Stick & Stab VS Sew
Allura nee Gwendolyn nee Veren
*think* what I do is stabbing, but I'm curious. Someone mentioned it in one
of the humor threads, and it got me thinking.
Joanna
RowanA
>What is the difference between the 2 methods? I've heard them before, I
>*think* what I do is stabbing, but I'm curious. Someone mentioned it in one
>of the humor threads, and it got me thinking. >Joanna
Yes, I'd like to know, as well! I've seen one lady in our EGA group -- who
completes at least one gorgeous historical reproduction sampler every month or
so! -- using the "sew" method, and I've been meaning to ask her about it. She
works in hand, with no frame or hoop. And she goes a mile a minute! Can
someone explain the "sewing" method -- and why is it so much faster? :-)
Rowana
WIP: Shepherd's Bush "The Goblins," L&L "Celtic Christmas," EGA "A Taste of
Cherries," Chessie and Me "Chessie's House #2"
Dianne Lewandowski
wrong side with one hand. The other hand (sometimes the same hand)
grabs the needle from underneath and pokes it back up where needed.
Sewing method: One motion - Needle goes in and out, then pulled
through. The needle is always handled from the surface of the work.
The sewing method can be faster because not everyone is adept at the
stab method, and there is one less motion (which is time) to contend
with. However, it's not always quick to find the *right* spot in which
to come up - depending upon cloth, your experience level, etc.
Some people are just naturally quick and precise. Others of us, no
matter the experience level, just take longer. There's no need to feel
guilty over your *slower* speed. It's the end result that matters.
There are pros and cons to both methods, and some embroidery lends
itself better to one method or the other. For instance, simple stem
stitch requires a sewing motion, whereas cross stitch can be done either
way (in spite of some protests to the contrary). Which ever the method
chosen for cross stitch, you will learn to accept and perfect your
handling of the floss as you gain experience and reach *your* desired
effect. For some, that will be total perfection, in others it will be,
"that's good enough!" - whatever that "good enough" happens to be. But
I must add: no matter your level of stitching, it *never* hurts to keep
trying to better yourself. Only a few of us will reach that "concert"
status - but the rest of us can *always* improve.
Dianne
That Funky Chick
<dia...@heritageshoppe.com> muttered something like:
>There are pros and cons to both methods, and some embroidery lends
>itself better to one method or the other. For instance, simple stem
>stitch requires a sewing motion, whereas cross stitch can be done either
>way (in spite of some protests to the contrary). Which ever the method
>chosen for cross stitch, you will learn to accept and perfect your
>handling of the floss as you gain experience and reach *your* desired
>effect. For some, that will be total perfection, in others it will be,
>"that's good enough!" - whatever that "good enough" happens to be. But
>I must add: no matter your level of stitching, it *never* hurts to keep
>trying to better yourself. Only a few of us will reach that "concert"
>status - but the rest of us can *always* improve.
I use the "stab" for cross-stitching. I've tried the sewing method, but
being the overly-anal person that I am, I always want the thread to lie
JUST SO... and as I'm pulling it to make it the way I want, in sewing
method, it tends to open up the hole where the needle went in a bit more
than where it came out. With stabbing I'm pulling roughly at right angles
to the fabric, both coming and going, so the holes stay the same
size. Not, of course, that anyone would notice this other than myself.
Some people can cross-stitch with the sewing method and not have this
problem. Course some people can do handstands, too. Not me...
-Bertha
--
Oh no, not deja-vu again. Oh no, not deja-vu again. Oh no
Dianne Lewandowski
occasionally a frame, and I use the sewing method in both. Some fabric
"gives" in a frame or hoop as you work it and bounces right back - so
you can "sew" with it. Or you can simply adjust your hoop or frame for
slightly less tension. Other fabrics are so taut that the sewing method
becomes difficult or downright undoable - without using a bent needle -
which I've done a time or two, but I definitely don't recommend it. For
SOME embroidery (including plain cross stitch) you do NOT have to have
the fabric drum tight for either the stab or sewing method. And, when
using a hoop, you can adjust the tension so that you don't get puckering
(the fabric is fairly taut) but loose enough so that you can do the
sewing method. Much embroidery can be worked in hand - and indeed often
was (or is) such as padded satin stitch. This requires some
manipulation with the hands/fingers to get the right degree of tautness
where you are working.
A hoop that can maintain the tightness or a frame of some sort is
absolutely necessary for openwork embroidering such as drawn fabric or
drawn thread and some gold work. Hemstitching (simple) can be done in
hand.
Having said all this, Bertha is right: a LOT of this is what you get
used to and how you learn to manipulate it through time and experience.
There is no right or wrong way. The result is the key. If you manage
to get superior results one way, then it's not wrong for (the
collective) you. Some might argue that it's easier another way. And
they might be right. But if you get the results, that's all that is
important. We're not training for the concert stage <big grin>. Some
of us like to learn the tried and true way from the beginning, and spend
the money/time to get the proper training. Others of us had to come up
the hard way :)
Sharon G had the best story about this a year or so ago. She related
how many of her pieces were winning all kinds of awards and many of the
judges swore they could tell if someone did their stitching a particular
way that was "incorrect" in their eyes. She always did it the
"incorrect" way - and still won all the top awards.
