havanaholly Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Harbor Freight has the cheap jeweler's loupes that clip onto the earpiece of your glasses and is wonderful for mini stitching! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Thanks for reviving the thread! I have been posting pics of my finished needlework in this gallery. I got my hands on the Pamela Warner Georgian embroidery book I was bemoaning not having in one of my earlier posts and have stitched several designs from it already. I've only done one Janet Granger kit (a pillow) but I love looking at the other stuff on her site. I would do more if she offered half scale, especially one of those fire screens... Starting from the center is a good idea to make sure your piece is relatively centered on the fabric (which prevents starting too far to one side and running out of fabric before you reach the other side of the design). That being said, since it's your first time doing a counted design, you might want to do the red outlines first to help anchor you in the design. Once those outlines are stitched it might be easier to look at the chart and see where the floral elements will go on the fabric. Anyway, there's no right way... whatever you find works for you! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Ok thanks for the tips. Since I haven't received the kit yet, fov I'm not sure what you mean by red lines? Holly thanks, I'm curious what is the difference in stitching with one strand doubled compared to two strands? That seems like a dumb question, but be prepared for several of those coming from me in the following weeks. This is the info given about the kit: "The kit includes everything you need to make this lovely little carpet to put in your dollhouse or room setting 18 count canvas, plenty of Appletons fine crewel wool, fine thread to make the fringe, a needle, full instructions (including how to do the fringing stitch), and a colour block chart to count the design from (please note: the design is not printed on the fabric). The carpet measures 8 inches x 6.25 inches when finished." I don't wear close up glasses to stitch but I think I better get some cheapo drug store ones for this project. Thanks for the moral support Blondie;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minsanity Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I just pulled out a cross stitch that I started 20 years ago. I forgot how much I enjoy it and appreciate how transportable and mess free it is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Looking at the photo more closely now I can see by red lines you meant the border fov. Sounds good thanks for the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Yeah, that's what I meant. The kit instructions will probably tell you whether to use one strand or two. The lower your fabric count is (e.g. fewer squares per inch), the more strands you need to use to ensure the fabric is covered adequately. Otherwise the white fabric/canvas can peek through. If it were cross stitch with DMC floss I'd say to use 2 strands for 18-count fabric, but yarn is bulkier so you might get away with one. But either way I think it'll be specified in the directions. By the way, if you do start with the border, the potential danger there is miscounting and ending up with a border that doesn't match the design, which leads to lots of swearing and frogging (ripping out stitches). When I'm doing a border first I usually do one X followed by nine / stitches for as many groups of ten as I need, and then only when I'm sure I've counted right do I go back and do the \ to complete the Xes. It doesn't really save me any time -- still need to count it and count it again to be sure I got it right -- but it helps me visualize and not lose track of how many I've stitched while I'm in the middle of doing the border. With needlepoint you're probably only going to be doing / stitches anyway (sorry I forget what those are called... continental?), not full cross stitches, so this doesn't necessarily apply to you. But be sure to count really carefully! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Karin, when I stitch with two strands I start a few stitches from where that color's design begins and then stitch over the thread "tail" to cover and anchor it. When I double a single strand to start with the "eye of the lark" I thread the needle with theends of the doubled thread and bring the needle up through the fabric at the starting point; when I bring the needle down through the fabric to complete that first stitch, I pass it through the loop of the doubled thread on the back side; this secures the floss and I continue to stitch with a doubled thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Ok, thanks for the clarification Holly. And thanks for all the info Fov. I wonder if it would be worthwhile to tea stain the fabric before stitching so that it isn't bright white, if there is a chance part of it might show. I hope I can even get the gist of what a "square" is when looking at a blank piece of cloth. I've done lots of stamped cross stitch but never counted. Well thanks Ladies:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 If cloth shows through, use anotther strand of floss. The squares on your chart are where a vertical and a horizontal thread cross each other on your fabric. I use a half-cross stitch, bringing my needle up from the lower left and back down at the upper right. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 About the squares I was forgetting that needlepoint is worked on an actual canvas so the squares should be obvious think I'm going to look for a work lamp with a magnifier attachment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Forgot- do you experts recommend a frame for this size rug or embroidery hoop? I always have trouble with keeping frames snug so I'm hoping the answer is hoop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheverly Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Funny, because I have a hard time keeping the hoops snug. I'm wondering about the fabric you guys are using. I know where the Aida fabric is (14-32 gauge), but what is all this talk about silk mesh and linen? I tried asking at Joann's the other day and they looked at me like a frog was crawling out of my nostril, so I just slunk away empty-handed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted August 14, 2014 Author Share Posted August 14, 2014 The kit was so tiny that I didn't use a hoop -- just my fingers. The kit recommends using one piece of floss and doing the tent stitch -- which is half a cross-stitch. Here is my finished product. I also didn't use glasses. I used one of these: http://www.goldingcraft.com/picture2/2640618.png Some people find them annoying, but I don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I prefer the wooden hoops that have a screw device to keep the outer hoop snug; I still have to pull the fabric taut from time to timek much better than the old strrl jobs with the