My Third Needlework Class

Monday morning I dragged myself to (yet another) needlework class, this one
an intro to working with linen. The first hour was spend talking about
where linen comes from (the flax plant) and all the different types, and
there were tons of samples of them to pass around. Then we got to work on a
small project, on Zweigart's 28ct cashel, natural in color. Project, for
the most part, is worked 2 over 2, but a couple parts are one over one.

I've never worked on linen fabric before (but I did buy some of the DMC
linen floss, but I have yet to use it). I do have a current project that is
on 28ct cotton evenweave, but not on linen. It's much stiffer than the
evenweave, and it does look better than aida when the project is completed.

Anyway, my current Xstitch project is on 28ct evenweave, 2 over 2, so that's
not a problem - I whizzed through that part of the class project fairly
quickly. Then came the one over one. That was the part where I really
needed my magnifier. But I did it!

Pictures start he
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...47371020ggraFB

--�
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) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep

What a great series of classes!
Cheryl

On 8/30/06 6:25 AM, in article , "Magic Mood
Jeep©" wrote:

Monday morning I dragged myself to (yet another) needlework class, this one
an intro to working with linen. The first hour was spend talking about
where linen comes from (the flax plant) and all the different types, and
there were tons of samples of them to pass around. Then we got to work on a
small project, on Zweigart's 28ct cashel, natural in color. Project, for
the most part, is worked 2 over 2, but a couple parts are one over one.

I've never worked on linen fabric before (but I did buy some of the DMC
linen floss, but I have yet to use it). I do have a current project that is
on 28ct cotton evenweave, but not on linen. It's much stiffer than the
evenweave, and it does look better than aida when the project is completed.

Anyway, my current Xstitch project is on 28ct evenweave, 2 over 2, so that's
not a problem - I whizzed through that part of the class project fairly
quickly. Then came the one over one. That was the part where I really
needed my magnifier. But I did it!

Pictures start he
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...47371020ggraFB

--�
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) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep

I love the shop. It just a scoonch over 7 miles from the house, but it's
nice & quiet, and they already have their base of clientele, and they just
opened in March. But I was talking to one of the owners and the other one
(her sister-in-law) used to have a shop by the same name in downtown
Bloomington, but then her life got too busy (kids & whatnot) and then
Michael's moved in, took a chunk of her clientele, and Joann Fabrics
expanded..... But now a lot of needleworkers are not satisfied with
Michael's offerings (4 aisle in the whole store dedicated to needlework, and
that includes regular sewing, knitting/crochet, needlepoint, cross stitch,
latch-hook rugs, not much there for us types... the rest of the store is
framing, silk flowers, scrapbooking and a bazillionthat word was in my
spellchecker! other crafts)... And Joanne's doesn't have much either so
they decided to open back up. I am so glad they did! I have 3 more
classes, all next month, and one is over two different days.

n ,
Cheryl Isaak purred:
What a great series of classes!
Cheryl

On 8/30/06 6:25 AM, in article , "Magic
Mood Jeep©" wrote:

Monday morning I dragged myself to (yet another) needlework class,
this one an intro to working with linen. The first hour was spend
talking about where linen comes from (the flax plant) and all the
different types, and there were tons of samples of them to pass
around. Then we got to work on a small project, on Zweigart's 28ct
cashel, natural in color. Project, for the most part, is worked 2
over 2, but a couple parts are one over one.

I've never worked on linen fabric before (but I did buy some of the
DMC linen floss, but I have yet to use it). I do have a current
project that is on 28ct cotton evenweave, but not on linen. It's
much stiffer than the evenweave, and it does look better than aida
when the project is completed.

Anyway, my current Xstitch project is on 28ct evenweave, 2 over 2,
so that's not a problem - I whizzed through that part of the class
project fairly quickly. Then came the one over one. That was the
part where I really needed my magnifier. But I did it!

