Greetings Stitchers,

Can’t believe we’re already at the end of October, but we do have one more session of FAQ’s with Janet Perry.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found her answers really helpful.  Let’s see what up for today.

Dear Janet,

I love needlepoint and have always bought kits.  I keep drooling over those handpainted canvases in my LNS, but I’m overwhelmed by the prices.  Can you explain why do those handpainted canvases cost so much?

Janet answers:

Excellent question.  I know a lot of needlepointers have wondered the same thing.

Hand-painting a needlepoint canvas is a time-consuming process and one which isn’t as easy as it looks.  Trust me, I’ve learned to paint canvases three different times, learning from some of the best in the business, and I can now make, with difficulty, a canvas I can stitch from, but which isn’t nearly good enough to sell.

Behind every hand-painted canvas there is a painter who puts every bit of paint on the canvas. Depending on the design size and complexity this can take, literally, hours.

Just like a hand-sewn dress is more expensive than one you buy at the store, so a hand-painted canvas is more expensive than one which is printed.

Besides the cost of labor to produce the canvas, the materials are more expensive. A canvas in a kit often uses low-quality interlock canvas, which is cheap. The hand-painted canvas uses thick, more expensive mono canvas.  They also use more expensive acrylic paints and brushes.

When you put all the time and materials together you pretty much have a one of a kind product.   Even though the canvas design may be reproduced for multiple shops, the actual product has been created by hand each time.

Hope you’ll decide to try a painted canvas.  It will open up a whole new world of needlepoint for you.

Janet

Dear Janet,

I see a lot of canvases that have little sparkles scattered thoughout the paint.  It’s not a specifc shape or pattern, just sparkles.  What I am supposed to do?

Dear Stitcher,

I know the feeling. The sparkles make the canvas so appealing. The first time I stitched a canvas like this I used metallic in the sparkly area and I HATED it. The shine of the metallic thread made this area stand out too much.

You want sparkle here, just not the amount of sparkle from metallics. Happily for us, there are many threads made these days which are combination of metallics and other threads. These threads are just perfect for areas like this. Some of the threads you might choose are:
Vineyard Silks Shimmer (Vineyard Silks)
Sparkle Rays (Rainbow Gallery)
Neon Rays Plus (Rainbow Gallery)
Frosty Rays & Frosty Rays Petite  (Rainbow Gallery)
Hi-Lites  (Rainbow Gallery)
Sprinkles (Renaissance Designs)
Ribbon Floss Shimmer (YLI)

But what do you do if you can’t find a sparkly thread like these in a color which matches the area?

Then it’s time to make your own thread.  Begin by finding the color you want in  thread you like. I prefer stranded threads for this part as it gives you more control over the thickness of the thread.

Then find a thin metallic metallic thread which is a close match. For these I like Kreinik Very Fine (#4) braid, Rainbow Gallery’s Sparkle Braid, Treasure Braid Petite, or  Treasure Braid #4 . Do not use blending filament, it’s not strong enough for needlepoint.

Replace one (if stitching on 18 mesh) or two (if stitching on 13 or 14 mesh) strands of the non-metallic thread with the metallic. Now you get that same sparkle in the color you want.

If you want even less sparkle, consider using the sparkly or blended thread for only some of the stitch. Combine Ribbon Floss with Ribbon Floss Shimmer, Neon Rays with Neon Rays Plus, Flair with Frosty Rays, or Vineyard Silk Classic with Vineyard Silk Shimmer. This is particularly effective for stitches made in rows.

Don’t let those sparkles intimidate you.  They make a great accent to your design.

Janet

Janet, I really relate to the question about the cost of handpainted canvases–even as a shop owner myself.  I know many customers experience sticker shock when they want to move on from inexpensive kits to handpainted canvases.

One of the things I try to do as a shop owner is to carry canvases in a variety of price ranges.  Also a smaller project is certainly going to be less expensive than a large one. 

A seasonal  ornament or door hanger (something like a Welcome sign) is a reasonably priced *Beginner* project.  Also the price of the canvas is going to go up according to the detail of the design. 

A canvas with a simple pattern and lots of background will cost less than one with the entire canvas painted.  If you’re worried that the background will be boring, I suggest trying a decorative stitch, like a mosaic stitch, or add your own border!

If you’re really dying to do that expensive Christmas stocking, talk to you LNS about lay-a-way.  I make it a practice to offer lay-a-way on all my painted canvases.

