say and pray, " Peace and Blessings for all" and God Bless America,
Barb
Okay, Marly, I’m a little late to the party, but I’d like to chime in on that pin stitch. I happily used the loop method for several years until I saw Nicola’s video on the pin stitch. The loop method is absolutely fantastic until I try to use it on one of those variegated overdyed threads. The variation gets lost when the strands are folded in half for stitching. For some colors this is advisable, but generally I try to avoid it. Besides, I think I’m in love with my bff the pin stitch. ��
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