Marking Charts & Keeping Track of Stitching, etc.

I just posted about a chart I am interested in that I offered to pay
for -- even if it is a bit worn, etc. This made me think about how we
keep track of where we are in our stitching. I have tried the metal
plate with the magnets and that hasn't worked for MOI. I have also
tried those static stick thin plastic rectangles that you put on your
chart and that hasn't worked either. So I thought a discussion of what
we use to keep track of our stitching progress was in order.
I make WORKING COPIES of my charts on regular copy paper **FOR MY
USE ONLY**. I fold the paper in about fourths to show the area I am
working on and tape the paper to my frame or pin it to my fabric way out
on the edge. I use a red pen to color in the chart areas as I stitch
them. I also print the relevant symbols and floss # in open areas of
the chart so that I don't always have to keep looking at the legend.
Obviously, when I am finished, the copy is trash but my chart is unmarked.
So, let's hear what the rest of you do. CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

Tia Mary wrote:
I just posted about a chart I am interested in that I offered to pay
for -- even if it is a bit worn, etc. This made me think about how we
keep track of where we are in our stitching. I have tried the metal
plate with the magnets and that hasn't worked for MOI. I have also
tried those static stick thin plastic rectangles that you put on your
chart and that hasn't worked either. So I thought a discussion of what
we use to keep track of our stitching progress was in order.
I make WORKING COPIES of my charts on regular copy paper **FOR MY USE
ONLY**. I fold the paper in about fourths to show the area I am working
on and tape the paper to my frame or pin it to my fabric way out on the
edge. I use a red pen to color in the chart areas as I stitch them. I
also print the relevant symbols and floss # in open areas of the chart
so that I don't always have to keep looking at the legend. Obviously,
when I am finished, the copy is trash but my chart is unmarked.
So, let's hear what the rest of you do. CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

Hhhmmm....I never really thought about that. I just look at the chart
and work directly from it. I don't mark what I've stitched - never
occurred to me to do that - maybe because it's an extra step that would
take time away from stitching and hardly have enough time as it is!

I guess I just look at what I've stitched, find it on the chart and move
along.

MelissaD

"Tia Mary" wrote in message
...
I just posted about a chart I am interested in that I offered to pay
for -- even if it is a bit worn, etc. This made me think about how we
keep track of where we are in our stitching. I have tried the metal plate
with the magnets and that hasn't worked for MOI. I have also tried those
static stick thin plastic rectangles that you put on your chart and that
hasn't worked either. So I thought a discussion of what we use to keep
track of our stitching progress was in order.
I make WORKING COPIES of my charts on regular copy paper **FOR MY USE
ONLY**. I fold the paper in about fourths to show the area I am working
on and tape the paper to my frame or pin it to my fabric way out on the
edge. I use a red pen to color in the chart areas as I stitch them. I
also print the relevant symbols and floss # in open areas of the chart so
that I don't always have to keep looking at the legend. Obviously, when I
am finished, the copy is trash but my chart is unmarked.
So, let's hear what the rest of you do. CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

I do the same -- make a working copy and then highlight as I go along. It's
also my way then of doublechecking that I haven't accidentally skipped a
stitch or a row. The magnet board contraption didn't work for me, either.
Plus, with the smaller folded working copy I can paperclip (ok, plastic
stitch clip) it to the edge of the fabric in my scroll rods for very easy
viewing. Not to mention, now that my eyes are 40 years old, sometimes it's
difficult to see smaller confetti patterns so I usually blow up my working
copies to a readable size.

Jinx

Jinx

On Feb 2, 8:54*am, MelissaD wrote:
Tia Mary wrote:
* *I just posted about a chart I am interested in that I offered to pay
for -- even if it is a bit worn, etc. *This made me think about how we
keep track of where we are in our stitching. *I have tried the metal
plate with the magnets and that hasn't worked for MOI. *I have also
tried those static stick thin plastic rectangles that you put on your
chart and that hasn't worked either. *So I thought a discussion of what
we use to keep track of our stitching progress was in order.
* *I make WORKING COPIES of my charts on regular copy paper **FOR MY USE
ONLY**. *I fold the paper in about fourths to show the area I am working
on and tape the paper to my frame or pin it to my fabric way out on the
edge. *I use a red pen to color in the chart areas as I stitch them. *I
also print the relevant symbols and floss # in open areas of the chart
so that I don't always have to keep looking at the legend. Obviously,
when I am finished, the copy is trash but my chart is unmarked.
* So, let's hear what the rest of you do. *CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ * (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at *http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

Hhhmmm....I never really thought about that. *I just look at the chart
and work directly from it. *I don't mark what I've stitched - never
occurred to me to do that - maybe because it's an extra step that would
take time away from stitching and hardly have enough time as it is!

