Suggestions on a HAED

[littleturtlegirl]

I purchased four this weekend, for the future....but I have never done one before. Being that the sale is today...Any suggestions on the first HAED is good to start with?

I clearly need to purchase something today, but what? What did you start with and was it a good idea or not?

[cairee]

you start with whatever you want to stitch, all HAED charts have one thing in common, no fractional stitches or backstitching. its all one stitch at a time, the fabric count and full or half stitches is up to you

if you want a smaller chart for a first Haed look at the quick stitches and minis.

[Mrs Milkybar Kid]

What Cairee said! Basically pick a chart you love because you'll be stitching it for a long time especially if it is a BAP! There is no point stitching a Story Keep design (around 12,500 stitches) just for the sake of it being small if you hate the design. Also HAEDs have sales on average at least once a month, varying from 25% - 50% off and there have been several 50% off ones this year, so don't feel you have to rush your decision as there is always another sale around the corner!

The most important thing to figure out after you make your chart choice is what fabric count and thread combo will suit your stitching best - after that the fun can begin!

[Stitchinkitty]

Pick a chart that really calls to you and go from there.Says she who has so many HAEDs that"called" to her!!!!!

[bookknurd]

Part of the fun of first getting into HAEDs is doing some experimentation with what fabric you will use, how many threads, what stitching method (cross country or parking), etc.

There really isn't a better way to find out what you like than to pick a chart that you love (especially one with colors that you love), and dive in.

It is usually recommended that you consider what size fabric you like to work on, and try out some different thread options on it. For example, if you think you like 25 count, you could try 1 thread over 1 with full crosses, or 2 over 1 with a tent/continental stitch. When testing fabric, people often recommend that you do a block of stitches, with varying colors, so you can get a feel for the coverage of the stitches (i.e. whether or not the threads are covering the fabric well enough), as well as if you are using too many threads, which would make it difficult to place many stitches in next to each other. The different color threads will behave differently, so if you use several different colors in your test stitch, you should be able to get a good feel for what you're doing.

If you can't find an option that works for you on a particular size fabric, you might want to consider moving up or down in your fabric count, depending on what you need.

If the size is daunting, you may want to try a smaller piece like a QS, mini, or Storykeep. Mind you, these are still quite large compared to most cross stitch pieces, but they're certainly not as big as the full-sized HAEDs.

The main thing to remember is that HAEDs are meant to be fun and enjoyable. Yes, they will take a long time. That's okay though. Just enjoy the journey!

Pick a chart that really calls to you and go from there.Says she who has so many HAEDs that"called" to her!!!!!

Yes, beware that your charts will start speaking to you. This a common phenomenon among HAED stitchers. (Actually, my HAEDs were the first chart to start calling for me, but then that got my other non-HAED charts going and now I can't get any of them to hush up).

[LastingAllure]

Pick a design that you LOVE and know you won't get bored of. Don't buy one for the sake of it and start stitching it only to hate it after a page or two.

I started with a design from an artist I grew up loving. So it was a no brainer for me. I decided to stitch on 18 count and it is looking awesome. You don't have to do it on 25count 1 over 1 if you don't want to.

Also remember everyone tackles the patterns differently. I like to do 20x20 blocks at a time and aim to get those 400 done every time I work on it...sometimes I can get 800 done in a day. It is a matter of finding what works for you! I like to do this with confetti heavy patterns so I don't become overwhelmed.

[rcperryls]

Great suggestions from everyone. I think that testing what you like best in terms of fabric and fabric size and type of stitch (# of strands, full x vs. a tent/half stitch ) cannot be overemphasized. Also find a chart that you love because it will take a while to finish. I love the journey and the variety.

Yes, beware that your charts will start speaking to you. This a common phenomenon among HAED stitchers. (Actually, my HAEDs were the first chart to start calling for me, but then that got my other non-HAED charts going and now I can't get any of them to hush up).

