stitching complex shading

Hello all,
I have been enjoying reading all the posts but now am going to ask you
for some advice. I have stitched for a number of years, but mostly
antique sampler reproductions. Now I am taking the plunge to do a
complex pattern with intricate shading. It is Cob Cottage by Cross My
Heart - one of there English Cottage series from 1990. Since my eyes
are not as young as they used to be, I am finding it quite a challenge
to keep track of the 60+ symbols. For example, the roof alone has at
least 6 different nearly indistinguishable shades of gray - here a
stitch, there a stitch sort of thing. How do you work this kind of
pattern? I've enlarged sections of the pattern and colored like
symbols so I can keep track but this is not working as well as I'd
like. I dare not set it down for fear of losing my place among the
grays. Any advice would be most welcome!!!
~Deborah

thistletoes ) writes:
Hello all,
I have been enjoying reading all the posts but now am going to ask you
for some advice. I have stitched for a number of years, but mostly
antique sampler reproductions. Now I am taking the plunge to do a
complex pattern with intricate shading. It is Cob Cottage by Cross My
Heart - one of there English Cottage series from 1990. Since my eyes
are not as young as they used to be, I am finding it quite a challenge
to keep track of the 60+ symbols. For example, the roof alone has at
least 6 different nearly indistinguishable shades of gray - here a
stitch, there a stitch sort of thing. How do you work this kind of
pattern? I've enlarged sections of the pattern and colored like
symbols so I can keep track but this is not working as well as I'd
like. I dare not set it down for fear of losing my place among the
grays. Any advice would be most welcome!!!
~Deborah

I do this sort of thing routinely. It sounds like you have let
yourself be intimidated. Dont be; like any other form of counted cross
stitch, you complete the project one stitch at a time. First you need to
find a way that suits you, which enables you to find any particular colour
very quickly, get the required amount of thread, put the rest back and do
the stitching. What works for me, almost certainly wont work for you; I
just have all my colours (90 of them) on a tray as a "rat's nest", but
roughly in numeric order. Then search the pattern where you are
stitching, and count how many of the next symbol you intend to stitch.
Cut an appropiate length of floss, do a loop start, and do those next few
stitches. The length of floss remaining I tie with a lark's head knot
to the rest of the floss. Have a rule for yourself as to which is the next
symbol to choose. And simply repeat this process. Other ideas I have
tried, is to look at the bit of pattern I am stitching, and find a few
colours that are next in line to stitch. This makes finding the right one
somewhat easier. But as I remarked at the beginning, it sounds to me like
you have a mental block, rather than a physical one. Dont be intimidated;
just do one stitch at a time.

On 6/13/07 7:50 AM, "thistletoes" wrote:

Hello all,
I have been enjoying reading all the posts but now am going to ask you
for some advice. I have stitched for a number of years, but mostly
antique sampler reproductions. Now I am taking the plunge to do a
complex pattern with intricate shading. It is Cob Cottage by Cross My
Heart - one of there English Cottage series from 1990. Since my eyes
are not as young as they used to be, I am finding it quite a challenge
to keep track of the 60+ symbols. For example, the roof alone has at
least 6 different nearly indistinguishable shades of gray - here a
stitch, there a stitch sort of thing. How do you work this kind of
pattern? I've enlarged sections of the pattern and colored like
symbols so I can keep track but this is not working as well as I'd
like. I dare not set it down for fear of losing my place among the
grays. Any advice would be most welcome!!!
~Deborah

Good for you! Personally, I enlarge the charts, but when I'm marking, I
only mark a section that I'm working. And keep on hand a complete chart to
map the total progress. I also keep a copy of the symbol chart, enlarged to
be legible - handy. For charts with lots of changing symbols that are hard
to keep track of, I'll mark the symbol I'm going to work with a light
highlighter, finding all the ones in the vicinity that I'm going to do.
After they're stitched I then highlight over with a darker color (currently
green is the "stitch now" color, and orange for the completed. I think
you're on the right track.

I also tend to thread up a couple of needles, so that I'll work at least
that stitching length. Since I don't carry thread very far, I do end up
with some stops and starts, but if I'm a good little stitcher and make sure
that the ends are neatly tucked and trimmed, that keeps the back from
turning into a mess. I just don't like stopping to thread all the time.
You could pick a couple of adjacent symbols, mark the first one, and stitch
those, then highlight the next symbol you want to do, and so forth.