springs. I have a floor frame for 1:1 pieces, but 1:12 rugs work best in a hoop FOR ME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Karin, I stitch in hand whenever possible (no frame or hoop), so I'm not able to help to there. I say do whatever feels most comfortable to you. Cheverly - Aida is a cross stitch fabric with thick threads, that tends to have lower thread counts per inch. So with Aida it's usually something like 12-count, meaning you end up with 12 stitches per itch. Evenweave and linen are similar to Aida but with higher thread counts and, in life-sized cross stitch, is usually stitched "over two" (two horizontal and vertical threads per stitch). So if you had 24-count evenweave or linen and stitched over two, your design would come out the same size as if you'd stitched on 12-count Aida. Evenweave and linen are basically the same thing, except that on evenweave the threads are uniform and on linen some are thinner and some thicker. (I don't think Aida goes as high as 32 count, so you might have worked with evenweave/linen before and not realized it was different than Aida. Joann's carries some evenweave and linen in addition to Aida - Charles Craft and Zweigart are some of the brand names.) For mini stuff, to achieve the smaller designs, the stitching is often done "over one" so you only have one horizontal and vertical thread per stitch. When you stitch over one, you have twice as many stitches per inch than stitching over two, so your design is half the size. The highest stitch count linen I've been able to find is 56-count. Silk mesh (also called silk gauze) is another type of fabric that come in very high stitch counts... at least up to 60, maybe higher? I don't like working with it because it distorts easily so I stick to evenweave and linen. You're not going to find silk mesh at Joann's, you'd need to go to a needlework shop for that (or buy online). EDIT: This blog has a good explanation. You can see how in the design stitched on linen, the empty fabric around the design has a more pleasing appearance. That's less important if your design covers the whole area (like for a mini rug), but linen and evenweave are also more flexible and have the higher stitch counts, so I think they're better suited to minis than Aida. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 A lot of the kits come with the silk mesh. I don't like to stitch on it because it distorts in a frame or hoop and I don't care how carefully I stitch in hand, it still distorts, even when I do the basket stitch (I prefer the half cross). I like 32 tpi or higher linen and I do stitch over one, which came in handy when I was making rugs for the Fairfields. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Love that wall hanging Blondie:) Chev, I know that look well. I got it at Joann's when I asked for weavers cloth, which is used in punch needle work. Had to order online. They may or may not have had it at the store..no one knew what I was talking about. Janet Grangers site has free tutorials, looks like she recommends mounting the silk to mat board with a window cut out. Good news about the hoop, thanks 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 ...Janet Grangers site has free tutorials, looks like she recommends mounting the silk to mat board with a window cut out... One of the Small Stuffers, Jonathan ben David, did exquisite mini needlework and that was how he descrobed mounting the silk gause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caseymini Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 There is also another method of mounting silk gauze, if you want to use a hoop. I usually use linen for the mounting material. You carefully cut a window in the linen and stitch the silk gauze behind it, keeping it lined up with the grain of the linen. That way you can insert the linen in the hoop and easily stretch it. This is the way it was done in previous centuries. It's not used much anymore, but it is still an effective method if you don't happen to have any mat board handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 The kit was so tiny that I didn't use a hoop -- just my fingers. The kit recommends using one piece of floss and doing the tent stitch -- which is half a cross-stitch. Here is my finished product. I also didn't use glasses. I used one of these: http://www.goldingcraft.com/picture2/2640618.png Some people find them annoying, but I don't. That came out great! Was the frame included with the kit? I was doing some organizing today and came across one of the very first petitpoint kits I stitched, a 1:12 Annelle Ferguson sampler. It might be the only thing I successfully stitched on silk gauze. I finished it ~15 years ago but never took it off the cardboard frame. :o I should really finish it and use it in one of my houses... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheverly Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Thanks for the fabric explanation, Emily. I'm traveling next week, so I'll have to finally take the plunge and buy some to try it out. Y'all's rugs are making my house a teensy bit envious. Blondie, that IS tiny! But you did such a great job! Karin, I finally found weaver's cloth at Hobby Lobby. If you have one in your area, it'll be with the floss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennymoomeow Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Hi everyone, I'm working on a new cross stitch project. Made up the design myself (toot toot). The centers will have a sunflower-like block design. I was aiming for small, but it's not quite small enough for half scale. It's 3.5" by 3.5", or 80 x 80 count on white Aida 18. It might make a good hanging wall quilt. My last project was on Hardanger 22 and I needed something a little easier on the eyes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted August 15, 2014 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Looks like it will be a winner. I love sunflowers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Jennie, that looks fantastic so far, love the border. I was at a Pine Needles quilt shop today and was shocked to see a whole rack of punch needle kits perfect for dh rugs in 1:12. I bought a Christmas kit and one with a quilt pattern design. You can never have too many rugs:) thanks for the tip about the weavers cloth, that's good to know if I ever run out. Thinking about pulling the trigger on an Ott light with a magnifier lens. Does anyone know if Joann's let's you use the %40 off coupon on the Ott lamps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Also at HL today I noticed really small cross stitch kits with cute Christmas designs. May be just a tad large. But I think they could work as wall art in a Christmas house, the frames that came with them are some of the same that hbs sells as dollhouse miniatures. The kits were only 5.99 and located on an end cap, if anyone is interested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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