Also, I love the suggestions about the sparkles on a canvas.  Can’t wait to try your technique out.

Janet, thanks for all your answers and time helping our fellow stitchers.

We’ll still be. . .

Thinking of Stitching. . .

Caroline

Hey Stitchers, This is exactly a Virginia event, but if we like to stitch I bet we like to travel to needlework events.

This is the 6th annual WinterFelt Quilt and Craft Show held at Hilton, Columbia in Columbia, Maryland on Saturday, November 10, 2007 from 9 am to 4 pm.

In addition to quilt displays, the show has added “Threads to Creativity” Needlework Contest.  this is not a juried contest, but all items submitted must be in finished form.

WinterFest is a fund raiser, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Howard County’s Cold Weather Shelter.

Sounds like a fun Saturday!

For more information visit their website at http://www.locustquiltandcraft.com/

We’ll be missing “Itching for Stitching” today since my husband and I will be going up to Smith Mountain Lake.  We’ve rented a cabin to celebrate his 71st birthday and my son Jerome’s 21st.  We’re also past due celebrating Charles’ 22nd birthday.

I’ve never been to Smith Mountain Lake, VA before and I’ve always wanted to go there.  One nice feature is that this puts us halfway between Ferrum College where Charles attends and Lynchburg College where Jerome attends.

I was really lucky to get on-line and find a cabin called Cedar Keys which is pet friendly.  That means we can take our little (well, not so little) shop mascot, Bennie.  He just adores traveling now, and I think he’ll love all the mountain smells.

One of the reasons this weekend works out so well is that Ferrum College is having their Folk Festival Weekend.  We’ve been told it’s a lot of fun, and I can’t imagine a better time of year to be in the mountains.  Charles’ favorite event is the Coon Dog Race.

 Believe it or not, when I was in Indianapolis for TNNA a couple of years ago,  one of the waiters I talked with remembered living in Roanoke and going to the Folk Festival.  His favorite event was also the Coon Dog Race. 

I guess when you live in the country like we do, strange things can become most entertaining.

Anyway, just in time for this trip I placed an order with Suzanne’s Knitting Shoppe of Lynchburg, VA.   You all know I’m a needlepointer, not a knitter-but we’ll be on the road a lot the next week or two and it’s a lot easier for me to knit in the truck/car than to needlepoint .

When we started taking the boys back and forth to college their Freshman year I deecided it would be a great time to start knitting again. 

. . . and I always see these fantastic projects when I go to TNNA.

A few years ago I had met Suzanne Fetherstone, of Suzannes’s Knitting, on the shuttle from Long Beach to LA.  We got talking and that’s how I found out she had a shop in Lynchburg, VA .

So when I wanted to knit a throw I called her up.  She told me about the “AB FAB” kit from Collinette and I immediately ordered one from her.  It took me a lot longer to stitch than it should have, but it was my car project.

Can’t wait to get in the truck to mountains and start knitting. But you can rest assured I’ll also have a needlepoint project with me too.  (And I might have embroidery and punchneedle and who knows what else!)

Ah, Thinking of Stitching. . .

Caroline
 

Welcome to Answers from Janet!

I hope everyone has been enjoying Janet’s insightful tips into needlepoint.  I know I have.

Let’s see what *hot topics* we have today.

Dear Janet,  What can you tell me colofastness, especially with all the overdyed threads available? I worry about wet blocking. I love the overdyes, but often hesitate to use them.

Signed:  An Overdye Worrier

Janet’s Reply:

Some companies are good about making colorfast threads, others are bad.  Some companies, especially makers of hand-dyed threads, note that their threads are not colorfast. Others do not.

Darker colors have more dye and are less colorfast than lighter colors. Because of environmental laws in the US, reds are also not colorfast.

You can check the fastness of any thread before use.  Do this by making the thread  completely wet, squeeze out the excess water and put it on a white paper towel to dry. Is there dye on the paper? If not, it’s colorfast.

Sometimes threads have not been washed sufficiently and this is why they don’t seem colorfast.

The first thing to do is to rinse the thread until the water is clear. This removes the excess dye. Then use baby shampoo and wash the thread.  Rinse again until the water is clear. Lert dry and test for colorfastness.

If it still runs, you’ll have to either dry block it or set the dye. The best thing to do before setting your threads is to spend some quality time looking at sites about dyeing to find out what method works best with what fiber.

