tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5404478939546665522024-03-13T16:50:55.871-04:00Creative StitchA Needlepoint Blog by Joni StevensonJonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-52400627834292964882015-12-14T08:15:00.001-05:002015-12-14T08:15:04.945-05:00Turning a Corner with a Couched Thread<br />
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Many geometric designs have a portion of the stitched design in which a couched thread goes all the way around the piece, in a square or rectangular shape. A decorative stitch holds down the couched thread. If I have not been too clear, this is what I mean:</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6mv2pmZ2JvM3ywp0gIxAHO7swpTXfA3RaQ0Ne6QV7vC5H-59t3sRPNM3BPRJSC8lD86Blf09-p_AxbDnbeDfBArEjQRFHWfl42kC409Da_6TJKSX96CwpYLCadytOT8OXKR46ttfVCiv/s1600/Sue+Reed%2527sl+Harmony+-+Sea.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6mv2pmZ2JvM3ywp0gIxAHO7swpTXfA3RaQ0Ne6QV7vC5H-59t3sRPNM3BPRJSC8lD86Blf09-p_AxbDnbeDfBArEjQRFHWfl42kC409Da_6TJKSX96CwpYLCadytOT8OXKR46ttfVCiv/s640/Sue+Reed%2527sl+Harmony+-+Sea.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Sue Reed's Harmony - Sea</span></b></td></tr>
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Many thanks to Sue Reed for letting me use her beautiful piece Harmony - Sea to make a point.</div>
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Some may wonder, just how do you turn a corner with a couched thread, when the couched thread has to go down into the same hole that it comes up in.</div>
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If I diagram out what I am working with it looks like this:</div>
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There are several ways to handle this situation and many ways not to handle this situation. The number one thing <b>NOT</b> to do is put a knot on the back of the piece at each corner to allow yourself to come up and go down into the same hole.</div>
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The most fundamental way to handle this situation is to start and stop your couched thread on each of the four sides separately. That is too much starting and stopping if you ask me, but it will do the trick. </div>
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A similar method, and I say similar because it leaves as much thread on the back as if you were starting and stopping your thread on each side, is to carry the thread along the back underneath where it will be couched. This is what I mean:</div>
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There is absolutely <b>nothing</b> wrong with this technique. It does leave a lot of thread on the back, but that thread will be tacked down by the same stitches that you use on the front to tack down the couched thread. </div>
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For those of you who do not want to have a lot of thread on the back there are other techniques to try: using a tacking stitch to turn a corner and backside couching. First the tacking stitch method:</div>
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For a close up of what is happening at the corners:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCkAktDh1cNILLd5EW_H1osdtoI0AzRumwjn3AERUcj7I5ojKUSOT3QkSe7i7czA8nHvTcG4Ykc10n5ccJwgP0OfkML02Il6ZfPELrZ4i94m9B6VNkWJk9Uie1FA-wpiCrK40zLQP0QjB/s1600/Turning+a+corner+with+a+tacking+stitch.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCkAktDh1cNILLd5EW_H1osdtoI0AzRumwjn3AERUcj7I5ojKUSOT3QkSe7i7czA8nHvTcG4Ykc10n5ccJwgP0OfkML02Il6ZfPELrZ4i94m9B6VNkWJk9Uie1FA-wpiCrK40zLQP0QjB/s320/Turning+a+corner+with+a+tacking+stitch.png" width="286" /></a></div>
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With this method, you bring your needle down into the hole marked “2”, take a tacking stitch (3-4) and then bring your needle up at “5”, which is the same hole as “2”. This method does not work all the time, especially with heavy threads because the tacking stitch will create a lump if the thread is too thick. Perhaps the couching stitch would hide the tacking stitch lump, and it may, but there is a third method that works well with heavy threads - the underside or backside couching stitch.</div>
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Here is how that stitch works - you need to work with two needles simultaneously, the couched thread needle and the couching thread needle. The couching thread needle goes up through the hole marked “a” in the canvas and then you loop the couching thread around the couched thread and take the couching thread needle down into the same hole, marked “a”. Pull on the couching thread until the area in which the couching thread loops around the couched thread “pops” through to the back of the canvas. You may then neatly turn the corner. The entire length of the couched thread stays on the front of the canvas (the couched thread needle never is taken to the back of the canvas until you get to the very end), only the little area with the loop around it is on the backside.</div>
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It may be easier to follow the diagrams than the written instructions:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSDJSmWz1S6HmLXiOu7N9zz1H0-jzz-uT2ZhnqZsJiwtUn4ZKH7iYnAfpvYcTZ4tYbY2lQzQRUETuwkt7b0gOvLMwH4lmk4yDVowJWlkbvWLPQxqIUQ0mtCBnfMEO3ZtivSZH-pFWJ7tQ/s1600/step+2+backside+couching.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRSDJSmWz1S6HmLXiOu7N9zz1H0-jzz-uT2ZhnqZsJiwtUn4ZKH7iYnAfpvYcTZ4tYbY2lQzQRUETuwkt7b0gOvLMwH4lmk4yDVowJWlkbvWLPQxqIUQ0mtCBnfMEO3ZtivSZH-pFWJ7tQ/s400/step+2+backside+couching.png" width="390" /></a></div>
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The backside couching technique works best with a thicker couched thread, so that the two threads fit snugly into the hole and provides stabilization for maintaining stitch tension.</div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-40577119718768033202014-10-25T20:16:00.001-04:002014-10-25T20:17:05.998-04:00It Never Hurts to Plan Ahead<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I started stitching today, filling in an irregular shape with a composite stitch. Here is my irregular shape:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFybY8abwX4jMlFUfyobdOAy3cy_AV_08VIIA4ihUfKleFk-aNIZJFi6XZFTyhkQduiO5Bu_XC8UqYJjkDYkcrhogccgUr0smVU2wd7YrAfEl_7OOStM5uStb7Faz8fSJ2_XPpRgkBD6CX/s1600/Plan+ahead+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFybY8abwX4jMlFUfyobdOAy3cy_AV_08VIIA4ihUfKleFk-aNIZJFi6XZFTyhkQduiO5Bu_XC8UqYJjkDYkcrhogccgUr0smVU2wd7YrAfEl_7OOStM5uStb7Faz8fSJ2_XPpRgkBD6CX/s1600/Plan+ahead+1.jpg" height="178" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Line Drawing of Shape to Fill</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: 0px;">And here is the stitch I am planning to use to fill in that shape:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzsbLROAh9m-hY_Z1JEdDlH1pFudwucvLpNeYd2pubga8MeNyFp1x1tkhxJVjABfTkb09XNNmFRT37tFkH8Fsk55AFzN2slrHs4zbOw-txOH-5Xkyhacj3yZMoxSp8nsUIs0zsLSi1Dit/s1600/composite+stitch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzsbLROAh9m-hY_Z1JEdDlH1pFudwucvLpNeYd2pubga8MeNyFp1x1tkhxJVjABfTkb09XNNmFRT37tFkH8Fsk55AFzN2slrHs4zbOw-txOH-5Xkyhacj3yZMoxSp8nsUIs0zsLSi1Dit/s1600/composite+stitch.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Composite Stitch</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: 0px;">This type of a stitch is called a composite stitch.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: 0px;">It is really made up of two separate stitches - an upright cross stitch (in blue) and a plaited cross stitch (in red):</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggd_MJ7sf4lTMMQecak3uTgAWIRSWMtYRXif9zysYdn2DciR04etTCkNfnw5VgG7ygUi_ItSDVD3doTGl6sU93RRTb_sy-txvcoVD-K8sXOFRuLqmxW3Hfo99sR-gPXWBPxZYlsxhbh57g/s1600/ind+stitches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggd_MJ7sf4lTMMQecak3uTgAWIRSWMtYRXif9zysYdn2DciR04etTCkNfnw5VgG7ygUi_ItSDVD3doTGl6sU93RRTb_sy-txvcoVD-K8sXOFRuLqmxW3Hfo99sR-gPXWBPxZYlsxhbh57g/s1600/ind+stitches.jpg" height="123" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Upright Cross Stitch Plaited Cross Stitch</b></td></tr>
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<div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Here is a diagram of the entire composite stitch pattern:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHE1cLGd3PEOIu4fJS6DZYZ3cWB4gtPb3wORTPSN6_b7rAJJeiNbTHqmC37UbGoldlRlTomxLrhoSGojjuunk8Cs0rBhx0NroQ6DRISC0r086n6runZhNd8A4qUG40wBRP5LzRw-llwUp/s1600/composite+stitch+pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHE1cLGd3PEOIu4fJS6DZYZ3cWB4gtPb3wORTPSN6_b7rAJJeiNbTHqmC37UbGoldlRlTomxLrhoSGojjuunk8Cs0rBhx0NroQ6DRISC0r086n6runZhNd8A4qUG40wBRP5LzRw-llwUp/s1600/composite+stitch+pattern.jpg" height="285" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Composite Stitch Pattern</b></td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Many times when stitching composite stitches, the stitcher chooses to stitch all of the first stitch to fill the area as Step 1. Then as Step 2, complete the stitch by stitching all of the second stitch over those stitches of Step 1. Here is how Step 1 would be diagrammed:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLyQKdlxbGTwRhtqGhKjbmGLLA33ln8-hKW-sl0JhSKl7lJUOy9R8o0nL4AauWYa-vmOqsudTIzXHoqovBxgajx68phGsVLbxkuJeeXM8jVFHN8F_whJZppWC3sLvKdN5e_puj7yrT3N2/s1600/Step+1+of+composite+stitch+pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLyQKdlxbGTwRhtqGhKjbmGLLA33ln8-hKW-sl0JhSKl7lJUOy9R8o0nL4AauWYa-vmOqsudTIzXHoqovBxgajx68phGsVLbxkuJeeXM8jVFHN8F_whJZppWC3sLvKdN5e_puj7yrT3N2/s1600/Step+1+of+composite+stitch+pattern.jpg" height="285" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Step 1. Upright Cross Stitch</b></td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Then for Step 2, stitch the plaited cross stitch over the top of the upright cross stitches:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHE1cLGd3PEOIu4fJS6DZYZ3cWB4gtPb3wORTPSN6_b7rAJJeiNbTHqmC37UbGoldlRlTomxLrhoSGojjuunk8Cs0rBhx0NroQ6DRISC0r086n6runZhNd8A4qUG40wBRP5LzRw-llwUp/s1600/composite+stitch+pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHE1cLGd3PEOIu4fJS6DZYZ3cWB4gtPb3wORTPSN6_b7rAJJeiNbTHqmC37UbGoldlRlTomxLrhoSGojjuunk8Cs0rBhx0NroQ6DRISC0r086n6runZhNd8A4qUG40wBRP5LzRw-llwUp/s1600/composite+stitch+pattern.jpg" height="285" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Step 2. Adding Plaited Cross Stitches over the top of the Upright Cross Stitches</b></td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’m thinking - no problem, this should not be hard to compensate.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So I start filling the area with the first stitch, the upright cross stitch. Here is my stitching so far - an easy stitch to compensate.</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1r_ifIJNGYjObEKRXFa_z-w7MUwGnfWLPbGlKndn-HgcrlPFVYC-O8hh3G9jyto7SrjhkC2hRAQq8Saz7XPK9vE91l8yxrBte1IjG4zTT3Rkj9qFkP5jHYMPHHI8FeSpBguKi-iNrZD8E/s1600/Plan+ahead+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1r_ifIJNGYjObEKRXFa_z-w7MUwGnfWLPbGlKndn-HgcrlPFVYC-O8hh3G9jyto7SrjhkC2hRAQq8Saz7XPK9vE91l8yxrBte1IjG4zTT3Rkj9qFkP5jHYMPHHI8FeSpBguKi-iNrZD8E/s1600/Plan+ahead+2.jpg" height="315" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Step 1. Stitched Area</b></td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Now I start to overstitch that first part with the plaited cross stitch, I know how to compensate this one too, so I am not concerned. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Until I get here:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBPQIu5gLZdBsh03DSPYzgck9GMBOgjkcQBPZ1AJOuOkLuCOVG-eK0O9FSUhVrCYAvER_8OaYcsL42ZH1qX2SNjKYWgo5mnKpaMYB_brFNVz-2obY7hO5eWyhxNNs0NLFXFdOxT7qS3_I/s1600/now+i+am+in+trouble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBPQIu5gLZdBsh03DSPYzgck9GMBOgjkcQBPZ1AJOuOkLuCOVG-eK0O9FSUhVrCYAvER_8OaYcsL42ZH1qX2SNjKYWgo5mnKpaMYB_brFNVz-2obY7hO5eWyhxNNs0NLFXFdOxT7qS3_I/s1600/now+i+am+in+trouble.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Arrow Points to Compensation Problem</b></td></tr>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Now I have a dilemma. This next stitch needs to go through the canvas hole </span>where the arrow is pointing<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> but the metallic braid from Step 1 lies across it, as well as the red thread from Step 2.</span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well, that creates quite a problem. I have stitched the whole upright cross (blue) stitch section already, and to take out that one stitch is going to cause me to take out many more stitches. I have a choice here:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<ol>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> Go ahead and stitch around or through the threads that cover that hole in the canvas. Not really a good choice, it will distort that stitch and make it look not quite right.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Take out a few of those upright cross (blue) stitches and fix the mistake. And my mistake was to only think about the compensation of the upright cross (blue) stitches when I needed to think of the compensation of both the upright cross (blue) stitches and the plaited cross (red) stitches simultaneously. Sigh . . . </span></li>
</ol>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">OK, I did not plan well. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Plan Ahead!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Here is how to approach this type of a stitching situation prior to actually starting to stitch:</span></div>
<ol>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> Recognize that compensation is necessary. If this is a composite stitch, any one of the stitches, or all of the stitches that make up the composite stitch, may need to be compensated. And any of those compensated stitches may affect any of the other stitches in the composite stitch.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Either</span></li>
<ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Use two needles simultaneously and stitch as much of a line of stitches that will not be compensated in the Step 1 all upright cross (blue) stitches, then Step 2 all plaited cross (red) stitches method. At any area that needs to be compensated, stitch each composite stitch with all of the compensation needed in its entirety before moving onto the next composite stitch. Here is what I mean for this example:</span></li>
</ol>
</ol>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Stitch first and second row by stitching upright cross stitches (blue) stitches first then</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> the plaited stitches (red) </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">stitches.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> No compensation in the first two rows (I am ignoring</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> the left side edge for this example). </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> At row three, the first compensated stitch that will cause a problem is here. Stitch</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>upright cross (blue) stitch, compensate it for the size of the area to be stitched and note </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>where the plaited cross (red) stitch is going to have to be compensated. That means you </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>will have to divide the horizontal portion of that upright cross (blue) stitch into two stitches. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> Stop.</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3XKYOLdvYlnBbAygph-EWQyOfKqVNAVQM6YwTHIV8J0eeazKB3iJFqS4odTeNsE3wddTOR1BkSFLno18FPQIYk4S6S79oSXFEWwo-FUw5y85toTzzZ3sHBJbKeIUDe0xrasJtig6zUGz/s1600/plan+ahead+(a)%2Bstep%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3XKYOLdvYlnBbAygph-EWQyOfKqVNAVQM6YwTHIV8J0eeazKB3iJFqS4odTeNsE3wddTOR1BkSFLno18FPQIYk4S6S79oSXFEWwo-FUw5y85toTzzZ3sHBJbKeIUDe0xrasJtig6zUGz/s1600/plan+ahead+(a)%2Bstep%2B1.jpg" height="285" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Diagram of Step 1 of Compensation in Row 3</b></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: 0px;"> Now stitch the plaited cross (red) stitch, compensating it.</span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>With this method, you will stitch at most one upright cross (blue) stitch</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> before you </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> realize that the plaited cross (red) stitch has to be </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">compensated, and the upright cross </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> (blue) stitch interferes with the compensation of the plaited cross (red) stitch. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Therefore</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> you will only need to unstitch the upright cross (blue) stitch to resolve this compensation</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> issue. If no more compensation is needed you can go back to the Step 1 stitch all upright</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> cross (blue) stitches followed by </span>Step 2 all plaited cross (red) stitches until you reach the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> next composite stitch that needs to be compensated.</span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBkPA9xq1AgzntrA7GTskK_hF_AwuUA-u2oXlAOX_LREJxT4mEHTv0LdeO9gmC4u_GGOMvnKoQoO9naENimBvbC9yFErZuU3hb_AdZU-XIcnxOcW19UIGzv0sn4lmNDiqlSiZS3PwcnvI/s1600/plan+ahead+step+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBkPA9xq1AgzntrA7GTskK_hF_AwuUA-u2oXlAOX_LREJxT4mEHTv0LdeO9gmC4u_GGOMvnKoQoO9naENimBvbC9yFErZuU3hb_AdZU-XIcnxOcW19UIGzv0sn4lmNDiqlSiZS3PwcnvI/s1600/plan+ahead+step+2.jpg" height="285" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Diagram of Step 2 of Compensation in Row 3</b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"> - OR -</span></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /> b. S</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: small;">titch only whole composite stitches for the entire area, i.e. no compensated stitches, in<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> a 2 step method (first stitch all upright cross stitches then stitch all plaited cross stitches). </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> Once all the whole composite stitches are </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;">complete for the entire area to be stitched, switch</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;"> to </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;">the two needle method to </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;">add all composite stitches one at a time.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;">As before, you will </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;"> at most </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;">stitch one upright </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;">cross stitch before you realize that you need to unstitch it because </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;"> the plaited </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;">stitch needs </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;">to be compensated and the upright cross stitch interferes with that </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;"> compensation.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: center;">Your stitching will look much better with just a little bit of planning ahead.</span></div>
