A Reader left this comment and it’s probably something others wonder, especially those who know what they’re doing (since I do not!):
Judy, I’ve noticed that you are beginning this (? and some other) projects at the bottom. Patterns sometimes instruct to start in the center. I start my projects at the top left. I wonder if you could comments on what you see or have heard as advantages or disadvantages of different starting points. Thanks!
As always, please remember that I am not an expert. I’ve actually finished ONE piece. I am self-taught and most everything I do is probably backwards from the norm.
Here’s the best explanation I can give as to where I start.
The Calculator:
I’m assuming the reason for starting in the middle is so as to not run out of fabric by starting in the middle and not starting too far up or too far to the left but that makes no sense to me so there must be another reason. With a cross stitch calculator, no one is going to run out of fabric if you’ve calculated correctly and pay attention to what you’re doing and good grief . . if you don’t pay attention to what you’re doing with cross stitch, you’ll never finish anyway. Here’s the calculator with the Grace on Thee info plugged in.
The pattern suggested 36 count linen but I’m using 32 count. I have absolutely no doubt that a 10″ square of fabric is more than enough so I can start anywhere on the chart, being mindful that I’ve left 3″ extra on all four sides, and not ever think of getting too close to an edge.
Design:
If what I’ve been told, or what the instructions say don’t make a lot of sense to me, I’m going to do what seems best in my head. Sometimes I feel brilliant and sometimes I’m left promising myself I’ll listen to the experts next time!
With cross stitching, I look at the design and look for “landmarks” or reference points. With Grace on Thee, the grass seemed like the perfect “foundation” on which to start stitching. Once the grass was done, I had reference points for where to start each urn, as well as the sides of the house. After the outline of the house is done, the rest of it is a piece of cake. The topiaries go up from the urns. The flag goes up from the left topiary. The text is easy to space above the flag and all the stars have very easy reference points – a few stitches out from the flag or the roof or the topiary and if one of the flags is a square off . . that’s not a big deal.
Another thing I do, and I’m not sure you can see it in the photo, and I may have even shared it here already, is that when I’m stitching the last row before starting to build up or down or out, I make half stitches (which are easier for me to count) until I get to the stitch that lines up with the grid marks on the chart and I make that a full “x”. That way, every 10th stitch is a full “x”. You may be able to see that using purple thread, I went up with a grid line from those full “x” stitches and that helped me line up the sides of the house and the urn positions. Once I had those things done, I went back across that row and finished all the “x” stitching.
In the end, I can’t see that it matters where you start. If you learned to start in the center of the design, that’s probably always going to be the easiest place for you to start. If you’re like me and look for the easiest way to stitch reference points first, you’ll probably start every project in a different spot.
As far as I can tell, there’s no right or wrong way to do it.
I suppose, to answer the question that was asked . . I just start wherever it seems to make the most sense to me and each project will probably be in a different spot. I started the Marriage piece at the top left and worked across since it was all text and if I were writing that piece, I would have started at the top left.
For Pet All the Dogs, I’m doing three sides of the border first because the top and left borders were my beginning reference points. The bottom border area, as I see it, (because it’s different from the other three and I felt I needed at least two of those done to get an accurate placement of the bottom) is the foundation for the remaining stitching.
For Farmhouse Christmas, since it’s nine small blocks together, I started with the top left, will work across to the right and then go down.
I’m not sure this offers much help and basically, I look at each piece and decide what looks like a good starting point.
I grabbed two patterns sitting near me and want you to look at them and think about where you would start them and, if you will, share that with me, as well as why you chose that point. I’d love to hear about others’ thought process on this matter.
The first is Thomas from Not Forgotten Farm.
The second is All Bundled up by Brenda Gervais.
Later I’ll tell you where I would start these two.
Andrea in MO says
I always start in the center and move out from there. On the turkey it looks like the center would be somewhere in the grey body. I would do all of that so I had reference points for the head and tail. When I pick up a new color I like to do whatever I can in that color, so I would next do the head and any feathers that touch the body that are in the same color. Working the feathers I’d focus more on color than finishing each feather. I don’t normally skip a lot of stitches just to keep with the same color, so rather than counting an inch away I would wait until I got closer. After the main body I’d do the year block then finish with with the floral decorations.
My process for the snowman is the same. If the center is the leaf I’d start with the hat, then do the bird, snowman, and greenery.
One thing I did to help keep track of what I’d done is to make a black and white copy of the pattern. I would color in what I had stitched, so when I came back to the piece it was easy to tell if I had done a particular color without having to check the reference chart. The copy and a magnetic board with a long magnet to mark the line I’m stitching are my favorite tools.
Laura says
This is what I would do as well, for all the same reasons.
Carolyn says
I think the difference is that “back in the day” when many of us started cross stitching there was no internet and no cross stitch calculator so the best thing to do was use the same fabric count the project called for and start stitching in the middle to make sure your design wound up in the middle of the fabric. Until this post I had no idea there WAS a stitch calculator! I’ll have to introduce my mom to FlossTubes and all that’s available now!
Laura says
So true! No internet when I started cross-stitching in the late ’80s. I didn’t know about the stitch calculator either.
