Cleaning up the back of a stitch?

[Jack Lias]

This may not seem like something to be worrying about, but it's a huge problem. I've just started stitching (still working on my first pattern), and the back of the stitch is making things more complicated. It looks messy and there're knots everywhere that makes both finding the holes, and sticking the needle through, a real pain.

I mean, what is this unholy mess? What am I doing wrong? How can I make the back a little more... presentable, both to look at and to work with?

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/26 ... orths.jpg/

Thanks. :3

[Servotron]

This thread here: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=4296 deals with some of the problems you have and should be helpful.

[Jack Lias]

I didn't want to post in an old thread, so I'll ask this here: If I decide to use the method where I run the thread under other pieces of thread, do I still knot the thread to start it?

[Servotron]

Nope, just leave a bit hanging and sew over it to anchor it.

[Jack Lias]

Wow. Okay, yeah. I can certainly see the difference. Only one problem remains, and that's what I do when I have to jump from one part of the canvas to another with the same color. Do I cut and start a new piece of floss, or do I just run a piece of floss all the way along the back from Point A to Point B?

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/14 ... orths.jpg/

[gamerwolff]

you could do either one. Personally I have a rule...if it's more than 10 squares away in any direction I anchor and start at the next point. If it's a short distance say 6 squares away and I have enough length of thread its really not going to make a difference I just keep on stitching.

[Servotron]

On my projects, I only jump to a new area if it is a small distance away, where it wouldn't be worth stopping and starting.

[Sheepish]

I jump a long distance if there is stitching I can pass my thread under on the way to the next area, or if there will be stitching there later that I can stitch over the long jump stitch. However, if I'm doing long jumps I prefer to have my project in a hoop (which I rarely use otherwise) so that it doesn't pull too tight.

[gamerwolff]

I jump a long distance if there is stitching I can pass my thread under on the way to the next area, or if there will be stitching there later that I can stitch over the long jump stitch. However, if I'm doing long jumps I prefer to have my project in a hoop (which I rarely use otherwise) so that it doesn't pull too tight.

That's a very good point! I did forget to add that I always stitch with my canvas taut. I use a Q-snap for my stitching but if you are planning to skip to a new area I would suggest keeping your canvas tight so that you don't tug on your fabric in one specific place.

An example of this would be when you are completely done with the project but it won't lay flat due to the skip strand being too short for the area it has crossed. I did this once and ended up just severing the strand and anchoring at the end and at the area that was jumped to! any method is fine and making choices for your own projects is what makes each stitched piece unique!

[Krysta]

I do the same, but I also don't cross over when I have a lot of different colors in a small area. Because the back will get a bit thicker with all those single stitches anchoring to other stitches. And I don't want to add more thickness if it can be avoided. However, this does not occur very often as I tend to avoid projects like that. Only the project I'm doing now has this, because I found it to be too beautiful to pass on (plan on posting a WIP tomorrow, so you'll see what I mean).