</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-33659102476136993162014-06-27T21:56:00.001-04:002014-06-27T21:57:29.859-04:00The Large Cross Stitch and Hiding Travel Threads - Part 2<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Consider approaching the execution of the large cross stitch in this way:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmbMSrrqrapURyOqAPti3c2vohiRS6jsb67cDC-3nU0VSZ1VtZ7MxPoEC38RuukMs_d5ZWLbN9_Cc43Napj1jeeqgfX-mvaFm69Tz72fCYnACQ8dm-4aPb-GETJeTwbwj24nXnDt7AndF/s1600/lg+cross+stitches+-+hiding+travel+threads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmbMSrrqrapURyOqAPti3c2vohiRS6jsb67cDC-3nU0VSZ1VtZ7MxPoEC38RuukMs_d5ZWLbN9_Cc43Napj1jeeqgfX-mvaFm69Tz72fCYnACQ8dm-4aPb-GETJeTwbwj24nXnDt7AndF/s1600/lg+cross+stitches+-+hiding+travel+threads.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">What is different here? Well, look at a stitched sample:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4234uLeZdX_NVO5nfQc5OcJOZ8BDgXfPsZBXJaIaWpMvaf-fAM2amsDNPqxuFqK2yaFzhGzS3EInx4KV1lMnqlqXSzCEreoOpnn8BDJ_V8kl5qG86lvEZdm_sC7AFahbLW-foXhs9StF/s1600/lg+crs+st+front+part+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4234uLeZdX_NVO5nfQc5OcJOZ8BDgXfPsZBXJaIaWpMvaf-fAM2amsDNPqxuFqK2yaFzhGzS3EInx4KV1lMnqlqXSzCEreoOpnn8BDJ_V8kl5qG86lvEZdm_sC7AFahbLW-foXhs9StF/s1600/lg+crs+st+front+part+2.jpg" height="100" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Cross Stitch Executed in a Chevron Style</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This is indeed a cross stitch shape, but the execution is a zig zag stitch or Chevron pattern. The nice thing about this form of execution is that you do not see any travel threads that are on the back of the piece because it is executed with backstitches. This is what the back looks like:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdDGx5QZz18Y2hyJ7XLTjMlRf23MsiaRHM0JHtdlhNBj-9X1A_Z3raXXpbVUfOC3wp2wV9Av_a5JBir6qv_D68EoAGJLmHyETlOdF0EkgZ1DVKzeP3-IRojxFTabVdJYQcSoMTSA8F3qq/s1600/lg+cross+stitch+part+2+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdDGx5QZz18Y2hyJ7XLTjMlRf23MsiaRHM0JHtdlhNBj-9X1A_Z3raXXpbVUfOC3wp2wV9Av_a5JBir6qv_D68EoAGJLmHyETlOdF0EkgZ1DVKzeP3-IRojxFTabVdJYQcSoMTSA8F3qq/s1600/lg+cross+stitch+part+2+back.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Backside of Cross Stitch Executed in a Chevron Style - All Backstitches</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The question that you need to ask yourself is whether this type of execution is a problem. Do you want a crossed stitch or do you want a cross stitch shape?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Many times the large cross stitch is used with the center area stitched over with another decorative stitch, which hides whether the stitch is really crossed or not. Here is an example with an upright cross stitch:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqKQuv3BvW3hb9Roq68q4s4zwUR3YRirARgVi0cABRfiFZSAQ5wqKgFw5ApJFNkOAhExHGoAsyPZexrXVVsWepUcKXO7WWn1aCUecV2j8_qGK9hOKr9VCGJ9LjhtIxuySOW-xqWAkbhAm/s1600/lg+crs+st+front+part+2+cover+intersection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqKQuv3BvW3hb9Roq68q4s4zwUR3YRirARgVi0cABRfiFZSAQ5wqKgFw5ApJFNkOAhExHGoAsyPZexrXVVsWepUcKXO7WWn1aCUecV2j8_qGK9hOKr9VCGJ9LjhtIxuySOW-xqWAkbhAm/s1600/lg+crs+st+front+part+2+cover+intersection.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>The Upright Cross Stitches Hide the Intersection of the Backstitches at Center of Cross Shape</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Oops! See what is visible here? A travel thread from upper right to lower left, however, the travel thread from upper left to lower right is well hidden.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here is the backside:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUDLlZo8JGLkW46cp39Ke4EQNFdpMcpZkqjoR4ez5Dd9yb0L-Si09vM4VAzLKzbtBUZQfxjQR3abaHs53Giuu182rvSZV4gXviWys4d56kLUIWy-U3cLIZtcnmUuuAZ8UE7QgHBO-eqa8/s1600/travel+thread+on+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUDLlZo8JGLkW46cp39Ke4EQNFdpMcpZkqjoR4ez5Dd9yb0L-Si09vM4VAzLKzbtBUZQfxjQR3abaHs53Giuu182rvSZV4gXviWys4d56kLUIWy-U3cLIZtcnmUuuAZ8UE7QgHBO-eqa8/s1600/travel+thread+on+back.jpg" height="266" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Backside of Cross Stitch with Intersections Covered</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Hiding that travel thread that shows through to the front would not be hard - just whip the red thread to the line of metallic threads on the back using a piece of sewing thread or one strand of cotton floss the same color as the canvas.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Consider using this form of stitching when you are working a laid filling pattern with diagonals in both directions. These types of patterns most often have that middle “crossed” intersection covered by a decorative stitch. Many stitchers find that compensating these laid patterns difficult, especially when the area covered by the stitch is not square. There is no shame in stitching the pattern this way - it is simply a variation, or a “faux” cross stitch or “faux” diagonal laid filling pattern. I teach laid fillings this way all the time. I don’t want anyone to get so hung up on counting on the diagonal that they miss the fun of working the stitches.</span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-14367072656584084642014-02-20T11:46:00.001-05:002014-02-20T11:46:26.659-05:00The Large Cross Stitch and Hiding Travel Threads<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">When stitching a cross stitch over two canvas threads, the density of the thread on the top of the canvas usually hides the travel of the thread on the back of the canvas. However, the larger the cross stitch, more of the canvas is visible - and so are those travel threads. Take this example:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhk-SK2yFydvdGgCSkDtJRTm5reluGRO4nAG_FBfFSSfH4lhzbNONAwSt3yiH-FN8oStI_wNNkqsriaeIGyCGEWxt5Ke02_L1RD7sjH30LhmJKM5JS6eIK-y5fp4pgY6vhbdjaCuqGP2H7/s1600/Visible+Travel+Threads+with+Large+Cross+Sitch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhk-SK2yFydvdGgCSkDtJRTm5reluGRO4nAG_FBfFSSfH4lhzbNONAwSt3yiH-FN8oStI_wNNkqsriaeIGyCGEWxt5Ke02_L1RD7sjH30LhmJKM5JS6eIK-y5fp4pgY6vhbdjaCuqGP2H7/s1600/Visible+Travel+Threads+with+Large+Cross+Sitch.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Visible Travel Threads Along Vertical Stitching Path for Large Cross Stitch</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The black arrows are pointing to the visible travel threads between each large cross stitch unit - and the larger the cross stitch, the more obvious the travel threads. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here is how I stitched the cross stitch like this:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjytt7hhUUNHathMoe9gu2AuRZS8m39kscJh6JiqNJ-V78lzs02Bv9Ir1AXA2d5Rr2R6x1faS-nHo5ihzlx3QYXwnc91UH2fXgJ5sDWVen4GIwoZ9kfv4AKMrDEDkSj1VXFwCwe6d5MvTd/s1600/cross+st+execution+that+shows+vertical+travel+path.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjytt7hhUUNHathMoe9gu2AuRZS8m39kscJh6JiqNJ-V78lzs02Bv9Ir1AXA2d5Rr2R6x1faS-nHo5ihzlx3QYXwnc91UH2fXgJ5sDWVen4GIwoZ9kfv4AKMrDEDkSj1VXFwCwe6d5MvTd/s1600/cross+st+execution+that+shows+vertical+travel+path.jpg" height="109" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Diagram of Large Cross Stitch</b></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">What if you do not want that travel path visible? Look at this example:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANv5x_6XY2tUWA2ER9ZLg4L3TOaPMpVQ4mkR6zZyWrZa9f1LU03wnJjTdtJDnetZSoS6pvOxzcf1bt72Q4dGPAN6xWgu0rp0bLsaxPIwyaTyoZAuODo53Cz0wqqWF0nfHWIO9T-m65OBS/s1600/Hidden+Travel+threads+with+large+cross+stitch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANv5x_6XY2tUWA2ER9ZLg4L3TOaPMpVQ4mkR6zZyWrZa9f1LU03wnJjTdtJDnetZSoS6pvOxzcf1bt72Q4dGPAN6xWgu0rp0bLsaxPIwyaTyoZAuODo53Cz0wqqWF0nfHWIO9T-m65OBS/s1600/Hidden+Travel+threads+with+large+cross+stitch.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Large Cross Stitches with Hidden Travel Path</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The black arrow shows a hint of thread from the back, but this is where I pulled the thread to the outside area to end it. What I want you to look for is those vertical threads that showed through from the back, as seen in the previous example. What did I do to hide them? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Look at how I stitched this sample:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZfAifo093PfdFDswN8GVma8prDTkCvZcqREbGGtOOQy1wLR-CnwjRt7JbaS8aq8UngOgSYcFHHId77UoZeyggf4Xmm2hxradeYtvrlFhtkE-xUJWfTuw-fdNYMK1uKjcWH-IMff-kOZ5/s1600/cross+st+execution+that+hides+vertical+travel+path+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZfAifo093PfdFDswN8GVma8prDTkCvZcqREbGGtOOQy1wLR-CnwjRt7JbaS8aq8UngOgSYcFHHId77UoZeyggf4Xmm2hxradeYtvrlFhtkE-xUJWfTuw-fdNYMK1uKjcWH-IMff-kOZ5/s1600/cross+st+execution+that+hides+vertical+travel+path+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Alternate Pathway to Stitch Large Cross Stitch</b></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">See a difference? First of all I stitched the cross stitches so that there was a diagonal backstitch on the back of the canvas (behind the stitch 3-4 and 5-6). Then I had to slide the 5-6 stitch under the 3-4 stitch. Then I pulled the vertical thread (created by traveling from 4-5) to the middle of the cross stitch and tacked it to the diagonal thread on the back using sewing thread to hide it.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_LEt6cieGDi5MbAK6WYUnT96TenUNL6B0QZ72N-78pOs_F0wJA_44jUxsuUOBVVbyeF-GvSkDLPwqqExjRUcyj467NkJhFTryu1_RwCtjINPuuUheaxGMlKUKABYQDTOodM_DF41mEin/s1600/back+tacking+stitch+hidden+travel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_LEt6cieGDi5MbAK6WYUnT96TenUNL6B0QZ72N-78pOs_F0wJA_44jUxsuUOBVVbyeF-GvSkDLPwqqExjRUcyj467NkJhFTryu1_RwCtjINPuuUheaxGMlKUKABYQDTOodM_DF41mEin/s1600/back+tacking+stitch+hidden+travel.jpg" height="186" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Tacking Stitch on Back with Sewing Thread</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Now you may be thinking, oh for goodness sakes, I am not going to go to all that trouble!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well, it is a bit more work, and if you are laying threads, it is a lot more difficult to slide the thread underneath a stitch and make it look nice. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Thankfully, when stitching very large cross stitches, they usually do not stand alone, but involve other stitches on top of them (stitches made from one or more stitches on top of other stitches are sometimes called Composite Stitches) - and that is where you can hide travel threads. In the next blog posting I’ll cover that topic.</span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-86560097559349440052014-01-30T10:46:00.001-05:002014-01-30T10:46:12.920-05:00Travel on the Diagonal<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Threads are easier to hide if they are pulled diagonally as opposed to horizontally or vertically - and the diagonal does not have to be 45 degrees either.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here is an example of hiding travel threads by pulling the thread on the diagonal. The openwork pattern in the background makes it necessary to very carefully hide travel threads. I could have stopped and started each vertical thread behind the fabric, but this would mean a HUGE bump behind each of those pieces of fabric. The vertical stitches are stitched with <b>#16 Kreinik metallic braid</b>. That is a <b>fat</b> thread! I pulled it behind a diagonal line of upright cross stitches to the base of each vertical stitch.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPM7Vg67mb9rZ6zZVrf58rPdo9Py2QVM_Z6s7vacrff3sPOG5c5EiuY0H9aZoJXd6wp_Z3-Mz89nluUum6SE4SAxb4ipmL9-fUInLAJSYSxLWgwVxEcEqZcIGFVyh3Lc5Z3mTrO0bHU-MX/s1600/diagonal+thread+travel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPM7Vg67mb9rZ6zZVrf58rPdo9Py2QVM_Z6s7vacrff3sPOG5c5EiuY0H9aZoJXd6wp_Z3-Mz89nluUum6SE4SAxb4ipmL9-fUInLAJSYSxLWgwVxEcEqZcIGFVyh3Lc5Z3mTrO0bHU-MX/s1600/diagonal+thread+travel.jpg" height="241" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Example for Hiding Travel Threads</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I had to place a tacking stitch underneath the vertical stitch to line it up. The tacking stitches are placed underneath the green vertical lines and the threads are pulled behind the pink lines.</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; min-height: 15px;">
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<div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZWx1Je-qkVKcQKoi80rRuntcebXoVTXPJTsONG6HTzGHNu5DqwodgRjcdoNZP6CrzmtFE1l6hdWyrge-8-QHiGDijKZoJPEPxLgXOPC2lP8iPZGMrqobKw0XB7XZqo03yWK18kaWvEvs/s1600/hiding+those+travel+threads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZWx1Je-qkVKcQKoi80rRuntcebXoVTXPJTsONG6HTzGHNu5DqwodgRjcdoNZP6CrzmtFE1l6hdWyrge-8-QHiGDijKZoJPEPxLgXOPC2lP8iPZGMrqobKw0XB7XZqo03yWK18kaWvEvs/s1600/hiding+those+travel+threads.jpg" height="302" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Placement of Tacking Stitches and Travel Threads</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I was amazed myself at how well it worked.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Now look at the middle vertical stitch again without the lines drawn over it. Do you see any issues with this stitch? Mistakes like this are great for teaching, because if I make this error, others will too. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pzGUh3D1lIcSVRtYMtDUmfeZjmj1XMyxYyy-E4KLlzW0PlRoC8pv68kfDaE-JHWr6ybSR_7ZeU7qPZ0KsLhEAGOGWPcEQK6OhrnOCJmivKOAGwp_ekDDIf8SRt5sPBosmLejCjn45nnE/s1600/thread+caught.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pzGUh3D1lIcSVRtYMtDUmfeZjmj1XMyxYyy-E4KLlzW0PlRoC8pv68kfDaE-JHWr6ybSR_7ZeU7qPZ0KsLhEAGOGWPcEQK6OhrnOCJmivKOAGwp_ekDDIf8SRt5sPBosmLejCjn45nnE/s1600/thread+caught.jpg" height="320" width="159" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Really Annoying Mistake!</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The vertical thread was caught by the cross stitch variation (gold thread) that is holding down the piece of fabric. See how the blue metallic thread is pulled to the side and is no longer vertical? You can even see the tacking stitch. Ugh! Don’t you just hate that when you see a mistake AFTER the framing? I should have been more careful when stitching with the gold thread and this mistake would not have happened.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">But as long at it is there - it is a teaching opportunity!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; min-height: 15px;">
<br /></div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-16353112342168420622014-01-30T08:49:00.001-05:002014-01-30T08:49:23.695-05:00Why?<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Open canavs work, where unstitched canvas is visible, requires the stitcher to take extra care to hide travel threads.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When I see a piece that has this mistake, a glaring, obvious mistake in the midst of an otherwise well stitched piece I just cringe. <b>Why</b> did the stitcher do this?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQdjgIn6eCASZ50RKkUO5K9wNe3IpVamxaFhYNFSMxpf8sMSp840NSpDU_GtyTOXDK0QvayZXLcnsxHhdd6kgJMohSbDqxOvW6-5M9j3JXg0d_Gn-OqwlgsrFC21KvuYKW-9sIYJfzKsp/s1600/pointing+out+travel+threads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQdjgIn6eCASZ50RKkUO5K9wNe3IpVamxaFhYNFSMxpf8sMSp840NSpDU_GtyTOXDK0QvayZXLcnsxHhdd6kgJMohSbDqxOvW6-5M9j3JXg0d_Gn-OqwlgsrFC21KvuYKW-9sIYJfzKsp/s1600/pointing+out+travel+threads.jpg" height="290" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Why?</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The arrows point out travel threads in this Milanese Pinwheel stitch and mar the beauty of this stitch. <b>Why</b> is the travel thread only visible for the pink thread? </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Perhaps the variegated thread was stitched first (which it should be because it is lighter in color and if pink thread was pulled under the lighter thread it would be seen from the front) with all stitches going down into the center hole, which allows the stitcher to pivot to the next stitching area and hide the travel thread.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">How are the pink stitches executed?</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9IjvUMxRN7ORXRAlqxQla46KhFbcvpMjMlq3mW8FTTygxKV4T401osKr08LZvVQ4UUAh5-I_d7s4pG4l65AJgq_W3Opk5APyCxkbAer4w50hrQKC6Yjg4VfdqXmlkG5kQF0qVJxqVspRZ/s1600/stitch+execution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9IjvUMxRN7ORXRAlqxQla46KhFbcvpMjMlq3mW8FTTygxKV4T401osKr08LZvVQ4UUAh5-I_d7s4pG4l65AJgq_W3Opk5APyCxkbAer4w50hrQKC6Yjg4VfdqXmlkG5kQF0qVJxqVspRZ/s1600/stitch+execution.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Probable Stitch Execution</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I can’t be completely sure, but this is how I think it is stitched, with the arrows showing the stitch direction. This leads me to think, Be Consistent!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6TAVeCX0GPPez-w7Guc9ZoOLH4kEQOs3RcKtoft-cv0hV2EPbVUMdBVi7ejX29tPuEXncUGYH2NSa1Z90kH-6GDBc05sEQsubxhUqFW5NYJNA82w4WjGNK5yYO7bgIoyh-jxLDFG2Cbh/s1600/all+stitches+executed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6TAVeCX0GPPez-w7Guc9ZoOLH4kEQOs3RcKtoft-cv0hV2EPbVUMdBVi7ejX29tPuEXncUGYH2NSa1Z90kH-6GDBc05sEQsubxhUqFW5NYJNA82w4WjGNK5yYO7bgIoyh-jxLDFG2Cbh/s1600/all+stitches+executed.jpg" height="300" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Probable Stitch Execution of All Stitches</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
All stitches for each Milanese should be executed in the same direction. All long threads going down into the center hole, which again, allows for a correct pivot to the next Milanese stitch.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If you must change the stitch direction - and it really should be for a very good reason, then placing a tacking stitch underneath the pink thread, between Milanese Stitch units, is essential to hide the travel threads. You may have to push the pink thread aside to access the canvas holes to take this tacking stitch. Here is where the tacking stitches should be taken:</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbThSBapm_7d1uNSQzQremcvwfe0WuD_ZM9Th7M-v4uOPp6FaDOUqvCvvpXSls5A42jvy79Tmwj7RR36ZGObrc5R18Pwb882n_j0E4jxw2KlyLAEkeGOSP1ZsPipGgeLvQknXJhmHfrf3Q/s1600/tacking+stitch+to+hide+stitch+travel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbThSBapm_7d1uNSQzQremcvwfe0WuD_ZM9Th7M-v4uOPp6FaDOUqvCvvpXSls5A42jvy79Tmwj7RR36ZGObrc5R18Pwb882n_j0E4jxw2KlyLAEkeGOSP1ZsPipGgeLvQknXJhmHfrf3Q/s1600/tacking+stitch+to+hide+stitch+travel.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Where to Place Tacking Stitches</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Each of the black lines indicate where a tacking stitch should be placed under the pink stitches. Pink is much darker than the light variegated thread, so tacking stitches need to be made under the pink thread. Place the stitches below where the variegated stitches cover the canvas, so that when the thread is pivoted to take it to the next Milanese Stitch area, the travel thread will lie behind the variegated thread.</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">One of these two simple steps - maintain a consistent stitch direction with all long stitches going down into the center hole or place a tacking stitch - will easily fix this problem.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-85939642172340442612013-12-18T10:43:00.000-05:002013-12-18T10:43:50.273-05:00Keep Compensated Edges Neat and Clean<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Compensated edges should look neat and clean - just what do I mean by this?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Let’s look at a stitch sample:</span></div>
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</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAL9Y8Q3F5ruAO75uJJf3bwph2RNgE6_-PW7harSIc142aqy7mRraYTEX8Xt4JmU3MbuDiOrksuFmsxWHtUt8_jk_Qk40UJHlm0L0jGOIZK3-abbly-oppzm4LCy9JM77Rm2t4s7fsMQq/s1600/full+stitch+pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAL9Y8Q3F5ruAO75uJJf3bwph2RNgE6_-PW7harSIc142aqy7mRraYTEX8Xt4JmU3MbuDiOrksuFmsxWHtUt8_jk_Qk40UJHlm0L0jGOIZK3-abbly-oppzm4LCy9JM77Rm2t4s7fsMQq/s320/full+stitch+pattern.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Stitch Sample</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">As you can see, the bottom edge is compensated, let’s take a closer look:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJEaHt8ZCvnvBCPDARbZi06Vm4Eyx64arx6vSAEafLgLpFivSgry-aRfMdUJM2WVK44xWbeHP0b_iGQmoMmdh-pKp-g7a7gcu5-u7jnZ7G94jOvEGIrALARj6_XBXLQZoyMVqkVNAopiq/s1600/close+up+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJEaHt8ZCvnvBCPDARbZi06Vm4Eyx64arx6vSAEafLgLpFivSgry-aRfMdUJM2WVK44xWbeHP0b_iGQmoMmdh-pKp-g7a7gcu5-u7jnZ7G94jOvEGIrALARj6_XBXLQZoyMVqkVNAopiq/s1600/close+up+1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Travel Thread Showing Through from Back</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The reason we see this thread is that the compensation edge from the green stitch travels along the back behind the holes in the canvas at that bottom edge. </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77AINNq9U-GmbLuQUXrXlwI9ZNBlx7x5Ks0qb3irdTG7fkRo1MmwEB2Ebt6RCl0Z0u8_3Rex6rwqfayt1znffQ79QROYt40YaYUBQ90aYB6_NbvqqOS2dhsYCfpOAipz_Up9I6ZHCW6qQ/s1600/close+up+1+-+illustrating+problem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77AINNq9U-GmbLuQUXrXlwI9ZNBlx7x5Ks0qb3irdTG7fkRo1MmwEB2Ebt6RCl0Z0u8_3Rex6rwqfayt1znffQ79QROYt40YaYUBQ90aYB6_NbvqqOS2dhsYCfpOAipz_Up9I6ZHCW6qQ/s1600/close+up+1+-+illustrating+problem.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Path of Travel Thread</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">You really do not want anything to show behind those hole<span style="font-size: 12px;">s:</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZylYyFtSmd3QFxyFOjbQPqq3v13nNZqadF7HowfevtqraclW5fBxnpKxpwTa8Pz5U5ZLzUkw6ck3az3yjKXGiEOePwR4A334ZeN62ozezUX83LCq-2l2bpVd54v27U3AmoA954tDGkrMB/s1600/close+up+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZylYyFtSmd3QFxyFOjbQPqq3v13nNZqadF7HowfevtqraclW5fBxnpKxpwTa8Pz5U5ZLzUkw6ck3az3yjKXGiEOePwR4A334ZeN62ozezUX83LCq-2l2bpVd54v27U3AmoA954tDGkrMB/s1600/close+up+2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">No Travel Thread Showing</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If you look carefully at this sample you may be able to see just where that thread travels:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JwxWAJ9suSkuF8GZPkbRBVfkpWCSenrto8lUpJg7PKeDW8m7rcgModaAcoyVLbEQ9ZBzUYFDfH7LhmR04n_npUcVD56QbTYg3l_eOAJ1W1fUFB00TCQTAuqBqpcqfLs6qppVj8vSCuOd/s1600/close+up+2+-+how+to+fix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JwxWAJ9suSkuF8GZPkbRBVfkpWCSenrto8lUpJg7PKeDW8m7rcgModaAcoyVLbEQ9ZBzUYFDfH7LhmR04n_npUcVD56QbTYg3l_eOAJ1W1fUFB00TCQTAuqBqpcqfLs6qppVj8vSCuOd/s1600/close+up+2+-+how+to+fix.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Travel Thread Behind a Stitch</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If you see travel thread showing through along the bottom edge of a compensated area you have several choices to fix the problem:</span></div>
