Just started my first HAED and I'm having issues

[kaelynangelfoot]

I am attempting the Fairy Spell on 28 count evenweave. I'm stitching one color at a time per 10x10 square (completing the square before I move on), two strands full crosses over one. Sometimes I end up with a single empty stitch surrounded by completed stitches and it is very hard to get the final stitch put in. Any suggestions? I tried 1 stand but the coverage seemed spotty. I've spent several hours on this and am getting frustrated. Has anyone done 1 strand over 1 on 28 count and how did it look when completed?

Also I was using red fishing line type stuff for gridding but it seems to get in the way more often than not. Are there any issues with those mark-b-gone pens, the ones that wash out with water?

[Allyn]

It's been my experience that 25 ct is about the highest count that full crosses two-over-one works. On higher counts, the stitches are too bulky to sneak a stitch in surrounded by completed stitches. (That's kind of a general statement. It will depend on the type of fabric, too.) If you park using the method described in the Scarlet Quince site -- you never put a stitch in that leaves an empty hole above it -- you'll have better luck because your needle will be coming up in holes that don't already have legs of three other stitches in them. Full crosses two-over-one is still pretty bulky for 28 ct, in my experience. (Bear in mind that when I'm using 28 ct, it's usually a jobelan which seems to have threads that are more plump compared to other evenweaves.)

You said you tried one-over-one and didn't like the coverage. Did you try two-over-one tent stitches instead of full crosses? That might be the way to go on 28 ct if you don't like the one-over-one coverage.

I can't help you with gridding. I don't grid. It annoys me too much.

http://www.scarletquince.com/parking.php" target="_blank
http://www.threadneedlestreet.com/Conti ... Cross.html" target="_blank

[rcperryls]

I couldn't manage doing full crosses using two strands of thread on 25 ct. I restarted one of my HAEDs because it was much too bulky. My preference is either 1 strand full crosses on 25 ct or 2 strands on 28 ct tent stitching. I find the coverage is good for either so I'm sure stitching a full cross with 1 strand will be good. I don't park so can't help you there, but I do grid using a mark-be-gone pen with no issues. If you are having problems now it will only get harder as you get more and more confetti. At least that is what happened to me.

Carole

[BizzieLizzie]

As Allyn says, sounds like you might find parking helpful. Some people hate parking and some people can't stitch any other way (I'm the latter) but you'll only find out by giving it a go. The Scarlet Quince method is the one I've found to give the neatest results - for me, at least. Good luck!

[cairee]

Im going to second the notion that 2 over 1 on 28ct full cross is too much. I dont even like 2 over 1 on 25ct! for 28ct Id suggest 1 over 1 full cross or 2 over 1 tent.

[kinley626]

I park in a 10x10 method the way you describe, finishing all of one color before moving to the next on my HEAD as well. However, full crosses were much too bulky. I'm doing 2 over 1 half crosses and the coverage is perfect for me. When you tried 1 over 1 full crosses, did the coverage seem sparse even from an arms' length away. Sometimes, the bright lights and magnifiers we stitch under distort how the finish will look once it's on the wall. It's a pain to have to re-start something you've already poured hours into, but if you're not happy with it now, you'll be absolutely miserable with it a few months from now.

[NeedleAndFork]

I'm working my HAED 1 over 1 on 28 count and finding the coverage to be just perfect. I have lots of pictures posted in my SAL thread here: http://www.crossstitchforum.com/viewtop ... =6&t=21076" target="_blank

I park, using the scarlet quince method, where I (almost) never stitch below an open space - so I am always bringing my thread up from the back in a 'clean' hole. It can be a bit slower to park this way rather than stitching all of a color within a 10x10 grid, but it prevents the problem of leaving single stitch holes to fill in. I think at 28 count the fabric and stitches are just too small to even try to do that. I don't even like to do it in 18 count. 16 count is where I'm comfortable leaving single spaces open to fill in later.

If you find that stitching 1 over 1 on 28 count isn't giving you enough coverage, maybe try to pay a bit of attention to your tension. It sounds like you must be stitching with a good bit of tension if the thread is pulled to the point where the background is visible. When I stitch, I make sure that there is no tension on my thread at all - I pull it through the fabric from the back just to the point where it rests evenly on the front, not tugging it from the back at all. It took a bit of careful attention when I started paying attention to how I formed my stitches to get into this habit, but now I don't even think about it any more. The end result is my stitches look much more even.

[meliebean]

I tried doing my first HAED (a mini) on 28 ct evenweave and found it didnt work for me at all. It was my first time using evenweave as well and I tried the 2 over 1 full crosses and 2 over 1 tent stitches. I restarted a few times, after completing a page 2 times. I decided to switch to 18 ct Aida. I am soooo much happier. I also switched charts (still a HAED though) to give myself a break from doing the first chart a third start on the same page. I was just so discouraged.

[Parksfarm]

Hi - these girls are 1 over 1 full crosses on 28 count evenweave... Coverage is great but I did switch to 2 over 1 tent stitches on 28 count evenweave for most of my HAEDs and I love that even more...





Good luck with your first HAED - hope you find a count that works better for you!

