Tapestry frame or embroidery hoop

Hi, can anyone advise me as to what to use to hold my cross stitch taut
enough for me to work on. I am thinking about getting a Tapestry frame or
Embroidery hoop, but don't know how to use them. (Have only seen pictures of
them)
Thanks,
Jill

From: "Jill Spottiswoode"

Hi, can anyone advise me as to what to use to hold my cross stitch taut
enough for me to work on. I am thinking about getting a Tapestry frame or
Embroidery hoop, but don't know how to use them. (Have only seen pictures of
them).......

This won't surprise anyone but I recommend the FANTASTIC StitchAway Fabric
Mount! BIg surprise, huh?? There is absolutely *nothing* on the market that
is easier to use AND keeps your needlework fabric as tight as you want for as
long as you want. Here's Fred's website http://www.stitchaway.com . The
standard NAYY applies -- just a VERY happy and satisfied customer :-))).
CiaoMeow ^;;^
..


PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their
WHISKERS!!
Nothing is complete without a few cat hairs!

For every question in needlework - be that knitting, crocheting, hand
sewing, or embroidery - you will get more than one answer. In the end,
you will have to do what you can reasonably afford to do and what is
comfortable for you, not what is comfortable for someone else. That
includes where and how you sit. In 19th century Western culture, one
simply had to sit straight at a table for whatever the needlework task.
Thank goodness we no longer have those strict customs. For in the
end, that is - with few exceptions - what it is: custom.

Cross stitch can be worked in hand, in a small hoop, in a tambour hoop,
on scroll rods, stapled to a large frame, laced to a slate frame, set in
Q-snaps (whatever those are), and there's probably other ways.

If you are new to a task (such as cross stitch) your stitching will
improve in time no matter what method you ultimately decide to use. And
that method may change as you figure out that the method you chose
simply isn't comfortable (hurts the wrist, thumb, shoulders, for
instance). And depending upon the size of a piece, the work might be
more easily suited to one type implement than another. For instance, a
small item will fit readily in a hoop; stiffer fabric might work very
well in hand, a large item worked over a long period of time might be
better suited to a frame of some sort.

I'll let those more knowledgable about scroll frames, slate frames,
etc., answer those questions.

For hoops: Purchase only high quality hoops that have a good screw
mechanism. Cheap hoops made in China will only frustrate you. Bind the
inner, the outer, or both with cotton bias tape or strips of muslin.
Place fabric on the inner hoop and place the outer hoop half way down.
Begin to tighten the screw. Straighten the fabric during the process.
When it is finger tight and no wrinkles in the fabric, push the hoop all
the way down. Now, with a screw driver, tighten the hoop firmly. The
fabric will stay taut until you are ready to remove or simply move it to
another spot.

A tambour hoop is larger (10+ inches), deeper, and is attached to a
small stand. A wing nut replaces the screw. They are awkward to hold
in your lap, but I do it in spite of the trouble. They are meant to sit
on a table and be clamped down, or weighted down with a bag of sand -
which unless very heavy, doesn't work well. Tambour hoops flip freely
on the stand so you can rotate it to readily work the underside to tie
off threads, etc.

Good luck on your adventures in needlework. Welcome to RCTN.
Dianne

Jill Spottiswoode wrote:
Hi, can anyone advise me as to what to use to hold my cross stitch taut
enough for me to work on. I am thinking about getting a Tapestry frame or
Embroidery hoop, but don't know how to use them. (Have only seen pictures of
them)
Thanks,
Jill

Jill Spottiswoode opined thusly:

Hi, can anyone advise me as to what to use to hold my cross stitch taut
enough for me to work on. I am thinking about getting a Tapestry frame
or Embroidery hoop, but don't know how to use them. (Have only seen
pictures of them)
Thanks,
Jill



I think you'll get a zillion different opinions on this excellant question.
There's no one right answer to your question, it's an entirely subjective
thing. If you do cross-stitch long enough, then chances are you will buy
and/or try out at least a couple different methods of keeping your fabric
taut. The good news is that all these devices are relatively affordable (in
the begining at least), and can be re-used almost infinately.

I use either a hoop, artists stretcher bars, a scroll frame, or a quilting
hoop - depending on the project at hand. I would suggest that if the
project is smallish to start with an embroidery hoop first. If you find you
do not like it, you can always change to stretcher bars or a scroll frame
in mid-stitching. If the project is larger than..... 12" x 12" or so then
maybe think about giving stretcher bars a try.

I tend to avoid hoops these days because of the rings they leave in the
fabric as the stitching progresses. I only use them for the smallest of
projects. That's just my personal preference.

Good luck!

--Anne

I like Q-Snaps very much. They're great with Aida and other
commonly-used cross stitch fabrics. They are lighweight and
inexpensive.

I've also used wood embroidery hoops, usually with linen.
Also very affordable - but get the good German ones, they're
worth the extra money.

The Stitch-a-Way frame may be too big a financial investment
for a beginner, at least until you've tried some of the less
expensive alternatives: hoops, Q-Snaps, etc.

That said, I often do my cross stitching without any frame
at all. Just enjoy it.

MaryR

Jill, if you use one hand on the front of your work and the other is on the
back, a frame would probably be the best. If you wanted to use a hoop, you
would have to get a holder to use both hands. Also you should not leave work in
a hoop any length of time. If you use a frame, after you get the fabric
attached to the stretcher bars of the scroll frame, you can leave it there as
long as you want to.

There are a lot of good frames (and a lot of not so good frames) so it would be
good if you could find some place to see a frame and perhaps try it. You might
even try posting here your general area and you might be lucky enough to find
someone who has a frame and would show it to you. If you get a frame, make
sure that you can return it in a specific time if you don't like it. Good
luck, Boo

Boohoo1971 wrote:

Jill, if you use one hand on the front of your work and the other is on the
back, a frame would probably be the best.

Actually, you can get perfect stitching tension on a frame by not having
the fabric drum tight, thereby negating the necessity of doing the work
two-handed as you describe it. You can use the sewing method on framed
works. Or the one-handed stab method.


If you wanted to use a hoop, you
would have to get a holder to use both hands.

No, you don't. A tambour hoop comes equipped with a stand. Or, many
just use a hoop and stitch one-handed. It may, or may not, be a tad
slower than the two-handed method.

Also you should not leave work in
a hoop any length of time.

Some people have had trouble with aida that has been stretched over a
hoop for months at a time. But a thorough soaking/washing will remove
hoop marks that may, or may not, be there. You may have to soak over
night, or a day or two. This may be because aida is generally heavily
sized. It is never a good idea to leave ANY fabric in a hoop for
months. That being said, I leave plenty of fabric in hoops for a year
or more and have never had the least problem.

Now, if you're not going to wash your work when finished, that is
another story altogether. And, another conversation. :-)

Dianne