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<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> Pull that thread up with other stitches, </span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> Purposefully find a new, hidden travel path by turning the canvas over and running the thread behind other stitches (while you are stitching with that thread), </span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Or after stitching use a length of sewing thread and whip those stitches out of the way (this will only work if you have not caught the travel thread in stitches from other sections - in this case the cross stitch variation).</span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A little extra work with making sure your compensated edges are clean and neat will make a big difference on the quality of your work.</span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-68842918906678644382013-11-26T20:32:00.003-05:002013-11-26T20:32:50.182-05:00Hiding Travel Threads<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Here is an example of a couched thread (blue/green metallic) with a red couching thread that holds the metallic thread in place. Red thread is so great to highlight problems in your stitching.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoLnl9til9KZtjHfqLN4p3KPfrIbCHxLH_mMhS4MSoZ604iqTbmxjVbdDgBD8bS4O5Vg9ULpu3_q3pHn5_TLHpeVYglpIvYGzCn0tEXAwkooIpE3CBWpGIqpyDAgyMiVfGBXyiV1mK18F/s1600/travel+threads+front+comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoLnl9til9KZtjHfqLN4p3KPfrIbCHxLH_mMhS4MSoZ604iqTbmxjVbdDgBD8bS4O5Vg9ULpu3_q3pHn5_TLHpeVYglpIvYGzCn0tEXAwkooIpE3CBWpGIqpyDAgyMiVfGBXyiV1mK18F/s400/travel+threads+front+comparison.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Comparison of Two Couched Threads</b></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Which sample looks better, 1 or 2?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Sample 1 is a typical sample that most stitchers create. Let me point out a few problems and then I will show you how to change Sample 1 into Sample 2.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-vdiTO0nqEsukZfkvgTMnGvC94pee_4-_yxy4A4yZvlY0xBNbjfvtkdq6HSYBA82jmatpd8dDPrzRwraZkyCrDykzJ84voeTnwdUuS8zU0RUkWS7zEgFZOwk84k7__s2xyva8Vz0Krz0/s1600/sample+1+issues.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-vdiTO0nqEsukZfkvgTMnGvC94pee_4-_yxy4A4yZvlY0xBNbjfvtkdq6HSYBA82jmatpd8dDPrzRwraZkyCrDykzJ84voeTnwdUuS8zU0RUkWS7zEgFZOwk84k7__s2xyva8Vz0Krz0/s400/sample+1+issues.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sample 1 With Problems Pointed Out</b></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The black arrows point to travel threads showing through to the front and the blue arrow shows a sag in the couched thread. These issues are not visible in Sample 2. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If we look at the back of Samples 1 and 2 we will see why this is the case.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdpDwEIuWJmmj1FR3Jm03uuSMjjsBEE_vvgdv7ac-iErgF6v-xNu5HtoHGMtJCw6Cj9MCYGkslg0vd0XnMn_rN-H9LvEBtM_mIPUjJIrXfFMreQ_mzyD5r4KpdMqE05AA5e8qdr5q4omO/s1600/backside+comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdpDwEIuWJmmj1FR3Jm03uuSMjjsBEE_vvgdv7ac-iErgF6v-xNu5HtoHGMtJCw6Cj9MCYGkslg0vd0XnMn_rN-H9LvEBtM_mIPUjJIrXfFMreQ_mzyD5r4KpdMqE05AA5e8qdr5q4omO/s400/backside+comparison.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Comparison of Backside of Couched Threads</b></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The backside of Sample 1 shows a vertical stitch, then a diagonal line of thread then a vertical stitch. This diagonal stitch is why you see the thread showing through to the front.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The backside of Sample 2 shows two vertical stitches followed by a horizontal line of thread then two vertical stitches. I have used sewing thread in the same color as the canvas thread to tie the diagonal line of thread to the vertical stitch in order to hide it behind the couched metallic thread.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Looking at the backside of Sample 1 only,</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4jwolZCjq2srQn6LmARJTfFF_BUFQMAOVmsjbO04EpGlYt9iWu8AC0vD6dh7qKZ4THsJmajjo43xIPlPka64q5P5pOh_fqNGFFqLDT16YRJONZoEd2JvIL1W0t3IbFmXU4gGh3PpNUA9/s1600/Fixing+sample+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4jwolZCjq2srQn6LmARJTfFF_BUFQMAOVmsjbO04EpGlYt9iWu8AC0vD6dh7qKZ4THsJmajjo43xIPlPka64q5P5pOh_fqNGFFqLDT16YRJONZoEd2JvIL1W0t3IbFmXU4gGh3PpNUA9/s1600/Fixing+sample+1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fixing Sample 1 With Sewing Thread</b></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I have placed a black line where I tied the threads on the backside together with the sewing thread. I did a simple buttonhole knot with the sewing thread. This simple step will clean up any travel threads that show through to the front from the couching.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">There is one more issue to mention, the blue arrow is pointing at the metallic thread.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-vdiTO0nqEsukZfkvgTMnGvC94pee_4-_yxy4A4yZvlY0xBNbjfvtkdq6HSYBA82jmatpd8dDPrzRwraZkyCrDykzJ84voeTnwdUuS8zU0RUkWS7zEgFZOwk84k7__s2xyva8Vz0Krz0/s1600/sample+1+issues.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC-vdiTO0nqEsukZfkvgTMnGvC94pee_4-_yxy4A4yZvlY0xBNbjfvtkdq6HSYBA82jmatpd8dDPrzRwraZkyCrDykzJ84voeTnwdUuS8zU0RUkWS7zEgFZOwk84k7__s2xyva8Vz0Krz0/s400/sample+1+issues.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Another Problem with Sample 1 - Thread Sag</b></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Do you see how the metallic thread dips here? That is because the couched thread is not taut. Always pull the couched thread taut prior to placing the tie down stitches, the couched thread here should lie straight in the channel between two horizontal canvas threads.</span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-81531851755198067342013-06-12T10:10:00.001-04:002013-06-12T10:10:33.811-04:00Compensating Diagonal Stitches - Part 2<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This blog post is a continuation of compensation of diagonal stitches (on the true diagonal) for unusual shapes - arguably one of the more difficult areas of needlepoint.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here is my shape that I want to fill. And this is important - I want to fill this shape. What does that mean? That means I want to cover all those lines that are drawn on the canvas. Many times the stitcher wonders if the lines should be covered or not. Ask yourself, are you filling the shape or surrounding the shape or stitching next to the shape? If you are filling the shape, cover the lines. If you are surrounding the shape, or stitching next to the shape, do not cover the lines.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6SATD6cuEn7hwgSIGjcbx_nH5NRAnw49IKGfQ4fawx4tpkjzRNoGoII0_y6TmjxoQuN9Wle2WaZuI2QEQGDPFDB4ZkGfMpuqMM9McVMjWj9zy5ZYX2ZUYwjuzdOOUZ3XdhDTY4EBUGV0c/s1600/initial+shape.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6SATD6cuEn7hwgSIGjcbx_nH5NRAnw49IKGfQ4fawx4tpkjzRNoGoII0_y6TmjxoQuN9Wle2WaZuI2QEQGDPFDB4ZkGfMpuqMM9McVMjWj9zy5ZYX2ZUYwjuzdOOUZ3XdhDTY4EBUGV0c/s320/initial+shape.png" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Initial Shape - To Fill</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">As said in the previous blog post, Compensating Diagonal Stitches - Part 1, begin stitching in an area that will give you a long enough line of stitches so that you can establish the stitch pattern. Again I am using the Diagonal Scotch Stitch, though this technique will work for any diagonal stitch on the true diagonal. So here is my first row of stitching:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-GxQqqm9TrugIK3QYfKK79nuO1GZjQHr7Q8NvEpunifnQGXcala3Ev3n22E-IRlVUNX7YST1yukjRogoBUq61xJGEa_m_pVGeWynhBgp2al6dZwYJR1OQZcYK7kRdcJbdoVUD4rKJuhX/s1600/first+row.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-GxQqqm9TrugIK3QYfKK79nuO1GZjQHr7Q8NvEpunifnQGXcala3Ev3n22E-IRlVUNX7YST1yukjRogoBUq61xJGEa_m_pVGeWynhBgp2al6dZwYJR1OQZcYK7kRdcJbdoVUD4rKJuhX/s400/first+row.png" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>First Row of Stitching</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Notice that I am covering the lines. The second row begins below the first row, and I choose to stitch the small tent stitch underneath the longest stitch of the previous row to start my stitch pattern.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5Qrv1N2iWPsL82G5Gy1afpHZU4cRLpAjB_Z1i5LIgs4PdkJ1HIpmoUk-Juewvh7HBP0HRQTTCpFT912d0WA_DHwpEH8HHz-pguNu9sctD2RQ9NFQLUyxQKgtiG-1hGW3tbAP1XwgglmN/s1600/second+row.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5Qrv1N2iWPsL82G5Gy1afpHZU4cRLpAjB_Z1i5LIgs4PdkJ1HIpmoUk-Juewvh7HBP0HRQTTCpFT912d0WA_DHwpEH8HHz-pguNu9sctD2RQ9NFQLUyxQKgtiG-1hGW3tbAP1XwgglmN/s400/second+row.png" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Second Row of Stitching<br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The </span><span style="color: #669c35; letter-spacing: 0px;">green arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> above indicates my starting point. I don’t want to start where I need to compensate, I want to start where I know it is easy to establish the stitch pattern. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Let’s look at the third row:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRTq4D6POnWhbwPVrSLhD17HKl5B1GoWPceeFUjtsiF26sYqvP-zU3RhAxjk8Yfiihaw-SLNOEox1yNfCHU-3Rqlg8Gp54ooD_jlNUMGNFCMpPmRuRm3z_UVTpnlCkHpkoobMS9w59Ho7/s1600/third+row.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRTq4D6POnWhbwPVrSLhD17HKl5B1GoWPceeFUjtsiF26sYqvP-zU3RhAxjk8Yfiihaw-SLNOEox1yNfCHU-3Rqlg8Gp54ooD_jlNUMGNFCMpPmRuRm3z_UVTpnlCkHpkoobMS9w59Ho7/s400/third+row.png" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Third Row of Stitching<br /></b></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">OK, now in this third row I have encountered my first real problem - indicated by the </span><span style="color: #669c35; letter-spacing: 0px;">green arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">. How long should this compensating stitch be? Well, I”m not really sure. This is where a lot of angst comes in for the stitcher. Here is my advice, err on the side of caution - place a shorter stitch here if you are not quite sure, or skip this stitch for now and see how the curve develops with further rows of stitching. If you skip this stitch, just remember to put it in later, if you place a shorter stitch and you really feel that to achieve a nice curve, a longer stitch would have been better you can fix it. How? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Shhhh... Don’t tell anyone, but place a longer stitch over the top of that tent stitch. Watch the tension of the stitch so it lies nicely next to the stitches on either side, but in the end, no one will know what you did.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Does that surprise you? </span></div>
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Confidence in knowing what to do in these situations is a difference in experience. Learning tips, tricks and techniques for different complicated issues will allow you to gain confidence and tackle these problem areas without hesitation.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Another thing about this row, I stopped stitching when the next stitch is not contiguous with the previous stitch - I’ll just add those stitches later. Notice this curve bends inward. If I drag my thread to the next stitch in this row, I may have that thread run behind an open area, or an area with a lighter thread in color and it may shadow through. Safer to fill it in later.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">OK, let’s look at the next row:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQPYOWikizBpZDCtSHLwq68LfSc_BnVcfT4_iMX6kuPmILjY1efqK3hy6AEBDF5GTOsty3t71nJidhbqohB_V6Amun1FXWlFgco-muYQ9t1B_KBi4tw5Aptx52euBxfvoFjYgyhXut0ER/s1600/fourth+row.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQPYOWikizBpZDCtSHLwq68LfSc_BnVcfT4_iMX6kuPmILjY1efqK3hy6AEBDF5GTOsty3t71nJidhbqohB_V6Amun1FXWlFgco-muYQ9t1B_KBi4tw5Aptx52euBxfvoFjYgyhXut0ER/s400/fourth+row.png" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Fourth Row of Stitching</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The </span><span style="color: #669c35; letter-spacing: 0px;">green arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> in the fourth row of stitching points to my starting point. Am I concerned that I did not start lower down, because there is all that canvas below the </span><span style="color: #669c35; letter-spacing: 0px;">green arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> that needs to be filled with this row of stitches? No, I want to start stitching where I know that I can accurately begin my stitch pattern, and for me that’s the first tent stitch underneath the longest stitch of the row above it (here the longest stitch is a compensated stitch, so perhaps I should refer to it as the corner stitch.)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Let’s look at the next row:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1a2CxFtfS1uGRPJ4shXtB4zfpKNr6EEFADkQ3KigtXHeQpl1b3bDeZTQN3sjeK_xunooSWSVg2TRFXIOvfWGe5A8bhJk0FlHYiEm6u3Vdr6J3rpgj6v0XPHzAC8ZYsrGNNCLiQ3Id8FS/s1600/fifth+row.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1a2CxFtfS1uGRPJ4shXtB4zfpKNr6EEFADkQ3KigtXHeQpl1b3bDeZTQN3sjeK_xunooSWSVg2TRFXIOvfWGe5A8bhJk0FlHYiEm6u3Vdr6J3rpgj6v0XPHzAC8ZYsrGNNCLiQ3Id8FS/s400/fifth+row.png" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Fifth Row of Stitching</b></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Nothing very interesting here, just notice that I am at the bottom of the shape and the last two stitches are compensated, that’s what the </span><span style="color: #669c35; letter-spacing: 0px;">green arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> is pointing to.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Filling in the last row of stitches:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3EJD6sH7hfLQ2Izpl3jjYBWyVSWYrmZ4hr8-rwdz_YFPat7SrmpFbipvCH8FTLlspw9-qZGCL-N0h595ZdtVrPxI3K-7C46WVM9Mh5cobZKtBxu_vUi9fyh3Kj3wyN0VIDaTC-JZQ0NS/s1600/sixth+row.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3EJD6sH7hfLQ2Izpl3jjYBWyVSWYrmZ4hr8-rwdz_YFPat7SrmpFbipvCH8FTLlspw9-qZGCL-N0h595ZdtVrPxI3K-7C46WVM9Mh5cobZKtBxu_vUi9fyh3Kj3wyN0VIDaTC-JZQ0NS/s400/sixth+row.png" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Sixth Row of Stitching</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I am now at the end of my regular stitching, defined as stitching below the previous row, and I need to fill in those open areas, most will be compensating stitches.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Where do I go from my last stitch?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here is what I would do if I still had thread in the needle with which to stitch.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJS5OWOGwTzxKPR1HTnWXM-INrzIN0EETUrOIAjwYJWQD1JG0YqrM9K3cBbqumov9ox8kRVouA69rGFXPWZQhwuYiEl_9_mCZdCQOOEbMN5IkrEC2AzgGGuSG0bY5Fpoq-fXxb4VS4rdL/s1600/seventh+row.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJS5OWOGwTzxKPR1HTnWXM-INrzIN0EETUrOIAjwYJWQD1JG0YqrM9K3cBbqumov9ox8kRVouA69rGFXPWZQhwuYiEl_9_mCZdCQOOEbMN5IkrEC2AzgGGuSG0bY5Fpoq-fXxb4VS4rdL/s400/seventh+row.png" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Seventh Row of Stitching</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I have three arrows included in this diagram and they indicate where to place tacking stitches on the back of the canvas. Remember that you want the pull of the last stitch to be consistent with the stitch before it so after stitching the last blue stitch in that corner, I place a tacking stitch at Arrow A. This tacking stitch will maintain the downward pull on the last stitch in the corner. I then travel up to number 1 and place those two tent stitches. (There is really no good place to put a tacking stitch before placing the stitch at number 1, and my thread is coming from below that point so I will let it go.) I need to place a tacking stitch at Arrow B to maintain the downward pull on that last tent stitch (ending at number 4) prior to moving to the stitch starting at the number 5. However, I need to change the direction of the pull on that thread traveling across the back of the canvas, and need to place a tacking stitch at Arrow C.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Got that? Sometimes one tacking stitch will do, but sometimes you need two tacking stitches. Always look at the pull on the last stitch before traveling to a new location, and then again, look at the pull on the first stitch at your new location. Both of these stitches must match the pull on the stitches as if there was no break in your stitching from one diagonal row to another.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">OK, now the eighth row:</span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0L397m-d7xo-0h5o-kF7MFRldOYLDBKbqnIrNiv-d26IX1Z2enuAN1XpB72UTr0ofbrLNvMXuGZi6xGlpWcfCsdp-JX7FqZALxKBBliBDPhSqBcpV3Uw0TxZxL0DkwgaWYBlCiCtHNtF/s1600/eigthth+row.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0L397m-d7xo-0h5o-kF7MFRldOYLDBKbqnIrNiv-d26IX1Z2enuAN1XpB72UTr0ofbrLNvMXuGZi6xGlpWcfCsdp-JX7FqZALxKBBliBDPhSqBcpV3Uw0TxZxL0DkwgaWYBlCiCtHNtF/s400/eigthth+row.png" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Eighth Row of Stitching</b></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Oh dear, here is another compensating stitch in which there is not a definitive answer to the length of the stitch (</span><span style="color: #669c35; letter-spacing: 0px;">green arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">.) However, I am looking at the drawn line and it looks like it is pretty straight along this area, and I want my stitches to follow the line, not stick out from this line. So I think that a stitch over one canvas thread will work well here. Again, I will not know for sure until I stitch the whole area.</span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Moving on to the next row:</span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuDt2oLlDPAEGO18Sxx9ruWbT2kAd0fjgpU50ck3oP9uEzdDdHRw8jIr_RzO-2bSBVv3YVC_7ebOz8TXzSS8WWBcvlu3TTcS9480fT-b4qof-gORCCk0HaRgythsFhMXwjb-fP5Ae3oum/s1600/ninth+row.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuDt2oLlDPAEGO18Sxx9ruWbT2kAd0fjgpU50ck3oP9uEzdDdHRw8jIr_RzO-2bSBVv3YVC_7ebOz8TXzSS8WWBcvlu3TTcS9480fT-b4qof-gORCCk0HaRgythsFhMXwjb-fP5Ae3oum/s400/ninth+row.png" width="330" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Ninth Row of Stitching</b></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Remember to place tacking stitches! OK, now I have moved down to the bottom of the shape and put in the brown stitches. The </span><span style="color: #77bb41; letter-spacing: 0px;">green arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> is pointing at a last compensating stitch that needs to be placed. Again, it is not completely obvious that the stitch goes there, but if I want to have a curve there I had better put that little tent stitch in - which is shown in the next diagram.</span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1A0zm2unEiU9cyQIGEVfFoI3-jj-yRNhchItyytIyC863UETiZp_mIlVOEd2xdEG0aGp4nzYYwFTh27LVtJIY3PYON4r89loPrftIPWzYHeaRYmof7w-m5UeuZVmgXomJyOIhXSX0c7L/s1600/tenth+row.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1A0zm2unEiU9cyQIGEVfFoI3-jj-yRNhchItyytIyC863UETiZp_mIlVOEd2xdEG0aGp4nzYYwFTh27LVtJIY3PYON4r89loPrftIPWzYHeaRYmof7w-m5UeuZVmgXomJyOIhXSX0c7L/s400/tenth+row.png" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Tenth Row of Stitching</b></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I have now filled in all of the compensating stitches for the bottom part of the shape and now must move to the top part. My advice is not to pull your thread on the back all the way to the top, but end your thread at the bottom and begin a new thread. </span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I am showing all the rest of the stitches that fill in the shape in the final stitch diagram:</span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKtqIlXVYXGlEpytGnYhdi0Axxkq-MmbcRDpUPObtWy5WCFiy_sfoLrF43FIT1cpYvnKFWfxzN2YIuYjSDkXxCUqjgjKpDGolfU5BT8zYO1CWEt83k8rPUlh2B-ZSKuVErSSy45zrjLP_/s1600/eleventh+row.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKtqIlXVYXGlEpytGnYhdi0Axxkq-MmbcRDpUPObtWy5WCFiy_sfoLrF43FIT1cpYvnKFWfxzN2YIuYjSDkXxCUqjgjKpDGolfU5BT8zYO1CWEt83k8rPUlh2B-ZSKuVErSSy45zrjLP_/s400/eleventh+row.png" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Filled in Compensating Stitches for Top Part of Shape</b></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">At this point you can look at your filled in shape to determine if you have achieved a nice curve or need to adjust some of those compensating stitches. We will look at that issue and a way to smooth out curves in the next blog post.</span></span><br />
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-75522779432172544252013-05-19T17:03:00.001-04:002013-05-19T17:04:39.697-04:00Compensating Diagonal Stitches - Part 1<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This blog post will cover compensating diagonal stitches at a straight edge. The next post will cover compensating diagonal stitches at a curved edge.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I am going to use the Diagonal Scotch Stitch as my example for Diagonal Stitch Compensation, but there is nothing special about this stitch and the information is applicable to diagonal stitches (on the true diagonal) in general.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Let’s look at the Diagonal Scotch Stitch:</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCdOwTEEYoG7lLaYy4ROPBTjaWQfa3tHF8fDMio9rXiUVcEd3VwE8Hz8A76ntSPz8q9yzSj9qDzGyKlixnJchbk_2BKWufRZPidpiUXfkHeha58hYZbLcsd4egg6BUrDCOjJsROt7ryd1/s1600/Comp+DSS+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCdOwTEEYoG7lLaYy4ROPBTjaWQfa3tHF8fDMio9rXiUVcEd3VwE8Hz8A76ntSPz8q9yzSj9qDzGyKlixnJchbk_2BKWufRZPidpiUXfkHeha58hYZbLcsd4egg6BUrDCOjJsROt7ryd1/s320/Comp+DSS+1.png" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </b><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Diagonal Scotch Stitch</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The gray lines on the right hand side and along the top of the stitch diagram are the edges of the stitching area. My advice to stitchers is to start stitching whole stitches in a long diagonal line so that you can establish the stitch pattern. Don’t worry about compensating at this point. In fact, do not start your stitching with a compensating stitch, the probability of making a counting error is very high.</span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The </span><span style="color: #ff4013; letter-spacing: 0px;">red arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">,</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> in the diagram above, points to where the last whole stitch can be placed. The next stitch is going to be compensated, but since the stitches are on a diagonal and I have established the pattern I know what the next two compensated stitches should look like - just stitch as long of a stitch as I can (because the stitches are longer than the area that I am allowed to place them.) </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLm4uv1ShRujl28x-IQAF12zT8Qx_EhjeeXwKePtFDh4iJFRMQHIbPDbqgyvIXzZd-iw3ihG7m6E7wUv6Rn8egkDvr0ggsiGyKIrxVIgADO7w381WUO4PqFmeDMezQr_fg7cKUeg50x57/s1600/Comp+DSS+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLm4uv1ShRujl28x-IQAF12zT8Qx_EhjeeXwKePtFDh4iJFRMQHIbPDbqgyvIXzZd-iw3ihG7m6E7wUv6Rn8egkDvr0ggsiGyKIrxVIgADO7w381WUO4PqFmeDMezQr_fg7cKUeg50x57/s320/Comp+DSS+2.png" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Partially Compensated Diagonal Scotch Stitch</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Here is a picture of my stitching so far:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkje9gvyWb6GgMdPVUTsVEvQvWTFqHIxPgbFGqGOAGyHPFFi6oPSbuSZcb5LwbrQwecztjQFgACLWWaqm4cDGoavpXH2-fl47cJ36bK6qhp78AXcceepc50YyL0PIgQ2u7pu8ZbGO1Iqy-/s1600/Comp+DSS+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkje9gvyWb6GgMdPVUTsVEvQvWTFqHIxPgbFGqGOAGyHPFFi6oPSbuSZcb5LwbrQwecztjQFgACLWWaqm4cDGoavpXH2-fl47cJ36bK6qhp78AXcceepc50YyL0PIgQ2u7pu8ZbGO1Iqy-/s320/Comp+DSS+3.png" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Partially Compensated Diagonal Scotch Stitch</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The </span><span style="color: #ff4013; letter-spacing: 0px;">red arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">, in the diagram above,</span><span style="color: #ff4013; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">leads me to ask a question - is this where the first compensating stitch for the next row goes? If you are not sure, just leave it for now and begin stitching your next row where you are certain a whole stitch goes - forget about compensating for now. It is always easier to compensate at the end of a stitched diagonal row, especially if the stitches are contiguous with other whole stitches, than at the beginning. It’s those stitches that jump an intersection or two away from where you are stitching that are so hard to figure out.</span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">However, be warned - you can’t take this approach if you are using an overdyed thread! The thread forces you to compensate as you go. In this case, get out a piece of graph paper and chart out the compensated stitches.</span></span><br />