There are two methods to do this. One is to put some vinegar into a bowl with water and soak the threads. Wash the vinegar out and retest.

The other is to heat set the dye. Wet the thread again and cook it, in a bowl, in the  microwave. Let cool and test again.

It is also possible that neither of these methods will work. Then you will have to dry block. I keep a mental list of thread brands which are not colorfast and am careful about how to use them.

Hope this eases your mind about hand-dyed threads and you will be more confidant using them!

Janet

Dear Janet,

  I always thought you did needlepoint holding it in your hand, but I just took a class at my LNS and was taught to always use a frame.  The different types were demonstrated in class.  Do I really need a frame? It seems like a pretty big investment so how do I decide what type to get?

Signed:  Framing Up?

Dear Stitcher,
It is a big investment and, strictly speaking, one you don’t have to have. BUT stitching on a frame in a stand is easier, less fatiguing, and looks better.

You will love stitching on a frame. The frame refers properly to the stretcher bars, scroll frame, or QSnaps which hold the canvas.

The stand is the thing which holds the frame and sits on the floor, in your lap, or on a table. Before investing in one, you should think about how and where you stitch to narrow your choices and then try at the shop before you buy.

First, think about where you stitch. Do you stitch at a table? Then you won’t want a floor stand. Do you sit in a recliner? Then you can’t use  floor frame with a center post. Do you stitch in bed? Then you need a lap stand.

Second, think about the frames you use? Do you use thick (Evertites, QSnaps) or thin (mini stretcher bars) frames? Be sure the clamp on your frame will fit them. Do you already have scroll frames? Some stands can only use their own scroll frame.

Third, do you travel for business, pleasure, or for classes? Then you want a lightweight frame which works on  a table.

This should have narrowed down the list. Now you need to try some out. One way is to take a class at a shop. Often they provide frames for the students. Another way is to bring a piece on a frame to your shops and ask to try the frames they have there. A final possibility is to borrow a frame from a friend.

Always stitch on a stand before you buy it. People’s stitching styles are different and what may work for your best friend might not work for you. I’ve owned six different stands (and tried many others). I only use two these days and have gotten rid of all the rest.

Finally some frames are convertible. For example, you can buy a different bottom for a Lowry which converts it from a floor stand to a table stand. This can make your investment more useful.

A stand is one of the best stitching accessories you can buy. The time you spend doing research is well worth it to get the right stand for you.

Good luck in your search for the *right stand*.  Janet

Janet, thanks again for your informative answers.  The question about colorfastness comes up all the time.  Unfortunately with hand-dyed threads there is no easy answer, but you have offered some great tips.

A few other points I like to mention to customers are:

1.  Work on a frame.  It keeps your needlepoint from distorting and can eliminate the need for blocking.

2.  Wash your hands before stitching if at all possible and keep the project covered when not being stitched.  This helps keeps the piece clean.  I often store my projects in old pillow cases.  Again, if the work is clean and not distorted, the need for blocking can be eliminated.

3.  When your piece is ready for finishing, be sure to discuss with your shop owner or finisher what hand-dyed threads you have used especially if the threads were not tested for colorfastness in advance.  This way special handling can be discussed with the finisher and a decision made about whether or not to use wet blocking.

I have a lovely canvas of an Adirondeck chair from Designing Women which I did a number of years ago.  Since it had a lot of light colors in it, I decided to wash & block it before framing.  Well, my yellow and gold flowers bled into the sky.  Fortunately it wasn’t too bad and I had it framed anyway, but I now remember to test my hand-dyes before I stitch.

About frames, I agree with you completely.  It’s like buying a car.  You wouldn’t buy one without test driving it first.  I keep several styles of frames and stands on display so that customers can try them out. 

If customers have never used a frame before, I start them with basic stretcher bars–a minimal investment–and encourage them to get used to that first.  As they get more experience working on a frame, they will gradually get a feel for the best type of stand.

I’m like you, Janet, I have progressed through several types of stands over the years and have settled on two favorites.  I switch from a floor stand to a lap stand depending a lot on my project and where I’m stitching.

 When traveling and can’t carry all my stitching gear, I’ll find innovative ways to get get around not having a stand.  Heaven forbid missing a chance to stitch!

Again, thanks, Janet, and

Thinking of Stitching. . .

