Marking Charts & Keeping Track of Stitching, etc.

"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 usually make a copy of the symbol/color page, stick that in a plastic
sleeve and prop it up somewhere in my line of vision.

Depending on the size of the chart, that too goes into a plastic sleeve and
if possible I like to use the magnetic page and the strip magnets for
marking my place. If it's too big for that, I have some heavy cardboard
pieces that I will use and then I have a see through ruler that I use to
keep my place. I hold the ruler in place with some heavy duty paper clips
to keep it from moving around unless I want it to.

Other times I do make a working copy, but I rarely use pens to mark
anything. I just don't feel that's safe in my working area, where I work
curled up in my loveseat with my feet on a hassock and everything perched
precariously on my bent knee.

At the moment I'm working on a Victoria Sampler band sampler that's in book
form so none of the above works. What I've been doing is using a 6"
bendable plastic ruler and holding it in place on the working page with
clips, but every time I need to look up the instructions for the next part,
or double check on how to do a stitch, I have to undo everything. A little
awkward, but I'm too lazy to set up something more efficient.

Not a pretty picture, but it works for me.

Well - it changes and varies all the time. I do nothing or next to nothing
on some charts to working copies with 20 different colors to keep track of
where I am....



Cheryl

On Feb 2, 9:15*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. *

Mostly I'm like Melissa and don't usually need any helps, other than
to enlarge some patterns for easier reading. If I get desperate, I
use post-it notes to keep track of where I am.

Joan

Joan E. wrote:
Mostly I'm like Melissa and don't usually need any helps, other than
to enlarge some patterns for easier reading. If I get desperate, I
use post-it notes to keep track of where I am.

Joan

I have thought about this and realized that, as my eyes have gotten
older, I need to have the chart closer. There are times when I am
stitching something small &/or not too involved and I will work from the
chart with no need to mark my place. BUT -- the chart is sitting on the
arm of my recliner and I simply pick it up and get a good look at the
next bit of stitching to fix it in my memory. This works especially
well when doing band samplers since once the design is set, it often a
simple repeat.
I'm finally working again on my last seasonal band sampler -- the
one for Spring. All I really need is to see how many kloster blocks I
need to do or how long a row of satin stitches I need to do and I'm good
to go. I could work directly from the chart for a lot of this but have
gotten so used to making a working copy that I have done so. 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
I do similar to you, only I use my original chart and colour the squares
stitched with a red pencil crayon. That way I can erase in the event I
have to rip out mistakes. That way I can just erase the stitches I had
to remove.

Maureen