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">When I start my next row, this time traveling diagonally upwards, I am going to place my first stitch where I know how to start the pattern - that means, I will place my first short stitch (over one canvas intersection) under the last longest stitch - which happens to be a compensated stitch. If you can't figure out that stitch placement, it doesn't matter where you start, so begin farther up if need be.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEEmG6v7cH5QyAROv-k88q1Mc8No77QYscbf_Y-8zqy7PwD-r0ZraDT81VlF6r31ojZjF9rCt0yomVIhZwphcLO2X4PwhTnXp5NbLZOLB3_WoipRjbvyr3mjxYRMwWpNcfGXji6bchMrB/s1600/Comp+DSS+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEEmG6v7cH5QyAROv-k88q1Mc8No77QYscbf_Y-8zqy7PwD-r0ZraDT81VlF6r31ojZjF9rCt0yomVIhZwphcLO2X4PwhTnXp5NbLZOLB3_WoipRjbvyr3mjxYRMwWpNcfGXji6bchMrB/s320/Comp+DSS+4.png" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Second Row Partially Compensated Diagonal Scotch Stitch</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I have three arrows pointing to different areas of the stitch diagram above, let’s look at each of them:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff4013; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Red arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> - Should I be worried that maybe I could have fit another Diagonal Scotch Stitch in there? No - I can always fill it in later.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #669c35; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Green arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> - Now I see where some compensating stitches from the first row belong.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="color: #d357fe; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Violet arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> - I did put in a couple of compensating stitches at the end of the second row, because it was contiguous with the other stitches, so I knew where to place them.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here is a picture of my stitching so far (I changed thread color so it would be easier to see where the first and second diagonal rows of stitches were placed.)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WleQ_oJMF7PxP6UDP9r06j0se23Aux7s8yyYx0fP3noo0wZbItqcmbzxHIpjclJ2eQngjt0fgWkGNvFvS1GADRlULCyy2ThoIeTcmSdsqypTAMFMF2CEOHMyHERUauCQLSzBziMxv4B-/s1600/Comp+DSS+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WleQ_oJMF7PxP6UDP9r06j0se23Aux7s8yyYx0fP3noo0wZbItqcmbzxHIpjclJ2eQngjt0fgWkGNvFvS1GADRlULCyy2ThoIeTcmSdsqypTAMFMF2CEOHMyHERUauCQLSzBziMxv4B-/s320/Comp+DSS+5.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Second Row Partially </b></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Compensated Diagonal Scotch Stitch</b></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">You may continue stitching the whole area this way, always stitching under the last diagonal row.</span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ1Zsq16NU0ohmWhyphenhyphenOvRTzQVvRSGOqSj-SJf9NhHut8gvYv33HO0mmeiLF8ree3qiTEEP7s7uCk4vwqsQ7dZUGM6ZQq1nwiKWzs815fmNr358TBuJVP-1zKjHsmP4Z0n51kBicgNmqdvqr/s1600/Comp+DSS+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ1Zsq16NU0ohmWhyphenhyphenOvRTzQVvRSGOqSj-SJf9NhHut8gvYv33HO0mmeiLF8ree3qiTEEP7s7uCk4vwqsQ7dZUGM6ZQq1nwiKWzs815fmNr358TBuJVP-1zKjHsmP4Z0n51kBicgNmqdvqr/s320/Comp+DSS+6.png" width="301" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Stitching Next Diagonal Row</span></b></span></td></tr>
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</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Note the arrows:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #ff4013; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Red arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> - The row above has some compensating stitches that need to be filled in.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #77bb41; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Green arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> - This row was started again under the longest diagonal stitch on the row above it, so there is an area open that needs to be filled in later.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Let’s say you are done with stitching all of the diagonal rows below the original diagonal row. Now you have compensating stitches that need to be filled in as well as stitching above the first diagonal row. And how you stitch the areas above the first diagonal row and how you fill in those compensated stitch areas is important. You want to keep the same pull on the stitches that you have already stitched.</span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">What does this mean? Well, the row above the first diagonal row will have to be stitched with the needle coming out of a hole with thread already in it.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_EFG6G63MJn6W9g1JMKpFaXq053E_GrLa1ugR4A8FW5CcWtvIeysBNi8hqzdIDmvhflhEDv_TnW7oA9s3fPEwNtc9vm9PXGuinMaa2MYZAIO9eb2tMSXDa9kBsfpBt7woOnZ5hnfeRF9/s1600/Comp+DSS+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_EFG6G63MJn6W9g1JMKpFaXq053E_GrLa1ugR4A8FW5CcWtvIeysBNi8hqzdIDmvhflhEDv_TnW7oA9s3fPEwNtc9vm9PXGuinMaa2MYZAIO9eb2tMSXDa9kBsfpBt7woOnZ5hnfeRF9/s320/Comp+DSS+7.png" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Stitching Above the First Diagonal Row</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In the diagram above, I have started stitching the row above the first diagonal row (again I changed color to make it easier to see what is happening), going in the same direction of stitching as the row just below the first diagonal row. I have also started with the smallest stitch, a tent stitch, placing it above the longest stitch of the row below. Note the two arrows:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #e32400; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Red arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> - There are some compensating stitches at the beginning of this row that will need to be added later.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #77bb41; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Green arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> - Since this area is so close to where I last placed a stitch, this should be the first place I fill in using compensating stitches.</span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So putting in those two tent stitches:</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgzRFzx9JulEXOnDKLz5kccKnLYPDei1CfhzJPnF6K0JJkWBF_W7To94-jP4WTb6uUwUq5pdAgujEuKa5uadClVhVyTf1ScnG1taucbIOLdbIBN3Cm6ssFGBZmev_aN3-Oood3v-ZLP0r/s1600/Comp+DSS+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgzRFzx9JulEXOnDKLz5kccKnLYPDei1CfhzJPnF6K0JJkWBF_W7To94-jP4WTb6uUwUq5pdAgujEuKa5uadClVhVyTf1ScnG1taucbIOLdbIBN3Cm6ssFGBZmev_aN3-Oood3v-ZLP0r/s320/Comp+DSS+8.png" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Starting to Fill in the Compensating Stitches</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #ff4013; letter-spacing: 0px;">Red arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> - Since this is the next closest area that needs to be filled in, go here and fill in these compensating stitches.</span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Can you see how to place these next compensating stitches?</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v8qCUD_pmSuqcZ8x8NysN8YSY-9awCQPifj9u5ItxHd0YBxwWdC5Z8wVlqZnqJxfz9jeDcpvD2YCIBstfFVaADHng-STP4p49UXwu7Um7mO3rBlNWXlF3JquSR43kEFzeUY9ObpKDqiw/s1600/Comp+DSS+9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v8qCUD_pmSuqcZ8x8NysN8YSY-9awCQPifj9u5ItxHd0YBxwWdC5Z8wVlqZnqJxfz9jeDcpvD2YCIBstfFVaADHng-STP4p49UXwu7Um7mO3rBlNWXlF3JquSR43kEFzeUY9ObpKDqiw/s320/Comp+DSS+9.png" width="307" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Continuing to Fill in the Compensating Stitches</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If you have trouble placing the first stitch as I have indicated in the diagram above, remember that this stitch is contiguous with the previous stitches and you need to follow the pattern, after a tent stitch (<span style="color: #274e13;">dark green stitch</span>) you need to stitch one over two thread intersections (<span style="color: #e69138;">orange stitch</span>) - the start of the compensated stitches. </span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In the diagram above, there are two arrows:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #ff4013; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Red arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> - Compensating stitches need to be placed here.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #77bb41; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Green arrow</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> - Compensating stitches need to be placed here.</span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So which area to go to next? Theoretically it does not matter, but logistically, putting in those two tent stitches first (<span style="color: #6aa84f;">green arrow</span>) is a better choice. Remember, when stitching tent stitches, you want to stitch them in the continental method, not the half cross stitch method. See blog post about Tent Stitch - Part 1 for the reasons why.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The diagram below shows how to put in those two tent stitches:</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbloxdy0eDCQjZoyzhbxdCowI1sxA6FeuofFTBv6ht_IkwAJE5KyhYS4U0ncuDZ8Zvug8qRIlI47XeaI-IJLMcV2ZL3pOxYIxOdeMA4lQ5eGe_m4tZlVbhfLRuTqXOnIlgflfBwaG9g_mZ/s1600/Comp+DSS+10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbloxdy0eDCQjZoyzhbxdCowI1sxA6FeuofFTBv6ht_IkwAJE5KyhYS4U0ncuDZ8Zvug8qRIlI47XeaI-IJLMcV2ZL3pOxYIxOdeMA4lQ5eGe_m4tZlVbhfLRuTqXOnIlgflfBwaG9g_mZ/s320/Comp+DSS+10.png" width="301" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">More Compensating Stitches Filled In</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A word about traveling thread on the back of your canvas: The first two areas that were filled in were close enough not to cause problems with very long threads on the back of your work. If you are traveling very far, more than about 4-5 canvas threads away, slide the thread under some stitches on the back to maintain stitch tension. Remember to just skim the thread under the stitches, not dig down deeply into them.</span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Also, remember that the pull of the last stitch must be the same as the stitch before it, so you may want to take a tacking stitch after that last stitch to maintain the stitch direction (the way the thread lies on the back of the canvas affects how it looks on the front of the canvas.)</span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In the diagram above, when you place your first stitch, the pull on that stitch must be the same as if you had been stitching this line of stitches (<span style="color: magenta;">red violet stitches</span>) all along. So place a tacking stitch on the back to set up for the first stitch of this compensation.</span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Then, the final area to fill in may be stitched, as shown in the diagram above with the <span style="color: red;">red arrow</span>. The compensating stitches are shown in the diagram below.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3uhJagoxpOpchCMVJbq0jUebjl7ZjffsAHobf0AAWXe-tp4HDEnxWLHrpFND_ZPKIxgAd2tDuLWee-X9V0iiM0oIGS2zECLS9H4B8dDmnh-szRTXTmHirE_uVOrvfkVhJX3Nq2tazcqHY/s1600/Comp+DSS+11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3uhJagoxpOpchCMVJbq0jUebjl7ZjffsAHobf0AAWXe-tp4HDEnxWLHrpFND_ZPKIxgAd2tDuLWee-X9V0iiM0oIGS2zECLS9H4B8dDmnh-szRTXTmHirE_uVOrvfkVhJX3Nq2tazcqHY/s320/Comp+DSS+11.png" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Final Compensating Stitches Added</span></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If you find that you don’t like stitching above a diagonal line of stitches, then you need to start your stitching in the upper right hand corner (for this example) and then have all of the stitched rows placed below that. This will add a slight complication to your stitching because those first stitches may need to be compensated right away. If that is the case, perhaps a piece of graph paper that allows you to draw out the compensation would be the way to go.</span></span><br />
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-37428721642621209622013-04-16T08:05:00.000-04:002013-04-16T08:05:32.570-04:00Do you know about Mary Rhodes’ contribution to needlepoint?<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I always find it interesting to look back at the history of needlework and learn just how we got to where we are today. And in that vain: Are you familiar with the work of Mary Rhodes? Mary is known for more than just the Rhodes Stitch, which is one of her creative stitches that is given her name. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Mary worked under the tutelage of Constance Howard in England, the same woman who helped shape the trajectory of work by Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn. She taught needlepoint from the 1960’s to the 1980’s and it was Mary’s students who brought contemporary needlepoint to the United States, along with her many books written on the subject. Mary confronted and spoke against poor choices, misconceptions and bad techniques that created substandard needlepoint and consequently shaped the way people stitch today. She complained that a book written around 1900 caused many needlepointers to drop the use of the tent stitch in favor of the dreaded “square stitch” - the cross stitch over two canvas threads and its many variations. Compensation was not widely employed at that time, which led to designs that were interpreted in a rigid and angular manner. Mary advocated that the square stitch should not be used in working linear designs where curves abound, instead, the tent stitch should be used. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">She was also concerned that needlepointers tended to use stitch variety for the sake of variety, rather than for the sake of the design, which produced “ludicrous effects” because of the indiscriminate mixture of texture. She explained that stitchers often mixed many different stitches in a single piece of needlepoint, then described this mixture’s potential to destroy the balance and unity of the design.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Mary focused on stitches - she explored and gained knowledge of how different stitches worked together and the textures they produced. She demonstrated and pushed for the resurgence of the use of the tent stitch in a skillful manner. A rich texture could be achieved by combining tent stitches with other canvas stitches and by using effective variations in color and tone. Mary felt that the knowledge of how stitches were best used in conjunction with one another to interpret a design was much more important than the simple knowledge of how to work individual stitches.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The use of textural effects is one of needlepoints most important features. Now you understand why she created the stitch named after her - the texture!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Here is one of her needlepoint pieces:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucgJhZuzQp0vIf8oxnGc9tQ_IK9SsbNB5oi42pn_1OnzVlPsUPs3fYTTxEuDOvzjitfQFAlJFsawLJYh624a_vLN9wM_BG7BQx9MBMdX27iSx3_yygSBJvWDFt-hAW92QdYzC17pDt8Q0/s1600/lute001+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucgJhZuzQp0vIf8oxnGc9tQ_IK9SsbNB5oi42pn_1OnzVlPsUPs3fYTTxEuDOvzjitfQFAlJFsawLJYh624a_vLN9wM_BG7BQx9MBMdX27iSx3_yygSBJvWDFt-hAW92QdYzC17pDt8Q0/s320/lute001+copy.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mary Rhodes</b><br /><i>Lute</i>, unknown date</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Lute</i>, by Mary Rhodes, is a wonderful example of an abstract design based on line and shape. The shape of the lute is created with the tent stitch, the background is rice stitch and the couched lines represent the strings of the lute. These simple stitches allow the emphasis to be placed upon the beauty of the design. The colors are deep and rich, which enhance the impact of the central area of brilliance. Both large and small sequins are used with silver metallic thread couched down to provide a spectacular sweeping curve from top to bottom. Three large sequins are placed at the convergence point of the multitude of lines.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I never had the opportunity to take a class from Mary, and unfortunately, she died many years ago. However, more can be learned about this remarkable woman and the history of needlework by reading one of her books, especially the last three books in the list.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Rhodes, Mary. <i>Dictionary of Canvas Work Stitches.</i> London: B. T. Batsford Ltd., 1989.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">---. <i>Ideas for Canvas Work.</i> London: B. T. Batsford Ltd., 1970.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">---. <i>Needlepoint The Art of Canvas Embroidery. </i>London: Octopus Books, 1975.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">---. <i>The Batsford Book of Canvas Work.</i> London: B. T. Batsford Ltd., 1983.</span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-56083702130030175182013-04-15T09:05:00.003-04:002013-04-15T09:05:36.702-04:00Rhodes Stitch Compensation<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I was just reading Jo Ippolito Christensen’s book </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">The Needlepoint Book</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> and looking up what she has to say about the Rhodes Stitch. I quote: “Compensating stitches are pretty much impossible.” Is this true?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well, let’s take a look at the stitch:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1mWbLtxyjvDNQ6B8IRd8ar19aENhqCd5_PwiAa2hxjposDZQHjpgRdSAafphxuQhy-roN0PtNflG8xPXOw3BzHj6SaLulALU2l8t3_hCpIr7mEJxYdTUw6efmpQwv4oZvEerqIEsZsxn/s1600/Rhodes+stitch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1mWbLtxyjvDNQ6B8IRd8ar19aENhqCd5_PwiAa2hxjposDZQHjpgRdSAafphxuQhy-roN0PtNflG8xPXOw3BzHj6SaLulALU2l8t3_hCpIr7mEJxYdTUw6efmpQwv4oZvEerqIEsZsxn/s200/Rhodes+stitch.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Rhodes Stitch</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This is just one example of the Rhodes Stitch, the size and shape can be changed easily, making it a very versatile stitch. A lot of people like to use Rhodes stitches in their work because it offers a great deal of texture.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Let’s try to compensate this stitch:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRkAfIWVh7FJOzErHs8923AHlq-cS3tkr1jW_ei4S3ODz2WwXat5qMSueeuiT_XtVwazFLZPvg-AzM-Ii84cfltdo_m0jsAccShMU2IBa83V9u5V868VptKy6q68kcJc_pERmd5uNqJRW/s1600/first+step+in+compensation.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRkAfIWVh7FJOzErHs8923AHlq-cS3tkr1jW_ei4S3ODz2WwXat5qMSueeuiT_XtVwazFLZPvg-AzM-Ii84cfltdo_m0jsAccShMU2IBa83V9u5V868VptKy6q68kcJc_pERmd5uNqJRW/s200/first+step+in+compensation.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>First Step in Compensation</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The first step is to try to block out the area that is not to be stitched - I am blocking out the upper right hand corner of the stitch. I then pull back those affected lines (lines 1-2, 3-4, 17-18 and 19-20) to determine what holes they should go through instead, as shown below.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzvlqSZF7I63AuWMw6ok3O3a9CxfoJc0kwPZDjoziDHqTkE1r4I1ZygYHAZmKDLjTp6uW3MKC1khed_5CccmpdiKHnGR7djq2jhnCJnzVQGCxJ6Yf-hvxjXPtBm1NnYQP5VCjhDXBjYnh/s1600/Compensated+Rhodes+stitch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzvlqSZF7I63AuWMw6ok3O3a9CxfoJc0kwPZDjoziDHqTkE1r4I1ZygYHAZmKDLjTp6uW3MKC1khed_5CccmpdiKHnGR7djq2jhnCJnzVQGCxJ6Yf-hvxjXPtBm1NnYQP5VCjhDXBjYnh/s200/Compensated+Rhodes+stitch.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Compensated Rhodes Stitch</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Will this work? We won’t know how really successful this compensation is until we stitch it. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here is a sample of the original stitch and a sample of a compensated stitch:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwyG1UqMGe_8tvYC1NknLbYABTnHerjNSBkt9kMDu9EMVucCQVf2g2Zx_YKiOrF5rPYt05IBf8hIrIh8DGF0T02e0OqmWsOJGkgyQl3o0ZXqc37LikTGjNqx9RVX871wQDdcYnSUzDJ8o/s1600/rhodes+stitch+compensati002.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwyG1UqMGe_8tvYC1NknLbYABTnHerjNSBkt9kMDu9EMVucCQVf2g2Zx_YKiOrF5rPYt05IBf8hIrIh8DGF0T02e0OqmWsOJGkgyQl3o0ZXqc37LikTGjNqx9RVX871wQDdcYnSUzDJ8o/s1600/rhodes+stitch+compensati002.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Side by Side Comparison - Rhodes Stitch and Compensated Rhodes Stitch</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Looks pretty good, right?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Remember what we need to look at: the angle of the stitched lines. I’ve pointed out two lines for you to look at and I’ve also placed a rectangle over the top of the full Rhodes stitch to highlight where the compensation took place.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpbgbMm3O7fibdQLIMx3htlXroP_D714QBjp2Vxsb38F9_PWyMyvHQ_w0ZH379VLkBwdc2CHxPSnepl1w5KKib3UbC1FvQW4HRT2UAp9vz4CyBSEc23wXZzbfkdhxqq-c2x2cXR4vLY1e/s1600/comparison+compensated+stitches.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpbgbMm3O7fibdQLIMx3htlXroP_D714QBjp2Vxsb38F9_PWyMyvHQ_w0ZH379VLkBwdc2CHxPSnepl1w5KKib3UbC1FvQW4HRT2UAp9vz4CyBSEc23wXZzbfkdhxqq-c2x2cXR4vLY1e/s320/comparison+compensated+stitches.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Compare the Two Stitches</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The comparison at the top of the stitch looks at where #6 from the diagram is in the regular Rhodes and in the compensated Rhodes. There is a different angle for this stitch due to the pull that stitches 17-18 and 19-20 places on the stitch 5-6. Do you see the extra bit of canvas showing between the 5-6 and 7-8 stitches?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The comparison at the bottom looks at the angle of the last two stitches. The compensated stitch shows both stitches, 17-18 and 19-20 side by side, while in the original Rhodes stitch they are not side by side, but 17-18 is nearly covered by 19-20.