Finish!

 My first 46 count.  I found that the weft (?) threads (vertical to selvage) are shredding, breaking, even without much stress.  The warp threads (horizontal) are still breaking with a tug but are stronger than the weft.  I am sure this is not the norm with this count, and am anxious to stitch on a different piece.

So, this sweet sampler from Scarlet Letter will be added to the pile for final finishing.  It is just under 5" x 2.5".  

Folded in half, a darling little needle book.  

If mylar or mat board inserted, I can stand it half open as a miniature book, both sides visible.  Sounds good!  

Yesterday's mail delivered this market release that hasn't seemed to get much buzz.  I recently saw a chart with these same letters in red on a sampler, different designer.  Striking, and hope to finish as a book/journal cover, may be a perfect fit.  The 1840 miniature standing with it .... yepper!  

I really like this sliding photo frame lidded box and have searched for others, perfect to stand for display.  I purchased two smaller ones years ago, they are hiding and will appear one day.

I hope everyone that celebrates has a wonderful Easter.

Be well, be safe. 

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And again

Is this routine for 46 count?   Has anyone had an issue with broken threads?  I was continuing on the inner border and came up to this .... another break.  The next stitch requires a thread there.  If in an open area, fusible facing would be my choice but I need to weave here.  Repair won't be very challenging since the replacement's tail can end in the e and the other end in the margin.  How many others are in this small piece?

Linen threads in places are as fine as a hair and could easily cause multiple placement errors, but I've been very careful, no frogging which surprised me.  The photo has a red background to show the break better.

Two more small pieces coming in the mail, will try to compare with this one but these breaks are very difficult to see until you are ready to place a stitch.  Both are this same color from Zweigart.    

The teal row and the borders are all that remains.  Do I want to work other projects on this piece?  Waiting to see what the mail brings.  

I do not at all remember thread grain in a post.  I paid attention after learning this, threading each end of the same strand was definitely different.  One was more difficult because the twist was unraveling, the other end did not.  

I found that Quest Mobile is offering in home blood draw for lab work at a cost of $55.  Since Carole pays more than twice that for a motorized chair transport, she's smiling.  Of course anything other than blood work is not offered, but certainly a benefit for those with mobility or transport issues.  There are several others that offer this service depending on your location which I found searching online.

Hope your day is warm and sunny folks.

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Did you know?

I did not!  Or did I forget?

Flosstube recommended a video, and I learned about the proper direction of thread.  What?  Could this really make a difference in how your floss lays and prevent its twist from unraveling on the end?  Makes sense.

Visit Cross my Stitches on youtube, and watch Flosstube extra! Tips and Tricks.

Maybe others have featured this, but I only watch a few favorites and obviously miss a lot.  Could this be the reason I have shredding issues with dmc?

Who knew?  Did you?

Here's progress on the sampler....

There was a fat slub running along the edge of the breaks so that helped camouflage the repair, glad I made the effort.

Enjoy your day folks.

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Bingo

 Good enough.

It could be improved.  But when the next row is in, the patch will resemble a slub.  Too many broken threads in one area to align and this shredding is tempting me to toss it.  Stopping before that happens, and pleased with the result.

 

I really love the 46 from HL.  The color is perfect (this piece, not the other Oat), the weave is actually much nicer than the one I am working on.  I also learned there are two types, Bergen (uneven like 42/45), and Bristol (even like 46/46), which is what I have.  

Moving on.

Ciao!

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Fuzzy Wuzzy is a bear!

 And I don't mean the animal!

I have never had a linen thread break apart like this, no effort at all.  I have stronger kleenex!  All the times I've removed a thread by picking and pulling out the entire length of fabric for weaving back, never had one break.  If I rub it between my fingers, it shreds into fuzz. 

But I would like to attempt a patch, even if noticeable which may offer more of an aged look.   Removing a workable thread had to be done no more than an inch at a time to prevent breaking.  Once in the needle, it shredded and fell apart.  Now I'm getting ticked.  And more determined.

Finally have a thread of four inches to weave in, realize there are three broken, not just two.  I weave vertical, then turn horizontal beneath a stitch in the A to anchor, back down, turn, and up again.  And it's shredding, leaving fuzz everywhere, and now broken.  Guess what?  I will work it the best I can, complete the H over the repair, and then fuse the back with light interfacing to secure.  The entire piece will be fused when completed, not an issue.  To be continued.

 

The End.

If you are curious about using this count and don't want mottled or the expense for a piece that may not work out, head to Hobby Lobby.  Packaged counts of Aida and linen from Zweigart.  This is 46 in the color Oat, 11x18, for $5.99 which I purchased.  Love the color, but the second package of Oat was very pinkish, so there it stayed.  

Hope all is well with everyone.

Thanks for visiting.

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Oh crap

 I ordered another small piece of this linen, and I'm curious if other mfg. linens in 46 have a heavier weave.  The right edge of the H was not in line with the A above.  One thread off, but each stitch held two, spaces were also two. Over and over, baffled.  Back to the Dazor, spotted a tiny bit of fuzz which was actually the end of a broken thread, accounting for being off one.

 I carefully removed stitches in the center of the H to check further and must have broken a second.  Never had that happen without aggressively pulling a slub.  The first was already broken, no stitches were frogged before I saw the fuzz.  Did my blunt tip needle break it while running it between threads to check alignment?  Linen is strong, I don't understand the breaks.

Not sure where to go from here.  Move down, start over?  Pick a spot and start a different project?  Attempt to re-weave?  Easy to do on a lower count with one break.  Two adjacent on 46 may be too difficult, but that will be tried first.  

Frustrating, but worse things can happen than broken linen threads and lost work.  

Be safe everyone.

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