   
. . . more Tips
The Park and Stitch Technique
If you’re stitching a complicated design with
lots of colour changes close together use the park and stitch technique to
speed up your work. Instead of finishing off the colour and rethreading
your needle with a different thread just ‘park’ one colour and needle at the
side of your fabric, complete the next few stitches with the next colour and
‘park’ that at the side, go back to your original thread or a new one, and so
on. This method is quick, uses less thread as you’re not finishing off
and starting new threads every few stitches, and also makes the back of your
work much neater as a result. (Sharon Hodgson)
You Can
Never Have Too Many Needles!
If you’re
stitching a complicated design with lots of colour changes but they’re too
far apart to use the park and stitch technique you can still speed up matters
by having each colour threaded into it’s own needle - and you don’t have the
laborious chore of threading and rethreading your needle every few
minutes. (Sharon Hodgson)
When doing a satin stitches that requires more
than one strand of fiber; thread your needle with one strand and repeat the
stitch as many times as needed. This allows you to place each
individual strand and gives beautiful results! It takes a bit longer but
is worth it! I give Darlene O’Steen of The Needle’s Prayse full
credit for this technique. (Mavia
Beaulieu)
When using
bobbins and an organiser box to store the threads for a project, photocopy
the key and stick it in the lid of the box, this saves unfolding the chart
every time you change colour and this saves time and wear and tear on the
chart. (Lorna Brown)
Have you
tried blackwork? If not, be warned. It can become
addictive! But don’t think blackwork has to be stitched in black
floss. Any colour can be used or even space-dyed fibres. A good
tip for using these is to work your blackwork design in backstitch rather
than double running stitch. You can end up with a dotted line if you
work half the journey then fill it in on the way back as the colour changes
along the length of the thread. (From Carol Leather of X-Calibre
Designs)
Marion
Carlin of Image in Nations says ...
1) It’s most
important that the top threads always slant in the same direction - so work
one stitch at the top for reference.
2) When working
on a large picture, I find it easier to turn the work upside down instead of
stretching over the fabric to work at the top.
3) If there are
large blocks of colour I work all the outline stitches first to save
counting.
4) When there
are lots of colours in a row, I find it easier to thread each colour on its
own needle and complete the design row by row.
5) If you have
lots of threads, photocopy the thread manufacturer’s thread list and cross
off the thread numbers you have in your collection.
6) Persil
washing tablet boxes are extremely useful for odds and ends etc.
(Marion
Carlin of Image in Nations)
Be well
rested, unhurried and in a comfortable chair. Have all your supplies within
reach and the phone (so if it rings, you don’t spill floss and scissors on the
floor as you dash to anser the phone). Rayon floss gives sheen and
depth to stitching. Although it looks lovely, it can be a bear to work
with. Moisten the rayon with water and allow to semi-dry. Try
using one long thread doubled and slip-knot to the needle. This
gives you security as you work plus it doesn’t take much to wear the rayon at
the needle’s eye. If you were to load your rayon onto the needle in a
traditional floss way, you may end up using ‘roughed’ fiber. The lock
method prevents the damaged floss from being stitched with.
Beverley
Pagura, Raleigh, NC USA.
When starting a
new piece, put the hoops on the fabric as usual. Then, turn the hoops
and fabric upside down, and work the stitching as though the "back"
were the "front." This keeps one’s hands off the fabric, keeping
the work cleaner. I also find that it makes finishing a thread easier
because there are no hoops in the way of a needle too close to the
edge. From Cheryl Sagitta.
To weave in loose tails on the back of my work I
use a *dental* floss threader! Available wherever toothbrushes are sold they
are used to thread dental floss under orthodontic braces. They are
about 2 inches long and quite flexible making it easy to guide loose tails
under nearby stitches. Dorita Menconi
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