Keeping theback tidy

Hi!

One trick I just learned recently was the loop start. You use one
strand of floss and double it, and then thread the needle with the two
ends. Then, when you start your stitch, you just take your needle
through the loop at the back to anchor the thread. This reduces by
almost half the number of tails that you have to deal with. It doesn't
take any extra time, but the backs of my projects already look better.
I also find that it's easier to add the backstitch to a piece when the
back is tidy. The only thing to remember about the loop start is that
it only works where you need an even number of strands.

Have a good day!
Louisa

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi!

One trick I just learned recently was the loop start. You use one
strand of floss and double it, and then thread the needle with the two
ends. Then, when you start your stitch, you just take your needle
through the loop at the back to anchor the thread. This reduces by
almost half the number of tails that you have to deal with. It doesn't
take any extra time, but the backs of my projects already look better.
I also find that it's easier to add the backstitch to a piece when the
back is tidy. The only thing to remember about the loop start is that
it only works where you need an even number of strands.

Have a good day!
Louisa

Yes, Louisa, the loop start is a great help, but it can also be done with an
odd number of strands. Jim Cripwell gave us these instructions for three
strands back in 2004:

"Make sure you cut your threads to a standard length. For three
threads, take one full strand and one half strand. Loop the full strand in
the usual way, but thread the needle *unevenly* with three strands. At the
loop end, have a long piece of the third strand. Do a loop start in the
usual way. Unthread the needle and bury the third strand at the back of
the work. Do *not* snip the end, but carefully pull it until the end is
*just* buried. At the other end, the three threads will be approximately
equal. Re-thread the needle and start stitching. HTH."

Felice

wrote:
Hi!

One trick I just learned recently was the loop start. You use one
strand of floss and double it, and then thread the needle with the two
ends. Then, when you start your stitch, you just take your needle
through the loop at the back to anchor the thread. This reduces by
almost half the number of tails that you have to deal with. It doesn't
take any extra time, but the backs of my projects already look better.
I also find that it's easier to add the backstitch to a piece when the
back is tidy. The only thing to remember about the loop start is that
it only works where you need an even number of strands.

Have a good day!
Louisa

Not only can you do a loop start with an odd number of strands as
Felice reminded (with thanks to Jim Cripwell for his directions), but if
doing it with an even number of threads, it can be done from the front!
This eliminates having to turn your work over frequently :-). I
always do my loop starts from the front -- put your threaded needle down
into the fabric from the front side, leaving the loop on the front.
Bring needle back up in the appropriated hole, pass it through the loop
and then put the needle back down through the hole you just came up out
of. Pull the threaded needle gently but firmly until it snugs up
against the end of the loop and with a final soft tug, it will take the
loop to the back side.
I also leave my thread ends on the front of the fabric when I am at
the end of a length of floss. After my last stitch, I bring the needle
up to the front in the midst of a previously stitched area and unthread
the needle leaving the loose ends to sort of dangle. You want to make
sure you aren't too near the area where you are stitching or those loose
ends will get in your way. I do this until I am ready to change colors
and then, before starting the next color, I pull all of the loose thread
ends to the back and bury them. If I am doing a large area all of the
same color, I will stop and bury the threads when I have 5 ot 6 loose
ends on the front. 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 that always, as long as I don't use variegated or multicoloured
threads. Doesn't work then, because you don't have the matching colour flow.


--
Happy Stitching
Sibille
www.myenchanting.com


wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi!

One trick I just learned recently was the loop start. You use one
strand of floss and double it, and then thread the needle with the two
ends. Then, when you start your stitch, you just take your needle
through the loop at the back to anchor the thread. This reduces by
almost half the number of tails that you have to deal with. It doesn't
take any extra time, but the backs of my projects already look better.
I also find that it's easier to add the backstitch to a piece when the
back is tidy. The only thing to remember about the loop start is that
it only works where you need an even number of strands.

Have a good day!
Louisa

"Tia Mary" wrote in message
...
wrote:

I also leave my thread ends on the front of the fabric when I am at the
end of a length of floss. After my last stitch, I bring the needle up to
the front in the midst of a previously stitched area and unthread the
needle leaving the loose ends to sort of dangle. You want to make sure
you aren't too near the area where you are stitching or those loose ends
will get in your way. I do this until I am ready to change colors and
then, before starting the next color, I pull all of the loose thread ends
to the back and bury them. If I am doing a large area all of the same
color, I will stop and bury the threads when I have 5 ot 6 loose ends on
the front. 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 a similar thing - but take the thread BEHIND an area still to be
stitched before I bring the needle up, Once you`ve stitched that area,
safely anchoring the thread, just snip it off close to the work at the front
and rub it through with a fingernail on the back. You can then, if
necessary, snip any remaining tail off close to the work again. More than
one ways to skin a cat, as they say! When you only have one hand to work
with it`s amazing how many tricks you work out!

