About backstitching

I think people complain about backstitching not because it is
so hard, but because it seems like something extra to do when
you'd like to think you have finished your project (especially
cross-stitch).

I actually have a really hard time backstitching faces. I usually have to frog
once or twice. For instance, I am working on Mirabilia's 'The Kiss' and going
across partial stitches, and going down in areas that aren't the 'normal' hole
to go into, even on linen seems difficult to me. I may be a little bit on the
perfectionist side, and want it to look 'just so', so maybe I make it harder
than it should be. And it's hard for me to make a curved line (as along the
jawline), look smoothly curved instead of a jerky line. So, I end up doing it
over and over. *sigh Any tips would be appreciated!

Rhonda

One of my complaints about patterns produced by designers, is that
they seem to pay only a limited amount of attention to backstitching
instructions. An exception to this was Eva Rosenstand; there may be
others. But designers like Teresa Wentzler, Marilyn Leavit-Imblum,
and many others, seem to have backstiching instructions designed to
infuriate and confuse the stitcher.

LUSNMYMIND ) writes:
I think people complain about backstitching not because it is
so hard, but because it seems like something extra to do when
you'd like to think you have finished your project (especially
cross-stitch).

I actually have a really hard time backstitching faces. I usually have to frog
once or twice. For instance, I am working on Mirabilia's 'The Kiss' and going
across partial stitches, and going down in areas that aren't the 'normal' hole
to go into, even on linen seems difficult to me. I may be a little bit on the
perfectionist side, and want it to look 'just so', so maybe I make it harder
than it should be. And it's hard for me to make a curved line (as along the
jawline), look smoothly curved instead of a jerky line. So, I end up doing it
over and over. *sigh Any tips would be appreciated!

Rhonda


--
Jim Cripwell.
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of one's life, any
time that is spent in stitching.
Adapted from a sign on The Cobb, Lyme Regis, England.

I'm not a fan of having to do a lot of backstitching. I do realize that
it generally "makes" the piece but I still loathe doing it. In fact, I
don't buy any charts by Stoney Creek because of the incredible amount of
backstitching they tend to use.

Karen E., working on 40 ct. gauze right now. No backstitching on _this_
piece!
--
_______________________________________
"Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example"
Mark Twain, 'Puddn'head Wilson'

seem to have backstiching instructions designed to
infuriate and confuse the stitcher.


My chart doesn't have any instructions other than use one strand of DMC #xxx
for the face, one strand of DMC #yyy for the eyebrows, etc.

Agreed. That is one reason my current project is taking forever. There
is a lot of backstitching but the chart never tells you what color to
use where. It says to use the picture as a guide. Of course the
picture is so tiny you can't judge shading from it and there are several
shades of yellow, peach, and brown to choose from. What a pain! My
cousin's baby might be a year old before I get this thing finished and
shipped out.

F.James Cripwell wrote:
One of my complaints about patterns produced by designers, is that
they seem to pay only a limited amount of attention to backstitching
instructions. An exception to this was Eva Rosenstand; there may be
others. But designers like Teresa Wentzler, Marilyn Leavit-Imblum,
and many others, seem to have backstiching instructions designed to
infuriate and confuse the stitcher.

--
Brenda Lewis
WIP: "Pink Baby" photo frame, Candamar

Lynne M. wrote:
Well, I wasn't so far off with the loop description. It must have
made you laugh! (or cringe) Thanks so much for clarifying. I feel
kind of like a crinklehead for never having figured this out myself.
I can do both stitches, just never figured out that stem stitch is
the 'upside down' of back stitch. Learn something new every day.....

You neither made me laugh NOR cringe. g I figured this out because of
a silly experiment. Then read about it. Chikan embroiderers don't
backstitch, they stem stitch on the reverse side.

I stitched for years without realizing this. And I'll bet you most of
us stitchers don't make the connection.

Dianne

I agree with you Karen. I don't buy Stoney Creek because of the backstitching.
I prefer MLI and Mirabilia because there is little backstitching.



Subject: About backstitching
From: Karen
Date: 1/21/2004 11:17 AM Eastern Standard Time
Message-id:

I'm not a fan of having to do a lot of backstitching. I do realize that
it generally "makes" the piece but I still loathe doing it. In fact, I
don't buy any charts by Stoney Creek because of the incredible amount of
backstitching they tend to use.

Karen E., working on 40 ct. gauze right now. No backstitching on _this_
piece!

Rhea from KY, USA