Caroline

 Meeting 4–Itching for Stitching Club

Today was Halloween Stitching Day and I was lucky to come up with just what the girls ordered—a Halloween Pumpkin Bag.

Of course, I figured this out from “scratch” and winging it, but that’s what makes embroidery so much fun. 

 I had done something similar years ago for a birthday party for my sons except I had made the bags by machine. So I figured *being experienced*, it would be an easy transition to hand embroidery Pumpkin Bags.

Well, not quite so.  My first challenge was finding good orange felt.  This close to Halloween it was all sold out.  I found a few pre-cut pieces, but the store only had five orange and how was I to give one girl a yellow pumpkin.  Sigh.  What to do?!

Thank goodness for friends.  I phoned my dear friend, Leonora, and was explaining my dilemma when she said, *I have orange felt!”* Who has orange felt sitting around?  Leonora, of course!

So I journeyed up to Ruther Glen, VA and, sure enough, not only does she have orange felt, it’s the good stuff, too! And she has green felt which she decides we could braid the green for the handles.  Too cute!

Better yet, Leonora has gone beyond the call of duty.  She has hand sewn a pumpkin for all the girls in the club.  It’s so cute.  It’s tiny with a little green felt *stem* and a bear glued on the top.  She just *whipped* it up!

Last class, I introduced Thread Bear as the club Mascot—so it only fits that Leonora had made “Beary, Beary” nice pumpkins.

Now, after the girls *oohed & aahed* over their mini-mascots, I explained that my friend had made them  just after celebrating her 90th Birthday.

Their eyes got big as saucers., especially since an earlier discussion had to do with how old their Mom’s were.  Don’t ask me how that topic came up–but I just kept quiet –because I knew if they asked my age they’d decide I was ancient in comparision.

It was neat how all the girls told the parents picking them up—“This is our Mascot and a lady 90  years old made them!”

I loved it when Erin announced, “We should send her a thank you note!  Maybe make a heart!”

The girls worked really hard to finish their pumpkins.  It was a lot of work, but all in all it went well.

I was pleased to see that they were discussing what kind of stitches to use and making their own decisions about which stitches they liked.

Everyone was quite animated and there seemed to be limitless topics of discussion. Ghost stories and scary movies were the main topics.  Anna is quite a master of telling scary tales. Where to go Trick or Treating was also a hot topic.  Anika informed us how you can go out in the morning to shops in Ashland (she remembered going to Ashland Tea and Coffey in particular) and at night go to your neighborhood or church.

  There was also a conversation about the ease of pre-school (no homework) vs the workload at Gandy.  It’s that homework that gets you every time!

I also caught bits and pieces of a conversation about how Elvis died.  Again, I don’t have a clue how that got started.  I didn’t even think they’d know who Elvis was, much less that he was dead.

Then there was a big debate about what movie ratings they could watch and who had seen what rating.  Thank goodness my sons have reached 21!  (One is actually 22 and the other will turn 21 on October 28th)  Hang in there parents, it goes very fast!

In the meantime, I am thrilled to teach young girls to learn about needlework.  Those of us who are in the needlework industry, guilds, and consider ourselves serious stitchers worry about needlework becoming a lost art.

It’s a source of creativity that can’t come from the mall or a computer screen.  There’s a personal sense of satisfaction that you have created something lasting.  No delete button can take away the stitches you have put into a piece of needlework.  Thank goodness!

Hope you’ve enjoyed hearing about our Pumpkin Project!

Thinking of Stitching. . .

Caroline

Scotchtown, home of Patrick Henry, in Hanover County, Virginia is hosting a *Haunted History* event on Saturday, October 27 from 6 to 8 pm. 

This event will include tours and tales of this historic home, along with a history of Halloween and its traditions. 

Be prepared if some of these tales are of a *ghostly* nature, and perhaps there might be a *visit* from Patrick Henry himself. 

There is a special event fee of $5.00 per person

Scotchtown is located at 16120 Chiswell Lane (just off of Scotchtown Road), Beaverdam, VA, approximately 10 miles west of Ashland in western Hanover County.

For more information, call 804-227-3500

 Just wanted to remind everyone, The Needlework Show runs October 17th – 22nd.

If you’re not familiar with the show, it’s an on-line trade show which allows consumers to visit the site and select items they would like to purchase.

Since the show is for the wholesale trade, you can’t purchase directly on-line, but you will be directed to participating shops who can place orders for you.

