Uneven, lumpy look of needlepoint work, why????
Rita
Hi,
Need you ideas and help. Too late for this project; however, will
help with future ones.
I am working on a floral pattern and because of all the color changes
in a small area, the font of my work is all lumpy looking. Not smooth
and nice like other projects that I have done. What have I done
wrong.
Thanks for your help,
Rita
Sharon G
Rita,
This may be a tugh one to answer without seeing the work so I will make
some assumptions if I may.
It is possible with all the color changes, you may have carried you
thread over the back and pulled it a little tight to cause the lumpiness
and puckering.
Also, if you started and stopped for each color change, when you burried
the thread, maybe you pulled it a little tight.
A good blocking may take care of some of this but, maybe not.
In the future, use a frame or scroll bars. This is the sort of thing
that happens to a lot of needlepoint when it is done in hand.
Also, a small amount of the problem may be attributed to this. Wool
reacts to moisture and humidity is moisture. It can tighten up just
enough in the wrong conditions to make this happen. I saw a rug that was
done in sections and the completed sections were stored in plactic
bags...garbage bags...and sealed up from the dirt for several years.
They were all painted on the same bolt of canvas but when the rug was
ready to be assembled, the shrinkage problem showed up...some of the
work shrunk and some didn't and this was attributed to the humidity,
wool and being sealed. The pieces wopuld not fit untill a genius of a
finisher did her magic.
I am not a scientist and my degrees are not in science so I am not able
to baffle you with any technical data on this. It is what I learned from
being in the industry and it seemed logical to me. So, my advice is to
not store your work in plastic bags...a good old pillow case will do the
trick.
If you can give me more info, maybe I can give you a better answer.
For your next needlepoint project, try a frame or scroll bars and you
will see a difference. If you insist on working in hand, this may happen
unless you figure out a way to work on your tension and a better way of
managing your threads on the back.
Your E mail is welcome.
Sharon G
AChrist787
Sharon,
Amen to that. I have seen some of the most distorted np done by people
who insist on working in hand. On the other hand, my mother does it and
hers looks like it just came off a frame. I'm a "scruncher" and if I
tried to do it in hand my work would end up looking like something that
went through the washer three times twisted with a rope. LOL
Anne
Anne Christopherson
"Old roses are full of instructions on how to live right."
Sharon G
AChrist787 wrote:
>
> Sharon,
>
> Amen to that. I have seen some of the most distorted np done by people
> who insist on working in hand. On the other hand, my mother does it and
> hers looks like it just came off a frame. I'm a "scruncher" and if I
> tried to do it in hand my work would end up looking like something that
> went through the washer three times twisted with a rope. LOL
>
> Anne
> Anne Christopherson
I recieved e mail from Rita and she states she did use a frame.
I really think the problem was caused by the many color changes in one
area. One thing I can say, with experience, one will learn how to "plan
a stitching attack" to avoid some of these problems in the future. I
sometimes have to stare at a needlepoint or a stitch to determine a
"travel plan" to minimize the amount of carried threads.
Sharon G
Larry Anderson & Diane Hare
Mary Martin's NEEDLEPOINT BOOK has a section of the relation of the
weave of the canvas to the basketweave stitching done on it.
When I look at pieces I'd done BEFORE I was aware of this relationship
and compare to those I did later I can see bumps and ridges from where
the stitching was, excuse the expression, "off-grain" (this is NEITHER a
spinning reference, NOR one of horticulture).
It wasn't a matter of tension.
Blocking diminishes the effect, but it can't eradicate it.
Imagine doing blocks of tent stitch on plastic canvas, alternate squares
with the horizontal rows and vertical rows. All the stitches on the top
would be slanted correctly, but there'd be enough of a difference for
the blocks to show as a difference in shading.
Some of the picky things don't "show up" on small projects, but
avalanche upon us in larger ones.
--
Diane Hare/MS.HARE foxn...@goldrush.com San Andreas,CA snotmyfault
Visit our web page at: http://www.goldrush.com/~foxnhare
Robert Tusler
On Fri, 01 Aug 1997 17:00:29 GMT, rl...@jps.net (Rita) wrote:
>I am working on a floral pattern and because of all the color changes
>in a small area, the font of my work is all lumpy looking. Not smooth
>and nice like other projects that I have done. What have I done
>wrong.
>
I doubt whether you have done anything wrong. I assume that you were
using tent stitch in one of its forms. If you change colours you
will inevitably find that the tension is changing as you work around
the piece.
If you look at an area of continental tent stitch you will see that it
has stripes like a lawn. This is because when you go into one
direction you are coming up through the previous stitch and tending to
change the tension. When you go back again you will go down through
the previous stitch, thus having the reverse effect on the tension.
The same effect happens with basketweave stitch, when you go up or
down in two adjacent rows of stitching by mistake - a line shows up on
the work.
I don't think there is any way to prevent this, except perhaps not to
use tent stitch!
Robert Tusler
West End, Surrey, England
http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~rtusler
LuchtS
In article <33E9B3...@earthlink.net>, Lula <wooly...@earthlink.net>
writes:
>What you have done may not be necessarily wrong but might be the nature
>of the yarn or thread you are using.
>I notice some wools or cottons will be lumpier looking rather than lie
>"smoothly" on the canvas due to the twist of the threads such as pearl
>cotton which creates a slightly bumpy look on its own compared to other
>threads.
<snipped further explanation>
Hi Lula,
Just wanted to say I am continuously amazed and delighted with the
clarity, tone and quantity of information in your explanations or
examinations of an expressed problem. If you don't teach often,
you really should consider doing so because you have the gift of making
an explanation interesting without the patronizing tone so frequently
adopted by experts. Thanks for helping us. Sondra
Carl Geenen
I'm in heaven!! My company has finally allowed me writing access to news
groups. I've been reading here for 3+ years and now I finally get to
participate!! Over the years I've learned a lot from all of you. Let me
please reciprocate by making a small and hopefully constructive
contribution.
I use the basketweave form of tent stitch almost exclusively in my
needlepoint projects. I've developed a technique of stitching that I call
"clean hole -- dirty hole" that helps me make all my stitches uniformly
even. Actually, it's not my own invention, but one I've borrowed from
others and have developed. Perhaps there are others who also have
developed this technique or something similar.
A clean hole in the canvas is one not occupied by any other stitch while a
dirty hole already has a stitch passing through it. The technique dictates
that stitches come up only through clean holes and down only through dirty
holes.
If a stitch were to come up through a dirty hole, it might pull some fibers
up from the existing stitch or, worse, pull the entire stitch up slightly,
thereby creating a lumpy appearance when all the surrounding stitches are
eventually completed.
I always leave my down stitch a tiny bit loose so that when the adjacent
down stitch goes through the same hole, it pulls the existing stitch down
into its final, tight position.
Since basketweave tent stitch does not warp the canvas as does the
continental tent stitch, I try to get every color block into the
basketweave pattern as soon as possible. In my technique, this is a
fundamental requirement.
One of the side effects of this technique is that I wind up with multiple
needles in work at the same time. Sometime I may have 20 needles going at
once. When I have stitched with a color as much as I can before stalling
because the next stitch would have to go down through a clean hole, I leave
the needle dangling on the FRONT of the project, never behind. I just pull
the needle and yarn off to the blank side area and pin it under a few
strands of canvas. This keeps the kitties from getting too interested in
my needlepointing.
I also have a technique of yarn management while stitching that keeps the
texture of each stitch consistent. But that's another story.
IMO, ever-vigilant needle and yarn management while stitching is crucial to
producing consistent results.
Sincerely yours,
Carl T. Geenen
Bill & Brynn Robbins
Carl, you really have a way with words too (I particularly like your
phrase "tail avoidance" - the different ways stitchers describe their
techniques tickle me). I found your post informative too. My last
needlepoint project was the first I've finished that I was even remotely
happy with the charming uneveness to it. It turned out pretty good.
I'm about to start a stocking for myself, so naturally I want it to be
even better! Please keep sharing any tips that you have.
Brynn
Carl Geenen wrote:
> Despite all the care and effort I put into trying to make each stitch even
> in texture and appearance, the result has, as Lula alludes, a charming
> uneveness to it. When I frame my projects, my wife wnats me to put a glass
> front on it. But I prefer to leave the piece exposed so the viewer can
> enjoy this charm. Of course, I'll kill 'em if they try to put their hands
> on it ;>{)
>
> Thanks, Lula!!
Carl Geenen
Dear Lula:
You really have a way with words!! I'm really envious of your ability to
write so well. As I read, I can easily get the picture in my mind. I've
learned a lot from you. Thanks so much.
> What you have done may not be necessarily wrong but might be the nature
> of the yarn or thread you are using.
> I notice some wools or cottons will be lumpier looking rather than lie
> "smoothly" on the canvas due to the twist of the threads such as pearl
> cotton which creates a slightly bumpy look on its own compared to other
> threads.
This is an excellent point. Part of the yarn management challenge is to
try to get dissimilar yarns or dissimilarities in the SAME yarn (even in
the same strand!!) to come out even, or as close to it as possible, in the
end product. I take the time to twist or untwist and vary yarn tension as
necessary to get each stitch to be a carbon copy (well...close anyway) of
any other stitch.
> Since I have very detailed designs and many small areas to fill in --- I
> use tent stitch a lot, the best stitch under these circumstances.
> Once in a while I will get a less smooth look with some threads or yarns
> no matter how I stitch but everything "blends" in once I'm done
> needlepointing and the piece is properly blocked.
>
> Carrying thread tails may be a cause of your problem if you concentrate
> too many in one area with starting and stopping each color.
> I usually run a new thread smoothly and with an even tension (without
> twisting) under a few stitches or more and end the same way---trying not
> to concentrate too many ends in any one area.
Tail avoidance is another part of my techniques. I usually knot to begin
each new needle of color, therfore providing a built-in tail burial when
eventually the knot is cut off. The ending tail is for me where problems
might occur. My burial/anchoring technique varies depending on how big the
color block is and what the surrounding colors are if I must bury in an
adjacent to get the tail to be long enough.
Lula, I'm interested in knowing your tail burial techniques to avoid "rat
nests" and what you do when you must bury under adjacent lighter colors,
especially those where it might show from the front if care is not taken.
