I think I've been converted...

[burgundyice]

A few years ago in York I got this Lanarte kit - http://www.coloursdownunder.com.au/shop ... -p832.html ...but it wasn't until I got it home that I saw it contained evenweave instead of aida! and as a result it got left to one side....
Now I'm planning to start working on my Queen of Hearts HAED & wondering what fabric to get. The Snow White Mystic Stitch in my SAL is on 16ct and is very big to manage so the HAED having almost twice as many stitches a higher count is obviously needed! But the idea of stitching over two scares me to death, then got to reading about continental tent stitch ---hmmm, easier & quicker perhaps?!?
The only thing to think about was coverage, as 2 strands on 16ct aida sometimes shows little gaps especially in darker colours... I want to have a realistic fighting chance of finishing my HAED, so decided tent stitch would be the way to go. I did some experiments with the fabric I had (I tried tent stitch on 18ct with 4 strands....!!!) still not happy, then remembered the mysterious evenweave stuff in the Paris kit. It's meant to be stitched in full crosses over 2, but this was me experimenting, plus a couple of "melted" m&m's had mysteriously dyed a corner of the fabric green!!!!!! (do not open kit packets if there's any chance of dropping/spilling anything near them!!) - so I started a quarter-size miniaturised version of the pattern in tent stitch over one, with two strands. Coverage is excellent & not too difficult to see or keep track of with it being over one! and of course it's much quicker! - over this weekend I've completed the "Paris" word & made a start on the swirly background)
And turns out this is 27 count evenweave... and I'm having one of those moments wondering why was I ever afraid of it? Maybe I'll do everything with tent stitch on evenweave?!? Why go back across to cross the crosses if I can get such results as this???
I've had a look around for 27ct and have come across it being branded as Linda - I guess this must be what's in the Lanarte kit (don't think it's linen as it's very even) - anyone bought this, used it, or any idea what's in Lanarte kits? (Just says 27 count, no description).

Thanks for reading!!

Louise

[Slinky]

Good for you!!

Unhelpfully I can't comment on your Lanarte fabric or Linda fabric as I have not knowingly used either but I happily welcome you to the evenweave converts club!!

I think evenweave (& linen, for that matter) is the most fabulous fabric for stitching and, to me, beats aida hands down. I quite like fractional stitches and find that stitching over two on evenweave makes them a doddle to do. I must concede tho that you have to be extra-double-careful when counting!!

Let's see some photos of your work!!

[Mabel Figworthy]

Louise, the fabric is indeed Linda (which as far as I know is the only 27ct around) -- it's a 100% cotton evenweave, which as you noticed is more even than linen. Other fabrics you might like to try with similar counts are 28ct Jobelan or Brittney (nowadays known as 28ct Lugana) -- they are both cotton-mix fabrics (the difference bing in what exactly they're mixed with) and are therefore a bit softer than the Linda. Of the two, Jobelan is the smoother/drapier and has more of a sheen, Lugana is sort of in between Jobelan and cotton. Or you could try a cotton/linen mix like Quaker cloth, which has some of the characteristics of linen, but is less uneven.

Tent stitch works well over one but I'm not sure I'd use it for everything, unless from now on all your stitching is going to be over one . When you get to less than 25 stitches per inch I personally like full cross stitch better (unless half cross stitch is used for effect, of course)

[Sarah Gixxer]

Glad you found a way to give you a good chance of getting through it - I decided to use tent stitch two strands over one (on 25 count evenweave) for my HAED, after experimenting with normal cross stitch with 2 strands, cross stitch with 1 strand and then tent stitch with 2 strands. I found the last option gave good coverage and looked neat. And of course, it'll take half the time to complete that crosses would!

[Busy_B]

Congrats for being willing to experiment. It's always nice to find something else that you like.

[SusanF]

I'm working on a Lanarte kit that is evenweave 27cnt too. It's lovely to work with, although quite different in feel from the 25cnt Lugana I'm using for my HAED. I didn't know the Lanarte fabric name before and will definitely look out for it now.

[Becca]

It's really interesting how different people like different stitches. I have to agree that evenweave is great though, i love the way it is so smooth, and i love doing tiny stitches. I do prefer full crosses though, but i've seen lots of people do amazing work with tent stitch.

[crazycat]

tent stitch scares me

[burgundyice]

It's much less scary than cross stitch!!! I've just been going on about how much I'm enjoying it for my HAED in the other thread "Tent stitch vs full"


Louise

[sammy_v]

tent stitch scares me

Im with u.