Pat

On 5/26/07 2:55 PM, "Pat P" wrote:


"Tia Mary" wrote in message
...
wrote:

I also leave my thread ends on the front of the fabric when I am at the
end of a length of floss. After my last stitch, I bring the needle up to
the front in the midst of a previously stitched area and unthread the
needle leaving the loose ends to sort of dangle. You want to make sure
you aren't too near the area where you are stitching or those loose ends
will get in your way. I do this until I am ready to change colors and
then, before starting the next color, I pull all of the loose thread ends
to the back and bury them. If I am doing a large area all of the same
color, I will stop and bury the threads when I have 5 ot 6 loose ends on
the front. 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 a similar thing - but take the thread BEHIND an area still to be
stitched before I bring the needle up, Once you`ve stitched that area,
safely anchoring the thread, just snip it off close to the work at the front
and rub it through with a fingernail on the back. You can then, if
necessary, snip any remaining tail off close to the work again. More than
one ways to skin a cat, as they say! When you only have one hand to work
with it`s amazing how many tricks you work out!

Pat


It's kind of like doing an away or waste knot in reverse. I do this more in
NP, or sometimes with specialty stitches. Usually with XS I can find a
place to run the stitches through. Donna is shaming me into behaving again.
After the mess of Summer Garden, I seem to have been on a downhill spiral.
I generall start with holding the tail on the back, and make sure to capture
it with the first few stitches. For ending, I hope there's something
nearby, or do as Pat - but I'm pretty careful to go where the color won't be
an issue. If not, I bring the thread up away, or just on the back to the
margin and just anchor (yeah, pink hair tape). Then eventually I will weave
it back under a stitched area. The little baby piece which I'll finish with
another 15 minutes of work has a pin stitched border - done in silk - which
doesn't give much for anchoring, so I've been doing a little weave through
the pin stitches, and then ending in some cross-stitched area - that may be
an inch away, but, it won't show. Starting, same thing - I go through a
cross-stitched area, and then under some of the pin stitches, then start.

I had a little tool, like a dololly, that you can use to pull thread tails
through. The problem for me is if I leave them so there are several before
I do it, then a mess can happen. But, when I'm being conscientious, I get
all the tails woven, anchored, and snipped off short right away.

So complicated - for a fun and relaxing hobby ;^)

ellice

ellice wrote:
It's kind of like doing an away or waste knot in reverse. I do this more in
NP, or sometimes with specialty stitches. Usually with XS I can find a
place to run the stitches through. ...............
ellice

AHH but then you have to turn your work over to the back side! My
whole reason for bringing the ends to the front is so that I don't have
to turn my work to the back. I've tried to bring the ends to the front
going across the area to be stitched next but I always seem to get
things all messed up and in a snarl on the back. VBS -- hence bringing
the ends to the front in the middle of an area that has already been
stitched. 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

"ellice" wrote in message
...
On 5/26/07 2:55 PM, "Pat P" wrote:


"Tia Mary" wrote in message
...
wrote:

I also leave my thread ends on the front of the fabric when I am at
the
end of a length of floss. After my last stitch, I bring the needle up
to
the front in the midst of a previously stitched area and unthread the
needle leaving the loose ends to sort of dangle. You want to make sure
you aren't too near the area where you are stitching or those loose ends
will get in your way. I do this until I am ready to change colors and
then, before starting the next color, I pull all of the loose thread
ends
to the back and bury them. If I am doing a large area all of the same
color, I will stop and bury the threads when I have 5 ot 6 loose ends on
the front. 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 a similar thing - but take the thread BEHIND an area still to be
stitched before I bring the needle up, Once you`ve stitched that area,
safely anchoring the thread, just snip it off close to the work at the
front
and rub it through with a fingernail on the back. You can then, if
necessary, snip any remaining tail off close to the work again. More than
one ways to skin a cat, as they say! When you only have one hand to work
with it`s amazing how many tricks you work out!

Pat


It's kind of like doing an away or waste knot in reverse. I do this more
in
NP, or sometimes with specialty stitches. Usually with XS I can find a
place to run the stitches through. Donna is shaming me into behaving
again.
After the mess of Summer Garden, I seem to have been on a downhill spiral.
I generall start with holding the tail on the back, and make sure to
capture
it with the first few stitches. For ending, I hope there's something
nearby, or do as Pat - but I'm pretty careful to go where the color won't
be
an issue. If not, I bring the thread up away, or just on the back to the
margin and just anchor (yeah, pink hair tape). Then eventually I will
weave
it back under a stitched area. The little baby piece which I'll finish
with
another 15 minutes of work has a pin stitched border - done in silk -
which
doesn't give much for anchoring, so I've been doing a little weave through
the pin stitches, and then ending in some cross-stitched area - that may
be
an inch away, but, it won't show. Starting, same thing - I go through a
cross-stitched area, and then under some of the pin stitches, then start.

I had a little tool, like a dololly, that you can use to pull thread tails
through. The problem for me is if I leave them so there are several
before
I do it, then a mess can happen. But, when I'm being conscientious, I get
all the tails woven, anchored, and snipped off short right away.

So complicated - for a fun and relaxing hobby ;^)

ellice

Of course if it`s for something that`s going to be washed once and framed
you don`t have to anchor it quite as firmly. I only ever do stuff for
framing.