> One thought---are you needlepointing evenly across the rows each time
> the same way back and forth no matter how many stitches there are? Or
> are you randomly needlepointing the color areas crossing and skipping
> here and there just to finish an odd area?
> I find the smoother I keep the back of my needlepoint, the smoother the
> front will be.
Another great point and one of the main reasons why the basketweave form of
tent stitch is, IMO, superior to the continental tent stitch. Basketweave
makes a nice even mat on the back side. The mat has a cushion effect that
helps to camouflage the lumpy effect that the backsides of other adjacent
stitches, continental of otherwise, might have on the front of the project.
> Some colors of the same type threads will sometimes be "thicker" or
> "thinner" and lay differently on the canvas.
> Sometimes canvas mesh size vs threads you are using can cause a problem
> of puckering if some threads are on the "thicker" size and you do a lot
> of thread carrying in small areas and may be pulling a little bit more
> while anchoring and ending these threads.
>
> Overall for most cases, I find part of the charm of needlepoint is the
> reflection of light and shadow cast by the texture of the stitching that
> gives needlepoint such a tactile quality that we all want to run our
> fingers over it, bumps and all!
FlossCause
In article <33EB39...@mindspring.com>, Bill & Brynn Robbins
<ms12...@mindspring.com> writes:
>Subject: Re: Uneven, lumpy look of needlepoint work, why????
>From: Bill & Brynn Robbins <ms12...@mindspring.com>
>Date: Fri, 08 Aug 1997 11:21:01 -0400
>
>Carl, you really have a way with words too (I particularly like your
>phrase "tail avoidance" - the different ways stitchers describe their
>techniques tickle me). I found your post informative too. My last
>needlepoint project was the first I've finished that I was even remotely
>happy with the charming uneveness to it. It turned out pretty good.
>I'm about to start a stocking for myself, so naturally I want it to be
>even better! Please keep sharing any tips that you have.
>
>Brynn
>
>Carl Geenen wrote:
>> Despite all the care and effort I put into trying to make each stitch
even
>> in texture and appearance, the result has, as Lula alludes, a charming
>> uneveness to it. When I frame my projects, my wife wnats me to put a
glass
>> Thanks, Lula!!
>>
>> Sincerely yours,
>> Carl T. Geenen
>
Yeah, really good posts Carl. You're a welcome addition to this group.
Brynn and I are about to embark on the same stocking project, yippee! I'm
just finishing up a church pew which has a *very* charming texture. I've
been extra careful to use the clean hole/dirty hole method and I always
use the lie of the canvas strands to ensure I'm never stitching my
basketweave in the same direction on two adjacent rows. But....the work
still appears slightly lumpy. I have managed to work in hand on this
article (as requested by the church coordinator) without major distortion.
I actually prefer to do basketweave in hand as opposed to scroll frames.
What I want to bring up in this thread is a discussion on the merits of
using a full cross stitch on canvas as recommended by needlepoint designer
and author Elizabeth Bradley. I framed a huge piece from Bradley's book,
potted primroses, which had been stitched with wool entirely in cross
stitch on canvas. There was NO DISTORTION whatsoever and the article did
not require blocking, just a tad of tension upon lacing and it looked
great. I don't think it would take much more wool than the basketweave
uses, because, if I'm thinking about this correctly, the back of cross
stitch has only the vertical lines of fiber while the front has all the
padding; this is, of course, the opposite of basketweave where the padding
occurs on the back. Either method ought to use about the same amount of
wool.
Any others out there tried this? Much as I love working the basketweave,
I'm thinking about using crosses on my stocking for less distortion. But,
I may have to go back and buy more wool just to set my mind at ease.
Nova
***Visualize Whirled Peas***
Carl Geenen
> As a matter of curiosity, do you work from an upper corner down or from
> a lower corner up?
I work from the upper right-hand corner of the project. The last stitch is
always in the lower left-hand corner. If I work the continental form of
tent stitch, the stitching always goes from right to left or up to down,
making for a better looking and thicker backing than either left to right
or down to up, although sometimes it just can't be avoided.
> I look forward to hearing more about your kitties, as sidenotes, as I
> usually mention our houserabbit, Herr Professor Leaky, whose picture may
> at last be viewed at our website.
Kitties are an essential part of my needlepointing -- all those embedded
hairs in my projects add a certain amount of charm!!
Lula
Hi Carl--
Thanks for the nice post and compliment!
I find needlepoint a very "forgiving" medium to work with -- one can
bend the so called "stitching rules" or even create new ones--whatever
it takes to get a good looking finished needlepoint.
Needlepointing is a very individually creative medium.
Carrying and burying threads for example is much easier on the back of
the heavier needlepoint "fabric" created than on the less covered
backside of thinner fabrics used in xs.
Because of the nature of my very detailed designs, color changes and
small areas I stitch---the continental stitch is better suited for me
than using basketweave. Plus as an artist who's using needlepoint as a
"painting" medium to express my designs, I find the simpler the stitch,
the better the design will stand out without distraction.
Specialty stitches are excellent for emphasis and texture on some design
areas.
Choosing the right specialty stitches to use on detailed designs is an
art in itself--the stitches have to be subtle and show texture but not
overwhelm the design.
One needs the BALANCE of contrasting the smooth (er) with the textured
stitches to appreciate the whole including the use of the right
specialty threads to bring out texture with plain (tent or basketweave)
stitching.
It really depends on the design one is stitching and the final effect
you are trying to achieve.
Some designs are very simple and need a lot of specialty stitching to
bring it out and designs like mine don't need as much specialty
stitching because of the strong design, contrasting color and detail
elements I paint into them.
People who do continental or tent stitch can be very successful if one
has a very controlled, very, very even tension to their stitching
technique. It comes naturally after many years of stitching and
seriously some people are born with this "sensitive" touch in their
fingers neither pulling too hard nor too little.
I have no qualms in burying my thread tails in other adjacent areas of
my needlepoint--I run my threads through the back of canvas as much as a
couple of inches if need be and will reverse direction of my thread
tails to bury in darker areas if finishing near a lighter area.
I try to stitch some threads like my metallics first and zig zag them
across the canvas if the stitches are far apart (such as dots (stars) in
a sky) I never pull anything hard but lay my threads smoothly with no
looseness or tension as I go across my canvas back---then I stitch the
main color over the metallics to cover them up. Result is a smooth back
and front and not a lot of tails to cut or bury.
I'll do this with other threads and details too. Completing little areas
of scattered stitching of one color before stitching over it all with
the major color used in that area.
One of the main exceptions though is stitching fuzzy threads last no
matter what color.
Sometimes if a thread is THIN enough I'll whipstitch a few stitches to
anchor it on a heavier ground thread and not burying it either at the
end or beginning of a thread.
I do it smoothly and carefully--none of my needlepoints show any bumps
or ridges on front.
Of course this "technique" will be determined by the delicacy and types
of threads, canvas and techniques one is stitching.
Doing the waste knot is a great idea for easier thread anchoring and
"burial". As I mentioned earlier, I will "bury" my thread tails by
running in an opposite direction if I need to as in your example of
darker thread tail next to a lighter area.
All my needlepoint models have a fine, "smooth" hand made quality look
to them in contrast to machine made perfect flatness.
---
Lula from Wooly Dreams Design
http://home.earthlink.net/~woolydream/
Carl Geenen wrote:
>
> Tail avoidance is another part of my techniques. I usually knot to begin
> each new needle of color, therfore providing a built-in tail burial when
> eventually the knot is cut off. The ending tail is for me where problems
> might occur. My burial/anchoring technique varies depending on how big the
> color block is and what the surrounding colors are if I must bury in an
> adjacent to get the tail to be long enough.
>
> Lula, I'm interested in knowing your tail burial techniques to avoid "rat
> nests" and what you do when you must bury under adjacent lighter colors,
> especially those where it might show from the front if care is not taken.
> >
> Another great point and one of the main reasons why the basketweave form of
> tent stitch is, IMO, superior to the continental tent stitch. Basketweave
> makes a nice even mat on the back side. The mat has a cushion effect that
> helps to camouflage the lumpy effect that the backsides of other adjacent
> stitches, continental of otherwise, might have on the front of the project.
>
> Despite all the care and effort I put into trying to make each stitch even
> in texture and appearance, the result has, as Lula alludes, a charming
> uneveness to it. When I frame my projects, my wife wnats me to put a glass
> front on it. But I prefer to leave the piece exposed so the viewer can
> enjoy this charm. Of course, I'll kill 'em if they try to put their hands
> on it ;>{)
>
> Thanks, Lula!!
>
Carl Geenen
Lula wrote:
> Thanks for the nice post and compliment!
You're welcome, but the thanks are all mine for your really great
information.
> I find needlepoint a very "forgiving" medium to work with -- one can
> bend the so called "stitching rules" or even create new ones--whatever
> it takes to get a good looking finished needlepoint.
> Needlepointing is a very individually creative medium.
> Carrying and burying threads for example is much easier on the back of
> the heavier needlepoint "fabric" created than on the less covered
> backside of thinner fabrics used in xs.
Because I'm a self-taught needlepointer, I probably use some terminology
many of you are not familiar with. And vice versa, too. Lula, what does
your term "carrying" mean?
When I'm anchoring the start of a color, I make a knot on the front side of
the project and run (my term = travel) the yarn over on the back to where
the first stitch will begin. Adjacent stitches will naturally cover (my
term = bury) where the yarn travels across the back.
When I'm anchoring the end of a color, I use one of several different
techniques depending on the situation. If I will use the same color again
in the same general area, I travel the color on the back of the canvas and
come up through the mesh where I will make the next stitch. The travelling
yarn gets a natural burial. Another technique is to run the tail under a
few adjacent stitches on the back for a length of approximately 1 inch
(about 25 mm) and then cut it off so that none of the tail sticks out. I
generally try to do this in the same direction as the last stitch. Also,
I'm careful not to run the tail under a lighter color where it might show
through from the front. There are times, though, when I have to resort to
less than desirable techniques, such as burying under a lighter color and
trying to only catch the top stitches so it hopefully won't show from the
front. Another technique is to loop the tail several times around the same
color stitches, but this sometimes creates a knotty place.
On my last project, "The Favorite Cat", the whisker pad was mostly white
but with a few isolated black stitches. How would you bury the tail with
only two black stitches appear in a field of white stitches?
