Of course, you can start stitching any time you wish but it officially begins today. Please check out Jo’s blog for news. Also, I want to thank The Stitchery Nook, and Jo, for setting this all up.
I started stitching on my piece very early this morning. I’m not sure how the photos will show up (probably as good as any I take!) because it was still not daylight when I took them but this is such a fun stitch. I love the variegated color of the Sweet Potato floss. I love the Moss too. I love all colors! 🙂
I don’t normally do this but hoping it might help some who are newer than I am to cross stitching, I measured down to where I wanted to begin stitching from the top and over from the left edge and ran a basting thread. No matter how many times I measure, I always second guess where I’m starting and the basting thread helps me not go back and count and re-count.
Where you start this or any piece is totally up to you. Jean Farish is a stitcher who freely offers lots of info and I trust her and love her videos. In this video, beginning at about 5:54, she talks about where we should start stitching. It’s a very “freeing” video. I’ll give you a spoiler – you can start anywhere you want!
There are multiple ways to start off the stitching. I will usually begin with a pin stitch. There are many videos out there about how to make the pin stitch. I would suggest you google it and watch two or three of them. They all show it a bit differently and they all explain it a bit differently. For me, it takes several “lessons” before something sinks in!
I will also do a bit of a running stitch behind other stitches to get started and to end. If I’ve already made stitches, I will run my needle through three or four of them to the right of where I’m working, then run the need back through three or four of them to the left (but not the same ones I previously rant through – go up a row or down a row).
There’s no real right or wrong way (except maybe making knots and I’m not even sure that’s totally wrong) so find a way that works for you, that makes you happy and go for it.
I was able to get part of the “B” pumpkin stitched, as well as the top stem.
I will probably stitch the letters last. I find that stitching them last makes them look more like they’re sitting on top of the other stitching . . like applique on fabric.
We have an appointment with the vet for Oscar’s checkup today so hopefully he’ll be tired when we get home and I can get some good stitching time in.
Kathy Henderson says
Hi Judy. I am curious as to which linen count you chose. The Stitchery Nook offered a few different ones. Also, are you stitching over one thread or two? I’m probably going to be comparing mine to yours and Jo’s, but I’m trying to figure out if it should look the same or different if we chose different linen. Thanks for your help!
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I’ll write a blog post about it right now.
Shauna Trueblood says
I am waiting for my floss to arrive. I was going to use DMC, but needed a couple of colors. When I went to order those I decided I wanted to use the weeks. Normally it is not a big deal to me, but I think variegation on the colors will look better. I have a couple of fabrics pulled, but I want to get the floss before I decide. If I don’t like any of them, I will try dying some white I have.