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So, for this square Rhodes stitch, I’d say Jo Ippolito Christensen is correct, compensation is problematic. </span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-69657188044718552472013-03-30T07:16:00.001-04:002013-03-30T07:16:36.516-04:00Book Review - Chinese Lattice Designs CD-ROM & Book by Dover Publications, Inc.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIbCvYowktmTY9rv9mZsq2izIrgKObf9NPEWyqlEphOe-k_eR_2cF_XxCxKricJNVgznt1m0j-_AoV73LjnaxfBPIBwEb1cI7DW7zzJnmQt6TeTkbd4_5A7KfndToiYCFyzZcCrEl3lug/s1600/July2013+Book+Review+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIbCvYowktmTY9rv9mZsq2izIrgKObf9NPEWyqlEphOe-k_eR_2cF_XxCxKricJNVgznt1m0j-_AoV73LjnaxfBPIBwEb1cI7DW7zzJnmQt6TeTkbd4_5A7KfndToiYCFyzZcCrEl3lug/s200/July2013+Book+Review+Cover.jpg" width="145" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Chinese Lattice Designs</i> <i>CD-ROM & Book</i> by Dover Publications, Inc.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Softcover 2008. $16.95</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">ISBN-13:978-0-486-99885-5</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>Chinese Lattice Designs </i>is a compilation of 191 royalty-free images of centuries old Chinese window grids. While some patterns have a distinct oriental feel to them, others do not. Many of these patterns may be seen today in stained glass windows, architectural ornamentation, mosaic tiles and in textiles of all kinds. The needleworker may look to these intricate and harmonious patterns to provide inspiration for embroidery.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In 1909, Daniel Sheets Dye traveled to China in order to establish a medical school. In his spare time, Dye traveled throughout western China and recorded the geometric shapes he saw in the windows of Chinese homes, temples and businesses. Dye spent more than two decades collecting over 1000 designs from windows constructed between 1000 BC and 1900 AD. These windows, made from a decorative wooden lattice with a sheet of rice paper glued to the inside, let in light, but not the sights - there were no glass windows. Carpenters created these lattice windows from folk designs passed down through generations, and as such they were not considered art. However, these windows testified to a Chinese craft design which excelled in creating a balanced geometric space. </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Dye’s ability to see the beauty in the abstract shapes in Chinese windows and his passion to record the designs provides us today with a wealth of inspiration as needleworkers. Many of the designs may be directly translated into a stitch pattern. The lines may represent vertical or horizontal stitches, as well as diagonal stitches. Other patterns may provide a whole design area that needs to be filled with stitches. From simple to complex, the needleworker may use these lattice designs to create a stitch pattern or a whole design with an oriental style. </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Dover Publications has a wealth of books with patterns and designs in many different styles. Needleworkers may peruse their large list of books as a kick start to creativity. It is interesting to note that similar patterns are viewed as folk designs in many different cultures, perhaps springing up independent of each other. For instance, the interlace pattern found in old Celtic artwork is similar to the Chinese interlace designs. Did one culture influence the other, or were they created without interaction between the two peoples? These answers may never be known, but is an interesting conundrum to consider.</span><br />
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-51867151940288370662013-03-23T11:52:00.001-04:002013-03-23T11:52:22.165-04:00Stitch Compensation Cautions<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; letter-spacing: 0px;">This post is a small departure from the discussion of compensation of specific stitches and is more of a caution than anything else.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here is the background:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m trying to design a needlepoint piece using Frank Lloyd Wright patterns found in stained glass windows - for ANG’s seminar in Chicago in 2014. Here is one of the patterns:</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8shYaaLRU896IvI3grLzVjs4OFAUPJqzz4fzKNdASNBw-Q64hDk05WeegQ0MLUAk5PUDgg6HsIDdDht38zWFCL5Sx47MJxUJmYorIpLXTHzed03UtcGqsVUv1Eu_iqRp4BcAhMPyHEU6/s1600/cross+stitch+comp+var+failure.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8shYaaLRU896IvI3grLzVjs4OFAUPJqzz4fzKNdASNBw-Q64hDk05WeegQ0MLUAk5PUDgg6HsIDdDht38zWFCL5Sx47MJxUJmYorIpLXTHzed03UtcGqsVUv1Eu_iqRp4BcAhMPyHEU6/s400/cross+stitch+comp+var+failure.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Looking at Compensation of Cross Stitch Variation<br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The red arrow points to the first Cross Stitch Variation, the blue arrow points to where a compensated version of this stitch needs to be placed. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here is the stitch diagram:</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTHb5W2Z7L7zd100UWBbReN5lQWjXy-bwXidufPk_jjXiA2fOcADiLDqJBwLCiWOp2eaRnVuLuDIwRrhi41a_8mnKjNud3MxNEOGm2asImbj_vR8luSbVRT-KrM03W2mhz3yFHKg8TC9_/s1600/cross+stitch+var.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTHb5W2Z7L7zd100UWBbReN5lQWjXy-bwXidufPk_jjXiA2fOcADiLDqJBwLCiWOp2eaRnVuLuDIwRrhi41a_8mnKjNud3MxNEOGm2asImbj_vR8luSbVRT-KrM03W2mhz3yFHKg8TC9_/s320/cross+stitch+var.png" width="184" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cross Stitch Variation</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The compensated stitch would only be two threads wide, not the six threads that make up the whole stitch. I tried every trick I knew to determine where to place the threads and it would not work. UGH!!!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So what did I do? I put this piece aside for now. It will have to be rethought and redesigned and will not make the Chicago seminar. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Compensation can be very difficult and may not always work out - which is my caution for today.</span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-19814517753216165282013-03-20T09:28:00.001-04:002013-03-20T09:28:29.086-04:00Herringbone Stitch Compensation<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">For this blog posting I am going to concentrate on the Herringbone Stitch. There are many variations of this stitch, depending on the slant of the stitch, the width and the height of the stitch, as well as the numbers of threads in the separation of each “v” of the stitch. Compensation must take into account all of these variations, there is not one way to do it for every variation of the stitch.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Let’s look at the Herringbone Stitch that is two threads high and two threads wide:</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIkbi2vrj3KzQ-DUp8Jctp-CZJ96obUwEruzOkVdgYEgSUK3E-yZLP87yKpzzudcIEsZxm9K3a4tX8KhbBttlRfLR8E_RQ_2nrXb6fu-SQh8Oetkrm2aH0mIB0DL2TIOIetWO4aiRixXU/s1600/herringbone.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="94" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIkbi2vrj3KzQ-DUp8Jctp-CZJ96obUwEruzOkVdgYEgSUK3E-yZLP87yKpzzudcIEsZxm9K3a4tX8KhbBttlRfLR8E_RQ_2nrXb6fu-SQh8Oetkrm2aH0mIB0DL2TIOIetWO4aiRixXU/s320/herringbone.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Herringbone Stitch - 2 wide x 2 high</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The red lines show the compensating stitches. Since this stitch follows the 45 degree diagonal of the square grid, the compensation is straight forward and no guessing is needed.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here is a stitched sample:</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnLbYj-UkZCcik7sLikx_KkJWA_PXgAYujKlwUG9xCN8oM03o8Ae878OhVv0lVfAsd6GwkOlws-ebhOG-8Gt0D1TVF9IRetZk6VBZkXBULBWXtEmQBBLTl8fPsEQXsUbm5Q1i8np0_SSN/s1600/her+2x2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBnLbYj-UkZCcik7sLikx_KkJWA_PXgAYujKlwUG9xCN8oM03o8Ae878OhVv0lVfAsd6GwkOlws-ebhOG-8Gt0D1TVF9IRetZk6VBZkXBULBWXtEmQBBLTl8fPsEQXsUbm5Q1i8np0_SSN/s320/her+2x2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Herringbone Stitch - 2 wide x 2 high</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Looking at the back of the canvas:</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjc8CFJWPf9scSg_QnEpkxtlG7LhNyWPsOGoTBt8oWTJr212a253-_Z32QAMv_Kfne1TbZBprYiJDC-wXpG70i2Im7BmNCKnMhKYHyl5CGVGOYqzn0GeaHmpQ0t7tl6FO41nj07abxwVq/s1600/back+of+canvas+for+2x2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjc8CFJWPf9scSg_QnEpkxtlG7LhNyWPsOGoTBt8oWTJr212a253-_Z32QAMv_Kfne1TbZBprYiJDC-wXpG70i2Im7BmNCKnMhKYHyl5CGVGOYqzn0GeaHmpQ0t7tl6FO41nj07abxwVq/s320/back+of+canvas+for+2x2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Herringbone Stitch - back of canvas</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">There is not much thread on the back of the canvas to weave in ending threads. In fact the stitches on the back of the canvas are over one thread. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Let’s look at two difficulty issues that the Herringbone Stitch may cause:</span></div>
<ol>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> It is hard to end threads on the back of the canvas.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> The step back stitch (as in going from 2 to 3), the thread goes back one canvas thread and many times it can be pulled under the thread that is supposed to separate where the needle went into the canvas (at point 2) and where it is brought out of the canvas (at point 3.)</span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">For Point 1:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The first piece of advice that I can give about weaving in ending threads is : get a sharp needle - a crewel needle or an embroidery sharp needle is better than a sewing needle, but that will work too. The embroidery sharp needle is the easiest to use because the eye of the needle is as large as a tapestry needle.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Let’s look at a stitched Herringbone Stitch sample:</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-GUM_n1jGT47s0Vl5C4V4ovmylHJst0qXfR5GGItDWai9ZT06PQJKU7AlFv2Fs0Ai0XKYOOJxZRsG132iTvta0NKmDPxuE5zNq7ZcYQKgePgrdoL6P0sIG5fif4ceuBGj1MwU4P7N39xH/s1600/ending+threads+showing+through+to+front.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-GUM_n1jGT47s0Vl5C4V4ovmylHJst0qXfR5GGItDWai9ZT06PQJKU7AlFv2Fs0Ai0XKYOOJxZRsG132iTvta0NKmDPxuE5zNq7ZcYQKgePgrdoL6P0sIG5fif4ceuBGj1MwU4P7N39xH/s400/ending+threads+showing+through+to+front.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Herringbone Stitch ending threads showing through to front of canvas</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The arrows are pointing to ending threads showing through to the front of the canvas. Let’s look at the back:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRjUYxJ_7Rk4aVBq6rThlF9FW6_mx7Feo8qfZZkNRn5KlgoK109699cYFyd09N6VWC3p6K4RYY8mvASSeNuhHKa7EcTjva1f57pKTYTjFNL6zYLebYvN9Gvl5PW-8htY8b2TiRVURnzR4/s1600/ending+threads+back+of+canvas.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRjUYxJ_7Rk4aVBq6rThlF9FW6_mx7Feo8qfZZkNRn5KlgoK109699cYFyd09N6VWC3p6K4RYY8mvASSeNuhHKa7EcTjva1f57pKTYTjFNL6zYLebYvN9Gvl5PW-8htY8b2TiRVURnzR4/s400/ending+threads+back+of+canvas.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Red arrow - ending threads diagonally on the back of canvas</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Blue arrow - ending threads horizontally on the back of the canvas</b></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This is the back of the sample and you will notice that you do not see the ending threads on the left side of the stitching where the ending threads are woven into the stitches on the back (and I had to use a sharp needle because there is not much thread on the back of the canvas.) Notice that ending the threads horizontally means that the ending threads show through to the front. It is much better to end the threads on a diagonal on the back, meaning you have to weave through a top stitch, then a bottom stitch, then a top stitch, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Other options for ending threads - weave them into stitches next to the Herringbone Stitches. This is an option, but unless I absolutely have to (like for darning stitches) I always try to end threads behind the stitches that the thread was used to stitch them. Why?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">First, I don’t have to worry about thread shadows showing through stitches with lighter colored threads. Second, if I have to rip out stitches, I don’t want to disturb stitches in surrounding areas - this just makes it easier for me. If you’ve ever ripped out stitches and had all these ending threads in them from other areas you’ll know that this can really be a problem. Maintaining stitch tension on those stitches from surrounding areas is nigh impossible.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Now for Point 2:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Having threads slide under the intersection of the canvas thread is a pain. Let’s look at the canvas:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-atsYS9ni0hTLINSGfl7dijxy-VGKW-u0rQA34j7HiUW1-9R6QElYYKLbJ8lZKbnjZJfvJIIrTfap1FTDVsk0ZANbNmWGoriRcPNhkp-c8ppAWIb89Uo75m_FEMNVBzIES8nzGCQT9phH/s1600/canvas.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-atsYS9ni0hTLINSGfl7dijxy-VGKW-u0rQA34j7HiUW1-9R6QElYYKLbJ8lZKbnjZJfvJIIrTfap1FTDVsk0ZANbNmWGoriRcPNhkp-c8ppAWIb89Uo75m_FEMNVBzIES8nzGCQT9phH/s1600/canvas.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Canvas thread on top is vertical</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">When the top thread is vertical, any stitch over one horizontal canvas thread (as in the Herringbone example above) may slip under that vertical canvas thread. This usually happens when the area you are stitching in has been disturbed (as in ripping out stitches and stitching over the area again.) Canvas has some starch in it and that makes the canvas threads “stitck” a bit to each other when you first stitch on the canvas. However, if you break this bond, then threads can easily slip around, as well as disforming the canvas threads with tight stitching tension.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This is a problem with a linen ground fabric also. People who work on linen have to take more care in their stitching tension than canvas stitchers. So watch your tension.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Try not to start a horizontal run of Herringbone Stitch that has an over one canvas thread stitch across the back of the canvas with a vertical stitch on the top.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">
</div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If you are stitching Herringbone vertically, the opposite is true, don’t have the top canvas thread be a horizontal thread if you have an over one stitch on the back of the canvas.</span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4wVIBrhJonH0g6o3kjE85BS1y2UfMk1P4vMwAbV40Xozg5JphYtNS7wEBCxjHAgESTObRMgwRgnY9gy_oEUHZDzUU6qD_Arpgx9Vuz73sW8ZNait11Z6I0HBRooEYSgHARcpId2LLMGO/s1600/canvas2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji4wVIBrhJonH0g6o3kjE85BS1y2UfMk1P4vMwAbV40Xozg5JphYtNS7wEBCxjHAgESTObRMgwRgnY9gy_oEUHZDzUU6qD_Arpgx9Vuz73sW8ZNait11Z6I0HBRooEYSgHARcpId2LLMGO/s1600/canvas2.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Canvas thread on top is horizontal</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Now let’s look at a variation of the Herringbone Stitch that is not square. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIcABcEqldJURU9lWpm4YzQcNaUmNCO4NT7p63Fr2gfXDwX96obqVa0HIG8M-w-VfmkARX1KLVOlrNTVFdRdPd6ZDEyiGlw6IwjwATYiuEGtqFTDCEYCnOM9t_QXey3rCAtNb-9D5skBoq/s1600/herringbone+-+4+wide+x+3+high.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIcABcEqldJURU9lWpm4YzQcNaUmNCO4NT7p63Fr2gfXDwX96obqVa0HIG8M-w-VfmkARX1KLVOlrNTVFdRdPd6ZDEyiGlw6IwjwATYiuEGtqFTDCEYCnOM9t_QXey3rCAtNb-9D5skBoq/s320/herringbone+-+4+wide+x+3+high.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Herringbone Stitch - 3 high x 4 wide</b></span></div>
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The important issue with respect to any stitch that is not a a true diagonal - the compensated stitches must have a slant as close to the slant of the original stitches. I drew the compensating stitches in the diagram in red using the same angle as the original stitches to find where they would enter the canvas. Let’s look at a stitched sample to determine if the slant is correct.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwsxagnQRVvpmow3kXrZ1yLjuPrKhukZkznlbrP3tXgLFhyphenhyphenGNB4hjiPjU6WvDexORNO9gPk75LQVL0WBf_-kepZu3C0ej09qPOE37LIR6d-yG2kCJv6xclgODsDHN8oIYoi-LIQFHWeoy/s1600/comp+4x3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwsxagnQRVvpmow3kXrZ1yLjuPrKhukZkznlbrP3tXgLFhyphenhyphenGNB4hjiPjU6WvDexORNO9gPk75LQVL0WBf_-kepZu3C0ej09qPOE37LIR6d-yG2kCJv6xclgODsDHN8oIYoi-LIQFHWeoy/s400/comp+4x3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Herringbone Stitch - 4 wide x 3 high - Arrows pointing to compensated stitches</b></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 12px; min-height: 15px;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The compensated stitches are executed with white thread so that they stand out. I will look at the slant of these stitches to determine if they are correct. With this sample, I am happy with the slant - that is the only way to know if a compensated stitch will work - look at the slant of the stitch and compare it to a previous whole stitch. </span><br />
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-43303726448694738942013-02-15T08:49:00.002-05:002013-02-15T08:49:18.215-05:00Van Dyke Stitch - Beginning CompensationA reader asked about compensating the Van Dyke Stitch at the beginning of the column. Yes, it needs to be compensated there also. Here is a diagram of that compensation:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwPfP12T3Y4EFv5LPEY5eZRKzcwVnYed29e-SxyQMcpPQOSJ-GW_vMURHV3a2Zt2KgTpcEIpJf3fEOO2sh8-iCDYRqJ8vQFa3dPfBnBKj9SlYBBBZPcICO-vI8FP7QTtR1TsVEPrmhQhCD/s1600/beginning+vd+compensation.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwPfP12T3Y4EFv5LPEY5eZRKzcwVnYed29e-SxyQMcpPQOSJ-GW_vMURHV3a2Zt2KgTpcEIpJf3fEOO2sh8-iCDYRqJ8vQFa3dPfBnBKj9SlYBBBZPcICO-vI8FP7QTtR1TsVEPrmhQhCD/s320/beginning+vd+compensation.png" width="100" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Compensating Van Dyke Stitch, Beginning of Column</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I've shown the compensating stitch in blue and the first regular stitch in red.</div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-49373041185082522612013-02-14T10:07:00.002-05:002013-02-14T10:07:41.104-05:00Stitch Compensation - The Elongated Cross Stitch <br />
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let’s look at the Elongated Cross Stitch. I was actually stitching the Van Dyke Stitch, which is a column of overlapping Elongated Cross Stitches when I had to compensate the stitch at the bottom of the column. The Van Dyke Stitch looks like this:</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGpkKMlwRnqK1BtheVjnKz1MGgWfjOwQcWiOb-WsHQcDVL3hr_aW-452ZJZKViWyt6V9VrJ-b4Ej4GDwFr-QKgm0XDBZ0H1kIRNwwG5dS9IWDWD9l41xgowOycZLSYZLuUJ21V1JlSog_/s1600/Van+Dyke+stitch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGpkKMlwRnqK1BtheVjnKz1MGgWfjOwQcWiOb-WsHQcDVL3hr_aW-452ZJZKViWyt6V9VrJ-b4Ej4GDwFr-QKgm0XDBZ0H1kIRNwwG5dS9IWDWD9l41xgowOycZLSYZLuUJ21V1JlSog_/s320/Van+Dyke+stitch.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Van Dyke Stitch</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You may wonder about my unorthodox numbering system for each of the Elongated Cross Stitches - well I want to create a backing that is easy to start and stop threads in. As long as I am consistent in my execution, it does not matter how the cross stitch is executed.</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Anyway, let’s say the next stitch in the sequence is compensated, just how do I do that? Have you heard someone say that you just place something, like a piece of paper, over the stitch diagram where the stitch ends and that will show you how to place the compensating stitch?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">OK, let’s try that:</span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9QqhVunwfdpU2dLjZRNorSV-JcDdrUZiFjktylXB2DonLkUyO0WLj1rZTXdpmKCuwa_Qskh63W3kMb71uwzjB7P5ABlUsYXC5w2O0hhpQbrUt0vhGN0NPVoBqg8-aGh5q08qoRdqFyrG/s1600/Van+Dyke+stitch+-+compensated.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9QqhVunwfdpU2dLjZRNorSV-JcDdrUZiFjktylXB2DonLkUyO0WLj1rZTXdpmKCuwa_Qskh63W3kMb71uwzjB7P5ABlUsYXC5w2O0hhpQbrUt0vhGN0NPVoBqg8-aGh5q08qoRdqFyrG/s320/Van+Dyke+stitch+-+compensated.png" width="92" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Compensated Van Dyke #1</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I’ve indicated the compensated stitch with blue color. But what if I placed my piece of paper in the middle of the last row of the diagram and not at the end of the row? Well, then the compensation would look like this:</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdE1PlUcWuhmDKxelFSPqDy5I1dHK5nifcYPHg976zLbkMPLUcMmTu_GWeLP2kONezkKEdoOHcyysglRq1r2ajpfbnuH4rEupfbNN3W4hUn5WQfOmFWfjlkk2pav22j0KXtJZRcOVJw8z/s1600/Van+Dyke+stitch+-+compensated_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdE1PlUcWuhmDKxelFSPqDy5I1dHK5nifcYPHg976zLbkMPLUcMmTu_GWeLP2kONezkKEdoOHcyysglRq1r2ajpfbnuH4rEupfbNN3W4hUn5WQfOmFWfjlkk2pav22j0KXtJZRcOVJw8z/s320/Van+Dyke+stitch+-+compensated_1.png" width="90" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Compensated Van Dyke #2</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Which one is correct? </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You know what? I don’t know off the top of my head, I have to stitch both to see which one looks better. Does that surprise you?</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZzY8bnJ1Q5Q1ThsvvIwCK8SoSHd-asLVxdmOA_1-1DAkCwkh14TdksEsSEAFUMyuvDN-wnEi4LY-MIt1QGH2WO-EOPPno0FD-ICPURYBkWZr2yPupFLRfQB6efL6MCpz2KtHXkLRQw6c/s1600/comparison+comp+st+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZzY8bnJ1Q5Q1ThsvvIwCK8SoSHd-asLVxdmOA_1-1DAkCwkh14TdksEsSEAFUMyuvDN-wnEi4LY-MIt1QGH2WO-EOPPno0FD-ICPURYBkWZr2yPupFLRfQB6efL6MCpz2KtHXkLRQw6c/s320/comparison+comp+st+1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Comparison of Compensated Van Dyke Stitches</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>#1 #2 </b></span></div>