Thanks again for all your wonderful ideas and help.
Gloria Armstrong
Please-Oh-Please explain your yarn management system!!! I am a
beginner at both needle work AND the computer, and am feeling very
inadequate at both at this moment. Thanks for your wonderful explanation
regarding "lumpy" needlework prevention. I want to try it with a small
project as
your statement about having 20 needles going at once scared me to death!!
I can't imagine being that organized and want to hear ALL you are willing
to share in the way of instructions. Now this is what I was expecting
to find happening in the newsgroup!! THANK YOU----
On 8 Aug 1997, Carl Geenen wrote:
> I'm in heaven!! My company has finally allowed me writing access to news
> groups. I've been reading here for 3+ years and now I finally get to
> participate!! Over the years I've learned a lot from all of you. Let me
> please reciprocate by making a small and hopefully constructive
> contribution.
>
> I also have a technique of yarn management while stitching that keeps the
> texture of each stitch consistent. But that's another story.
>
> IMO, ever-vigilant needle and yarn management while stitching is crucial to
> producing consistent results.
>
> Sincerely yours,
> Carl T. Geenen
>
>
Gloria Armstrong
gk...@ra.msstate.edu
AChrist787
Robert,
>This is all rubbish about never carrying on the back
>of the canvas -
We'll probably all be branded as heretics, but I agree with you and Lula.
I had a teacher once ask me if I owned a lawnmower so she could use it on
the back of my canvas...and believe me, my canvases are fairly neat on the
back. I just laughed. My comment to that is as long as the front looks
terrific and the back is reasonable, then I don't care. As long as one is
careful about carrying threads so they don't show through, I don't think
it really matters. Heaven help me though, if any of my students are
on-line and read this. :-)
Robert Tusler
On Mon, 11 Aug 1997 10:14:42 -0400, Lula <wooly...@earthlink.net>
wrote:
That's my girl. This is all rubbish about never carrying on the back
of the canvas - the way that stretched bits get covered when the
background goes in is quite admirable!
>
>I have no qualms in burying my thread tails in other adjacent areas of
>my needlepoint--I run my threads through the back of canvas as much as a
>couple of inches if need be and will reverse direction of my thread
>tails to bury in darker areas if finishing near a lighter area.
>
Robert Tusler
Lula
Carl Geenen wrote:
> Because I'm a self-taught needlepointer, I probably use some terminology
> many of you are not familiar with. And vice versa, too. Lula, what does
> your term "carrying" mean?
---
I'd say the majority of us are self taught needlepointers. But I've had
the good fortune to be exposed to the best needlepoint/needlework
professionals advice because of being in the needlework business. Not to
mention lots of experience through the years from doing my own stitching
and listening to other stitchers.
As in all advice, the best advice is to take what works best for you and
adapt it to your style of stitching and not worry about everything you
hear and that's what many needlework professionals will tell you.
My term --- carrying thread is the same as your traveling thread across
the back of the canvas.
Basically use similar techniques you do to anchor and start threads, but
I might carry my threads a longer distance than you overall because of
the type of designs I stitch.
Also use a lot of different types of threads in one piece to create
textures. Some thicker and thinner than others so I can whipstitch
thinner threads to heavier threads to anchor threads in place.
---
> On my last project, "The Favorite Cat", the whisker pad was mostly white
> but with a few isolated black stitches. How would you bury the tail with
> only two black stitches appear in a field of white stitches?
---
I've always found this to be a major inconvenience to stitching --- a
few isolated dark stitches in a field of lighter colors!
My simple approach would be to carefully anchor the darker thread to the
lighter thread on the back -- loop the thread around a nearby stitch or
two or three near the area to be stitched spaced apart so you don't
create a row or dark line by concentrating the darker color in one area.
I run into this same problem when I stitch little black eyes on light
flesh toned faces.
I always put the eyes in last so the dark stitches stand out more --- I
anchor by looping through a stitch or two a couple of times with the
dark color to a nearby stitch and carry a few stitches across to the
next eye than loop underneath another nearby stitch once or twice to
anchor and cut off. So far I haven't had any problems with the darker
color showing through, unraveling or looking lumpy. This is the only
time I'll have to cut and anchor more than I like.
All I can say it works well for me.
I do a lot of stitching on 18 mesh and some on 13 mesh---all hand
painted canvas at this time.
Now Carl if you don't mind, I'd like to know what type of needlepoint
you do, would like to hear about your favorite needlepoint preferences
as in types of canvas you stitch on, materials and designs.
Sometimes what we stitch influences how we stitch.
---
Lula from Wooly Dreams Design
http://home.earthlink.net/~woolydream/
>
> When I'm anchoring the start of a color, I make a knot on the front side of
> the project and run (my term = travel) the yarn over on the back to where
> the first stitch will begin. Adjacent stitches will naturally cover (my
> term = bury) where the yarn travels across the back.
>
> When I'm anchoring the end of a color, I use one of several different
> techniques depending on the situation. If I will use the same color again
> in the same general area, I travel the color on the back of the canvas and
> come up through the mesh where I will make the next stitch. The travelling
> yarn gets a natural burial. Another technique is to run the tail under a
> few adjacent stitches on the back for a length of approximately 1 inch
> (about 25 mm) and then cut it off so that none of the tail sticks out. I
> generally try to do this in the same direction as the last stitch. Also,
> I'm careful not to run the tail under a lighter color where it might show
> through from the front. There are times, though, when I have to resort to
> less than desirable techniques, such as burying under a lighter color and
> trying to only catch the top stitches so it hopefully won't show from the
> front. Another technique is to loop the tail several times around the same
> color stitches, but this sometimes creates a knotty place.
>
> Thanks again for all your wonderful ideas and help.
>
AChrist787
hi Lula,
>Basically I'm from the school of common sense stitching--do what it it
>takes to create a good looking piece of needlework. I never suffer from
>"needlework angst".
Actually, so am I. I do try to keep my backs neat, but I'm certainly not
going to get anxiety ridden over the whole thing. Nor am I going to end a
thread when the same color needs to be used 6 stitches over.
I do, however, try to stress neat backs to my students, mainly because I
have had to clean up some of these and I have tried to convince them of
the old adage "anything worth doing is worth doing right" or something
like that anyway.
Nann Blaine Hilyard
I carry a few, tuck a few. Depends on the distance
from color to color. I use basketweave when possible
and think that even tension is the key to smooth fronts.
However, blocking makes most lumps and bumps
disappear.
Nann
@the library in Fargo
.....but don't ask me about the backs of x-stitch pieces!
Sharon G
Know what I do to make my backs look so good...and they do...I plan my
stitching in such a way that there is little exposed mess on the back.
If the new area is less distance away than what it would take me to stop
and restart the thread, I will carry it.
*But*when you are using a lot of open stitches where the shadow effect
of the threads under the canvas is actually an important part of the
stitching, you need to be real careful about where you tie off and start
threads.
When doing any kind of darning stitches, you can not start and stop mid
row...always start or stop in the margin or where there is another part
of the design to bury the threads into.
If a canvas has heavy coverage, there is more room for a "coverup" of
exposed threads. But, my canvases always have very open and light
coverage. For instance, I have stitched entire 18 count canvases in 1
ply of blending Filament or cord and at times 1 ply of floss. A
stitching plan of attack is important with a canvas such as this.
When it comes to students, I will point out possible problem areas to
watch out for and suggest different plans to stitch the canvas so they
are as neat as possible. You really have to think a few rows ahead of
where you are stitching. Do I care if a student's canvas is not perfect?
Not really because I know we all learn by doing and a good amount of
experience in stitching will bring about a level of perfection that is
satisfactory to the stitcher. And, the stitcher is the judge of what is
perfect.
Just have fun!
Sharon G
Lula
Hi Anne--
I never heard one could not carry threads on the back of needlepoint
canvases. Must have missed that "class".
I think it was the type of designs I was needlepointing that made
carrying threads across canvas a necessity---couldn't see cutting and
anchoring threads for every single or group of a few stitches here and
there.
Seriously though---I find this the best way to have neat backs without
too much cutting and hiding thread/yarn tails.
My backs are very neat but I never even thought about that part of
needlepointing. I was more concerned about the front part coming out as
neat as possible.
Basically I'm from the school of common sense stitching--do what it it
takes to create a good looking piece of needlework. I never suffer from
"needlework angst".
---
Lula from Wooly Dreams Design
http://home.earthlink.net/~woolydream/
AChrist787 wrote:
>
> Robert,
>
> >This is all rubbish about never carrying on the back
> >of the canvas -
>
> We'll probably all be branded as heretics, but I agree with you and Lula.
> I had a teacher once ask me if I owned a lawnmower so she could use it on
> the back of my canvas...and believe me, my canvases are fairly neat on the
> back. I just laughed. My comment to that is as long as the front looks
> terrific and the back is reasonable, then I don't care. As long as one is
> careful about carrying threads so they don't show through, I don't think
> it really matters. Heaven help me though, if any of my students are
> on-line and read this. :-)
>
Carl Geenen
Thanks, Lula, for answering my questions. Like many other endeavors,
needlepoint is a constant learning process. There's always something new
to try and ways to improve something I already do. That's the reason I
ask, and I'm greatful for your answers.
One of the things that amazes me about this newsgroup is that despite all
the bickering, problems, and disagreements, there's always enough good
stuff to keep my interest up. Apparently many others feel the same way
because I keep seeing the same names again and again.
Lula wrote:
> As in all advice, the best advice is to take what works best for you and
> adapt it to your style of stitching and not worry about everything you
> hear and that's what many needlework professionals will tell you.
This is probably the best advice of all !!
> Now Carl if you don't mind, I'd like to know what type of needlepoint
> you do, would like to hear about your favorite needlepoint preferences
> as in types of canvas you stitch on, materials and designs.
> Sometimes what we stitch influences how we stitch.
I don't mind at all. In fact I'm pleased that anyone would want to know!!
I started needlepointing 4 years ago. A male friend of mine has been into
cross stitching for years and needlework always appealed to me. For
whatever reason I didn't get interested in pursuing needlework until a
woman friend of mine showed me her needlepoint Christmas stockings she'd
done. I was very impressed with the design and her stitching I decided to
give needlepoint a try.