The web site is www.theneedleworkshow.com and there will be a consumer page where you can visit all the great vendors.

I won’t be ordering on the first day so you’ll have almost a week to get in touch if you’d like me to order something for you.

Hope everyone is enjoying The Armchair Chef’s Halloween Countdown.

In case you’ve been wondering, my recipe is now posted, and to get those taste buds going, it’s Pumpkin Crunch Cake. 

Hope everyone is *Thinking of Stitching* . . .

Caroline

 

Welcome to Itching for Stitching News—

We just had our 3^rd club meeting and, boy, the girls were ready to roll.

My mistake of the day, though, was being a few minutes late.  Well, I wasn’t really late, but the girls got to the gym first and I guess they felt like they had been waiting forever.

So the first question was—“Hey what took you so long?”  Oops!  My shop helper (husband Charlie) had better be early next week so I’m not late again!

Today  I wanted to teach the BackStitch and get tthe girls started using the stitches they had learned to follow a specific outline.  To do this I designed a Needle Case out of felt with a flower drawn on the front and they could pick whatever outline stitch they wanted to use.

I was really pleased to hear that the girls had practiced some stitches on their own at home.  Threading the needle without a needle threader still presents a challenge so they were really happy to see my needle threader—or the “Cheater” as they love to call it.

Before teaching the backstitch, I thought I would “educate” them a little about embroidery floss explaining how it is *6 ply* and you can separate it to use just 2 or 3 ply to make finer designs.

Well, they were really jumping ahead today.  Before I knew it, Anna declared that she was using 2 threads and had somehow managed to get both full strands into her needle.  Someone else chimed in and said, *I’m going to take a chance and go for 2 threads too!*

 

Next they all had 12 ply of floss in their needles. Now if you’re not a stitcher, this may not mean a thing—but that’s a lot of thread to yank through fabric.  They weren’t deterred, but after a while I suggested we go back to one strand of 6 ply.

 

When I went back to explaining about separating floss, their eyes almost popped out when I demonstrated  how to tap the end of the thread, find 6 little strands and pull them apart. (A couple of more *experienced*stitchers already knew this trick).

 

One of the things that really made my day was one of the girls bringing in her girl scout book and asking if I could teach her the stitches listed. 

 One of the stitches listed was a French Knot.  I showed her French Knots on my needle case so she’d know what they looked like & another gal, Emma, pipes up, “Just looks like a bunch of knots to me!” 

French knots will be fun to teach–I think I’d better find out why they’re called French Knots.  Someone is bound to ask!

Halloween Project:  Now we’re getting *serious*.  The girls saw the black felt I had brought & with a gleam in their eyes wanted to know if we were going to do something for Halloween. 

 I told them my plan was to start on their totes next week, but if they wanted to do “Halloween”, I could do that.  Now, Emma speaks up—*This could be a problem, we don’t know if everyone believes in Halloween.  Who believes in Halloween?*  (A show of Hands confirms all are *believers*) 

 

Now that we have this confirmation I ask what they would prefer to work on next week.  A little discussion ensues.  Another vote is taken and—Halloween it is!  Gotta figure out a project fast—Funny thing is, I had been thinking about a pumpkin bag earlier, but didn’t see the fabric I wanted when in the store.

 

Mom’s and Dad’s, you’ll love this.  Somehow, the girls got discussing where they can buy this “stuff”—meaning the felt we were using–but they seemed to know you can get it at Wal-Mart and Michaels.  Then they had to debate where you get it cheaper (See Dad’s you’ve got professional shoppers in the making!)

 

Finally we’re stitching our needle cases & a converation arises about why the backs look messy.  I assure them it’s ok—it’s only the back—nobody sees it (and they’ve got plenty of years ahead to get neurotic about backs! We serious stitchers do develop *hang-ups* about things like the back of our work.) 

 

Anyway, after a while, Erin,  who started the conversation, sdeclares,  *I think my back looks like Witches Stew*!  I cracked up.  Later she was playing with some loose threads on the back of her case & added—*This looks like the steam from the witches stew!*

 

Eventually the conversation shifted as the girls startd talking about who and what they wanted to make things for.Isn’t that sweet! 

Then they started talking about some new computer characters/games.  Silly me, I didn’t have a clue, but I was told that it was ok because Anika’s Mom  has said it’s educational. 

By now the chatter is really animated (& that’s ok, Mom’s—stitching is a very social event). 