The Poseidon piece that Donna worked, and I'm doing is like that - lots of
switching around in the middle. So, I pick a symbol, highlight it around
the sevction I'm in, and work those. Basically, starting from the top and
working down, although I did do most of the bordering areas. On your piece,
based on most of those cottages, you can pick where to start. It's just
sort of moving in sections, so it won't stitch as quickly as something with
lots of the same color in a block. But, if you're careful with the ends,
you should be just fine. I do try not to carry a dark thread in front of
where a light will go. And also, personally, I leave whites til toward the
end if I think the piece will be handled a lot, and it's not a piece I'm
planning to wash (overdyes).

Personally, I'd probably start at the center and work out. Or you could
start with the roofline (top left) work your way down and across.

The important thing, have fun. I'm sure you'll do a great job. And, if you
need a magnifier - don't be proud. That's made some things go so much
faster for me - even though my eyesight is pretty darn good.

Happy stitchin'
ellice

On Jun 13, 8:52 am, ellice wrote:
On 6/13/07 7:50 AM, "thistletoes" wrote:



Hello all,
I have been enjoying reading all the posts but now am going to ask you
for some advice. I have stitched for a number of years, but mostly
antique sampler reproductions. Now I am taking the plunge to do a
complex pattern with intricate shading. It is Cob Cottage by Cross My
Heart - one of there English Cottage series from 1990. Since my eyes
are not as young as they used to be, I am finding it quite a challenge
to keep track of the 60+ symbols. For example, the roof alone has at
least 6 different nearly indistinguishable shades of gray - here a
stitch, there a stitch sort of thing. How do you work this kind of
pattern? I've enlarged sections of the pattern and colored like
symbols so I can keep track but this is not working as well as I'd
like. I dare not set it down for fear of losing my place among the
grays. Any advice would be most welcome!!!
~Deborah

Good for you! Personally, I enlarge the charts, but when I'm marking, I
only mark a section that I'm working. And keep on hand a complete chart to
map the total progress. I also keep a copy of the symbol chart, enlarged to
be legible - handy. For charts with lots of changing symbols that are hard
to keep track of, I'll mark the symbol I'm going to work with a light
highlighter, finding all the ones in the vicinity that I'm going to do.
After they're stitched I then highlight over with a darker color (currently
green is the "stitch now" color, and orange for the completed. I think
you're on the right track.

I also tend to thread up a couple of needles, so that I'll work at least
that stitching length. Since I don't carry thread very far, I do end up
with some stops and starts, but if I'm a good little stitcher and make sure
that the ends are neatly tucked and trimmed, that keeps the back from
turning into a mess. I just don't like stopping to thread all the time.
You could pick a couple of adjacent symbols, mark the first one, and stitch
those, then highlight the next symbol you want to do, and so forth.

The Poseidon piece that Donna worked, and I'm doing is like that - lots of
switching around in the middle. So, I pick a symbol, highlight it around
the sevction I'm in, and work those. Basically, starting from the top and
working down, although I did do most of the bordering areas. On your piece,
based on most of those cottages, you can pick where to start. It's just
sort of moving in sections, so it won't stitch as quickly as something with
lots of the same color in a block. But, if you're careful with the ends,
you should be just fine. I do try not to carry a dark thread in front of
where a light will go. And also, personally, I leave whites til toward the
end if I think the piece will be handled a lot, and it's not a piece I'm
planning to wash (overdyes).

Personally, I'd probably start at the center and work out. Or you could
start with the roofline (top left) work your way down and across.

The important thing, have fun. I'm sure you'll do a great job. And, if you
need a magnifier - don't be proud. That's made some things go so much
faster for me - even though my eyesight is pretty darn good.

Happy stitchin'
ellice

Thanks to both Ellice & F. James. I s'pose it is a bit intimidating
since I am a perfectionist to the nth degree. I do know that after
all these years, even I cannot find my mistakes in samplers that gave
me fits and reduced me to either screams or tears. So, all is well.
Age does mellowing wonders. I am actually using Ellice's technique of
the particular symbol I am working on - yes, it is the roof. Just
hadn't thought about threading a couple of needles. Will try that.
Since I have no contact with other stitchers around here, I wanted
input from the experts. I see that my system is not so strange, and
it IS working, if I just don't lay the thing down and wander away.
All those grays - mercy!