Rather than launch into some big expensive project (those hand-painted
stockings are expensive!!), I bought a "Learn How to Needlepoint Kit". It
had a basic info pamphlet from American Needlepoint Guild, some practice
canvasses and yarns, and the canvas and yarn for a mini project: a
sampler with initials in the middle.
I used the practice materials for a couple of days and then started the
project. According to my wife, I was like a demon possessed the way I sat
there stitching nonstop, not even looking up or talking. I finished the
sampler in 3 days. Of course it wasn't very big (12"x12", if memory
serves). It's now framed and hanging proudly in the entrance foyer of our
house.
After that I was hooked !! I started on a hand-painted canvas of flowers,
but I soon discovered that I was not yet capable of stitching the effects I
wanted. Even armed with "The Needlepoint Book", the supposed "bible" for
needlepointers, I was not able to come up with the ideas that would help me
make those flowers come alive.
Then I saw a book named "The Impressionists in Needlepoint" by the
Glorafilia women, Lazarus and Berman, I think their names are. The charted
projects looked to me to be the perfect learning curve. I would learn much
if I worked serveral of the projects. So I started in immediately
stitching the first 2 projects. All of the first project and most of the
second project were done in tent stitch, mostly basketweave but
occasionally continental when it could not be avoided. The second project
contained a few specialty stitches. Both projects were done on 14-gauge
white mono canvas with Paternayan yarn.
On a business trip to Columbus, OH, I bought another needlepoint chart book
at the Metropolitan Museum of Art store in the city center mall. I can't
remember the name of the woman who put the book together, but it contains
projects taken from works of art in the museum. One of those was "The
Favorite Cat", based on a work of the same name from the famous Currier &
Ives company. This was my third project and was done all in tent stitch.
Again, I used mostly basketweave. I used 14-gauge white mon canvas and
Anchor pearl cotton yarn.
My next 3 projects came from both of these books: 2 impressionist works
and a detail from a Tiffany stained glass window. All 3 were done on
either 13- or 14-gauge using a mix of Paternayan and Anchor pearl cotton
yarns.
My current project is my most ambitious in terms of size: a 40"x57" rug of
wisteria hanging amidst a wooden trellis. This is from the impressionist
needlepoint book. It will be all done in tent stitch on 7-gauge interlock
with DMC Laine Colbert yarn.
Eventually I hope to get back to that hand painted flowers project, but not
until I have done a few more projects out of the 2 books I already have.
For whatever reason, hand painted canvasses don't appeal to me at the
moment. Later I may feel differently, but right now I'm enjoying working
from charts.
I have this idea that maybe I'd like to try my hand at making my own
designs. Towards this end I've already started to experiment with computer
programs that allow pictures to be scanned and then made into needlepoint
projects, although the commercially available programs I'm aware of lean
more towards cross stitch. I'm a big fan of turn-of-the-century
Czech/French commercial artist Alphonse Mucha and I'd like to render some
of his stuff in needlepoint. But that's for later.
Lula
I'm very impressed Carl at your needlepoint progress in such a short
time---you've certainly accomplished a lot.
My major accomplishment is finishing projects in the same year I start
them!! But happy to say I'm almost finished with 6 of my own canvases
and working on the 7th----thanks to my trips, I get to needlepoint a
little.
Carl Geenen wrote:
>
> My current project is my most ambitious in terms of size: a 40"x57" rug of
> wisteria hanging amidst a wooden trellis. This is from the impressionist
> needlepoint book. It will be all done in tent stitch on 7-gauge interlock
> with DMC Laine Colbert yarn.
---
That DMC Laine Colbert yarn is a very nice yarn to work with--all three
strands are an equal thickness unlike the Paternayan wool.
I have piles of DMC Laine Colbert wool here I'm saving for rug designs.
Your rug project reminds me of Robert Tusler from the UK another male
needlepointer who's almost finished with his William Morris rug.
Someday I'll start a rug design---I have at least two---a whimsical
rabbit rug and a blue and white Chinese one---plus anything I may design
myself.
Needlepoint rugs are a major accomplishment.
---
>
> I have this idea that maybe I'd like to try my hand at making my own
> designs. Towards this end I've already started to experiment with computer
> programs that allow pictures to be scanned and then made into needlepoint
> projects, although the commercially available programs I'm aware of lean
> more towards cross stitch. I'm a big fan of turn-of-the-century
> Czech/French commercial artist Alphonse Mucha and I'd like to render some
> of his stuff in needlepoint. But that's for later.
---
You may find it easier and quicker to design your own needlepoint by
making basic tracings of works of art for your own use either by
enlarging or reducing the tracings on computer to the size you want.
A simple outline on canvas drawn with a fine tip gray waterproof/
permanent marker can then be filled in with the color patterns of your
choice as you stitch.
With good planning, you can allow for specialty stitching areas to fit
just right.
In some ways this will allow you to develop a freer painterly style in
needlepointing than following a painted canvas or chart.
I find the needlepoint medium to be the closest thing to natural
painting with threads and yarns instead of paint---embroidery techniques
are a close second.
NHaleyPuy
Thanks to Carl for sharing his needlework background with us.
>I started needlepointing 4 years ago. A male friend of mine has been
into
>cross stitching for years and needlework always appealed to me. For
>whatever reason I didn't get interested in pursuing needlework until a
>woman friend of mine showed me her needlepoint Christmas stockings she'd
>done. I was very impressed with the design and her stitching I decided
to
>give needlepoint a try.
Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
started with needlework. I was in a yarn shop one day, browsing, and saw
my first counted cross stitch ever. I fell in love with two books, a
Disney Christmas book because my son's godfather is a Disneyana collector,
and a Hummel book. I picked out all the floss for one project from each
book, and went to the counter to have the fabric cut. The shop owner very
politely asked me if I'd ever done any XS and I said no, and then she said
she wouldn't sell the rest of the materials to me. She told me that I
should go back and find an inexpensive book with a small design on it, and
go home and stitch it. If I liked it, I could come back the next day and
she'd sell me anything I wanted. I was startled that someone would be
that anxious to turn away business, so startled that I just did what she
said. The next day I came back and bought everything I needed, and I
became a regular customer. That was back in 1983, when I was pregnant
with DS. I have already given up knitting, crocheting, most of my
dressmaking, and some reading to make more time for XS. The only hobby I
won't give up is quilting.
Looking forward to hearing your stories,
Nancy in Modesto, CA
nhal...@aol.com
Lula
NHaleyPuy wrote:
>
> Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
> started with needlework.
I started stitching in the late 70's because I saw a neighbor's antique
family sampler and fell in love with it.
My first project was a counted linen antique repro kit with hand dyed
linen and flosses---just started doing it and from then on was hooked on
needlework.
I did lots of crewel, xs, and regular thread embroideries many of my own
designs.
I liked the way the stitches looked on fabric, the textures created when
the light hit it.
So I started to visit needlework shops wherever I went. Since we
traveled a lot, I had the good fortune of seeing needlework shops all
over the country. First thing I did in every city was pull out the
yellow pages!!
I was also a knitting fanatic too and knit many sweaters--mostly those
aran patterened ones with all the sculptural stitches and also knit many
multicolored experiments in intarsia and color knitting.
Overall, I just loved yarns and threads -- all those wonderful colors
and textures. I was very motivated to buy and use them in some way.
Being an artist by trade, decided why not "paint" pictures with yarn?
This is when I discovered needlepoint canvas. Bought a kit and taught
myself basic needlepoint----bought some painted canvas because the
designs were more interesting and then started to create my own designs
on blank canvas.
Needlepoint appealed to me because of my textile design/illustrator's
background in being able to create an original "fabric" with my own
artwork.
Steve and Terri
I don't remember exactly when I learned to stitch, but it was because my
mother started me on some embroidery one summer. I learned to knit, to
crochet (in time to make myself an openwork vest -- the *first* time they
were popular!) and to sew from her as well -- reinforced by 4-H and Home
Ec.
I've always done *something* with textiles and/or fibers -- in college, it
was crewel (Mother still has a piece I did for her hanging in her house --
when I went to see her a couple of weeks ago, she looked at it and said,
"That was a nice piece of design work... you aren't doing any of that
right now, are you?" Moms are great... :-D) When I was in my late 20's,
it was knitting and crocheting (I *love* knitting yarns -- sometimes I
just go look -- and feel -- all the gorgeous fibers at the shop close by.)
It was cross stitch again in my 30's -- and Hardanger, and blackwork, and
other canvas work, with plans to learn lace-making someday. I even
learned to tat a couple of weeks ago from my sister! (She's a very good
teacher -- but I need a better shuttle... she's the one who inherited all
my grandmother's & g-grandmother's tatting stuff... I was using one from
WalMart... :-P Oh, well, I got the quilt frame and the crochet needles!)
And for a good share of my life, I've sewed -- it was the only way to
have a great wardrobe when I was in college or earning next to nothing,
but I also enjoyed creating something unique. Now I only sew (other than
quilting) when I'm making something special for my son or daughter...
and I remember my mother making a Barbie doll dress to match mine when
I was five...
Terri
--
Terri Carl
ter...@neosoft.com
Patricia O'Brien
NHaleyPuy wrote:
> Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
<snip>
I started cross-stitching as a sophomore in high school, where my French
teacher also taught a handicrafts class. I found I much preferred
counted XS to stamped, because it was easier, to me, to make even
stitches on the Aida cloth. Started out with Christmas ornaments that
were framed by cookie cutters and backed with styrofoam. In retrospect,
they were pretty hideous, but it was a start. Seems that most of the
projects that weren't wedding or baby pieces wound up going to my
mother, but I have a Carolyn Meacham oriental floral piece in my
kitchen, and I stitched a P-51 Mustang WWII airplane for my DH when we
first started dating. It now hangs in our hallway, and he's been bugging
me for others. We're going to need more walls. :)
Trish
Stephenie Labovitz
NHaleyPuy wrote:
>
>
>
> Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
> started with needlework.
