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Pear number one. You guessed correctly, it is Monday and my last post prior to the beginning of the Perfectly Precious Pear Project of 2015! I am excited. I am looking forward to the challenge of relearning the stitches and counting all those little threads.......I have a new lamp with a magnifier, did I mention that? The last time I did any cross-stitch I did not need bifocals. Yikes! I copied all my graphs for the entire year and put them in plastic sleeve savers to keep them pristine. Thursday is our start date. I am thinking it will be a good start day with all the football games on TV! So I gathered some information if you are new to cross-stitch or just want a little refresher information.
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- Finish edges of fabric: machine stitch finish with zig-zag or overlock stitch edges or tape with masking tape.
- Find center of fabric: fold fabric in half, then half again.
- Needle mark center with a cross where the folds meet.
- Hoop: tension screw type or spring hoop (lighter fabrics) or "in-hand."
- Supplies: pattern and graph, fabric, floss, tapestry needles (blunt
with large eye or sharp and smaller with small eye for finer fabric like
linen) , floss organizers, or pearl cotton, nice sharp little
scissors, embellishments if you choose (charms, beads etc.) needle
threader if desired.
The basic process:
- Cut piece of your chosen floss about 18 inches long, I was taught to
separate all 6 threads then rejoin the number of threads you are going
to use to stitch. Set aside remainder of threads. I have scanned some
recent u-tube videos where the "expert" just divides her 6 stands in
half and uses three. (for the demonstration project that is)
- Demonstrating
the basic cross stitch. I was taught to start in the middle of the
pattern and work out from there. I was also taught to stitch all the
right slated crosses first and then on the return stitch all the left
crosses. While there are times when this is impossible I have noticed
that the quality of the stitch is different. Not bad, just different.
- This video demonstrates the back stitch.
- This video demonstrates the French Knot.
Well that's all for now. I have 216 more tumbler blocks to cut. I did get more than 500 cut yesterday. In about an hour and a half. With the Go cutter. Working on the stash quilters, working on the stash!
This is the 4 1/2 tumbler block. Fabric prep reduces waste. I spray a light layer of fabric conditioner on the fabric and press. Then I cut or fan fold the fabric to just slightly beyond the edge of the blade in the die. I cut 6 layers of fabric at a time, therefore 18 blocks per cut. Can't beat that! I grabbed the jelly roll pan that I use for wool felting, tagged each fabric pile with the number of pieces in each pile.
- The great book on Vintage Samplers is gone, nowhere to be found, in the wind, gifted or donated, what was I thinking? So is the A-Z Embroidery Book. Now that one is a heart breaker because it is hard to find and when you find it prepare to mortgage your house!
- End of year Kerfluffle, should I keep all these old magazines and books? I use this week to sort out the bookshelves but the Sampler Book saga is evidence that I should not. What do you do?
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