I guess I just look at what I've stitched, find it on the chart and move
along.

MelissaD- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Ooooh, this is an interesting topic. Good tips from Tia Mary and I'm
in
awe of Melissa D to discover she doesn't need to keep track.

I also found those static cling square thingys not to work. I use
different
colored highlighters. It helps me keep track. I use a different
color each
day or each rotation. This lets me know how much I do each time and
also gives me an idea of how much I might get done next time and so
on.

mag

On Feb 2, 10:15�am, Tia Mary wrote:
� � I just posted about a chart I am interested in that I offered to pay
for -- even if it is a bit worn, etc. �This made me think about how we
keep track of where we are in our stitching. �I have tried the metal
plate with the magnets and that hasn't worked for MOI. �I have also
tried those static stick thin plastic rectangles that you put on your
chart and that hasn't worked either. �So I thought a discussion of what
we use to keep track of our stitching progress was in order.
� � I make WORKING COPIES of my charts on regular copy paper **FOR MY
USE ONLY**. �I fold the paper in about fourths to show the area I am
working on and tape the paper to my frame or pin it to my fabric way out
on the edge. �I use a red pen to color in the chart areas as I stitch
them. �I also print the relevant symbols and floss # in open areas of
the chart so that I don't always have to keep looking at the legend.
Obviously, when I am finished, the copy is trash but my chart is unmarked..
� �So, let's hear what the rest of you do. �CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ � (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at �http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

Interesting subject. The metal plate with magnets does
work for me. However if I'm stitching from a chart in a
magazine I'll make a copy and work from the copy.
Somehow I managed to work "How Great Thou Art"
from a book without making a working copy. Since it
was in colors I wasn't sure how well the colors would
copy. I have a feeling when I get started on the fractal
bookmark I might be marking a copy of the chart.

Nancy

Interesting topic.
I usually don't plan to stitch the same thing twice, so I just work from,
mark up, (and eventually pretty much wreck, if they are printed on regular
weight paper) my original chart. I find the metallic board and magnets work
well for most charts for me, and I like that I can frame a particular area
and focus on it.

Sometimes I do make working copies, especially if a chart is large and/or
awkward, if it is in a book that won't sit open nicely, or if a stitching
area is awkwardly broken up over several pages--the working copy can be
taped together to make one area that is more logical for working purposes.
I tend to fold lighter weight charts (part of what leads to them being
wrecked!!) to either fit on my magnet board or nicely on my lap (I tend to
work "in hand" rather than using any sort of frame), and sometimes I will
make a copy of something which is large and printed on heavier stock so I
can fold it up.

Fairly often I change things on charts, especially wording, but sometimes
faces (badly charted faces with ugly profiles or poorly placed eyes are a
pet peeve of mine) so that usually means making a copy or two so I can work
out my changes, but sometimes I just pencil in what I want on the chart, or
use a bit where nothing is going on to work out what I need. I love
designers who add some extra blank grid to their charts so you can chart out
initials, dates etc. especially for samplers.

I have enough charts in my stash to go on and on for years, without worrying
about preserving ones I've used. Working copies of mine never survive in
any usable form.