Well, I don't remember ever learning how to stitch, but I do remember
embroidering daisy stitches and running stitches on my baby sister's
baby clothes (while mom was pregnant with her) so I was pretty young. I
have a cross stitch that obviously was a kit of a cat with it's head
caught in a fish bowl that says "Some things in life are easier to get
into than out of" that I have no remembrance of doing so I was really
young. (I obviously did not know about backstitching back then because
there should be some on the picture). The first memory I have of cross
stitching was about 8 years when I saw TW's The Castle and decided to do
it. I didn't know that it was a "hard" one. I just jumped in a did it
and kept right on going.....
Stephenie
Stephenie Labovitz
Stephenie Labovitz wrote:
> The first memory I have of cross
> stitching was about 8 years when I saw TW's The Castle and decided to
I should have said "8 years AGO" (which was a LOT older than 8 years
old!!)
;-)
Stephenie
LuchtS
In article <33F2F8...@earthlink.net>, Lula <wooly...@earthlink.net>
writes:
>NHaleyPuy wrote:
>>
>> Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
>> started with needlework.
>
Hi All,
I started stitching while I was in a very high profile, high tension job
that involved a lot of traveling ( plus living in a hotel for 3.5 months every
year) and sitting through lots of meetings and hearings. When I would
return to my room, usually late at night, I was so wound up that the
wee hours of the morning would find me still wide awake re-hashing
the events of the day.
Then, by accident, I found these really cute cross stitch
Christmas ornaments that when you pushed the center played
Christmas music. Since they were inexpensive, I picked up a couple
and taught myself to needle. It was fun ! Being very compulsive I went
back and got six more kits, and begin to stitch every evening -- and
to my amazement, I found that the activity was not only fun, but relaxing
-- no more sleepless nights.
Very soon, however, I found that the _only_ thing I wanted to do was
stitch, so I started taking my work to my meetings and hearings.
Amazingly enough, I found that not only could I have fun stitching,
but that I could even follow the overall concepts of the discussion
better than without stitching. AND, as always when you stitch,
the time flew by quickly.
As an added bonus, my stitching seemed to gently irritate my
male colleagues -- they were almost ALL men --
because it seems they viewed the stitching as competition for
the full attention they believed should be paid to them and to them alone.
As a result, they began to pay more attention to me when I spoke -- I think
that was partly because they were SURE I was not listening since I was
not looking at them and they just _knew_ I was about to say something
off the wall. <grin> And, so, with a hobby of pure delight, I lived happily
ever after .... well, at least for a while. Happy Stitching, Sondra
John J. Waller
> Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
> started with needlework.
> nhal...@aol.com
Hmmmm. Let's see. I started sewing when I was about 8 or 9 (doll
clothes). My mother used to make a lot of our clothes and so I was
familiar with the way a pattern looked. So, I just down-sized them to
fit my dolls. Then, at about age 14, I started knitting. I taught myself
out of a booklet. Around 1968 or so, I started embroidering everything I
owned with flowers, mushrooms and butterflies. Okay, I admit to a few
cannabis leaves on my chambray shirts, as well. From there, I moved on
to crewel (which I didn't like) and needlepoint (which I did like) and
crochet. Shortly after I joined the Navy, I found a little kit of two
butterflies on 22ct. Hardanger and I was hooked from then on.
Cross-stitch is less expensive than needlepoint, the materials are
easier to find (or were in '81) and, for me at least, it's more
portable. In short, it combines the best of needlepoint and the best of
embroidery and when you're done, it looks really terrific. At least,
that's how I feel about it. Like I finally found my niche. Anyway,
through all of these changes, I've been self-taught. Now, I've taught
myself quilting---at least I think I have. Time will tell.
beth
beth
--
Old sailors never die,
they just get a little dinghy!
Bill & Brynn Robbins
I started with stamped pillow cases and similar items. My Grandmother
would take me down to Cuthbertson's 5 & 10 cent store and let me pick
out what I wanted. I loved to make them for her. Bless her heart, she
let me make quite a few of them. My other Grandmother taught me to
crochet. When I was 8 or 9, someone gave me one of those wooden
knitting doohickies. I never did learn to use the stupid thing. It did
inspire me to get needles and a how to knit book. I taught myself to do
that.
Them thar's my beginnings. I've never been able to just sit. Gotta
have the hands busy doing something.
Brynn
Rotaub
In article <19970813214...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
nhal...@aol.com (NHaleyPuy) writes:
>
>Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
>started with needlework. I
I was talking with an acquaintance one day and indicated that I was giving
some thought to learning needlepoint. (At that time I'm not even sure I
knew what it was called.) She told me that she was teaching it and had a
new beginners class starting soon. My first pillow was dated 79 and I have
been stitching on and off ever since. I hae done a fair amount of
needlepoint, a little crewel, some printed Xstitch, needlepoint on plastic
canvas and a little counted Xstitch. I had hit a lull in stitching until I
started reading the ng about a year ago. Now I have resurrected UFOs and
USOs I had forgotten about and discovered the delight of S.E.X. <G>. A
couple of weeks ago I mentioned to some friends that I was on my way to
Endicott (about 3 hours away). Most people thought I was going to visit
my DB but one friend looked at me and said "Oh going to get some more
needlework stuff." She was right. It was only incidental to the shopping
trip that I saw my DB and SIL for about 5 minutes.
Rosemary
NETBONNIE
>NHaleyPuy wrote:
>>
>> Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
>> started with needlework.
I have no specific memory of when I started, althought there are pictures
of me around 4yrs old "stitching" a child's kit (large cardboard squares
with holes in them). I just always remember doing some kind of needlework.
Bonnie
(Bon-Bon)
Mmeindia
Quick question from a newbie: I think I've figured out UFO's (unfinished
objects?), but what are USO's?
LLindCharl
I became interested in stitching when I visited a shop that had
samples all over the walls of different patterns. They were so
beautiful. I purchased a needlepoint kit of a stained glass
window with butterflies. I made it as a gift for my husband's
grandmother. After I stitched it, I saw a XS pattern that I liked.
I purchased the pattern and all of the materials needed and
became hooked. This was in 1980.
About 3 years ago I taught my son to stitch. He was 7 years old
and suffering from severe Attention Deficeit Hyperactivity
Disorder. He was having a very difficult time concentrating
for even a short period of time, so I thought stitching would
help him to build up a longer span of concentration. He is now
able to concentrate on his school work for longer periods and
has become very good at stitching. He even taught his entire
4th grade class how to stitch. He has learned to XS, Hardanger,
and ribbon embroider. He also knows how to do many of the
specialty stitches.
My daughter also stitches. She started when she was about 12
years old. Now, if only I could talk my husband into stitching!
Laura C.
Good judgement comes from experience, and experience...
well, that comes form poor judgement.... Anon
Kimberly K Davis
Maybe I missed something, by why is this thread marked off topic? I
think "How I learned to stitch" is about as on topic as it gets!
Kimberly
Lula
Yes, this is a very practical way of dealing with a design that has lots
of colors and details---saves from cutting and burying tails constantly!
Definitely saves time, patience and the backs look wonderfully neat!
I honestly have never heard the "rule" about not carrying threads on the
back of needlepoint canvases, but I can see in some cases why one
wouldn't want to carry threads across the back of some designs.
Really depends on what effects you are needlepointing towards.
Needlepointers are more creative and less restricted by the "rules" of
stitching as a whole because of the materials we work with.
---
Lula from Wooly Dreams Design
http://home.earthlink.net/~woolydream/
Robert Tusler wrote:
>
> That's my girl. This is all rubbish about never carrying on the back
> of the canvas - the way that stretched bits get covered when the
> background goes in is quite admirable!
> Robert Tusler
DBTurtle
OK. I learned cross stitching at, of all places, Vacation Bible School,
at a church I don't even go to, when I was in fifth grade. Then I put
aside practically all crafting with fabric(I tried needlepointing this cute
horse music box but really botched it up because I didn't understand the
instructions and my mom didn't know how to needlepoint) until a few years
later, when I stitched some cute basketball sachets for my best friend for
Christmas, then later saw a vertical design of 4 bunnies in a garden of
colorful flowers. I fell in love with the bunnies and my mom loved the
flowers. I only got 2 pages of the 4 done, and gave it to my sister to
finish since she loves bunnies(she has been doing a little bit each summer
now). But what really got me going full steam on cross stitch (and
collecting the charts, I might add) was Teresa Wentzler's The Castle and
her Rapunzel(I no longer see this one on the shelves). The dragon called
to me from the Hobby Lobby shelves, and it was also on sale! So...many
many many charts later, I am addicted. BTW, I got that 3 years ago and I
now just finished it. :)
Mari
Dain Bramaged Turtle @)}-->---http://members.aol.com/DBTurtle/index.html
"Floating beneath the sweet music of the dream garden symphony, winter
came like a delicate diamond of death in a bitter moment." HUH?
AChrist787
Geez Stephanie,
You just burst my bubble...I was hoping we had a child prodigy here :-)
Tzarna
I learned to cross stitch at 21. My suitemate (I was living in a dorm
my senior year of college) cross stitched and I was admiring her
stuff. She gave me my first pattern (one she'd designed) and I asked
if I bought a kit if she would teach me to stitch. She said yes, so I
bought a kit and she taught me the basics.
I've since learned a little harganger and a little needlework.
Kenora Sorgenfrie
> NHaleyPuy wrote:
>>
>> Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
>> started with needlework.
I'll toss in my two bits here. I started crocheting first, when I was
about 10 or 11. My grandmother had tried to teach me surface embroidery
when I was younger than this, but I just didn't have the patience for
satin stitch. :^) My aunt taught me crochet, which I did for years (and
still do on occasion).
I picked up cross stitch 6 years ago. I knew one or two people who did
it, which is how I knew it existed. That summer, I decided that I wanted
to take up a new hobby, and decided further to make it cross stitch. My
DBF (now DH) took up origami (which I dabbled in too) at the same time.
We went supplies shopping, and I got a leaflet of bookmark designs and
a how-to leaflet, some fabric, floss, needles, and scissors, and went to
town. I started with bookmarks because I wanted to try something small
first to see if I liked it and so I could finish something quickly.
Now I'm a full-fledged addict! I have 10 or 11 projects on the go, am
a stasher, love new fibers and fabrics, and have done hardanger, drawn
thread, some canvaswork, and love it all! I'm even thinking I may do
one of the CS&CC heirloom stockings for myself someday.