Pat

On 5/26/07 6:20 PM, "Tia Mary" wrote:

ellice wrote:
It's kind of like doing an away or waste knot in reverse. I do this more in
NP, or sometimes with specialty stitches. Usually with XS I can find a
place to run the stitches through. ...............
ellice

AHH but then you have to turn your work over to the back side! My
whole reason for bringing the ends to the front is so that I don't have
to turn my work to the back. I've tried to bring the ends to the front
going across the area to be stitched next but I always seem to get
things all messed up and in a snarl on the back. VBS -- hence bringing
the ends to the front in the middle of an area that has already been
stitched. CiaoMeow ^;;^

Ummm, hating to be contrary ;^) - but an away knot or waste knot are also
done on the front. Usually a couple of needle lengths away - you make the
knot, go down from the front, come up where you will start stitching. Then
the thread stays on the back, gets covered by stitching, and the knot gets
snipped on the front when you get there, so to speak.

Sounded to me from your description that you're essentially doing this at
the end of a stitching seesion or thread, rather than as a start.

For XS though, I do, as I said, more typically run the thread end under some
existing stitching - which yes, does mean going to the back. I guess I
should've but the "usually with XS" sentence in a new paragraph to clarify
that I wasn't implying that to be similar to what you do.

Ellice

On 5/26/07 7:40 PM, "Pat P" wrote:


"ellice" wrote in message
...
On 5/26/07 2:55 PM, "Pat P" wrote:


"Tia Mary" wrote in message
...
wrote:

I also leave my thread ends on the front of the fabric when I am at
the
end of a length of floss. After my last stitch, I bring the needle up
to
the front in the midst of a previously stitched area and unthread the
needle leaving the loose ends to sort of dangle. You want to make sure
you aren't too near the area where you are stitching or those loose ends
will get in your way. I do this until I am ready to change colors and
then, before starting the next color, I pull all of the loose thread
ends
to the back and bury them. If I am doing a large area all of the same
color, I will stop and bury the threads when I have 5 ot 6 loose ends on
the front. 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 a similar thing - but take the thread BEHIND an area still to be
stitched before I bring the needle up, Once you`ve stitched that area,
safely anchoring the thread, just snip it off close to the work at the
front
and rub it through with a fingernail on the back. You can then, if
necessary, snip any remaining tail off close to the work again. More than
one ways to skin a cat, as they say! When you only have one hand to work
with it`s amazing how many tricks you work out!

Pat


It's kind of like doing an away or waste knot in reverse. I do this more
in
NP, or sometimes with specialty stitches. Usually with XS I can find a
place to run the stitches through. Donna is shaming me into behaving
again.
After the mess of Summer Garden, I seem to have been on a downhill spiral.
I generall start with holding the tail on the back, and make sure to
capture
it with the first few stitches. For ending, I hope there's something
nearby, or do as Pat - but I'm pretty careful to go where the color won't
be
an issue. If not, I bring the thread up away, or just on the back to the
margin and just anchor (yeah, pink hair tape). Then eventually I will
weave
it back under a stitched area. The little baby piece which I'll finish
with
another 15 minutes of work has a pin stitched border - done in silk -
which
doesn't give much for anchoring, so I've been doing a little weave through
the pin stitches, and then ending in some cross-stitched area - that may
be
an inch away, but, it won't show. Starting, same thing - I go through a
cross-stitched area, and then under some of the pin stitches, then start.

I had a little tool, like a dololly, that you can use to pull thread tails
through. The problem for me is if I leave them so there are several
before
I do it, then a mess can happen. But, when I'm being conscientious, I get
all the tails woven, anchored, and snipped off short right away.

So complicated - for a fun and relaxing hobby ;^)

ellice

Of course if it`s for something that`s going to be washed once and framed
you don`t have to anchor it quite as firmly. I only ever do stuff for
framing.

Pat


Sure, but I have the paranoia of one who worked doing framing in a LNS.
Which means I've done my share of fixing people's stitching - 90% of the
time without us telling them. The other 10 % - they may ask for something
to be checked. I'm not totally paranoid about it, just a little picky. I
did learn not to run threads on the diagonal in NP - especially with tent
stitch - you really can see a kind of zipper line if you do that. Lately,
I'm trying to do a bit less for just framing ($$) and some pieces I'm
finishing as little hanging pillows, etc. I don't expect any great heirloom
value to be put on them, so, if they come apart some time, oh well. Just
still I'd like them to last through finishing ;^)

I'm usually more concerned with a lot of the open type specialty stitches -
sometimes it's so easy for those to just pull out, while you're still
stitching. When doing pieces with a stitch mix, I'll try to leave any of
the really open, loose stitching towards the end - if I can. Minimize the
handling. I imagine that's why some designers will instruct you to do all
the XS, then go back and do the specialty stitches . I noticed on the Drawn
Thread Love & Wisdom piece, she's very specific about that, so after doing
the entire border length, then it's head back up to the top and start
inserting the specialty stitches.

Ellice