Pictures start he
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...47371020ggraFB

--�
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) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep

On 8/30/06 6:25 AM, "Magic Mood Jeep©" wrote:

Monday morning I dragged myself to (yet another) needlework class, this one
an intro to working with linen. The first hour was spend talking about
where linen comes from (the flax plant) and all the different types, and
there were tons of samples of them to pass around. Then we got to work on a
small project, on Zweigart's 28ct cashel, natural in color. Project, for
the most part, is worked 2 over 2, but a couple parts are one over one.

I've never worked on linen fabric before (but I did buy some of the DMC
linen floss, but I have yet to use it). I do have a current project that is
on 28ct cotton evenweave, but not on linen. It's much stiffer than the
evenweave, and it does look better than aida when the project is completed.

That's for sure - at least IMHO. Like a true naif, my 2nd ever project was
on 32 ct linen. It went to the hold pile after a while, and I did another
on 28 ct evenweave instead. When I brought in the infamous pansies to the
LNS here in VA (after getting it at my LNS in Albuquerque) the owner looked
at me as if I was insane "what - this is your 2nd project???" It had lots of
color changing and shadowing. 10 years later - I might finish it ;^) Talk
about UFOs

Anyway, my current Xstitch project is on 28ct evenweave, 2 over 2, so that's
not a problem - I whizzed through that part of the class project fairly
quickly. Then came the one over one. That was the part where I really
needed my magnifier. But I did it!

Pictures start he
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...47371020ggraFB

Looks very nice - especially for a first project. If you like working on
the linen, and evenweave, you might wish to switch to a Q-snap type hoop
instead of the ring hoop. Less marking on the fabric. And just be a little
careful not to stretch the fabric toooo taut when putting in the hoop for
stitching. If you pull your thread really tight, or the fabric is
stretched, when it's time to be stretched for mounting it can be a little
distorted. Just a note from the framer's perspective. But, your stitches
look lovely and even. Keep up the good work.

For your hardanger - just be brave - and have really good scissors - that
you don't use for cutting metal threads. I have some lovely pointy ginghers
that have lasted about 10 years, as my Hardanger & cutwork scissors. Makes
a difference getting the points in nice and close.

Happy stitchin'
ellice

ellice wrote:

Looks very nice - especially for a first project. If you like working on
the linen, and evenweave, you might wish to switch to a Q-snap type hoop
instead of the ring hoop. Less marking on the fabric. And just be a little
careful not to stretch the fabric toooo taut when putting in the hoop for
stitching. If you pull your thread really tight, or the fabric is
stretched, when it's time to be stretched for mounting it can be a little
distorted. Just a note from the framer's perspective.

Hm. That may be *if* the project isn't washed before framing. In all
my *many* years of stitching with a hoop (and I don't remove the hoop
when not working on it, either), I have never had any piece with hoop
marks in them after washing and ironing.

JM2CW

Joan

On 8/30/06 5:18 PM, "Joan E." wrote:


ellice wrote:

Looks very nice - especially for a first project. If you like working on
the linen, and evenweave, you might wish to switch to a Q-snap type hoop
instead of the ring hoop. Less marking on the fabric. And just be a little
careful not to stretch the fabric toooo taut when putting in the hoop for
stitching. If you pull your thread really tight, or the fabric is
stretched, when it's time to be stretched for mounting it can be a little
distorted. Just a note from the framer's perspective.

Hm. That may be *if* the project isn't washed before framing. In all
my *many* years of stitching with a hoop (and I don't remove the hoop
when not working on it, either), I have never had any piece with hoop
marks in them after washing and ironing.

JM2CW

Joan - you're right about the hoop marks washing/ironing out. But, in the
years that I've been doing framing - I've seen some that even the best
framer couldn't make perfect after the fabric had been pulled "drum" tight.
The marks are only an issue if you're not going to be able to wash the
piece. However if the fabric is pulled too tight when you're stitching, in
the extreme it won't lay evenly - even after being blocked/stretched.
Better when we learn to stitch with even tension on fabric with even
tension, or even in hand. Guess that was really my point.