--
Kenora Sorgenfrie | The unexamined life is not worth living.
ken...@freenet.carleton.ca | -Socrates
F.James Cripwell
NHaleyPuy (nhal...@aol.com) writes:
> Thanks to Carl for sharing his needlework background with us.
>
> Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
> started with needlework.
> Nancy in Modesto, CA
> nhal...@aol.com
>
>
Needless to say, we have told these stories at least twice before. This
is definitely not meant as a nasty remark, as we all realise rctn gets new
members and loses old ones all the time. Its just that I have told this
story twice, so old timers can skip to the next post.
I got a posting to The Hague in The Netherlands, and in the first few
weeks we were quite miserable, in a hotel room, none of our own furniture,
etc. (In the end of course we had a wonderful time). I was already a
knitter and a crocheter. We visited one of the big stores (Vroom and
Dreesman), and went to the craft section. My DW saw a bell pull of Dutch
windmills in cross stitch and we bought it. When we got back to the hotel
room, I opened it first and decided I would do it. So we went back to the
store, and bought a second bell pull of children's games. They both still
grace the walls of our cottage. We went on to discover the lovely
patterns there were available, and fell in love with Eva Rosenstand. And
there were the Dutch patterns which we did to remind us of the happy years
we spent in that delightful country. We have both been going ever since,
except my DW can no longer do this sort of work.
--
Jim Cripwell. There is so much good in the worst of us,
And so much bad in the best of us,
That it ill behooves any of us,
To talk about the rest of us. Anonymous
Bill & Brynn Robbins
Rotaub wrote:
>
> In article <33F3C9...@mindspring.com>, Bill & Brynn Robbins
> <br...@mindspring.com> writes:
>
> > When I was 8 or 9, someone gave me one of those wooden
> >knitting doohickies. I never did learn to use the stupid thing.
>
> I give up. What is a wooden knitting doohicky?
> Rosemary
I'm sorry, Rosemary, I couldn't think of how to describe these things.
It was sort of a painted, wooden cylinder with little wooden teeth at
the top. You threaded the yarn through the hole at the bottom of the
cylinder, then wound it around the teeth somehow. There was a hook or
needle that you did I don't know what with. I'm not even sure what the
relationship to knitting was, except that I think the end result was
supposed to look knitted. Anyone else know what this was and what you
were supposed to do with it?
Brynn
Nikki
In article <5t15np$1...@examiner.concentric.net>, wild...@concentric.net wrote:
> My two youngest
> sisters btw have no crafty tendencys. Strange...all those years watching
> my Mom crochet didn't affect them in the way it did my sister and I.
My sister recently moved "far" away from home (for her). She is a bit
lonely. When we were both at my parents in June, I kept saying, let me
take you to a craft store and I can find something you'd like to do; it'd
help you pass the time. But she steadfastly refused. I guess she got the
fashion gene instead; oh! her nails, how could she do that! (She's a
sweet lovable kid!)
Nikki
--
Nikki Senecal
In rotation: SRE pillow top--the whole pillow :^)!
http://www-scf.usc.edu/~senecal
Nikki
In article <19970815080...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
jco...@aol.com (Jco55Ly) wrote:
> and in 1971 mom saw an ad in the back of Yankee for the Eva Rosenstand
> Birdfeeder on linen kit and says "you can do this for me, right?". so I
> did it as my first counted project on linen with almost 50 colors - what a
> way to start! i have since done almost everything you cna do with a needle
> and even teach and do some custom work. I jsut cannot stop stitching.
When my dear, dear friend Marisa got married, I bought BH&G America's Best
Cross-stitch to make a wedding sampler (one over one on 22 count). I
started 5 months before the wedding (PLENTY of time, I thought!). She
received it one day before her first anniversary. I taught myself . . .I
had done a couple of stamped projects, and figured out you had to go top
down and left to right. The instructions said to regraph the design (it
was on 2 pages). My mom's a quilter and she had this huge graph paper
(easel size) so I set out to rechart it; that took about a week and a
bottle of white out. We were looking at it recently and I know one row of
hearts is "off" by one stitch, and I always comment on it, even though no
one'd ever know. Last time though I noticed a big blooper in the border;
there's a border that looks like this:
x
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx
x x x x x x x x and on one side it goes x x x x x x neither of us had
seen it before!
I had done stitching before; did a lot of crewel as a kid. Learned from
my mom. When she tried to teach me bargello--oh the fights! (Which is
why I *never* needlepoint.) She *always* told me I had no patience, like
my grandfather (her FIL), who was a very bad person to be compared to . .
. which makes it all the *more* ironic when people tell me I have sooooo
much patience now.
I also used to undertake ridiculously huge embroidery projects when I was
a preteen. My mom had stitched (all over) a pair of brown jeans (it was
the 70s)--my favorite! And I guess I took after her.
When I got to college, I let my mom teach me things again: knitting (lots
of UFOs), quilting (she used to own a store), stenciling. We get on much
better now!
Teri Rasmussen George
John J. Waller at jjwa...@earthlink.net wrote...
>
>> Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
>> started with needlework.
>> Nancy in Modesto, CA
>> nhal...@aol.com
>
>clothes).
I started off doing doll clothes, too. I remember that at the time
they even had some doll clothes with little adhesive seams that you
could make by just sticking the seams together.
All the women in my family have been good seamstresses and crafters, so
I just kind of tried things out. I still have a quilt that my great
grandmother made me, it's made of scraps of my baby dresses, my
mother's dresses, and my grandmother and great grandmother's dresses.
I guess the first real craftwork that I did was picking up some
knitting that my mother had started. She'd taught me to do a regular
knit pattern. She died when I was 11 and I'd go and dig through some
of her things in our closet (we'd shared a bedroom) because it made me
feel closer to her. One day, I came upon a knitted afghan that she'd
been working on. I just picked up the book and started to teach myself
the patterns, everything from cable stitches to what I think was called
a stockingnet stitch. I also tried finishing some embroidery
pillowcases and crib blankets that she had.
I picked up cross-stitch when I was about 18. I just saw a pattern
that I liked, bought it, and dove right in and read the instructions on
how to do it. Guess after doing those other things and learning from
reading that the idea didn't frighten me anymore.
Teri
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A rose is an argument. It proclaims the triumph of beauty
over brutality, of gentleness over violence, of the
ephemeral over the lasting, and of the Universal over
the particular. ~~ Alain Meilland
Jco55Ly
I got started when I broke my thigh in several places skiing at age 7 -
try keeping an active 7-year old falt on her back for 6 months.... the
Occupational Therapist taught me to sew. First felt puppets then teddy
bears. Afew years later my grandmother got me my first stamped cross
stitch pillowcases. I made clothes for my trolls (I was never much for
dolls) and my first real job was making the sample garments for a fabric
store (.85/hour for custom tailoring!). I was self taught in needlepoint
Vicki Cory
Its funny to see so many with similar backgrounds. I have always been of
a "crafty" nature thanks to MOM. I fell in love with cross stitiching in
my early 20's which is to say the early 1980's after I saw a finished
piece of blue birds that my ex-DH's Aunt made. I knew then and there
that this was my craft of choice ;> On the other hand my younger sister
does totally different types of crafts, stenciling and painting, flower
arrangements and well she makes some beautiful pieces. My two youngest
sisters btw have no crafty tendencys. Strange...all those years watching
my Mom crochet didn't affect them in the way it did my sister and I.
have a question ask me otherwise read the book and figure it out. Sounds
kinda harse but im glad she did, funny thing is im left handed but
learned to do these things right handed.
Vicki C.
Deborah Meinhart
You've got the UFO's right :-)
USO's are UnStarted Objects (charts, especially ones you have all the
materials for, and kits).
Then there's also FUFO's (Finished UnFramed Objects) of which I have a
couple that I may take to the framer tomorrow :-)
Debi McMahon periodically posts a list of abbreviations. She also has
it on her web site at http://www.crl.com/~dmcmahon/nlref/abbrev.txt
Deb
--
Deborah Meinhart d...@pmei.com
Current stitching projects: Spirit of the Southwest, Midnight Enchanter,
Canvas Stitch Sampler, The Castle, Good Neighbors, Gomshall Flower Shop,
Green Man, Queen Anne Band Sampler, Manatee and Baby
-----
Holly Blankenship
> > Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
> > started with needlework.
> > Nancy in Modesto, CA
> > nhal...@aol.com
>
My Mom sewed when I was growing up ( she always made most of our
clothes) but she thought (correctly) that if she opushed us my sister
and I would never start sewing. So my HS Senior year I needed something
to wear at graduation, she was very busy, so I said "I'll make it
myself, can't be that hard", and since I wanted the dress to be special
I picked the bodice of one pattern and the skirt of another..so my first
project consisted of two patterns (two differnt publishers). And I was
hooked. And then I really got hooked opn hand sewing (never said I was
normal), and since you can only hand sew so much I discovered crewel,
cross stitch, embroidery, knitting and crocheting (my first crochet
project that was completed was a stuffed camel).
Mom was one smart lady, she had the same attitude to teadhing us to
cook, dopn't push they will come to you when they want to learn.
holly
NHaleyPuy
Kimberly wrote:>
>Maybe I missed something, by why is this thread marked off topic? I
>think "How I learned to stitch" is about as on topic as it gets!
Kimberly, I'm the one that started this part of the thread, and I'll have
to confess, I made it OT thinking that those who only want to read current
events directly related to stitching aren't going to want personal
histories. Personally, I think it's on topic - maybe I just shouldn't
have been so cautious. ;)
Nancy in Modesto, CA
Dandalions
I forget what it's called, but I know they are for knitting ROUND items...
sleeves, hats for winter, fingers for gloves or mittens (which would
actually be THUMBS!)
My great-grandmother had a few... no I don't own one, and wouldn't know how
to use it if I did...
Sara
Bill & Brynn Robbins <br...@mindspring.com> wrote in article
<33F50D...@mindspring.com>...
@abac.com Jeff or Kelly Borden
Tara Dewdney <mand...@echo-on.net> wrote in article
<5t35oc$8qj$1...@neuromancer.echo-on.net>...
> :
> :> When I was 8 or 9, someone gave me one of those wooden
> :>knitting doohickies. I never did learn to use the stupid thing.
> :
> :Brynn,
> :I give up. What is a wooden knitting doohicky?
