Need help with backstitching!

Tips, Tricks & Techniques - anything to help fellow cross stitchers.

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carolynbb
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Need help with backstitching!

Post by carolynbb »

I need some guidance with my backstitching.

1) How do you guys start out a backstitch? Do you use a waste knot? Do you run the thread under the cross stitches? Something different?

2) While backstitching, do you run the stitch on top of the fabric as far as the pattern shows a straight line, or do you bring the needle through the fabric at each hole?

Like, this would be an example of the latter:

Image

Whereas the former would have just one long stitch for each side of the square. I'm more asking here for the times when the backstitch is on a long diagonal slope and so it doesn't really line up with the holes in the fabric.

I think that's it for now...thanks!
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karen4bells
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Re: Need help with backstitching!

Post by karen4bells »

I run the thread under the cross stitches and I do the backstitching as I see fit, so I do not come up every square, and for diagonals I try to make it look as near normal as possible--don't know if that makes any sense or not :?
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agi
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Re: Need help with backstitching!

Post by agi »

I anchor the thread under the cross stitch, and I dod the backstitch coming up and down every hole, I find it more to my liking. If it goes diagonally (not Diagon Alley :) ) I usually pierce the fabric, even if there is no hole. It works well for me.
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Arianwen
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Re: Need help with backstitching!

Post by Arianwen »

I normally anchor the thread under a cross stitch unless i am stitching with two strands, when i use the loop method.

I usually do a running stitch first then start the backstitch. I do the stitches as long as I can get away with :P If its necessary to do a stitch for every hole I'll do that but if i can go longer I will do that too. Sometimes i will try a stitch one way and if that doesnt work or look right ill take it out and try it another way
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freelady
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Re: Need help with backstitching!

Post by freelady »

I do whichever way looks best at the time, often a mix of the two, going hole by hole and then by taking bigger stitches where it seems appropriate to me. No rule, just what looks good.
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Re: Need help with backstitching!

Post by pamelam »

I anchor the thread under existing stitches, and usually go in every hole.
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Rose
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Re: Need help with backstitching!

Post by Rose »

I also anchor the thread under the existing stitches.

I then go every other stitch and if I have a diagonal I will run it to the next hole that lines up with the pattern sometimes as many as 5 stitches but it really depends on what the pattern calls for. No set rules just what makes the pattern look the best. But on the straight areas of BS I don't go more then two as I don't want my line to walk around once the pattern is finished.
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Nachstenliebe
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Re: Need help with backstitching!

Post by Nachstenliebe »

oooo nice thread discussion. I anchor my threads. I usually the the needle back down in the holes like that.. but for a pattern that has a lot of space coverage inbetween hole meetings (is there a proper term for that?) I will put it own ever 2-3 holes in a straight area like the picture shows...
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Re: Need help with backstitching!

Post by Like_Fine_VVine »

I anchor mine under threads and I stitch each block (up & down in every hole) for straight lines. On the ones where its diagonal- going across blocks side by side or up and down- unless the pattern calls for something weird, I go over two blocks. Its usually trying to make a little bit rounder edge than the 1 block, so its usually up through the corner of the bottom edge and then finish the 1/2 x in the top of the other block. Wow that sounded confusing lol, I guess I'm treating it like the side by side blocks are just one square.

When I was new and didn't know how to backstitch lol, I did it going as far as a straight line would let me- 3, 4, 5 blocks before going back down- I took it all out and started again because I didn't like how the thread would shift where it wasn't secured :( .
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Vega
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Re: Need help with backstitching!

Post by Vega »

I also secure in the back or use the loop method when using 2 for back stitching.

As for the stitches themselves it really depends on the pattern for me. If there is a long straight line I count the number of individual stitches and then decide if I want to do 1, 2,or 3 blocks at a time. For larger pieces doing 1 stitch for a 15 line run doesn't work for me. In something like that I'd do 5 runs of 3 blocks each.
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Re: Need help with backstitching!

Post by Jaki :) »

Same as others I anchor mine under other stitches :) & my backstitch usually miss a whole & go down next 1 as for diagonally I do same as Rose & go down the first available hole sometimes as much as 5 holes down, I try not to pierce the fabric on diagonals if I can help it :D
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Like_Fine_VVine
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Re: Need help with backstitching!

Post by Like_Fine_VVine »

:applesauce: I'm learning sooooo much on this forum; so first thank-you all!!!

I do my backstitch when I finish each section. That makes it less tedious for me. When I first started stitching years ago, I did my backstitch over multiple squares and hated how the line would move (probably because I went to far). So, teaching myself, I thought ok you screwed up and are supposed to do every block.

Last night I finished the first section of my rooster design that I'm working. This morning I started backstitching it in my every block method; in about an hour I only had about 400 blocks covered and I was feeling very frustrated thinking I'd be at backstitching this very detailed section for a week.

I logged in here during dinner and saw this thread again; I decided to try the multiple block backstitch again, using the method someone else provided of going 3 blocks if there are 15 in a line.

OH MYYYY- #1 its sooooo much faster; #2 it looks soooo much better!!! I'm thrilled; got almost all my leaves backstitched in about 2 hours tonight.

So thank-you thank-you thank-you and if anyone out there is doing it a block at a time, try this way instead :dance:
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