Controlling tension

Hi everyone.  My latest motif (floral vase) was a lot easier than the others and I was able to use my favorite method for controlling tension.  My threads usually do not lay smoothly, evenly, properly, add tension irregularities and I create a wonky stitch.  It's me.  No one checks my samplers, no friends have any interest, so studying my work is never done.  And it doesn't matter to me or I would put forth an effort to better my stitches.  The only time they look fairly even in tension and placement is when using this method for blocks.  I've mentioned it before, and will again, because I am always pleased with the result.

For houses and larger blocks I use the sewing method horizontally for the first half of the stitch, completely filling in the area before crossing.  The second half of the stitch is done vertically, which creates (for me) as even a stitch as I will ever produce.  The right side is the first half, and left side is completed.

For this vase, I added a line of blue creating a rim simply because it looked odd to me without it.  The two rows in the rim were done my usual way, completing one row at a time.  You can see the ditch between them even though I was deliberately being careful with my tension.  The body of the vase appears to have a more defined stitch rather than a row of floss squished together.  The sewing method is what I use most, but if I completed one stitch at a time, that definition may be there.  But I like the quicker sewing method, hence, wonky stitches.

In order to make the sewing motion easier, I turn it upside down for every other row to work bottom to top.

Because I am all the way to the right edge, I needed the spool huggers to hold the excess linen.

And my finished block of stitches look pretty even without an obvious horizontal pattern,  I also used this method on the first set of leaves on the left since I could compare the result to the others.  Hmm.  Better, no??

Anyway, not sure if I will complete this side of the sampler to the bottom or move elsewhere or take a break.  I have not been feeling right, BP is high, HR is high, hot flashes galore, and high anxiety.  Much of that is because of the continuing hair loss, dramatic to say the least.  But I am seeing the doc Tuesday for a chat.

Hope your weekend goes well!!

Thanks for visiting.

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