> :Rosemary
>
> I think I had the plastic ones. The wooden ones had pins right? and you
> could make little tubes on them? The plastic ones had 4, 6, 8, or 12
pins
> (the 12 was to make Barbie clothes). Kept me entertained for about 10
> minutes.
>
> tara
When I was young (not *that* many years ago) I think that they were called
knitty knottys (sorry about the terrible spelling, but you get the idea).
We made ones out of old wooden thread spools with nails on top, but I also
remember that you could buy them in stores (just saw one in a UK magazine
today). You're basically knitting in the round - doing a small tube.
Mine kept my interest for at least half an hour! Guess I have a longer
attention span <vbg>.
Hope this helps
Kelly
Mike & Brenda McCaw
They were (and are) called Knitting Nancys. Believe it or not, they
are still around. I came across an ad for them in Mary Hickmott's New
Stitches magazine last week. I had one too, with the 4 pins. All I
ever ended up with was a very l-o-n-g piece of knitted tubing. I
never did figure out what to do with the stuff!
--
Brenda in Singapore where the weather report is
"Showers over parts of Singapore with temperatures
ranging from 24 to 32 degrees Celsius" 365 days a year.
Rosemary Peeler
I picked up a tent stitch (printed on penelope) UFO belonging to one
of my older sisters. That was about thirty years ago, and that was
the type of stuff I did mostly. I was also taught to knit in school,
and taught myself to crochet when in my teens.
I am mainly doing cross stitch these days, and doing my first
hardanger since being influenced by this group.
Rosemary in Sydney, Australia.
--
JOHN & LIZ HAMPTON
Bill & Brynn Robbins wrote:
snip
It was sort of a painted, wooden cylinder with little wooden teeth at
> the top. You threaded the yarn through the hole at the bottom of the
> cylinder, then wound it around the teeth somehow. There was a hook or
> needle that you did I don't know what with.
Anyone else know what this was and what you
> were supposed to do with it?
>
> Brynn
we did them in Girl Scouts (more years ago than I realized). What you
do with them when you are done (which no one ever was because 1)no one
could ever remember how to finish them off and 2) it became a contest to
see who could make the longest one.:-)) is to circle them around and sew
them to make coasters or placemats, or whatever. I have one now that
sits on my stitching table. The neighbor for whom I made a high school
graduation present for in June made it for me for Christmas several
years ago. I think I sold mine at a flea market 17 years ago (still
unfinished) to a woman who wanted to teach her grand daughter how to do
it. In Scouts, we used an old wooden spool with picture framing nails
pounded into one end & used a metal "pick-up-stick" doo dad to move the
yarn over the nails to do the weaving. Nowadays, I think they actually
sell little wooden things specifically for this purpose. I haven't
actually seen one in several years, but we did have a Brownie Leader ask
if we had directions for them. It seems that many of us know how to
"do" it, but no one knows how to start or finish. (I guess Tyson's mom
does, or my coaster would be the size of an area rug).
Liz :-)))
Nikki
In article <01bcaa02$63ca7380$b448...@mcmike.pacific.net.sg>, "Mike &
Brenda McCaw" <mcm...@pacific.net.sg> wrote:
> They were (and are) called Knitting Nancys. Believe it or not, they
> are still around. I came across an ad for them in Mary Hickmott's New
> Stitches magazine last week. I had one too, with the 4 pins. All I
> ever ended up with was a very l-o-n-g piece of knitted tubing. I
> never did figure out what to do with the stuff!
>
They're called "Magic Cord Machines" now (in the US); the craft shows have
them--Handmade By Design and Alene's Creative Living, etc. And they have
this woman who comes on and shows ugly projects for the l-o-n-g knitted
tubing. Face it, no matter how they try to disguise it, that's all it
is. When I was young (1970s) we had plastic ones (mine was yellow) with
prongs that stuck out the top. I used to sew them into spirals to use as
rugs in my Barbie Townhouse. Chic.
Legion Headquarters
>NHaleyPuy wrote:
>> Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
I learn to cross stich this year... I was in Micheals and saw a
Demension Angel (angel of light) bought it and got hooked...
literaly....
Now I am doing Angel of Harmony,
Had to buy aanother Angel of light... lost the patern and I wanted to
do it over anyway... and I have plans/stash for:
* when I am an old woman, I will wear purple* for my moms
birthday...[xmas?]
* a volkswagon done in my dads VW colors for his birthday [in july]
serenity orayer
Scarlet...
and eventually I will work myself up to Mermaid of the pearls, and
Xmas flourish from Mirribilia
Blessed Be, Sirona
your herb and gardening newbie
sir...@sl.net
Rotaub
Vicki Cory
> > sisters btw have no crafty tendencys. Strange...all those years watching
> > my Mom crochet didn't affect them in the way it did my sister and I.
>
> lonely. When we were both at my parents in June, I kept saying, let me
> take you to a craft store and I can find something you'd like to do; it'd
> help you pass the time. But she steadfastly refused. I guess she got the
> fashion gene instead; oh! her nails, how could she do that! (She's a
> sweet lovable kid!)
>
>
> --
> Nikki Senecal
> In rotation: SRE pillow top--the whole pillow :^)!
> http://www-scf.usc.edu/~senecal
Nikki,
Good thing for me is I got it all! <being the oldest has its advantages>
MUhahahahahaha!
Vicki C. <who has the craftyest nails around ;>
Dianne Lewandowski
We're forgetting the absolute theorum here. Many, many daughters/sons
will NEVER do anything their mothers/fathers did - no matter how
miserable it makes them. Many more will not only DO what their
mother's/father's did, but try to take it to its ultimate extreme - no
matter how miserable it makes them.
Such is the oft times burden of mother-daughter or father-son
relationships.
Dianne
Lesley Isaac
JOHN & LIZ HAMPTON <j...@magick.net> wrote in article
<33F563...@magick.net>...
> Bill & Brynn Robbins wrote:
> snip
> It was sort of a painted, wooden cylinder with little wooden teeth at
> > the top. You threaded the yarn through the hole at the bottom of the
> > cylinder, then wound it around the teeth somehow. There was a hook or
> > needle that you did I don't know what with.
> snip
> Anyone else know what this was and what you
> > were supposed to do with it?
Brynn
Your post brought back some fond memories - in NZ we used to call it french
knitting and we would tidy the ends back into whatever we made (a bit like
real knitting). Often it was just a competition to see who could make the
longest. Wooden versions are still readily available here in most craft
shops and some
good toy shops. But as to really useful uses for the finished product it
still
seems to be a bit of a mystery even to the french knitters of today.
Lesley
Dorothy Maijala
Bill & Brynn Robbins wrote:
>
> the top. You threaded the yarn through the hole at the bottom of the
> cylinder, then wound it around the teeth somehow. There was a hook or
> relationship to knitting was, except that I think the end result was
> were supposed to do with it?
>
> Brynn
children. I never got the hang of it then, but my granddaughter
received a Barbie kit to make a dress using a plastic version of these.
I was finally old enough to figure it out, and she made a very clingy
gown for her Barbie.
Dorothy
Shirley Anderson
My mom made me one out of a wooden thread (remember when thread came on
wooden spools! or am I dating myself?) spool with four little nails on
one end. I can remember ending up with a long, long tail nicely knit
together, but I don't remember what we ever did with it!
J. S. Koster
Trish Lavis wrote:
>
> We never bought the things - we just bashed four tacks around the hole
> of a cotton reel. (BTW, remember wooden cotton reels? They were just the
> BEST thing for toys, replacing broken legs on things, making all sorts
> of little jobbies. I LOATHE plastic cotton reels!)
snipped...
>
> Enough! Just my $0.02.
>
> Trish {|:-}
At the risk of starting another "OT: Americanisms" thread (pun
intended).... I assume that "cotton reels" are the same as thread
spools? When I saw the original post on this, I immediately thought
!!!Spool Knitting!!! We never bought them, either, just four little
nails, a hairpin for hook, and hours of mindlessly making long tails.
At least the nuns had you make something (questionably) practical. I
don't remember every doing anything more than making the long tails.
Joan K. (and I hate the plastic ones, too)
Trish Lavis
We never bought the things - we just bashed four tacks around the hole
of a cotton reel. (BTW, remember wooden cotton reels? They were just the
BEST thing for toys, replacing broken legs on things, making all sorts
of little jobbies. I LOATHE plastic cotton reels!)
Anyway, get this: we used to work long, useless rattails and when they
reached from the classroom door to Sister's desk, we stitched them into
a spiral mat and sent them off to The Poor. Now, having just jogged my
memory on this topic, I wonder WHO The Poor were and what earthly
comfort my gormless mats provided them...
Maybe the wicked Nuns maintain an enormous stash of children's Useless
Rattail Mats from down the ages... someone will dig up the convent one
day and find them. They will cause future archaeologists to scratch
their heads in wonder...
Rclew1964
>> I give up. What is a wooden knitting doohicky?
>> Rosemary
>
>I'm sorry, Rosemary, I couldn't think of how to describe these things.
>It was sort of a painted, wooden cylinder with little wooden teeth at
>the top. You threaded the yarn through the hole at the bottom of the
>cylinder, then wound it around the teeth somehow. There was a hook or
>needle that you did I don't know what with. I'm not even sure what the
>relationship to knitting was, except that I think the end result was
>supposed to look knitted. Anyone else know what this was and what you
>were supposed to do with it?
>
>Brynn
>
these doohicky things, but mine was plastic. The name on it was
"Spool-A-Do". After you wound the yarn on the teeth, you pulled down, and
a rope made of yarn would come out the bottom. Once you had a long enough
rope, you tied off, and could coil the rope around, stitch it together to
make a potholder(I was sure that mine would be long enough for a rug!!)
Krisan
>
>
>
>
>
Aramanth Dawe
We called it a 'Knitting Nancy', because the ones that were available
in Australia were crudely shaped into a 'doll' with a painted face.
My best friend and I used to make hair ties and head bands out of our
strips. When she died at the age of 11 I didn't have the heart to use
my pieces like that any more so I sewed them together into rugs for my
younger sister to use for her dolls.
Aramanth
"Lesley Isaac" <les...@ihug.co.nz> wrote:
>JOHN & LIZ HAMPTON <j...@magick.net> wrote in article
><33F563...@magick.net>...