I sometimes wear my half readers over my regular glasses, so I look a
bit like a June bug. It works. I just have to keep telling myself
this is fun. grin

Thanks again for the suggestions and pep talk.
Deb

On Jun 13, 8:50 am, thistletoes wrote:
Hello all,
I have been enjoying reading all the posts but now am going to ask you
for some advice. I have stitched for a number of years, but mostly
antique sampler reproductions. Now I am taking the plunge to do a
complex pattern with intricate shading. It is Cob Cottage by Cross My
Heart - one of there English Cottage series from 1990. Since my eyes
are not as young as they used to be, I am finding it quite a challenge
to keep track of the 60+ symbols. For example, the roof alone has at
least 6 different nearly indistinguishable shades of gray - here a
stitch, there a stitch sort of thing. How do you work this kind of
pattern? I've enlarged sections of the pattern and colored like
symbols so I can keep track but this is not working as well as I'd
like. I dare not set it down for fear of losing my place among the
grays. Any advice would be most welcome!!!
~Deborah

Hi Deborah!

I did a pattern with a lot of greys about three years ago, and I found
it a challenge working with so many similar shades as well. What I
finally did was to work a ten by ten section of the pattern at a time.
I would look at that square, pick out the bobbins of thread I needed,
and just work that bit. THen I marked it off with my highlighter when
I was finished. I found I could always stitch long enough to finish
those hundred stitches, and then I usually went on to something else.
But it also meant I made pretty steady progress. Have fun with your
project. It sounds like it will be beautiful!

Louisa

On Jun 13, 11:00 am, wrote:
On Jun 13, 8:50 am, thistletoes wrote:

Hello all,
I have been enjoying reading all the posts but now am going to ask you
for some advice. I have stitched for a number of years, but mostly
antique sampler reproductions. Now I am taking the plunge to do a
complex pattern with intricate shading. It is Cob Cottage by Cross My
Heart - one of there English Cottage series from 1990. Since my eyes
are not as young as they used to be, I am finding it quite a challenge
to keep track of the 60+ symbols. For example, the roof alone has at
least 6 different nearly indistinguishable shades of gray - here a
stitch, there a stitch sort of thing. How do you work this kind of
pattern? I've enlarged sections of the pattern and colored like
symbols so I can keep track but this is not working as well as I'd
like. I dare not set it down for fear of losing my place among the
grays. Any advice would be most welcome!!!
~Deborah

Hi Deborah!

I did a pattern with a lot of greys about three years ago, and I found
it a challenge working with so many similar shades as well. What I
finally did was to work a ten by ten section of the pattern at a time.
I would look at that square, pick out the bobbins of thread I needed,
and just work that bit. THen I marked it off with my highlighter when
I was finished. I found I could always stitch long enough to finish
those hundred stitches, and then I usually went on to something else.
But it also meant I made pretty steady progress. Have fun with your
project. It sounds like it will be beautiful!

Louisa

Sorry, Louisa. I think I hit reply to author, rather than just
reply. Yes, I will give that technique a try as a way of containing
the stitching area. In that way, it might be easier to keep track,
rather than my current method of traveling down the length of the roof
chasing a particular symbol and sometimes getting lost if I look away
too long!

deb

thistletoes wrote:
Hello all,
I have been enjoying reading all the posts but now am going to ask you
for some advice. I have stitched for a number of years, but mostly
antique sampler reproductions. Now I am taking the plunge to do a
complex pattern with intricate shading. It is Cob Cottage by Cross My
Heart - one of there English Cottage series from 1990. Since my eyes
are not as young as they used to be, I am finding it quite a challenge
to keep track of the 60+ symbols. For example, the roof alone has at
least 6 different nearly indistinguishable shades of gray - here a
stitch, there a stitch sort of thing. How do you work this kind of
pattern? I've enlarged sections of the pattern and colored like
symbols so I can keep track but this is not working as well as I'd
like. I dare not set it down for fear of losing my place among the
grays. Any advice would be most welcome!!!

Is the biggest problem keeping track of where you
are on the chart, or where you are on the piece? I can
usually keep the chart straight, but sometimes it's easy
to lose your orientation on the piece, especially if you
put it down for a bit. If that's the challenge, I usually
break down and grid so that I have an unambiguous point of
reference.