 

Still stitching away, Erin exclaims, *I don’t know how I got my stitch way over here! Oh well, I’ll make it a Star!”  What’s so cute is the way she managed to stitch and talk at the same time without looking at her work!I almost forgot to mention our Mascot.  I brought in our little Bear who has been sitting in my window at the shop.  She has been very bored and I thought she might like to be the Mascot.  She has a chair to sit in and a hoop to stitch with, some fabric and needle.  So I sat her on the table and made introductions, but I made the mistake of referring to her as Mr. Thread Bear.  Well, the girls noticed immediately that *Thread Bear* has lace around the neck & wanted to know why I had called her Mr..—Ooops again.

Then I got hit with the questions—*Why is there a needle in her Paw? Is she getting a shot?  Doesn’t it hurt her?* I tried to explain that it was the only way bears could hold needles! and, no, she wasn’t in pain.  Do you think they believed me?

 

I think we had a very successful day!  ‘Til next meeting . . .

 

Thinking of Stitching. . .

 

Caroline

Greetings, Stitchers!

It’s time to get a few more of  your FAQ’s answered by Janet Perry.  She really is a wealth of information.  Hope you found some helpful tips in her comments last week.

Dear Janet,  I have some Christmas ornaments that have stars and snowflakes painted on them like a cross.  In other words, the horizontal and vertical threads are painted in a metallic. 

I’m doing the surrounding area in a basketweave.  I’d like to use an upright cross stitch for the stars and snowflakes, but I’m not sure how to combine the two stitches. 

Should I put the upright crosses on top of the basketweave; and if I do, how do I keep track of the placement?   Any tips?

Dear Stitcher,

Your problem occurs because you have to have the diagonal stitches of the background meet up with the straight stitches of the cross.

There are two ways to address this problem for these kinds of backgrounds. The first is to stitch the entire background and then scatter the crosses throughout the background randomly.

If you don’t trust you ability to do this, leave yourself placemarkers for the crosses. Before you begin to stitch, make a mental note of how big the straight stitches on the snowflakes or stars are. Then stitch the background, only leaving open the center intersection of the snowflakes/stars.

Once the background is stitched, make the Upright Cross.  The two stitches which make up the cross should cross at the center of the lines left open and should be the length you noted.

Because you stitched over the straight arms of the star, you won’t be left with upsightly gaps and you won’t have to make decisions about where to place the stars.  The crosses will sit up a little from the background, which will make them pretty.

I like this technique especially with ribbon threads of all types.  They sit a bit flatter and fuller than rounded threads.

Hey Janet,

First thanks for taking time to answer our questions.  Now here’s my dilemma.

 I like to buy painted canvases with stitch guides, but they usually call for exotic threads that my LNS doesn’t carry. Sometimes even when the shop carries the thread, so little is used from each skein that I can hardly justify the cost.

My shop always tries to help me makes substitutions, but I feel compelled to use exactly what’s in the stitch guide.  It’s the picture with the stitch guide that has sold me on the canvas, and, obviously, I want to get a smiliar result.  Any suggestions for making substitutions?

Signed:  Substitution Fanatic

Dear Stitcher,

No need to be a *Substitution Fanatic*!

Your shop owner often is familiar enough with threads that she can suggest good substitutes. But I know the feeling and it can be frustrating.

Here are the guidelines I use when doing my own substitutions:

1. The color is the first consideration, closely followed by the texture. Picking a different color in a different thread is more likely to throw off the balance of colors in the piece than choosing a different texture.

2. Solid color floss brands and stranded silk brands are interchangeable with each other.  If you want to try silk, for example, you can substitute stranded silk, like Splendor or Needlepoint, Inc., for embroidery floss.

3, Don’t substitute an overdyed thread for a solid color unless you are sure of what you are  doing. It often results in unpleasant diagonal lines. I’m working on a book (early 2008) which has strategies for overcoming this difficulty.

4, Don’t substitute a solid thread for an overdyed thread. The stitch guide writer picked this kind of thread for a reason, usually the variation in color or shade. You can, however, substitute one overdyed thread for another.

Overdyed threads vary greatly from company to company, from dyers within the company, and from fiber to fiber. Always buy enough of the overdyes to complete the project.

5. Most metallic threads are interchangeable, as long as you use the same weight.

6. If a stitch guide calls for only a little of a thread, look at the guide carefully. Is it for a group of canvases? Maybe the thread is used elsewhere.  Will it be part of a series? Then maybe the thread will be used again in another guide.