>> Bill & Brynn Robbins wrote:
>> snip
>> It was sort of a painted, wooden cylinder with little wooden teeth at
>> > the top. You threaded the yarn through the hole at the bottom of the
>> > cylinder, then wound it around the teeth somehow. There was a hook or
>> > needle that you did I don't know what with.
>> snip
>> Anyone else know what this was and what you
>> > were supposed to do with it?
>Brynn
>Your post brought back some fond memories - in NZ we used to call it french
>knitting and we would tidy the ends back into whatever we made (a bit like
>real knitting). Often it was just a competition to see who could make the
>longest. Wooden versions are still readily available here in most craft
>shops and some
>good toy shops. But as to really useful uses for the finished product it
>still
>seems to be a bit of a mystery even to the french knitters of today.
>Lesley
--
The bigger they are,
the more pieces they break into.
Ali866
In article <19970813214...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
nhal...@aol.com (NHaleyPuy) writes:
>Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
>started with needlework.
I started with crewel when I was about 8 or 9, the same time I started
making my own clothes...My mother never picked up a needle in her life, but
I was fortunate to have several older women in my neighborhood who were
gifted with all kinds of needles and didn't mind having a little kid
hanging around asking "How do you do that?". As a result, I learned
knitting, crocheting, sewing, crewel, needlepoint and stamped cross stitch
at a very early age. I still knit, needlepoint and do counted cross stitch.
Neither of my girls are interested in stitching, although the little one
does pretty well with latch-hook...we are sewing her first pillow together
later today.
Ali (not quite child prodigy)
Rclew1964
OOps, should have kept reading before posting(kinda new to posting on the
ng)
Krisaan
Michael Zamansky
It is interesting to see how many different names this "hobby" has
-- we called it "horse rein" even tho the final product looked nothing
like the reins for a horse. I still have mine -- it is a carved
wooden soldier with lots of scratches and gouges where my
sister and I (and probably my mother when it was hers) burrowed
the crochet hook ito it when we got bored of horse reining.
It has loops on top vs just plain nails or pegs. I find that
it is a bit easier to use than the peg/nail varieties. It still
has the "Project" I was working on when I switched to "real"
knitting etc at about age 10. One day I WILL resurect it and
give it to my (now 2) daughter.
Devorah
Janet M. Perry
In article <19970812144...@ladder02.news.aol.com>,
achri...@aol.com (AChrist787) wrote:
> Robert,
>
> >This is all rubbish about never carrying on the back
> >of the canvas -
>
> We'll probably all be branded as heretics, but I agree with you and Lula.
> I had a teacher once ask me if I owned a lawnmower so she could use it on
> the back of my canvas...and believe me, my canvases are fairly neat on the
> back. I just laughed. My comment to that is as long as the front looks
> terrific and the back is reasonable, then I don't care. As long as one is
> careful about carrying threads so they don't show through, I don't think
> it really matters. Heaven help me though, if any of my students are
> on-line and read this. :-)
At our local town fair, they had a section for unframed canvases, so I put
two of mine in. One is a little log cabin design from a chart by
Elizabeth Bradley. It has a very neat back, largely because it was from a
chart and I did one log at a time.
The other was a painted canvas from a Pugin design called Tudor Rose. it
is really lovely, but of course, I carried my threads. If it had been
framed or finished it would have been the superior piece.
Gues which won first and which won second? I could have been knocked over
with a feather because I only put the log cabin in because it was
relatively straight and flat.
--
Keep Stitching,
Janet Perry
needlepo...@miningco.com
http://needlepoint.miningco.com
This Week's Feature -- Creating Quotable Quotes
Dianne Lewandowski
If you're a knitter, you use those for some of the most interesting
designs on the outside of sweaters, cuffs of mittons, hats, etc. There
are even small "machines" that make them up quickly and easily.
And yes, I miss terribly the old wooden thread spools (whether cotton,
rayon or silk threads). Now they make you buy them in the craft
sections of craft stores. And the salesmen (under 30 or so) just gush
about how clever they are for making things. I have a box with quite a
few that I absolutely won't part with. Remember Belding Corticelli?
And no - I'm NOT that old. Small towns are frequently a decade or more
behind major cities.
Dianne
Brownlee
The first craft I learned was a type of knitting-weaving. I have no
idea what it's called but you have a plastic tube with hooks at the top
and you start the stitch and go all the way around then wind the wool
around once and pull the stitch over the wool so it forms a new stitch.
Does anyone know what I am talking about? You end up with a tube of
knitting that you can wind and sew together to make rugs and pot holders
and such.
After that mom taught me to knit. It must have been hard as I am left
handed and she is right handed. However, I do knit right-handed so she
must have done a good job. My tension stinks for hand knitting so I am
going to learn the knitting machine this weekend from my MIL. I've done
a few afgans but the attempt at a sweater for my husband was less than
successful. It is far too huge. Oh well, maybe it will fit my
brother. Anyway, I start machine knitting in about 5 days.
I learned cross-stitch from my MIL. I was trying to get in her good
books and saw that she stitched so I asked her about it and she showed
me a stitch (in her version) and I was off. I started March '89 and
haven't looked back. I am down to two FUFO which are going in on Friday
or Saturday. Then there are the three UFO's and the rest of the plans
for the fall include three more stockings, four music pictures, a koala
picture and the princess and unicorn.
My MIL tried to teach me crochet but it didn't work again due to the
left handed thing so she bought me a book for lefties and now I crochet
up a storm as well.
I learned to sew from my mom on her ancient foot pedal singer that
someday I want to repair and refinish (it's in an old cabinet) and bring
home. But my sewing skills aren't the greatest either. I guess I'm
just a stitcher at heart.
Corinne
--
"There is no Good or Evil; there is only Fun and Boring."
Nancy Lorraine Taylor
A very appropriate name I must say, since it seems like I'm the only
one here who still has hers!
The one I have looks exactly as you describe below. I run across it
every once in a while in my craft box and add a few rows.
They are very easy to use, and therefore good for children. Using the
right yarn, you could use the resulting tube for some very sturdy
rugs.
Cheers,
Nancy Lorraine
PS If you REALLY want to know how to use one, e-mail me!
sha...@epix.net
How I learned to stitch.......
When I was 3 my grandmother started the bug!
I helped her cross stitch an American Flag picture...I still have
it...that she hung in the main room of her tavern. I would sit on her
lap during the day and between serving the coal miners their beers, we
would get in a few stitches....and the rest is history.
I taught myself to knit with twine and 2 pencils when I was 6. Saw a
neighbor doing it and it looked interesting so I tried and proudly show
the neighbor who gave me all sorts of yarn and I knit the mile long
scarf.
Today, I am still learning. Learning a lot from students when I teach (I
do not ever want to assume I know it all because I do not know it all),
a lot by trail and error and a lot more by stitching without my stitch
books. This way, I visualize my stitch and stitch toward it and create.
Same with knitting, i know the shape I want and just knit to it.
Sharon g
Marsha
al...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Kenora Sorgenfrie) wrote:
>
>> NHaleyPuy wrote:
>>>
>>> Why don't we start a new thread here? I love hearing how people got
>>> started with needlework.
>
>
>I picked up cross stitch 6 years ago. I knew one or two people who did
>it, which is how I knew it existed. That summer, I decided that I wanted
>to take up a new hobby, and decided further to make it cross stitch.
*snip*
I honestly don't know what made me take up xstitch about 9 or 10 years
ago. I think it was because my (new-at-the-time) DH and I were coming
home for Christmas and the thought of sitting around his parents' house
for days on end with nothing to do seemed more than I could take. But I
didn't know anyone who xstitched - I just picked it up and taught myself.
One thing that struck me as rather odd was that sometime later (months?
years?) I was talking with my old college roommate whom I hadn't seen in
a long time. It turns out that she started xstitching about the same
time I did! Weird!
--Marsha (Alex's mom!)
Jco55Ly
In article <19970817211...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
rcle...@aol.com (Rclew1964) writes:
>>> I give up. What is a wooden knitting doohicky?
Here I think they were called Knitty Noddy but if I remember correctly
back in the 50's someone made a plastic spinning wheel with one attached so
you could spin the wheel to do the tubes - there was even a book of things
to make from the tubes. Does anyone remember what these were called or am I
dreaming? I remember having one - also a small table loom for making
placemats (now that one I wish I had kept)
Matthew Hoover
In article <19970830023...@ladder02.news.aol.com>,
jco...@aol.com says...
probably the first "craft" I learned...way back. I still
have it in my stash with a UFO in it (variagted primary
color yarn) Probably trying to make a rocker pad, but
dont remember. Maybe I will give it to my 3 year old DD
soon...ahhh tradition!
Kathy Hoover
Paige McGhee
Oh Joy!! A new thread!!
I started stitching when my Mother taught me how in "Brownies" years
ago! You know that group you are in before girl scouts, I did a hugh
project on burlap, it was mainly crewel work. After my Mother this past
year I was going through her things and I found it. I am still saving it
and wondering now where to hang this hugh"bur Rabbit Hut" needlework.
Marsha <mwa...@grits.valdosta.peachnet.edu> wrote in article
<5u1p34$75...@catfish.valdosta.peachnet.edu>...
mteubs
The Knitting Knobby is still available. Sometimes you can find it in local
craft shops, like Ben Franklin or Michaels, or catalog stores. When I was
young we used to take large wooden thread spools and put 4 nails in them
and use them. Then the plastic ones came out. Just bought one for my niece
about a year ago.
Marianne
Matthew Hoover <mhoo...@gte.net> wrote in article
<5usld3$c26$3...@gte1.gte.net>...
Gwen
Paige McGhee wrote:
>
> Oh Joy!! A new thread!!
>
> I started stitching when my Mother taught me how in "Brownies" years
> ago! You know that group you are in before girl scouts, I did a hugh
> project on burlap, it was mainly crewel work. After my Mother this past
> year I was going through her things and I found it. I am still saving it
> and wondering now where to hang this hugh"bur Rabbit Hut" needlework.
I learned by buying a little kit in the fabric store. No one in my
local family stitched, so I just figured I would try it.
I was somewhere around 10 or 11. I still have it. It is a little bear
climbing up on the toilet and it says, "Bear bottoms welcome here." It
has had a special place in every bathroom that I have ever had:)
Gwen