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<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The above picture shows both types of compensation, #1 on the left and #2 on the right. To determine which is the best way to compensate the stitch I have placed an arrow at the top stitch of the compensated stitch. I am going to compare the slant of this stitch with the slant of the same stitch above it, which was not compensated. It looks to me that #1 has a better slant to it than #2.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I am not done though. There is one more stitch to compensate. Again let’s look at the diagram:</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruJNqGGj75EEv7nzVU4UwCM13nW4yGANXFOLWygP9PZP2UE1gKKfzCaIRbhzl5i_3ZtzMf1hlwGGI0m3iAxX0b58Ohh99t9LgHGFtoe1M2OBUYdvvWxuudnxaCdzpecLN7yHAWbTSpFYn/s1600/Van+Dyke+stitch+-+compensated+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruJNqGGj75EEv7nzVU4UwCM13nW4yGANXFOLWygP9PZP2UE1gKKfzCaIRbhzl5i_3ZtzMf1hlwGGI0m3iAxX0b58Ohh99t9LgHGFtoe1M2OBUYdvvWxuudnxaCdzpecLN7yHAWbTSpFYn/s320/Van+Dyke+stitch+-+compensated+2.png" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Comparison of Second Stitch Compensation</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>#1 #2</b></span></div>
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The second compensated stitch is in green. Again, I am going to look at a sample of the stitched compensation to make my choice.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7tDX9BydlwuqoDoknMdn4R5IB6Y8TE5LDIQ6K-dUn9uofxTfoP3RwF8kdZyH6ykp6wwXQ0LDctyPK_atU1HFV8wf2yxR9-VPpfaYcIzZniaouwEBlojCYVNP30eH5mt19iRlziCJCBDJz/s1600/comparison+comp+st+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7tDX9BydlwuqoDoknMdn4R5IB6Y8TE5LDIQ6K-dUn9uofxTfoP3RwF8kdZyH6ykp6wwXQ0LDctyPK_atU1HFV8wf2yxR9-VPpfaYcIzZniaouwEBlojCYVNP30eH5mt19iRlziCJCBDJz/s320/comparison+comp+st+2.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Comparison of Second Stitch Compensation</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>#1 #2</b></span></div>
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Look at the slant of the stitch where the arrow is pointing, and compare it to the slant of the stitch above it. In this instance, #2 looks better with respect to the stitch slant.</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Many people would have liked #1 because it closes up the bottom of the column of stitches. I understand that issue, but once you have all the other stitching done around the Van Dyke stitch, and you thought the bottom needed to be closed up more for example #2, then you could backstitch across the bottom with a strand or two of cotton floss in the same color as the thread for the Van Dyke stitches. </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">However, remember that a cross stitch, even an elongated cross stitch, it not completely closed at the top or the bottom.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So my advice about compensating any stitch, when it doubt, stitch it each way and look at how the compensated stitch lies compared to a whole stitch. Non-symmetrical stitches can be a little tricky to compensate because the canvas grid is a square while the stitch is not.</span></span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-86056681414113052372013-01-04T10:58:00.004-05:002013-01-04T11:05:17.311-05:00Stitch Compensation - The Cross Stitch <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Let’s start the New Year with some blog entries about stitch compensation. Many people do not like stitch compensation, nor are they very good at it. It is my hope that I can help you learn how to figure out just what is the best way to compensate a stitch.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The next 4 blog entries will deal with 4 crossed stitches in depth and issues with their compensation. The stitches will include the cross stitch, the elongated cross stitch, the herringbone stitch and the Rhodes stitch. Hopefully, moving from an easy stitch to more complicated stitches will help you learn the thought process behind stitch compensation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So, let’s start with the basic cross stitch over two canvas threads:</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcghIT2zTHPy9vI5dUSd16UF6HFw4J7pWr0JbvvWDO6ysYf_iBjhEANkK9NpSyohAPyCKQJ17E38_8wHdOueTX722Yg7ko9AaH8BW3yw7gjq6wYovTDeHKLPq4dN-Py-r9LF4M3lhDBhG/s1600/simple+cross+stitch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDcghIT2zTHPy9vI5dUSd16UF6HFw4J7pWr0JbvvWDO6ysYf_iBjhEANkK9NpSyohAPyCKQJ17E38_8wHdOueTX722Yg7ko9AaH8BW3yw7gjq6wYovTDeHKLPq4dN-Py-r9LF4M3lhDBhG/s1600/simple+cross+stitch.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cross Stitch Over 2 Canvas Threads<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If you were to compensate this stitch by stitching 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 of the stitch you would get:</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrjKn45cZ91Y3xB1GqTpGU_UbELoyItG_ZaboiPts4mRqelHD3xF2Da_wwh-_sEr93aspc9NMk_XkkzjJ26WLpGFNh73R6MNWGwHE1A7aQEg7H13xB3XaoBgxVpYdAPMTY24UbJQo80Zm/s1600/1:4+compensated+cross+stitch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrjKn45cZ91Y3xB1GqTpGU_UbELoyItG_ZaboiPts4mRqelHD3xF2Da_wwh-_sEr93aspc9NMk_XkkzjJ26WLpGFNh73R6MNWGwHE1A7aQEg7H13xB3XaoBgxVpYdAPMTY24UbJQo80Zm/s1600/1:4+compensated+cross+stitch.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1/4 Compensated Cross Stitch<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJHTlBFaX5L7Gnou-uKiV33cHd45qqpzRgBGPX7hJ29Qt6fxaFCVlVvDsLavlL_jZ2JnOVvWEvjjp0wpXxgJ7sQQJwh5YLp0u3DJw5SYS_VBAi0mvmwFx_DNwqvZfyYpGD6s5JwlEpNPG/s1600/1%253A2+compensated+cross+stitch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJHTlBFaX5L7Gnou-uKiV33cHd45qqpzRgBGPX7hJ29Qt6fxaFCVlVvDsLavlL_jZ2JnOVvWEvjjp0wpXxgJ7sQQJwh5YLp0u3DJw5SYS_VBAi0mvmwFx_DNwqvZfyYpGD6s5JwlEpNPG/s1600/1%253A2+compensated+cross+stitch.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1/2 Compensated Cross Stitch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJdpUM6k_3s8r8yLWH9NjpW8sthoI0yyfi5lypFyAHOVHP2XAmAnpfxccQflJf6xzBFK-RnjLMVgtqyJYYXushLsWrLeIH6WPomiWixit37lQihoYdT5M8B98m-6ENymKPz30n17GhUeP/s1600/regular+3%253A4+compensated+cross+stitch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJdpUM6k_3s8r8yLWH9NjpW8sthoI0yyfi5lypFyAHOVHP2XAmAnpfxccQflJf6xzBFK-RnjLMVgtqyJYYXushLsWrLeIH6WPomiWixit37lQihoYdT5M8B98m-6ENymKPz30n17GhUeP/s1600/regular+3%253A4+compensated+cross+stitch.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Regular 3/4 Compensated Cross Stitch</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You may remember from an earlier blog post, for the 3/4 compensated stitch, you do not want the compensating stitch to pull the other stitches out of line. I have added a Modified 3/4 Compensated Cross Stitch diagram below that shows the first and third stitch diagrams broken into three separate stitches. If you only had one diagonal stitch from lower left to upper right, when you stitched the shortened stitch into the center hole, it would have pulled the first stitch out of shape. This is more obvious with larger cross stitches.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD11opbXsDX3kflbA0r64IIkys8dh-qKDxVEsfnZY_5hHN2Zgwkgn-_HAm7qurlv6eZNlgotKnRyXh0w-cuRgnTeTL0K_D9QWRdHbQ9kuQJgqwU6qcbzeR8vgzpWsZUUMNRUqJfXoGYk-/s1600/modified+3%253A4+comp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZD11opbXsDX3kflbA0r64IIkys8dh-qKDxVEsfnZY_5hHN2Zgwkgn-_HAm7qurlv6eZNlgotKnRyXh0w-cuRgnTeTL0K_D9QWRdHbQ9kuQJgqwU6qcbzeR8vgzpWsZUUMNRUqJfXoGYk-/s1600/modified+3%253A4+comp.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modified 3/4 Compensated Cross Stitch</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I have stitched some compensated cross stitches over 2 threads, over 3 threads and over 4 threads to discuss some of the finer points of compensation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">First, looking at the compensated stitches over 2 threads, the left side is stitched with a long first stitch and the second stitch pulling the long stitch out of shape (red arrow). The right side is stitched as in the diagram above, with three short stitches (blue arrow). If you do not see much distortion with the longer bottom stitch, then you may decide to use the regular 3/4 Compensated Cross Stitch.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhyphenhyphenDtYTq_2wWfxrJy92rhetnD6y317s-5h7RzINY6rPalEJapxiGGaOz1cFk0pH2J1EJwXUGsf69qa6LPrM_4M3vzN5iBJ4xEJd5uEVsg3MeSpT2ZFIQfJDcXQunPCOTCmiQSol5OMKc0/s1600/comp+crss+st+over+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhyphenhyphenDtYTq_2wWfxrJy92rhetnD6y317s-5h7RzINY6rPalEJapxiGGaOz1cFk0pH2J1EJwXUGsf69qa6LPrM_4M3vzN5iBJ4xEJd5uEVsg3MeSpT2ZFIQfJDcXQunPCOTCmiQSol5OMKc0/s320/comp+crss+st+over+2.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Compensated Cross Stitch Over 2 Canvas Threads<br />
Left Side - Regular Compensation Right Side - Modified Compensation</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Look at what happens when the stitch is over 4 canvas threads. Again the left side is stitched with a long stitch and a short compensated stitch while the right side has the long stitch broken up into two stitches so that the short compensating stitch does not distort it. The distortion in the long compensated stitch is more evident with the longer stitch. Notice how in the compensated stitch on the left the long bottom stitch has more of an arc to it (red arrow) rather than a straight stitch as seen on the right side (blue arrow). Look at your work and decide if you need to work a Modified 3/4 Compensated Stitch or just a regular 3/4 Compensated Stitch.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesXuF1V_VECq4uwHUmaf2xDxAoaP6fO2ZuL7SxGSfAbUg5T7UMAaIqA1odFqgSkmC511fvcHHdQSZsLgWxKEJY9GLZx_bTgtEcTnl7DAoYVAcHqgTbW3a6wXXfE5_nGQhjkMlT6aZYqL6/s1600/comp+crss+st+over+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesXuF1V_VECq4uwHUmaf2xDxAoaP6fO2ZuL7SxGSfAbUg5T7UMAaIqA1odFqgSkmC511fvcHHdQSZsLgWxKEJY9GLZx_bTgtEcTnl7DAoYVAcHqgTbW3a6wXXfE5_nGQhjkMlT6aZYqL6/s320/comp+crss+st+over+4.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Compensated Cross Stitch Over 4 Canvas Threads<br />
Left Side - Regular Compensation Right Side - Modified Compensation</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What happens when the cross stitch is over an odd number of threads? In this case there is no middle hole to bring a needle up in to stitch a 3/4 stitch. Look at the picture below:</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0msT1Bo5eU1jiflQg0tOdb-cPaHCY7kSL9cqPcTnD3WTHjx5h8VS98uQG2atSr_y9Y42aaM8_cWv299hnR5OGomrcBqdnOHHEemZ-XB1IYzIgCCixsgmuwMwRqmnMuIv8wl7crotYi2Ry/s1600/comp+crss+st+over+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0msT1Bo5eU1jiflQg0tOdb-cPaHCY7kSL9cqPcTnD3WTHjx5h8VS98uQG2atSr_y9Y42aaM8_cWv299hnR5OGomrcBqdnOHHEemZ-XB1IYzIgCCixsgmuwMwRqmnMuIv8wl7crotYi2Ry/s320/comp+crss+st+over+3.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Compensated Cross Stitch Over 3 Canvas Threads<br />
Left Side - Regular Compensation Right Side - Modified Compensation</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The right side shows a somewhat 3/4 compensation, but not exactly. I have traveled up one diagonal thread to start my compensating stitch. It really does not look too bad this way because the partial stitch has the thread pulled tightly against the intersection. On the left hand side I have pierced the canvas thread to achieve an exact 3/4 stitch. This requires a sharp needle and you need to go down into the exact center of the intersection of the canvas threads - which is not always easy because one of the two canvas threads at the intersection will most certainly slide on you. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The best advice is to try the easiest way to compensate first and really look at your stitching. Does the line created by the compensated stitch look nice? If yes, then continue in this way. However, if not, then you need to use a Modified Compensating Stitch.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A more complicated situation arises when you are stitching an area on canvas that has an uneven edge. Here is an example of a diagram in which the blue line represents the edge of the area where the cross stitch is to be stitched. Just how do you determine how to compensate around this curve?</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANb25Vsryli-clv5WdQ09FGiuXPbcd9YovbHzgiVetaW2RC2lYeaEmvitndwJgI0S2Hctk07S5APY0hZv935-Uuh4S0c7VID5_YO7QT44RmGUKE9-9uhuyyrClLX9ed55lAI9acmgfHLV/s1600/fitting+compensation+to+curve.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANb25Vsryli-clv5WdQ09FGiuXPbcd9YovbHzgiVetaW2RC2lYeaEmvitndwJgI0S2Hctk07S5APY0hZv935-Uuh4S0c7VID5_YO7QT44RmGUKE9-9uhuyyrClLX9ed55lAI9acmgfHLV/s1600/fitting+compensation+to+curve.png" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fitting Cross Stitches to Line Drawn on Canvas</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I have diagrammed one completed cross stitch. To determine how much of the stitch to place next to and above this completed stitch I will look at the intersections of the canvas threads, which are the lines on the diagram, and compare them to where the blue line is located.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34i7OQoAcqwxPAmicOzuZV6rXHAHwDgmH74o64Y4eqe0odpe96eoPsXfgIv_J1yg_22G8pdeFkwuxLBqSZkr_0Q7Tl3vU4IUu_EW2eh7v-m-GjG_JRz20L-tWRfA1pBATf4feVw1-Cngn/s1600/determining+where+to+place+stitch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34i7OQoAcqwxPAmicOzuZV6rXHAHwDgmH74o64Y4eqe0odpe96eoPsXfgIv_J1yg_22G8pdeFkwuxLBqSZkr_0Q7Tl3vU4IUu_EW2eh7v-m-GjG_JRz20L-tWRfA1pBATf4feVw1-Cngn/s1600/determining+where+to+place+stitch.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Determining Where to Place Compensated Stitches</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Since I am stitching to the left of and below the line, at each of the intersections (numbered 1-5), I will look at whether the blue line is to the left or right of the intersection and above or below the line. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My determination for stitching a compensating stitch will be: </span></span></div>
<ol style="list-style-type: decimal;">
<li style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> If the blue line crosses in the middle of the intersection I will stitch over that intersection.</span></span></li>
<li style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> If the blue line is above or to the right of the intersection I will place a stitch over that intersection. </span></span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Note that this is the opposite of how I characterized the area that I need to stitch: to the left of and below the blue line.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So looking at the above diagram:</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Circle 1: The blue line is above the intersection -- Yes, place a compensating stitch</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Circle 2: The blue line is above and to the right of the intersection -- Yes, place a compensating stitch</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Circle 3: The blue line is below and to the left of the intersection -- NO</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Circle 4: The blue line is above and to the right of the intersection -- Yes, place a compensating stitch</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Circle 5: The blue line is below and to the left of the intersection -- NO</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So here is how I would place my compensating stitches:</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0he9PfkUrJIWSAy49SSXe81JxyQE5E8xFny4B99jUMKPrmLNq7DQpO1z-BxkJlUPBKCYNmH9M1dXfYvBq92C_j4YqvybBphlZRb7guP7MalHsCMZbG-HKfh0wzfG9gmxxx0Sv3nDC3iH/s1600/compensated+to+curve.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0he9PfkUrJIWSAy49SSXe81JxyQE5E8xFny4B99jUMKPrmLNq7DQpO1z-BxkJlUPBKCYNmH9M1dXfYvBq92C_j4YqvybBphlZRb7guP7MalHsCMZbG-HKfh0wzfG9gmxxx0Sv3nDC3iH/s1600/compensated+to+curve.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Compensated Stitches Fitted to Line</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Some may be confused by my logic here and want to place a stitch across Circle 5. This is a limited example and I do not have information about what is around and most importantly to the lower right of this area. However, I still stand by my logic with respect to the blue line in this limited example and where to place stitches. Consistency is the key to compensating success.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The execution sequence I am using to stitch these compensated stitches is included in the diagram below. I have not included the numbers 6, 7, and 8 for the whole cross stitch in the lower left hand corner of the diagram because of space limitations.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-v3ataOIIO9AIBgOUjkaq-hVNC0RSwVsET_13x0b6yAWFII1hIrNSyFdjjJgCjyu3ynPd-dirXs0uAXjiscV2TbjhAR2UuB_TMt8dKdbv8Ea-0-3PSLkUQ8cFB8e8qhyphenhyphentiZ-bRuaJUk79/s1600/compensated+with+numbers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-v3ataOIIO9AIBgOUjkaq-hVNC0RSwVsET_13x0b6yAWFII1hIrNSyFdjjJgCjyu3ynPd-dirXs0uAXjiscV2TbjhAR2UuB_TMt8dKdbv8Ea-0-3PSLkUQ8cFB8e8qhyphenhyphentiZ-bRuaJUk79/s1600/compensated+with+numbers.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Execution Sequence of Compensated Stitches</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So, this blog covered the cross stitch when it was a square shape, i.e. the cross stitch covered the same number of threads vertically as horizontally. Can you extrapolate this to larger squared cross stitches and to other stitches that use a square cross stitch as a base, like the smyrna cross stitch?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Next time I will consider the elongated cross stitch. This cross stitch differs from the ones above because it covers a different number of threads vertically as compared to horizontally.</span></span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-60150682037592975232012-12-29T12:45:00.002-05:002012-12-29T12:45:58.332-05:00Breaking the Rules<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let’s look at a diagram of a border:</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGWmoOa9E0yn-imKOnOeE2YpWpFaxXwHjM4mmv2sEaGVqFr4obFfSnS2Ezkf06EutQEsivIs0tZanK3x4809lakm4uCbQVGfYAhjiHB6pJngdddVm6kk-moMg0xUrkRvtX-nTsms5D34h/s1600/simple+border.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGWmoOa9E0yn-imKOnOeE2YpWpFaxXwHjM4mmv2sEaGVqFr4obFfSnS2Ezkf06EutQEsivIs0tZanK3x4809lakm4uCbQVGfYAhjiHB6pJngdddVm6kk-moMg0xUrkRvtX-nTsms5D34h/s320/simple+border.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simple Border<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This simple border is made up of two stitches, a slanted gobelin stitch and a horizontal gobelin stitch. Not really hard to execute. Everything look OK?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My stitched border:</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2ep9xphJk3XNuhcz8h2KLRWOgkqh72e9Ml-IEbiS3zzzjxJKyhkW8zUM4PndPyoyJB59PkVJvocRLpqQJjrdGVFD34lNVif5AJhUV4fw5H1qB2XNJ45F7v3EN8uUs3Pofz4QFgSJIuEU/s1600/ex+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2ep9xphJk3XNuhcz8h2KLRWOgkqh72e9Ml-IEbiS3zzzjxJKyhkW8zUM4PndPyoyJB59PkVJvocRLpqQJjrdGVFD34lNVif5AJhUV4fw5H1qB2XNJ45F7v3EN8uUs3Pofz4QFgSJIuEU/s320/ex+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stitched Sample #1<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I have used 1 strand of Silk & Ivory for the slanted gobelin stitches and 2 strands Watercolours for the horizontal gobelin stitches. Other than the fact the horizontal stitches weren't laid, is it still looking OK?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I’m going to change threads and restitch the border:</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkxrPjCm6R1yEoUL-AKuM9LN90Bmnkuib-8L2ltv3Ab9OXPZkPzRwrkObDAivYmAC2irofsgXU50WLLpXhRmkHQeb_9iUZXQ-vwmRZqg4IVEDI8IrZyBs0qlxPDB0fQ02ZZoXaSEyXX3S/s1600/ex+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkxrPjCm6R1yEoUL-AKuM9LN90Bmnkuib-8L2ltv3Ab9OXPZkPzRwrkObDAivYmAC2irofsgXU50WLLpXhRmkHQeb_9iUZXQ-vwmRZqg4IVEDI8IrZyBs0qlxPDB0fQ02ZZoXaSEyXX3S/s320/ex+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stitched Sample #2<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now I’ve stitched the slanted gobelin stitches using 2 strands Appleton wool and the horizontal gobelin stitches using 2 strands Silk & Ivory. What do you think? Does this look nice?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Don’t you think the top and bottom horizontal stitches, red arrows pointing to them below, flare out too much? It almost looks like I’ve stitched too many horizontal stitches because they extend beyond the edge of the slanted gobelin stitches.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaaKjTBjsITUK9yFsRSH3sXkiG5rBhZInMXJ0McpyM2CXV8u1xZ40CVg9OotqSfzQZDwTGlQQgyuWKoccdKarwzbz88vaBat0-fUNXuyURNuE3Dl0DJtuydexuE5qD4P2IlhMSXd4-hbK/s1600/flared+thread+problem.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaaKjTBjsITUK9yFsRSH3sXkiG5rBhZInMXJ0McpyM2CXV8u1xZ40CVg9OotqSfzQZDwTGlQQgyuWKoccdKarwzbz88vaBat0-fUNXuyURNuE3Dl0DJtuydexuE5qD4P2IlhMSXd4-hbK/s320/flared+thread+problem.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flared Thread Problem<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This problem existed in the first example at the top of this blog posting, but the Watercolour thread did not flare as much and the Silk & Ivory took up more room space at the top and the bottom of the slanted gobelin stitch.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here is the rule I want you to break: <b>Follow the chart.</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b></b></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Many people who stitch from charts will follow the chart unless there is an error in the chart. There is no error in this chart for some thread types, but it will produce problematic stitches with other threads. So, look at your stitching after you follow the chart, does it look a little off? Could you have stitched this a different way and made it look better?</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In the sample below, I have made a small change to how I stitched the horizontal gobelin stitches and the resulting stitched sample looks much better.