Best wishes,
Ericka

On Jun 13, 12:05 pm, Ericka Kammerer wrote:
thistletoes wrote:
Hello all,
I have been enjoying reading all the posts but now am going to ask you
for some advice. I have stitched for a number of years, but mostly
antique sampler reproductions. Now I am taking the plunge to do a
complex pattern with intricate shading. It is Cob Cottage by Cross My
Heart - one of their English Cottage series from 1990. Since my eyes
are not as young as they used to be, I am finding it quite a challenge
to keep track of the 60+ symbols. For example, the roof alone has at
least 6 different nearly indistinguishable shades of gray - here a
stitch, there a stitch sort of thing. How do you work this kind of
pattern? I've enlarged sections of the pattern and colored like
symbols so I can keep track but this is not working as well as I'd
like. I dare not set it down for fear of losing my place among the
grays. Any advice would be most welcome!!!

Is the biggest problem keeping track of where you
are on the chart, or where you are on the piece? I can
usually keep the chart straight, but sometimes it's easy
to lose your orientation on the piece, especially if you
put it down for a bit. If that's the challenge, I usually
break down and grid so that I have an unambiguous point of
reference.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Where I am on the piece. I am doing better now that I have more done,
but then comes the sky, the grass, the bushes...

The thrifty, efficient side of me wants to do all of a certain color
and then go on to the next color. That is impossible as it causes me
to jump all over (only the roof has grays, fortunately) and that
jumping is disorienting. I am doing Louisa's grid method now,
incorporating Ellice's method of coloring the "to do" area with a
pen. Then when I am all done with that part of the grid, I recolor
with a darker shade of ink to indicate I've stitched those cells. It
seems tedious, but is better than being lost in the gray tones as I
was originally. When I was lost so much, I was forced to do much
needless counting on the piece, then counting & comparing on the
pattern.

I have also learned I cannot watch TV while doing this pattern. No
multi-tasking on this one! )

Thanks for your suggestions, Ericka.

Deb

thistletoes wrote:

I have also learned I cannot watch TV while doing this pattern. No
multi-tasking on this one! )

That's why I like band samplers ;-)

Best wishes,
Ericka

"thistletoes" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jun 13, 12:05 pm, Ericka Kammerer wrote:
thistletoes wrote:
Hello all,
I have been enjoying reading all the posts but now am going to ask you
for some advice. I have stitched for a number of years, but mostly
antique sampler reproductions. Now I am taking the plunge to do a
complex pattern with intricate shading. It is Cob Cottage by Cross My
Heart - one of their English Cottage series from 1990. Since my eyes
are not as young as they used to be, I am finding it quite a challenge
to keep track of the 60+ symbols. For example, the roof alone has at
least 6 different nearly indistinguishable shades of gray - here a
stitch, there a stitch sort of thing. How do you work this kind of
pattern? I've enlarged sections of the pattern and colored like
symbols so I can keep track but this is not working as well as I'd
like. I dare not set it down for fear of losing my place among the
grays. Any advice would be most welcome!!!

Is the biggest problem keeping track of where you
are on the chart, or where you are on the piece? I can
usually keep the chart straight, but sometimes it's easy
to lose your orientation on the piece, especially if you
put it down for a bit. If that's the challenge, I usually
break down and grid so that I have an unambiguous point of
reference.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Where I am on the piece. I am doing better now that I have more done,
but then comes the sky, the grass, the bushes...

The thrifty, efficient side of me wants to do all of a certain color
and then go on to the next color. That is impossible as it causes me
to jump all over (only the roof has grays, fortunately) and that
jumping is disorienting. I am doing Louisa's grid method now,
incorporating Ellice's method of coloring the "to do" area with a
pen. Then when I am all done with that part of the grid, I recolor
with a darker shade of ink to indicate I've stitched those cells. It
seems tedious, but is better than being lost in the gray tones as I
was originally. When I was lost so much, I was forced to do much
needless counting on the piece, then counting & comparing on the
pattern.

I have also learned I cannot watch TV while doing this pattern. No
multi-tasking on this one! )

Thanks for your suggestions, Ericka.

Deb

Try this when putting the material away. Do not fasten the last thread.
Let it stay on the top of the work until you pick it up again. It will mark
where you last worked. Then you can bury it and start again the next day or
whenever.
Clarice in AZ/MN