Important warning. And not only will they yell about being stitched on, they demand more and more of their relatives and friends to join their party

Carole

[littleturtlegirl]

I knew you guys would help me....into the poor house

I sadly liked them on facebook and each day a new one speaks to me...I need to finish a Christmas ornament and then start a Christmas present, for next year, I thought I would get a head start. I did purchase some evenweave during the sales. I will test stitch the heck out of it to see what I like best. When I start my HAED, I will be sure to share with you guys. Thank you for enabling me, and giving me all the great information.

[Allyn]

Whichever HaED you pick, do yourself a favor and do some research first to find a picture of the stitched piece first before you invest time and supplies in it. The HaED site shows you pictures of the original artwork, which may or may not look like the stitched piece when finished. HaEDs don't do blended threads, so the color reproduction can sometimes leave a lot to be desired.

[SunnFyre]

I just bought 5 new charts and I haven't even started either of the two I bought a few months ago! But that will change once I'm home from vacation. I can't wait!!

[bookknurd]

I wanted to also mention that I have two HAEDs in progress (though not much progress has been made recently ), and they are both on different types and counts of fabric with different stitching methods. And I'm happy with both.

They are two very different pieces art-wise, and when I started the second one I somehow knew that it needed to be on 18ct Aida, stitched with full crosses. Of course, it was also one where I was perfectly fine with it being a large piece so the decrease in count didn't bother me.

My other piece is on 28 ct (I think?), stitched 2 over 1 tent stitch. The fabric and methods just seem to fit for each one, so for me, it may be a matter of what I feel like the project calls for.

For my first project (the one that is tent stitch), it did take some trial and error for me to find the right combination. The 18ct Aida one wasn't as tricky because I'm more than comfortable with stitching that way and I already knew I would be happy with the coverage/size of stitches.

The main thing to keep in mind is that it should be enjoyable. So all you have to do is find the process that is most enjoyable for you and jump in! Of course, that's easier said than done.

[rcperryls]

Many of the designs on the HAED website show two images of the design as in this example of Marta Dahlig's Wrath. If you enlarge the smaller image on the bottom you will see a picture of a stitched piece. The enlargement of the larger image is the artwork itself. I think this is something that I learned on the BB. Always wondered why there were two images. Not all designs have these, but if you have questions about how it will look stitched, this might help. Since I'm not positive where I learned this, I might be mistaken, but if you compare the two you should be able to see a difference.

Carole

[Mrs Milkybar Kid]

Of course you are right Carole . I think it might be only the older designs that don't have a mock up of the charted piece and the original artwork. I always find them handy when checking out mini vs BAP charts, as the charted mock up helps me to see what detail (if any!) has been lost in a smaller mini version.

[Parksfarm]

Ok, I have to say also, in defense of HAED, that yes, the stitched version isn't always an exact duplicate of the original artwork (speaking of the brou ha ha over the Goldenwood chart). BUT, I've learned to trust Michele's charting. The tree in my Christmas Fairy piece is very much darker than the original artwork. At first, it bothered me a lot but as I've completed more and more of the piece, it looks great! I'll be posting a new pic in the next couple of days...

I'll second (and third and fourth) test stitching on different counts and picking a chart you love! My problem is that I love so many of them, lol

Not sure if anyone has mentioned joining the HAED bulletin board on Yuku - you'll see lots of helpful hints and WIPs and finished pieces - but definitely be ready for your wish list and/or stash to grow once you see a piece being stitched - even ones I didn't like initially made their way into my stash once I saw how beautiful they were stitched up

[thread garden]

I had a major fail with the HAED I started. I started it two over one on 40ct evenweave. I found it too hard/thick to stitch using two strands, so I stopped after stitching about 1000 stitches. I haven't started it again but will have to as I love the pattern I chose as it really spoke to me:

http://heavenandearthdesigns.com/index. ... ts_id=7605" target="_blank" target="_blank

I think the advice to stitch a small area and see if you like the count and number of strands is great advice! I will consider my first attemp a "test".

Jan x