Dianne
Victoria wrote:
>
> I think stab is when you use a frame or scroll and you come up and go back down
> in two movements, thus stabbing from above then below...while sewing is doing
> the entire half cross stitch in ONE movement, while the piece is held in hand,
> not a frame. Did that make sense?
>
> Victoria
> >Yes, I'd like to know, as well! I've seen one lady in our EGA group -- who
> >completes at least one gorgeous historical reproduction sampler every month or
> >so! -- using the "sew" method, and I've been meaning to ask her about it. She
> >works in hand, with no frame or hoop. And she goes a mile a minute! Can
> >someone explain the "sewing" method -- and why is it so much faster? :-)
> >Rowana
> >WIP: Shepherd's Bush "The Goblins," L&L "Celtic Christmas," EGA "A Taste of
> >Cherries," Chessie and Me "Chessie's House #2"
> >
>
Seanette Blaylock
Stick & Stab VS Sew":
>I use the "stab" for cross-stitching. I've tried the sewing method, but
>being the overly-anal person that I am, I always want the thread to lie
>JUST SO... and as I'm pulling it to make it the way I want, in sewing
>method, it tends to open up the hole where the needle went in a bit more
>than where it came out. With stabbing I'm pulling roughly at right angles
>to the fabric, both coming and going, so the holes stay the same
>size. Not, of course, that anyone would notice this other than myself.
I'm a stabber myself, but in my case, it's because I *can't* work in
hand and get decent results [I've tried].
--
Seanette Blaylock [make obvious address correction to e-mail]
"Either you're being sarcastic, or your post leaked over to me from a
parallel universe, or one or both of us is insane and/or stupid and/or
not paying attention and/or lying." Ben, ATSR
Lynn Hansen
<dia...@heritageshoppe.com> wrote:
> Some
> of us like to learn the tried and true way from the beginning, and spend
> the money/time to get the proper training. Others of us had to come up
> the hard way :)
And some of us insist on doing both. I ask questions, get the
"correct" answers, and then proceed to be "mule headed" (as my Grandpa
McCoy used to say) and do it may own way, learning as I go.
For example:
I asked this group recently about doing The Heir over one on lugana. I
was told that I couldn't do half stitches on lugana. During the course
of stitching, I decided I couldn't live without the half-stitches and
quarter stitches, so I'm doing them, piercing the lugana fabric
carefully.
For the same piece, I was told by the LNS owner who I respect greatly,
that I can't use even the tiny petit Mill Hills on the 25 count lugana.
I haven't taken any steps on this one yet, but I may very well try it in
spite of her admonishments.
trained and still doing things the hard way,
Lynn
Dianne Lewandowski
I'll work forever to prove them wrong!
Doesn't always come out right - but often times I succeed! Good for
you!!
Dianne
Laury Walkey
>
> Stab method: Two motions - Push needle through from top of cloth to
> wrong side with one hand. The other hand (sometimes the same hand)
> grabs the needle from underneath and pokes it back up where needed.
>
> Sewing method: One motion - Needle goes in and out, then pulled
> through. The needle is always handled from the surface of the work.
>
> The sewing method can be faster because not everyone is adept at the
> stab method, and there is one less motion (which is time) to contend
> with. However, it's not always quick to find the *right* spot in which
> to come up - depending upon cloth, your experience level, etc.
>
> Some people are just naturally quick and precise. Others of us, no
> matter the experience level, just take longer. There's no need to feel
> guilty over your *slower* speed. It's the end result that matters.
>
> itself better to one method or the other. For instance, simple stem
> stitch requires a sewing motion, whereas cross stitch can be done either
> way (in spite of some protests to the contrary). Which ever the method
> chosen for cross stitch, you will learn to accept and perfect your
> handling of the floss as you gain experience and reach *your* desired
> effect. For some, that will be total perfection, in others it will be,
> "that's good enough!" - whatever that "good enough" happens to be. But
> I must add: no matter your level of stitching, it *never* hurts to keep
> trying to better yourself. Only a few of us will reach that "concert"
> status - but the rest of us can *always* improve.
I find I often use both methods. I use the 'stab' method for my cross
stitching (I do each cross stitch individually, from the lower right
corner to upper left, then lower left corner to upper right) and the
'sewing' method for some or all of the backstitching. Sometimes the
sewing method for the backstitching doesn't always work well and I feel
it makes a bit of a mess in the center of the piece, but it is a fast
way to outline around an area that has stitching only on one side (i.e.
around the very outside of the design).
Whatever works best is the way to go, in my opinion!
--
Laury
WIPs: _Morning Glory_ floral angel from _The Cross Stitcher_.
Will adopt UUFOs (Unwanted Unfinished Objects).