Neater Backing?

[JenJen]

ok, this is all good advice for not using knots! How would you start a piece without a knot, since there aren't any stitches to weave them into? Leave a small tail and weave them in after you've stitched a few? And I'm totally trying the one strand as two BMH suggested with the loop!

[blackmageheart]

How would you start a piece without a knot, since there aren't any stitches to weave them into? Leave a small tail and weave them in after you've stitched a few?

Sort of like that! You can leave a tail and do your first few stitches over it, if that makes sense. Sometimes I do that, it's quite neat! But I prefer to start with the loop thing and finish by running the thread under a few stitches. Of course, as I said previously, that only works if you want an even number of strands in your stitches. If you wanted to use an odd number of strands, then you'd have to do the tail thing

[Eliste]

ok, this is all good advice for not using knots! How would you start a piece without a knot, since there aren't any stitches to weave them into? Leave a small tail and weave them in after you've stitched a few? And I'm totally trying the one strand as two BMH suggested with the loop!

One way of starting is to go down from the top a short distance away from where you start and then come up in your first stitch. If you do this in the direction you are going to stitch, you'll actually stitch it right into place. You can knot it if it's going in the front and cut the knot off once it's secured.

I'm crap at explaining what I mean, but it's the technique used in most embroidery like crewel and there's plenty of guides showing what I mean out there. Like these- http://www.needlenthread.com/2008/09/be ... photo.html

[JenJen]

Ahh great! I will definitely try those! I'm not too bothered by the neatness of my stitching since they're usually framed and all but with gifts and bookmarks, neatness would be good.

[evilcarrot]

I have been cross stitching since I was a child (grandma taught me... she didn't have cable and I needed something to do at her house!) and I can't believe she never taught me this technique!!! I'm currently working on a project on 18 aida and it has a lot of colors where I just do a couple stitches and move on, and it's a MESS of knots back there! Also, I hate how bumpy it makes the project if you like to stick them to the tacky cardboard backing available at Michaels (or any backing in preparation for framing). I seriously can't believe I never knew about this... I can't wait to get off work so I can go home and try it out. Thank you soooo much!

/dramatic movie voice: As God as my witness, I will never tie knots again!