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItODGBbQs5_WIvUv8Du-zP6E8jYtW7Vu4SUc2AEdUbn3lvGzP4ZsHn-AYT8O4MI4CjhVX9P-Vuk8sM354zVpNwQSH3UQ1pYjH2-5-H4EUYBdFUMg6vQugHqzAoE0LktxnQEq7oplHsTXL/s1600/ex3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItODGBbQs5_WIvUv8Du-zP6E8jYtW7Vu4SUc2AEdUbn3lvGzP4ZsHn-AYT8O4MI4CjhVX9P-Vuk8sM354zVpNwQSH3UQ1pYjH2-5-H4EUYBdFUMg6vQugHqzAoE0LktxnQEq7oplHsTXL/s320/ex3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stitched Sample #3 - Problem Solved</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Can you see how I solved the problem of the flare of the Silk & Ivory thread?</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here is what I did:</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHTZUC6vVwlVNvHbxCBa5-1PfvhaC9G0KGPgtoP7_F8wpXVR_ITznL779RDzDR97V6prRzSdd2y3O0WonelNnm0FV_RPXeZIAnKOCo5LzQJPAkTBHurP7J_u50JeM74c09GrYIRAXxDeQ/s1600/simple+border+-+redux.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHTZUC6vVwlVNvHbxCBa5-1PfvhaC9G0KGPgtoP7_F8wpXVR_ITznL779RDzDR97V6prRzSdd2y3O0WonelNnm0FV_RPXeZIAnKOCo5LzQJPAkTBHurP7J_u50JeM74c09GrYIRAXxDeQ/s320/simple+border+-+redux.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simple Border - Redux<br /><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I’ve made a simple change to the border, and it will work with almost all thread types - perhaps a very thin sewing thread will not work, but most others will.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here is how I stitched it:</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I stitched tent stitches using 1 strand Silk & Ivory then stitched the horizontal gobelin stitches using 2 strands Silk & Ivory.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Problem solved and the results look much nicer.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A critical eye and no fear of not following the chart - that’s what everyone needs to bring to their stitching.</span></span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-16464907839283083152012-12-08T15:02:00.002-05:002012-12-08T15:02:30.358-05:00The Variegated Thread Trap<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For this second blog posting about variegated threads let’s look at The Variegated Thread Trap - the stitcher wants to portray a realistic effect with the thread (like sky, grass, water, etc.) but the color changes in the thread produce a result that is not consistent with reality.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here is an example of a variegated thread, Sampler Threads from The Gentle Art, used to stitch a sky in basketweave. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLrxJiEefZ3cJr9AVV2q104PYD9GOz1bEPfRiy8utqVOgmwkoXKm-XdHHEx0Zf2RwoU3odVQ_UYEJzbUKQ5jPFMRyOJgVyVa72FtNiRM0DrJS88tMFpICoB8uC2VW55FtZ2Gz88rKtQHn/s1600/var+thread+sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLrxJiEefZ3cJr9AVV2q104PYD9GOz1bEPfRiy8utqVOgmwkoXKm-XdHHEx0Zf2RwoU3odVQ_UYEJzbUKQ5jPFMRyOJgVyVa72FtNiRM0DrJS88tMFpICoB8uC2VW55FtZ2Gz88rKtQHn/s320/var+thread+sky.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sky stitched using Variegated Thread<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now, many of you may be thinking that you would never stitch a sky like this because of the diagonal striping that occurs. Good. But, this could also happen when you stitch water or grass, among other things, with a diagonal stitch using variegated threads. I wouldn’t bring this up, if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes ...</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">How about ....</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9MN4ZZIYdB2L0Z6ZhpmBVSZHop9QAp9P_wFfFhqZrGvBiB78PmhTxa7EvhFFOWyUMWHe85H92_St4VZfhkwHvihuEP5zgkie0K4XUlWa4OmXgw91vcu55RwFm77C-bBb12kkdXx4b_pp/s1600/var+thread+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9MN4ZZIYdB2L0Z6ZhpmBVSZHop9QAp9P_wFfFhqZrGvBiB78PmhTxa7EvhFFOWyUMWHe85H92_St4VZfhkwHvihuEP5zgkie0K4XUlWa4OmXgw91vcu55RwFm77C-bBb12kkdXx4b_pp/s320/var+thread+tree.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tree stitched using Variegated Threads</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This evergreen tree, stitched with Watercolours from The Caron Collection shows horizontal striping. Hmmm ..., you may be thinking that you may have actually stitched a tree like this. But, still, maybe you haven’t.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What about ....</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKW_OvdNNpwEpvJhEbJy_VTyCWKmfpmlWsxi-Fbvxv4V3guRuszAzijuZYCTfwiW3Qn_Kzx4IByv-wnbR92zb0UKLBuD2Xl3_F1CU7s2shRXg1BAOhfEvebU1AvTQjuHt-2cSTDThKSY7e/s1600/var+grass1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKW_OvdNNpwEpvJhEbJy_VTyCWKmfpmlWsxi-Fbvxv4V3guRuszAzijuZYCTfwiW3Qn_Kzx4IByv-wnbR92zb0UKLBuD2Xl3_F1CU7s2shRXg1BAOhfEvebU1AvTQjuHt-2cSTDThKSY7e/s200/var+grass1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grass stitched using Variegated Threads</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This grass was stitched with a variegated thread and there is some pooling of color. Most people don’t want their lawns to look like this, nor their needlepoint. So, maybe this example has caught a few more people in the trap.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What about ...</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcuJXq7xkWZ1YeRhHUjvyQnaW7hh8oOA1VbChW9NsjkZ-EmCTgmJtRs8g2lRpCDfto073Eoa9-BfOwANjwoaTulUvq4pIvzZ_giROIftZTm9MprfeHVa0lcsr2MrNgp4aahn9t4GEK0fMJ/s1600/enlarged+pumpkin.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcuJXq7xkWZ1YeRhHUjvyQnaW7hh8oOA1VbChW9NsjkZ-EmCTgmJtRs8g2lRpCDfto073Eoa9-BfOwANjwoaTulUvq4pIvzZ_giROIftZTm9MprfeHVa0lcsr2MrNgp4aahn9t4GEK0fMJ/s1600/enlarged+pumpkin.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin stitched using Variegated Threads</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">OK, now maybe a few more people are guilty of this type of shading with variegated threads. This pumpkin shows highlights in an incorrect area (highlights are the lighter areas of the thread that comes from light bouncing off an object and making the object’s color appear lighter.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let’s look at each of these examples carefully and discuss what is wrong with them and ways to fix these problems.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">First - Diagonal Striping</span></b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUsO_TLyyWSskpF7_UD5ERhvp7ZPN1EmZX1oOtAKm2y9ktVRmPq5CyXFx2y8C9d0Py0msk0VXZ2V9_EWAgZe0mXsV22yD1UOhs74of00vywC0reNCLqoe46oLlNa1bSn6XtIh9VRksBet/s1600/sky+.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUsO_TLyyWSskpF7_UD5ERhvp7ZPN1EmZX1oOtAKm2y9ktVRmPq5CyXFx2y8C9d0Py0msk0VXZ2V9_EWAgZe0mXsV22yD1UOhs74of00vywC0reNCLqoe46oLlNa1bSn6XtIh9VRksBet/s1600/sky+.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagonal Striping in the Sky</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The basketweave stitch, or more accurately the tent stitch done in the basketweave style, is a diagonal stitch. Color flow from the thread will be emphasized diagonally. Therefore, there will be diagonal striping. You see that the width of the stripes differs, this is not only due to the length of the shade of blue in the piece of thread I stitched with, but also the length of stitching that I was doing. Each diagonal row is not the same length, therefore, at the beginning of the stitching, in the upper right hand corner, the color pools because the length of each row is shorter. This little anomaly is minor considering the dramatic striping that occurs because of the darkness of that darker blue striped area. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What to do:</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Consider cutting out areas that are too light or dark from the length of thread, in this example the dark blue color. This might take away too much thread to make stitching worthwhile using a variegated thread - which in and of itself is not a bad thing. Switch to 2 to 3 colors of a solid colored thread that are close in value and use all of them in the needle at the same time. This will provide a more subtle and yet random color change for the stitched area.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Since this thread is a cotton floss, I had to pull out each strand from the length of thread that I cut. Turn half of those strands around, so that the end of the thread that you put into the needle has half the strands from the beginning of the length of thread and half the strands from the end of the length of thread. This will produce a more even distribution of color throughout the stitched area.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Second - Horizontal Striping</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The stitch I used in the tree is not only a horizontal stitch, but one in which the stitches from one row encroach onto another row. Which is a good thing with variegated threads. Just what do I mean by encroaching - </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPRGgi5Qrsei3uUC9G1RFqZja41mpheFvAPY6o5F2QVOk2TqmObFZ28OXZerkbIF_qw0yyTt2Gc1mmm0j2unKm7Qlyw0KSInc6HNkqk7opkcgs9M1ChMleV-dWmirE0vaf4fAni39PQfK/s1600/double+straight+cross.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPRGgi5Qrsei3uUC9G1RFqZja41mpheFvAPY6o5F2QVOk2TqmObFZ28OXZerkbIF_qw0yyTt2Gc1mmm0j2unKm7Qlyw0KSInc6HNkqk7opkcgs9M1ChMleV-dWmirE0vaf4fAni39PQfK/s1600/double+straight+cross.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double Straight Cross Stitch<br />Encroaching</td></tr>
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I have numbered the rows in the stitch diagram of the Double Straight Cross Stitch. The first row of stitches, the ones with the green arrows pointing to them, use rows 1 through 5 in the diagram. The second row of stitches, the ones with the blue arrows pointing to them, uses rows 3 through 7 in the diagram. Both the first and second row of Double Straight Cross Stitches use rows 3 through 5 in the diagram. This sharing of some of the diagram rows from one row of Double Straight Cross Stitches to another is what I mean by encroaching.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To complete this thought, a non-encroaching version of the Double Straight Cross Stitch is shown below. This version of the stitch will leave a hole between the rows of stitches.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyPj-j7n_CI4vzwPnPJEG6EP15FQolam8O3zeQjihkUQvcBBtuNQcJua7vjrtxFUPC0ilt-CUJmXe6Mg4vfNi90Jdlmmopff0arBOZKrK9cJdog_jLV62X_3fAHo4DA_s_FqPJg-ncVMu/s1600/double+straight+cross+-+nonencroaching.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIyPj-j7n_CI4vzwPnPJEG6EP15FQolam8O3zeQjihkUQvcBBtuNQcJua7vjrtxFUPC0ilt-CUJmXe6Mg4vfNi90Jdlmmopff0arBOZKrK9cJdog_jLV62X_3fAHo4DA_s_FqPJg-ncVMu/s1600/double+straight+cross+-+nonencroaching.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double Straight Cross Stitch<br />Non-encroaching</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let’s look at the stitched tree again,</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_QqxwBaMv8KwG_7uie45cV_HBjcibAz7cuS5-50Lsindcvy3l5nT-nMC3ajadAJd99RwqyM2llklkDHOC5TXE9f-WYxMqL53-d2gppZAaq2qC_ivW4kZNrX6dHeJoM8ajgM98hGPviS8K/s1600/tree+pointing+out+problems.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_QqxwBaMv8KwG_7uie45cV_HBjcibAz7cuS5-50Lsindcvy3l5nT-nMC3ajadAJd99RwqyM2llklkDHOC5TXE9f-WYxMqL53-d2gppZAaq2qC_ivW4kZNrX6dHeJoM8ajgM98hGPviS8K/s1600/tree+pointing+out+problems.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horizontal Striping in the Tree</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There are definite horiztonal stripes of color in this tree. Due to color pooling, some of the stripes are thicker in the top of the tree because the rows are so short. The blue arrow is pointing at an area in which this color in the thread varies quite a bit with other colors in the thread because it is so much lighter and not as grayed in color. The red arrow points to where a new thread was started in the middle of a row and there is a large jump in color. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What to do:</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Using stitches that encroach upon one another is highly desirable when stitching with variegated threads as it mixes the colors between stitched rows.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cut out any undesirable colors, like the much lighter and brighter color of thread. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Place the Double Straight Cross Stitches randomly so that the colors will be mixed more. This technique will produce the best results, but it is harder to stitch because you have to make sure you have counted correctly. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When changing threads, do so at the start of a new row, this will help hide a color change. Also, find a color close to the last color you stitched with as the starting point of your new thread.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Third - Color Pooling</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In this example, the grass is stitched horizontally in a brick stitch which is an encroaching stitch, which helps mix up the color changes between rows.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOUXotxjFnFESYFsHpc1R69rbL4jjFif6oAqthQfFxDWpt-TpSOZgES9C1qYlc83U4ElfACNMVhrJTiSiA8h9nADpBbIgdxrH0fqxGOq4YNjtDH0_5gZ01ddq5BSRBnVmGCOWzgIaphPL/s1600/grass+with+problem+pointed+out.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOUXotxjFnFESYFsHpc1R69rbL4jjFif6oAqthQfFxDWpt-TpSOZgES9C1qYlc83U4ElfACNMVhrJTiSiA8h9nADpBbIgdxrH0fqxGOq4YNjtDH0_5gZ01ddq5BSRBnVmGCOWzgIaphPL/s1600/grass+with+problem+pointed+out.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pooling of Color in the Grass</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The arrow points to a pooling of the darker color in the thread. What you don’t see, is the reason for this pooling of color - the length of the stitched row is much shorter in this area because there is a bush just off to the left in the lower part of the picture, as shown below. This change in the length of a stitched row is notorious for causing pools of color.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5VzCTHwe-ZePUP6Mct61MzOxwLdwBx3MJVbnWcsj6BOw-y8J0F1MzYQPTp988KbHD3KDl1Us8H2enoYZ4zJTyODhL1x2rtrKrog_k-YdnaCyqxJ1rQVSDhEuhwypYdXsafEZ2OFwbxV4P/s1600/grass+with+bush+diagram.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5VzCTHwe-ZePUP6Mct61MzOxwLdwBx3MJVbnWcsj6BOw-y8J0F1MzYQPTp988KbHD3KDl1Us8H2enoYZ4zJTyODhL1x2rtrKrog_k-YdnaCyqxJ1rQVSDhEuhwypYdXsafEZ2OFwbxV4P/s1600/grass+with+bush+diagram.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram of Grass with Bush - Uneven Horizontal Row Length</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What to do:</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Turn some of the threads in the needle around, as was discussed for the sky. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Use solid colored threads, 2-3 different colors in the needle at the same time for a more random color flow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Randomly place the stitches so that no color pooling occurs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fourth - Incorrect Color Placement</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This last issue dealing with The Variegated Thread Trap is that the stitcher is just stitching away and is not paying attention to where the color change falls - OK, this is the problem with all of this stitching. But, let’s look at the pumpkin again,</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUnOxFkQtZkqjCK7fA3HVxVj-6Y2w3rdHjKFEMbIoyinQVUL5JH9E9EMDVLnwITc6leIyQJv2lf-MoSvT2xVFCwKZ69MmfRiedPJf1vPYf_iq-lhXJguE0QFkRvEm6U-j1cHkWu1UOVDV/s1600/pumpkin+problem.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUnOxFkQtZkqjCK7fA3HVxVj-6Y2w3rdHjKFEMbIoyinQVUL5JH9E9EMDVLnwITc6leIyQJv2lf-MoSvT2xVFCwKZ69MmfRiedPJf1vPYf_iq-lhXJguE0QFkRvEm6U-j1cHkWu1UOVDV/s1600/pumpkin+problem.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Incorrect Color Placement in Pumpkin</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Remember that I said that lighter colored threads indicate light striking an object and the color that we see is lighter than the color of the rest of the object. With this pumpkin, outside on the ground, where would light, like sunlight, be striking the pumpkin? Somewhere near the top, not at the bottom of the pumpkin. This pumpkin is unrealistic because of this lighter color, where the arrows are pointing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What to do:</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Again, consider cutting out a color in the thread that is not going to be of any use to you. The lightest color in the pumpkin should have been cut out.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Generally, stitching with variegated threads and trying to achieve realistic effects means you need to control how the color is being used in the stitches. Do not just stitch with it as it comes off the skein. Otherwise, you will fall into this trap that I have discussed. I personally prefer to use solid colored threads, though many close colors to achieve realistic color in my stitching. Many people think that this is a lot of work, but to stitch correctly with variegated threads and achieve the same effects I do with the solid colored threads is just as much work.</span></span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-67699969043537232182012-11-16T15:52:00.000-05:002012-11-17T06:03:09.226-05:00The Hows and Whys of Variegated Threads <br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Many people like to use variegated threads, those threads with color changes along the stitching length, for a variety of reasons - they like the color combinations, they provide interest in the stitching, they relieve the stitcher of having to change thread colors for shading, among others.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Knowing when and how to use variegated threads is important, and here’s why: as a stitcher, you need to make a determination whether the change in color helps or hinders your stitched piece. Too often this point is not even considered by the stitcher.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So in this post and in the next couple, let’s look at different ways that trouble with variegated threads crops up in stitching.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Many counted thread needlepoint pieces rely on variegated threads to add interest to the stitching. The important thing to realize about counted thread pieces is that they rely heavily on symmetry. Therefore, color changes in the variegated threads should not be random - they need to be planned. Knowing this before you start stitching will allow you to select lengths of thread that will provide the color changes in your piece to make it more symmetrical.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Look at the piece below. Notice that the stitches around each of the three sides that are stitched match. This is what I mean by symmetry. I think that this piece would look better if the darkest part of the variegated thread was in the middle of each side. The crescents were stitched so that the same color changes would take place in each of them. This is a symmetrical piece, the color changes in the variegated thread should enhance that symmetry.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDOSDE3R4SF_PFPWZP7Gx4EelFf5amJYrsEkl5ykF6XrHHYuLD_tLi6x17fOFWV_kvi0CPorUL3UIf4kyLpiF3tY-2XC3qcrk_Kv4NTJzwMA2BpTC4E33xuJCCx8Kql2WFSt9U3r89DZ-/s1600/variegated+002.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDOSDE3R4SF_PFPWZP7Gx4EelFf5amJYrsEkl5ykF6XrHHYuLD_tLi6x17fOFWV_kvi0CPorUL3UIf4kyLpiF3tY-2XC3qcrk_Kv4NTJzwMA2BpTC4E33xuJCCx8Kql2WFSt9U3r89DZ-/s320/variegated+002.png" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Symmetrical Piece with Variegated Threads</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One other point with respect to the piece above, I did not cut the skein of Watercolours in half. Many times it is easier to find color runs with a skein of Watercolours if you cut one thread at the knot and then unwind the skein. The length of the repeat in the Watercolours above is longer than the length of a skein. So cutting the skein in half does not always make color sense for this piece.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The sample below shows Watercolours, color Aurora. The colors in Aurora range from green to blue to violet to pink to dirty yellow. This stitch sample shows how the change of color from pink to blue takes place - it has to pass through violet to get from the one color to another. This makes sense because when you combine pink and blue it creates violet, and this is how that violet is created, by the pink dye mixing with the blue dye. If you have trouble with what color is created when two different colors are mixed together, get yourself a color wheel.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcP0oXtDr6CTs_DxrXdpnv28Wstw_OLrC1-GB4dIGaJ-tio0sPbEOen_57qt0maO-VqvLUM4FvRa947gG1KcweLH1Uu198KFpdbLHvrJq4U66UfOpHiAnPMr7Zyk1-Fh9QZfJkylsJb00/s1600/v3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcP0oXtDr6CTs_DxrXdpnv28Wstw_OLrC1-GB4dIGaJ-tio0sPbEOen_57qt0maO-VqvLUM4FvRa947gG1KcweLH1Uu198KFpdbLHvrJq4U66UfOpHiAnPMr7Zyk1-Fh9QZfJkylsJb00/s1600/v3.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Normal Color Flow with Variegated Thread</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">OK, where does the problem come in?</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I saw this type of stitching with color change in an exhibited piece: </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqz8pRx4cKOwjw_fgzGFR9Vr_76NcLE7uNrcTc7mpzaLCIpbXUDbeWXkWJ1AZm-1wh_7QaDrhbfZGKRHVJBAOjWpbvqZR-J_x0P6tXIlBi79OIYhXmyfgwcpvMjBHuyDtfPnGBrtd1Jzx/s1600/v1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqz8pRx4cKOwjw_fgzGFR9Vr_76NcLE7uNrcTc7mpzaLCIpbXUDbeWXkWJ1AZm-1wh_7QaDrhbfZGKRHVJBAOjWpbvqZR-J_x0P6tXIlBi79OIYhXmyfgwcpvMjBHuyDtfPnGBrtd1Jzx/s1600/v1.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Changing Thread in the Middle of a Stitch</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The color changed right in the middle of a stitch. Let me go so far as to say, never do this. Never change thread color in the middle of a stitch, like the Scotch Stitch in this sample. Let me go so far as to say never change any thread in the middle of a stitch - tension will be your biggest problem if the threads are all one color. If you do not have enough thread to finish the stitch, rip the threads out for that stitch and end your thread. Begin with a new thread. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But don’t do this:</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNSpe2W1bTYUnL6A8QLiPVzUVzUwe2vFhYIsy6CoaAXW7-6EfcVFMeSEwCCiIhY83ms7CAB5usE33xq6Oft-VjuviadBQqE2uUBMPzH9CtZKOF5IyZBq-qkd9Vf0rzFv6Dfajlj6Ava25/s1600/v2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNSpe2W1bTYUnL6A8QLiPVzUVzUwe2vFhYIsy6CoaAXW7-6EfcVFMeSEwCCiIhY83ms7CAB5usE33xq6Oft-VjuviadBQqE2uUBMPzH9CtZKOF5IyZBq-qkd9Vf0rzFv6Dfajlj6Ava25/s1600/v2.