Is it a thread you are likely to use again? I find myself turning to the same thread so often for stitching eyes that I always have some on hand. If the answer to these questions is “no,” then think about the threads in your stash. Do you have something which is similar in color, texture, and weight? Use it.

Here’s something about my own approach to guides.  When I write a stitch guide I try to keep in mind the threads most shops typically stock. As much as possible, I use threads which are *standard*,  that is, they can be found in most shops or easily obtainable.

I also realize it’s impossible for a shop to stock everything. As a result, I put a resource list at the back of every guide.  It lists where you, or the shop owner, can find the threads used in the guide.

Finally, as a stitcher, I get frustrated with having to buy a whole skein of something for only a little bit. In my guides, I either use the thread for several canvases, suggest you use other threads from the canvases in the series, or suggest you use a thread from your stash. If I suggest a stash thread and texture is important, I’ll specify the type of stash thread you should use.

I love the idea of using threads from other parts of the series or canvas. This adds a charming little extra touch of consistency, because the reuse of the thread”echoes” its use elsewhere. It’s a tiny thing, almost unnoticeable, but it makes a bunch of canvases look like they belong together.

If you want to do a series of canvases of the same theme, doing this (repeating a particular thread), or using the same background thread ties them together so nicely, even if the canvases are stitched years apart.

Hope this take some of the stress out of substituting!

Janet

.Great tips, Janet!  Even as a shop owner, I can get really frustrated with substitutions because there are so many threads on the market.  One of the first things I try to help customers with is to realize it’s OK to substitute.  It’s great when all the threads happen to be readily available for one-stop shopping, but we need a “back-up plan” for when that’s not the case.

The other point I like to make is that the *Stitch Guide* is just that–it’s a guide.  So when we can’t get the exact threads, there are methods, as you have so expertly outlined for us, that can be used for successful substitutions.

I do have to add that after using stitch guides I have a great admiration for the talented designers who create them.  I always find myself going, *Wow! Who would have thought of that?*

Thanks, Janet!

Thinking of Stitching

Caroline

We had our second *Itching for Stitching* club meeting last Thursday at Gandy Elementary School.

As before the girls were a delight.  I was amazed at how quickly and seriously they settled down to start stitching

I was also impressed with what they remembered from the first class.  We reviewed the terms for the supplies used and various tips that I had shown them.

My needle threader is still *the cheater*, and they I love it.  I’d still like to teach them to thread the needle without needing the threader, but I don’t want them having to wait for help either.  So, we’ll use the *cheater* when necessary.

I think the girls are catching on that we’re stitching with *embroidery floss* NOT string.  But not to worry–I taught a class making Komas (a Japanese ornament) to a Randolph Macon sorority for a community service project and they insisted on calling their threads *string* too. 

Everyone has gotten to finish at least one bookmark and some girls got to start a second one.

It’s get to see their creativity.  We were practicing on our *doodle cloth* and what had been an eyeball the first session had become a flower the second.

My plan had been to teach the *Split Stitch* and the *Back Stitch* so we would have a selection of outline stitches.  Well, we had a change of plans mid-class.

Since one of the gals kept turning her split stitch into crosses, I decided it was probably a good idea to teach a Cross Stitch.  That gives them a little decorative stitch that can be randomly placed to fill up space or create a pattern.

I then showed them how to make a slightly larger Cross Stitch and put a smaller cross over the intersection to make a “Star”.

I also showed them a “Seed Stitch” which they caught onto pretty quickly because it’s randomly placed and can be different lengths.

Speaking of lengths, I have to share this incident from the first meeting.  I was demonstrating the Running Stitch where you go up and down at various intervals.  You want to try to keep the stitches similiar in length, but it doesn’t have to be precise. 

 I was trying to explain to the girls that stitch length really didn’t matter, but that wasn’t sufficient for one very thorough young lady who proceeded to ask, “So exactly how long do you mean, like maybe a centimeter?”  Now, I don’t think they had invented centimeters when I was in school so with probably a very dumb look on my face I was quick to reply *Sure, a centimeter is just fine*.

Knowing how *math illiterate* I am, my husband got a huge laugh out of that one.  (and  I’m still not admitting to them I don’t know what a centimeter is either!)

Looking forward to our next meeting and. . .

Thinking of Stitching!

Caroline