[kaelynangelfoot]

Thanks for all the advice (and the encouraging photos) ! I've restarted my HAED at 1 over 1 and it is going much smoother. I think the coverage issue will disappear as I go because I'm working in the darkest section of the pattern. I was only a couple hundred stitches in, so restarting wasn't a big deal and yes, I would rather do it now than in a few months. My stitches are also looking much nicer.

[NeedleAndFork]

Thanks for all the advice (and the encouraging photos) ! I've restarted my HAED at 1 over 1 and it is going much smoother. I think the coverage issue will disappear as I go because I'm working in the darkest section of the pattern. I was only a couple hundred stitches in, so restarting wasn't a big deal and yes, I would rather do it now than in a few months. My stitches are also looking much nicer.

[rcperryls]

Thanks for all the advice (and the encouraging photos) ! I've restarted my HAED at 1 over 1 and it is going much smoother. I think the coverage issue will disappear as I go because I'm working in the darkest section of the pattern. I was only a couple hundred stitches in, so restarting wasn't a big deal and yes, I would rather do it now than in a few months. My stitches are also looking much nicer.

More Looking forward to,your updates!!

Carole

[msufly]

Ok, so I just found this thread and read through it because I'm having the same problems on my TW piece. It's got several over 1 sections and I'm hating the first one so much that I haven't worked on this piece since MAY! I love the design and would really like to get working on it again, but I was doing 2 over 1 on this twisted vine section and it SUCKS! It's also my first time parking and I'm completing one column at a time, only straying from that on the edges, so I always have at least one open side as I'm stitching, if that makes sense.

Here's some pics from May showing where I'm at:

And a close up of the over 1 twisted vine section:


So...I don't think I can push myself to finish this over 1 section with 2 strands....but do I frog it all and try to save the other stitching I've done on the border and castle medallion, or just start the whole thing over? It's on evenweave fabric...Charles Craft I think.

[Allyn]

Ok, so I just found this thread and read through it because I'm having the same problems on my TW piece. It's got several over 1 sections and I'm hating the first one so much that I haven't worked on this piece since MAY! I love the design and would really like to get working on it again, but I was doing 2 over 1 on this twisted vine section and it SUCKS! It's also my first time parking and I'm completing one column at a time, only straying from that on the edges, so I always have at least one open side as I'm stitching, if that makes sense.
...
So...I don't think I can push myself to finish this over 1 section with 2 strands....but do I frog it all and try to save the other stitching I've done on the border and castle medallion, or just start the whole thing over? It's on evenweave fabric...Charles Craft I think.

Oh, I hope you don't give up on this. I love TW's designs. I use one strand for the over-1 sections and use waste knots wherever I can.

I would save what you can and frog what you have to. That's probably not helpful, huh. Frog enough to get rid of the tight bunching on the vine section, but see if you can salvage the border. I don't think you have to start the whole thing over, do you? The rest of it looks lovely.

[rcperryls]

I hope that you can save much of what you've already stitched. I also love TW designs,( though I haven't stitched any I still have a bobbin box with blended threads ready to be used when I get back to my second fairy afghan). It looks like you haven't done too much on the twisted vine band so I would do the same as Allyn. Frog it and then stitch 1 over 1. What fabric are you using? If I am stitching on anything over 25 ct, I only use 2 strands if I am stitching over 2 or if I am tenting. For me, any stitching that is 2 over 1 on fabric that has a high count is work not fun.

Carole

[msufly]

Thanks Carole & Allyn. I figure I'll try to frog the twisted vine section and save the border & castle medallion....if all that frogging doesn't turn out well, then at least I tried. I think patience will be the key since I used the parking method so the back is very messy in that section.

[NeedleAndFork]

Thanks Carole & Allyn. I figure I'll try to frog the twisted vine section and save the border & castle medallion....if all that frogging doesn't turn out well, then at least I tried. I think patience will be the key since I used the parking method so the back is very messy in that section.

I think once you frog that section and restitch it 1 over 1 instead of 2 over 1, you'll be much happier. As someone who's done her share of frogging recently, I don't think that this area should be too hard to frog since you're ripping it all out, not just one color. The way I'd approach is would be to use a very pointy pair of scissors - I actually use cuticle scissors that have a curved pointy tip for my needlework - and being careful that you're only getting floss and not the fabric as well, just start snipping at threads in the area you want to frog. You don't have to snip every stitch, but get several of them. Then flip over to the back and do the same. Then with the assistance of a pointy needle and a pair of tweezers you should be able to work all the short bits of floss loose and pull them free. Alternate removing it from the front and back, depending on which one seems easier at the time. I find it easier to frog from the back if I'm removing entire sections and don't have to worry about getting the right stitch, while I work from the front if I'm removing individual stitches at a time so I can see what I'm doing.

When you're done removing all the stitches, you'll probably notice a bit of lint or fuzzies in hte colors of floss you used. Wrap a bit of low tack tape (like painters tape) around your finger sticky side out, and dab at the fuzzies. That should pick up most of them pretty easily. You could just leave them there since you're stitching over the area again anyways, but if the fuzzies are extreme, a few wisps might show through your stitching later. Also, you can use the tape technique to pull out short little threads if you snip most of the existing stitches.. I tend to use a combination of the tape, tweezers and my frogger (a size 26 needle with a tassel of beads attached to the eye to make it easier to grab)

Good luck with this! It'll be lovely when completed, and you'll have enjoyed the stitching so much more!