As always - just my few cents, as well.
ellice

In ,
ellice purred:
On 8/30/06 6:25 AM, "Magic Mood Jeep©" wrote:

Monday morning I dragged myself to (yet another) needlework class,
this one an intro to working with linen. The first hour was spend
talking about where linen comes from (the flax plant) and all the
different types, and there were tons of samples of them to pass
around. Then we got to work on a small project, on Zweigart's 28ct
cashel, natural in color. Project, for the most part, is worked 2
over 2, but a couple parts are one over one.

I've never worked on linen fabric before (but I did buy some of the
DMC linen floss, but I have yet to use it). I do have a current
project that is on 28ct cotton evenweave, but not on linen. It's
much stiffer than the evenweave, and it does look better than aida
when the project is completed.

That's for sure - at least IMHO. Like a true naif, my 2nd ever
project was on 32 ct linen. It went to the hold pile after a while,
and I did another on 28 ct evenweave instead. When I brought in the
infamous pansies to the LNS here in VA (after getting it at my LNS in
Albuquerque) the owner looked at me as if I was insane "what - this
is your 2nd project???" It had lots of color changing and shadowing.
10 years later - I might finish it ;^) Talk about UFOs

Anyway, my current Xstitch project is on 28ct evenweave, 2 over 2,
so that's not a problem - I whizzed through that part of the class
project fairly quickly. Then came the one over one. That was the
part where I really needed my magnifier. But I did it!

Pictures start he
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...47371020ggraFB

Looks very nice - especially for a first project. If you like
working on the linen, and evenweave, you might wish to switch to a
Q-snap type hoop instead of the ring hoop. Less marking on the
fabric. And just be a little careful not to stretch the fabric toooo
taut when putting in the hoop for stitching. If you pull your thread
really tight, or the fabric is stretched, when it's time to be
stretched for mounting it can be a little distorted. Just a note
from the framer's perspective. But, your stitches look lovely and
even. Keep up the good work.

Actually, this is not my "first" project. Been doing Xstitch for years,
just never on linen fabric! Also, never on evenweave, either. I normally
use a scroll frame for my work., and am careful when I have the fabric
pulled tight to not make my stitches too tight. It's easy to not pull too
hard when working on linen (or evenweave) as it has a tendancy to make the
holes bigger... and yech!


For your hardanger - just be brave - and have really good scissors -
that you don't use for cutting metal threads. I have some lovely
pointy ginghers that have lasted about 10 years, as my Hardanger &
cutwork scissors. Makes a difference getting the points in nice and
close.

Happy stitchin'
ellice

Here is a picture of my (non-class-related) project
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...47371020lJrPhn

In ,
Magic Mood Jeep© purred:
Monday morning I dragged myself to (yet another) needlework class,
this one an intro to working with linen. The first hour was spend
talking about where linen comes from (the flax plant) and all the
different types, and there were tons of samples of them to pass
around. Then we got to work on a small project, on Zweigart's 28ct
cashel, natural in color. Project, for the most part, is worked 2
over 2, but a couple parts are one over one.
I've never worked on linen fabric before (but I did buy some of the
DMC linen floss, but I have yet to use it). I do have a current
project that is on 28ct cotton evenweave, but not on linen. It's
much stiffer than the evenweave, and it does look better than aida
when the project is completed.
Anyway, my current Xstitch project is on 28ct evenweave, 2 over 2, so
that's not a problem - I whizzed through that part of the class
project fairly quickly. Then came the one over one. That was the
part where I really needed my magnifier. But I did it!

Pictures start he
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...47371020ggraFB

--�
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) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep

Magic Mood Jeep© wrote:
Here is a picture of my (non-class-related) project
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...47371020lJrPhn

Such a peaceful, lovely design! Well done!
Dianne


--
Embroidery Discussions at http://www.heritageshoppe.com/forum

In ,
Dianne Lewandowski purred:
Magic Mood Jeep© wrote:
Here is a picture of my (non-class-related) project
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...47371020lJrPhn

Such a peaceful, lovely design! Well done!
Dianne

It's not done - about 1/4 left!!!