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too Drastic of a Color Change</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This sample shows a color change, but in the stitch next to it. If you have a line of stitching, try not to change the thread while you are stitching in a line, whether vertical or horizontal. This is not always possible, so find a new piece of thread that will show a gradual color change away from the color of your last stitch. And remember that the color you are searching for may not be at the END of the thread, you may need to start stitching a little way into the length of thread. As you saw in the first example, the color changed to violet before turning to blue. That is what you need to see in the stitching. The difference is exaggerated, and visually jarring, when the stitches are right next to each other.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Therefore, look at your variegated thread. Notice how the colors change. Don’t pick up the thread randomly to stitch with, especially if you have to change colors in a line of stitches. Find the color of your last stitch in a piece of thread, then begin stitching at that point to make a gradual change of color.</span></span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-6703439662749559522012-10-29T10:51:00.002-04:002012-10-29T10:51:30.948-04:00Those Pesky Ending Threads<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I was recently at a needlepoint exhibit and I came across a needlepoint piece that had an error in it related to ending a thread. The piece had a lot of white stitching in it and there was a section that had a red metallic thread that was couched down. Surrounding this red metallic thread was all white threads. Where do you end the metallic thread with all that white thread around it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here is an example of what I am talking about:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVp6wuZMOvi8SHstwSIIyB7tMOTDjqEQrv8n_T7teOmAFfYnFsB3sI4mMRLnLw3YGd-Nf-Y74OBNEiF5nW7Iac9dQGfdOZxcRRMnHRHNItkkLJAnGV7awjoBQHtVSOpUgSYBKbxkWkmac-/s1600/pesky+end+thread+front+bad.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVp6wuZMOvi8SHstwSIIyB7tMOTDjqEQrv8n_T7teOmAFfYnFsB3sI4mMRLnLw3YGd-Nf-Y74OBNEiF5nW7Iac9dQGfdOZxcRRMnHRHNItkkLJAnGV7awjoBQHtVSOpUgSYBKbxkWkmac-/s400/pesky+end+thread+front+bad.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The arrow is pointing to the ending part of the red metallic thread showing through to the front. The problem is intensified because the two cashmere stitches end right at the point where the thread is pulled across the back, showing through to the front. I don’t quite remember what was above and below the metallic thread, just that whatever stitches were there were not suitable for ending the metallic behind either. So I put in some herringbone stitches in white so that I could make my point.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The back of the canvas looks like this:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53NznYJ5gUtAk9s3m1hMqt17lNuROiImyjvlHuVoY6Z65IL-_OtzhH7tAymBzaN8lBDxwNqb4rqkl5VWuqEg35_zCXTjdrFyFec5d0QEUwOIdVV9mT3g6c6lkPg79-ES3rm3_Xe6y3NMS/s1600/pesky+end+threads+back+bad.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53NznYJ5gUtAk9s3m1hMqt17lNuROiImyjvlHuVoY6Z65IL-_OtzhH7tAymBzaN8lBDxwNqb4rqkl5VWuqEg35_zCXTjdrFyFec5d0QEUwOIdVV9mT3g6c6lkPg79-ES3rm3_Xe6y3NMS/s400/pesky+end+threads+back+bad.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The arrow shows how the ending thread is pulled away from the red metallic thread on the front and through the white cashmere stitches on the back. This is why you see the red thread from the front of the canvas.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The correct way to end those threads should not reveal any metallic threads showing through to the front, as shown below:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfBNX7r2tx1sPMWqVZS2Lk4-RP4FK6ePGM3VniyHbZMTYBjWtKUQjkKkW84swcwKv18o4MwuLnzeFL0ebyC2hIyFbZgsqDTBrk-JloVjV7M_4MJCX3ft-64dAhKJ8NWpe1c9jJRNQer-c/s1600/pesky+edn+thread+front+good.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfBNX7r2tx1sPMWqVZS2Lk4-RP4FK6ePGM3VniyHbZMTYBjWtKUQjkKkW84swcwKv18o4MwuLnzeFL0ebyC2hIyFbZgsqDTBrk-JloVjV7M_4MJCX3ft-64dAhKJ8NWpe1c9jJRNQer-c/s400/pesky+edn+thread+front+good.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The black arrow points to the location that the red thread is taken to the back of the canvas and you can not see the any thread shadowing through to the front. Just how did I end that thread without any red showing through? Look at the back:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfXGZtHke0QMdP9pee_fQq2FTnnM73xPj4Ox8L-cFK6psXZI6Y1i7eNc4j4yHLWWHzsPPWHYycHIrqRG2qCAB3oElSvOO_eXmbZ22RlVdbxUS5JVexAalbKisuiIqPhYDSg9V9lxYVuu0/s1600/pesky+end+thread+back+good.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFfXGZtHke0QMdP9pee_fQq2FTnnM73xPj4Ox8L-cFK6psXZI6Y1i7eNc4j4yHLWWHzsPPWHYycHIrqRG2qCAB3oElSvOO_eXmbZ22RlVdbxUS5JVexAalbKisuiIqPhYDSg9V9lxYVuu0/s400/pesky+end+thread+back+good.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The black arrow points to where the red thread is brought to the back of the canvas and pulled behind the red thread on the front of the canvas. I used a length of white sewing thread to tie down the thread on the back directly behind where the thread lies on the front. Furthermore, to make sure that thread does not wiggle out, I pierced the metallic thread with the sewing thread in more than one place. That thread end will not loosen or wiggle out of place - it will keep the front thread crisp and solidly in place.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Do not hesitate to whip or couch threads in place on the back of your canvas piece. Piercing the ending thread will hold it stable.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Red thread stitched near white thread is notorious for causing troubles:</span></span></div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">red fibers may shed onto the white thread</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">red ending threads show through to the front very easily </span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the red color may rub off onto the white thread</span></span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Always stitch the white thread first and the red thread last in these circumstances. And always end the red thread directly behind the red stitches on the front of the canvas. Now you know how to end that pesky red thread behind the red stitches on the front of the canvas even when it first appears that there is no way you can do it.</span><br />
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-7262026618216846792012-10-14T18:03:00.004-04:002012-10-14T18:03:57.939-04:00Slanted Gobelin Borders<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">How much thought have you given to how you execute Slanted Gobelin borders? Here is a picture of such a border:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sGkTrN1uGqTntuMEatEO1MdapIxc7HRdkn4r9paQg59CCnZNs5xMuDklWTfd3Xc4o6Vf8KVdGGM1WM0emnjaWqb5DBOHusBexnMAZ01A-XUgtl81bdLaPni0JvqGr-6ewoek__cDSIRs/s1600/sl+gob+pic+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1sGkTrN1uGqTntuMEatEO1MdapIxc7HRdkn4r9paQg59CCnZNs5xMuDklWTfd3Xc4o6Vf8KVdGGM1WM0emnjaWqb5DBOHusBexnMAZ01A-XUgtl81bdLaPni0JvqGr-6ewoek__cDSIRs/s400/sl+gob+pic+1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here is a stitch diagram of how I am stitching the border as I approach a corner:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQK9ez6EI9j8LnYO8m6CMUgEyTC33dJGmzbWKkIXFbAfYZsBtuWYTdMKRzxXh9E3MtluLby_YTqsr4PxjlEOfCqvM6LXAIjmFc-i1ifD_L8Z9gKPdcXM20suus3UUWE8ETGhCazBvKZBVH/s1600/sl+gob+pic+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQK9ez6EI9j8LnYO8m6CMUgEyTC33dJGmzbWKkIXFbAfYZsBtuWYTdMKRzxXh9E3MtluLby_YTqsr4PxjlEOfCqvM6LXAIjmFc-i1ifD_L8Z9gKPdcXM20suus3UUWE8ETGhCazBvKZBVH/s320/sl+gob+pic+2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Many people will continue stitching as shown in the diagram below. If the stitching began by stitching from the outside of the border to the inside of the border, once the corner is turned the stitching will continue in this manner (outside to inside):</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAAYPUDae-WrxWTViTWSfGKuYrl4vRAJnRbFTcp03n7gX4mxsEzQYJavAg57Ihj7i37M4l1Qzsr7flDTaOeB3v-1FmKP2c1Bh8ekJ3dSS8J0C5PpGzI2SM8LPWAHBXQZRRvrv7flKAOA6/s1600/sl+gob+pic+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAAYPUDae-WrxWTViTWSfGKuYrl4vRAJnRbFTcp03n7gX4mxsEzQYJavAg57Ihj7i37M4l1Qzsr7flDTaOeB3v-1FmKP2c1Bh8ekJ3dSS8J0C5PpGzI2SM8LPWAHBXQZRRvrv7flKAOA6/s320/sl+gob+pic+3.png" width="254" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let’s look at a picture of the front and back of the canvas for this border:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRgPb0nN1nM8XzlCLF2l5tS8zu3N08vSOxEnp-MJdx8zImv9vWedhDe3DEoOmvNloGPFw2298feAXh0Uik329crC1b5xrsP63xF1iNPC_bmFSh0XiYn-JNRg2BABfUe2GrqLskRwFBGpx/s1600/sl+gob+pic+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRgPb0nN1nM8XzlCLF2l5tS8zu3N08vSOxEnp-MJdx8zImv9vWedhDe3DEoOmvNloGPFw2298feAXh0Uik329crC1b5xrsP63xF1iNPC_bmFSh0XiYn-JNRg2BABfUe2GrqLskRwFBGpx/s640/sl+gob+pic+4.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Do you see why this is incorrect? The slant of the stitches on the back of the canvas changes after the corner is turned.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Another way to think about this is if you reduced the width of the Slanted Gobelin Stitches, shown above as over 3 canvas intersections, to just over 1 canvas intersection you’d have a Tent Stitch Border. Here is a picture of tent stitches stitched just the same way as the Slanted Gobelin Border above, from the outside of the border to the inside of the border.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDkJQgZy59DNNORhzgpz0d2DKe-Ea2zXBQpXy1YynrzxmOU0SflXPdT8CMvmlo4F7oZCz7AHljQCTDE6zXvITWfG2v8BdaVflSSK20Sfma6zIs8l-Y9sqogCcc-s5tWQM5SndC7lQ2cPc/s1600/sl+gob+pic+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDkJQgZy59DNNORhzgpz0d2DKe-Ea2zXBQpXy1YynrzxmOU0SflXPdT8CMvmlo4F7oZCz7AHljQCTDE6zXvITWfG2v8BdaVflSSK20Sfma6zIs8l-Y9sqogCcc-s5tWQM5SndC7lQ2cPc/s640/sl+gob+pic+5.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Most needlepointers know that this change from continental to half cross stitch is incorrect and will not stitch this way. And yet, when they lengthen that tent stitch to over 2 intersections or more, they will happily stitch away in this manner. Remember that how the thread lies on the back of the canvas affects how it looks on the front of the canvas.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What is the correct way to stitch a Slanted Gobelin Border? All threads on the back of the canvas need to have the same slant. This means that if you are stitching vertically and the stitches travel from the outside of the border to the inside of the border, you will need to change the direction of your stitching after you make the turn (need a tacking stitch to change direction) so that you are stitching from the inside of the border to the outside of the border. Here is a diagram of what I am saying:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_WIMDT5Iu0xQ_LaOa9r06HUbGIKwCRmOmgOI602i6us6PMoh0ucHMgfFRKCA2gtpppNy6mvOM9GBhga0VFwtyFwfll96iTljBpD6SO6atE6-sNOvX6aw_mafMCpQhyphenhyphenBw5ESfkt2f2p4kM/s1600/sl+gob+pic+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_WIMDT5Iu0xQ_LaOa9r06HUbGIKwCRmOmgOI602i6us6PMoh0ucHMgfFRKCA2gtpppNy6mvOM9GBhga0VFwtyFwfll96iTljBpD6SO6atE6-sNOvX6aw_mafMCpQhyphenhyphenBw5ESfkt2f2p4kM/s400/sl+gob+pic+6.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And here is a picture of the front side of the canvas and the back side of the canvas:</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When you are stitching a Slanted Gobelin Border, think of it as a long tent stitch, and you want that tent stitch to be in the continental style, not the half cross style of stitching. If you think about it this way, then you will be able to adjust for any direction of travel that you may need, eg. horizontally left to right, horizontally right to left, vertically top to bottom or vertically bottom to top.</span></span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-34465314079158622942012-09-24T08:37:00.000-04:002012-09-24T08:37:41.237-04:00Ripping Out Stitches<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Whether it is due to the wrong color thread, the wrong type of thread, the wrong stitch or incorrect stitches, we’ve all ripped out stitches. The question is: just how do you rip out your stitches?</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBuIJK88LbFTdhuE3JMEQYrFJcA8slcZk8JAVbgHREPc7K9EqWl8Rr9z_kq3r2v6YqA_HUtiy-rcEZ9KgOIgWQ05avHEfNthH9iAqCY9r5PaNyBhiTTd25mODyz50VRhncybPpKUiQBkA/s1600/rip+st+-+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBuIJK88LbFTdhuE3JMEQYrFJcA8slcZk8JAVbgHREPc7K9EqWl8Rr9z_kq3r2v6YqA_HUtiy-rcEZ9KgOIgWQ05avHEfNthH9iAqCY9r5PaNyBhiTTd25mODyz50VRhncybPpKUiQBkA/s400/rip+st+-+1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Are you one of those stitchers that does this?</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpsJncs1HD8Le6M6ArFftMtYAl7koVIxj3HsnbaPUhY_2hgTFL_Z3fpFuMWxf1iW_NJVYJHzxRyjGvK_aq5txvHlX7XVR46BK1X8pXdxauGbg1webQb8q056o51kkdZaoK8JRebZfeL30/s1600/rip+st+-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpsJncs1HD8Le6M6ArFftMtYAl7koVIxj3HsnbaPUhY_2hgTFL_Z3fpFuMWxf1iW_NJVYJHzxRyjGvK_aq5txvHlX7XVR46BK1X8pXdxauGbg1webQb8q056o51kkdZaoK8JRebZfeL30/s400/rip+st+-2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When stitches are ripped out like this you will hear the thread scraping against the sides of the holes on the canvas. Depending on the thread, it may be quite loud. Now, stop and think: if you can hear it, just what does that mean?</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It means that the entire length of the thread is being excessively worn by the friction from the canvas holes. Further, you are putting excessive pull on the stitch you made before the one you are pulling out, which will give you bad stitch tension. Let me just say, that even if you don’t hear the scraping sound, and with some silks, you may not because some of them slide so easily, you are still placing excessive wear on that thread.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The worst part of this issue is that those stitchers will then rethread that pulled out thread into their needle and stitch with it. The only thing I can say to this is: Don’t.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If you must pull out your stitches this way, cut the thread very short and pull the stitches out. You should not reuse this thread ever. If you cut it very short, the tug on the other stitches will be lessened because you are not pulling the thread a great length. It is still not an ideal way to rip out stitches.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What should you do? And can you ever reuse the thread from a bad stitch?</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As I see it there are 3 options:</span></span></div>
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<li style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Never reuse thread you have pulled out. This means take the stitch or stitches out, end off the thread and start a new thread. This will ensure that there is never any thread wear from ripping out stitches.</span></span></li>
<li style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Unstitch the stitches, using the needle as a guide to unstitch. This option will work if you have not caught any other threads on the back in the thread you are removing. The probability that this is the case is small, but there are times that this technique will work. I still would not reuse the thread if I unstitched a lot of stitches. How many is a lot? Probably not more than five, but that depends on the thread type, how far I’ve already stitched with that thread, etc. Use your best judgement. When in doubt: Don’t.</span></span></li>
<li style="font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Unthread the needle and turn the canvas over, pull the thread out from the back. Turn the canvas over, pull the thread out from the front, and continue in this fashion until all the stitches are ripped out. Again, how many stitches? With this technique I’d say only two to three.</span></span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Really? Is the thread worn that badly?</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You really need to be the best judge of this yourself. And just yesterday I caught myself using the third technique on a dozen stitches and then rethreaded the needle with that same thread. I did stop myself and ended off the thread - it is a bad habit that requires diligence to break.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Can you see thread wear? You may not see thread wear on the thread prior to stitching, but when it is placed next to stitches without wear, it will be obvious. There may be less sheen on the stitches with thread wear, the stitches may look dirty if there is thread wear, there may be more fuzz and frizz on stitches with worn thread, worn thread may look thinner and it will be weaker. It is the unfavorable comparison to surrounding stitches that is the most damaging issue when thread wear is apparent.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let me assure you, your stitching will look better if you do not reuse thread from ripped out stitches. It is as simple as that.</span></span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540447893954666552.post-8770820897652857932012-09-08T11:08:00.001-04:002012-09-08T11:08:55.644-04:00Thread Wear<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We are in the midst of exhibit season, what with county and state fairs, and the ANG national seminar exhibit. These exhibits offer a good look at just what stitchers are doing right and what they are doing wrong. One of the areas that stitchers need to take care with their stitching concerns thread wear. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There are many different ways that stitchers cause excessive wear on their threads. We have discussed thread wear in a previous blog concerning perle cotton threads. I also mentioned that Watercolours acts a lot like perle cotton, and you need to be careful of thread wear. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Knowing how to stitch with a particular thread requires practice and testing that thread in different environments. What do I mean by this?</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Have you ever considered stitching a sample prior to stitching on your canvas? Perhaps the usual long length of thread you use will cause undue wear on it from pulling it through the canvas many times. A shorter thread length may be needed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Do you stitch with a large length of the thread doubled over in the needle and then move the needle along the length of the thread as you stitch? This technique will produce thread wear on the thread where the thread passes through the eye of the needle. If you move the eye of the needle along the thread, you are creating many areas with excess thread wear. Again, a shorter stitching length may be needed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">How about when you stitch your arm, shirt, or hand rubs against previously stitched areas of the canvas? Do you realize that this friction causes thread wear? You need to protect previously stitched areas from thread wear. Cover previously stitched areas with tissue paper. I cut a piece of tissue paper large enough to cover the areas that need protecting and then either tape it to my wooden stitching frame or tack it to the frame. Some people prefer to use clear plastic, either the kind found in the grocery store or a thicker type that won’t easily tear can be found at fabric stores. Again, tape or tack to your frame. I know that some needlework teachers that work in silk and metal cover all silk threads that have been stitched onto the canvas as they continue to work their pieces.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">How about when you stitch and the thread drags along the top of the canvas? Canvas is very rough on threads, and not just when you pull the thread through the canvas. Lift the thread above the canvas with your free hand to reduce the chances that the rough canvas will cause wear in your threads. For those two handed stitchers, one on top and one on bottom, this technique requires both hands on top - which may slow you down a bit. Or cover the canvas with plastic or tissue paper. The results are well worth the little extra work required.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Just what did I see that leads me to this topic - obvious thread wear on Watercolours. The stitches were the raised type of stitches commonly referred to as Jean Hilton stitches, or curved stitches. These stitches are especially susceptible to wear from friction because they are higher off the canvas, and the exposed thread is long enough so that fibers are easily rubbed loose from the strand that was stitched.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Look at a strand of Watercolours compared to perle cotton. Notice the looser twist and the longer fibers that actually stick out from the strand of the Watercolours. Both of these characteristics make the thread soft and enjoyable to work with - but care must be taken not to create a lot more and longer fibers that stick out from the thread - which creates fuzz.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQTcSHFuf8paJeRClRyXovZh6KoGqqORSukWg8alIj8RWZtGf3Otj2EI-7rdX2aApDLMn-kUUZDU19lpLplgCwLK7aVh8sAJwOwXKMEwbf-vqvysVgVASgQUy0UPt9KIgq7HRTrfjyUy-/s1600/thread+wear+example.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQTcSHFuf8paJeRClRyXovZh6KoGqqORSukWg8alIj8RWZtGf3Otj2EI-7rdX2aApDLMn-kUUZDU19lpLplgCwLK7aVh8sAJwOwXKMEwbf-vqvysVgVASgQUy0UPt9KIgq7HRTrfjyUy-/s640/thread+wear+example.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So shorter lengths of Watercolours and protect those stitches once you place them on your canvas. The results are well worth the little bit of extra work.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Other threads that may need a little more care: Vineyard silks, Silk & Ivory - these both have loose twists to them. Any silk thread.</span></span></div>
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Jonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12411938029942115404noreply@blogger.com0