Dawne

On 2/2/2010 10:15 AM, Tia Mary wrote:
I just posted about a chart I am interested in that I offered to pay
for -- even if it is a bit worn, etc. This made me think about how we
keep track of where we are in our stitching. I have tried the metal
plate with the magnets and that hasn't worked for MOI. I have also tried
those static stick thin plastic rectangles that you put on your chart
and that hasn't worked either. So I thought a discussion of what we use
to keep track of our stitching progress was in order.
I make WORKING COPIES of my charts on regular copy paper **FOR MY USE
ONLY**. I fold the paper in about fourths to show the area I am working
on and tape the paper to my frame or pin it to my fabric way out on the
edge. I use a red pen to color in the chart areas as I stitch them. I
also print the relevant symbols and floss # in open areas of the chart
so that I don't always have to keep looking at the legend. Obviously,
when I am finished, the copy is trash but my chart is unmarked.
So, let's hear what the rest of you do. CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

Like Melissa, I find that I do not need to mark my charts to follow them
- unless it is an extremely complicated one!

Other than that, I only make working copies if the original is small
print, and then I enlarge it. On normal print ones where the symbols &
floss color are on the BACK of the chart, I have made a copy/enlargement
of that.

--
^..^ This is Kitty. Copy and paste Kitty into your signature to help
her wipe out Bunny's world domination.
--
The ONE and ONLY
lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy
former-blonde in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)©
email me at nalee1964 (at) comcast (dot) net
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep

"Tia Mary" how we keep track of where we are in our stitching. I have tried
the metal
plate with the magnets and that hasn't worked for MOI. I have also
tried those static stick thin plastic rectangles that you put on your
chart and that hasn't worked either. So I thought a discussion of what
we use to keep track of our stitching progress was in order.
I make WORKING COPIES of my charts on regular copy paper **FOR MY
USE ONLY**. I fold the paper in about fourths to show the area I am
working on and tape the paper to my frame or pin it to my fabric way out
on the edge. I use a red pen to color in the chart areas as I stitch
them. I also print the relevant symbols and floss # in open areas of
the chart so that I don't always have to keep looking at the legend.
Obviously, when I am finished, the copy is trash but my chart is unmarked.
So, let's hear what the rest of you do. CiaoMeow ^;;^

I'm a sucker for a working copy too - and I use a few coloured pencils to
mark off where I've been and where I'm going. For complicated charts, or
for things like etuis I will often have my working copies spiral bound (it
was bliss working in a place that had all the equipment) so I have the whole
project in one booklet which I can colour in and scribble on to my heart's
content. For the detailed areas I enlarge the pertinent bit - and that can
be bound in so it is all at hand.
Being a Virgo I'm also fussy about the coloured pencils I use - I only like
some fancy ones from Art Shops that have wonderfully soft and flowing
'leads', but beware of getting the pencil near fabric - only happened once -
and I have learned to love the mark!

Joanne in Perth, Western Australia where we have a wonderfully cool breather
after a ghastly hot January.

On Feb 2, 10:15*am, Tia Mary wrote:
* * I just posted about a chart I am interested in that I offered to pay
for -- even if it is a bit worn, etc. *This made me think about how we
keep track of where we are in our stitching. *I have tried the metal
plate with the magnets and that hasn't worked for MOI. *I have also
tried those static stick thin plastic rectangles that you put on your
chart and that hasn't worked either. *So I thought a discussion of what
we use to keep track of our stitching progress was in order.
* * I make WORKING COPIES of my charts on regular copy paper **FOR MY
USE ONLY**. *I fold the paper in about fourths to show the area I am
working on and tape the paper to my frame or pin it to my fabric way out
on the edge. *I use a red pen to color in the chart areas as I stitch
them. *I also print the relevant symbols and floss # in open areas of
the chart so that I don't always have to keep looking at the legend.
Obviously, when I am finished, the copy is trash but my chart is unmarked..
* *So, let's hear what the rest of you do. *CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ * (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at *http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

I normally just work from the chart and like Melissa I have no trouble
following it.

But occasionally I run into a chart with symbols that are too similar
or are just too dense. For those I make a working copy and use one
color highlighter to mark what I have stitched. And another color to
mark anything I have missed.

Donna in Virginia

P.S. Anyone need some snow? It seems we have plenty to spare here with
more on the way.

Donna ) writes:
Donna in Virginia

P.S. Anyone need some snow? It seems we have plenty to spare here with
more on the way.

VANOC, the Vancouver Olympic Committee. On Cypress Mountain. The weather
is far too warm in BC, and all the snow has melted for events like ski
cross, moguls and aerials. They claim there is enough higher on the
mountain that they can truck down in time for the events. We will see. Jim.