Elle says
I’m a center starter. I go all the way left and right and work my way up. Then down.
I don’t why it would matter. Proper sizing and accurate stitching will all end up with a good result regardless of starting point.
JustGail says
One thing I wonder – if you are “supposed” to start in the center, why do so many patterns have the heavier grid every 10 stitches starting in upper right? I can’t tell you how many times I thought I was off count, only to remember the heavy grid lines did NOT line up with the center lines. I suppose it’s the charting software, but I’d think there’d be an option to bold lines from center or top-left??
Of course there were stitch calculators pre-internet days, we called it using your brain and math. 🙂
Donna Williams says
Your logic is perfectly sound. When I was teaching, before the calculator, internet, I would say start in the middle as others have said, but also if they felt more comfortable starting elsewhere go for it. It really makes no particular difference, with the exception that doing it the way you do gives more confidence and enjoyment for you Keep up the good work, your stitching looks great, and I’m impressed by the consistency of the even tension. Great job!
Carmen says
Well, I have to jump in!! I was told, by a shop owner, to start top left. At that time, 1983, most charts told you the size of fabric needed. You found the middle of the fabric by folding in half both ways. I put a pin or thread in that spot (doesn’t need to be perfect, just close). Then you follow the arrows on the chart to find the center and count to your starting point on the fabric. Like you, I pick a good spot to work from, not necessarily the very corner. I will say, I just finished a Shepherd’s Bush stocking, and the arrows are meant for centering the name, not the stocking. Almost did not have enough fabric in the toe, but I will make it work! I really enjoy your blog.
Sara Fridley says
I’ve usually begun at the top left corner – unless, like you noted, there was an obvious landmark elsewhere on the piece. Also I’ve always stitched a grid on my fabric using a basting stitch to identify each 10th square. As I finish a section and no longer need that basting stitch I just pull it out. I really think everyone needs to find what works for them and go for it.
Marcie says
Thanks Judy and everybody! I’m self-taught from the early 70s. I didn’t know about stitching a grid or the stitch calculator, and haven’t watched any videos. I start top left, unless there is a large object top center. I count from the center to my starting point. I work from the top down, so that I am most often pushing the needle and thread Down through holes with other thread that is already present, so that I am less likely to split the thread or have fuzzies show. Then I am most often pushing the needle and thread blindly Up from the backside through an empty hole, and am less likely to split thread or create fuzzies on the front. I appreciate learning from each other. 🙂
Jill McCaughey says
Judy, are you left-handed? I noticed that your cross begins upper left down to lower right corner, which is the opposite of what I do—lower left to upper right corner, then cross it by going from the upper left over the existing stitch to the lower right. I tend to “sew” rather than stab, so I start lower right corner of the linen, completing the whole stitch before moving on to the next one,(opposite of how we read) unless there is a reason I want to do partial stitches. I do fold my linen to get the centre, then count down to the bottom edge of stitches and go to the right side as needed for the number of stitches in the bottom row of the chart. On a high-count linen I may put in some registration basting stitches, as it is harder to see, especially at night.
Isn’t it great how many quilters are now getting into, or back into, cross stitch? i think it’s the ability to do something at night in front of the TV, or in a waiting room (remember them?) love your Marriage stitching. It looks wonderful. Jill in PHoenix/Calgary
Judy Laquidara says
Do you stitch in hand or in a frame? I am not left handed but I do stitch mostly with my left hand on top and my right hand underneath so my left hand stabs from the top and my right hand stabs from the bottom.
I usually do full stitches unless I’m counting a lot and I find half stitches are easier to count.
Yes! I think the entire world must be cross stitching! I was never much of a hand piecer so cross stitching is much more portable for sure.
Teri says
With Tom I would find the center and then go over to do the wing and work from there…..
For the snowman I would find the middle and go to the leaf or his hat and build from there.
Both the wing and hat or leaf look like they are close to the middle.
Denise Russart says
I think with Tom I would start with the grass and work my way up – very cute turkey by the way. I have the other pattern and would probably just start with the cardinal (’cause cardinals are my favorite) and work my way down.
Nelle Coursey says
I think with Thomas it might be easier to start in the upper left corner. But the other one might be easier to start in the middle. Just my thoughts and I know what they are worth. LOL
Gayle Pearson says
I’d start at the bottom left of the mound that Thomas is standing on, work left to right and bottom to top and complete the bird first.
I’d do the same again with the snowman, start at the bottom left.
It seems to me that the mound and the snowman’s body are both anchors to everything else around them. Gayle
Judy Laquidara says
Pretty much exactly what I was planning on both of those. I think it’s easier for me to move upwards and downwards but maybe that’s lack of experience.
Therese says
I am left handed and stitch the first arm of the cross upper left to lower right but it has nothing to do with left handedness. I learned in a class taught by Eileen Bennett and that was the way she taught it. It doesn’t matter which way you choose as long as it is consistent throughout the piece. Either is acceptable and it is illustrated left or right first, depending on the author of the text you are using. My advice is to always stick with your own preference and inclination to avoid mixing the crosses. The chart designer is not the boss unless you are trying for an exact reproduction of an antique!