Why is the back so ugly??

[jennleemat]

Mable, thank you so much for your explanation of the loop tech!!! It seems so easy!! I can't wait to try it. What I'm working on right now oddly enough wants me to use 3 instead of 2, but I will def come back to your post when I start on my next one!!

Ok... so I'm glad to know I'm not the only one whose back looks crazy!! That makes me feel better. I guess I will just keep trying to perfect my technique until I can get it looking somewhat decent!!

I wish I could look at Jill's gallery, but I haven't made enough posts yet to look at the gallery.

Thank you all so much for your responses!!!

[Rose]

Oh don't worry about the posts stick around here and soon you will be celebrating your 2000th post We are very addictive here.

[nettie]

My backs are neat...ish! I do everything Mabel said but I also try to work large blocks of colour first and then I have lots of neat on the back to secure confetti stitches and ends with no loop because I had no choice but tie them off.

Can't remember who said it but a great tip if you are travelling across the back to tuck it under thread already there I will keep that in mind!

[Pengwenn]

I was working on my Carcassonne project at lunch today and I had 1 lone stitch of a color that didn't have any other stitches of that same color within 30 stitches in any direction. Yes, I did drag my thread over and stitch it. It's in an area that hasn't been stitched yet so when I do stitch there it will cover up the thread on the back. This project is turning out to be very messing for that matter. Lots of little one or two stitch areas where there isn't anything else of the same color. Maybe for an update photo I'll scan the back instead of the front. Now that's scary.

[jennleemat]

Ugh... I hate those one random stitches!!! I have a few of those on the piece I am working on now. I haven't done them yet, but I can't help but wonder... would it really matter if I just use the main color... I know I'm going to go ahead and do it but it just seems so annoying!!!

Hey Pengwenn... where do you get that material with the blocks already on it? That looks like something I need to get!!!

[Mabel Figworthy]

I have been known to substitute a more convenient colour if it was just one random stitch....

[Busy_B]

Maybe I should take a pic of my fractal bookmark back. It is bad! Since I'm only using one strand, it can be difficult to start a thread. Especially now that I understand the loop method and have started using it at times. I love it! There are so many colors that the back is terrible!

[Pengwenn]

Hey Pengwenn... where do you get that material with the blocks already on it? That looks like something I need to get!!!

I used a marking pen and drew them on myself. It's been a godsend with the Carcassonne and Balloon WIPs. The color vanishes when you wash it (I've tested it out). Just go to your local craft store and look for water soluable marking pens in the sewing or notions section. I highly recommend gridding your fabric if you're going to have a lot of confetti stitches. It helps keep everything in their proper place. If you don't want to use a pen you could always do your gridding with thread that you could pull out while working on an area.

[jennleemat]

Thanks Pengwenn... I will def try that! I always think I'm on a roll and then realize later the whole thing was off one or two stitches and have to

I love this... y'all are making me feel better and giving me the best ideas!!! Thanks!!!

[agi]

I love my water soluble pen, too!

[Rose]

I use my pen for many things. I don't grid my fabric but I do use it to find the center or edge of a project and to count to make sure my fabric will be large enough for the project I intend it. They are very useful.

[Fljotsdale]

I have been known to substitute a more convenient colour if it was just one random stitch....

Me, too.

[jennleemat]

Ok, I finally done enough posts to see the gallary!!! I am amazed at a lot of the stuff on there. I have one question, it kinda relates to this topic, but not really...

I have noticed on the WIP's that are in the gallary seem to be worked in blocks or lines going up and down the fabric. I normally try to use all of one color and then move to the next, but it will be a huge section of the piece. Is it better to work in grid lines or is it just a personal preference? Does it make the back look prettier??

[Rose]

It is totally a personal preferance and it really does not make that much of a difference with the back. At least in my experience it does not really matter.

[flumpz]

Sorry to be so late with this but just catching up with some older threads and as I find the backs of projects fascinating just had to comment!

Have a look here (click on the word 'enlarge' under the individual pics) ... http://www.cyberstitchers.com/Galleries ... /index.asp" target="_blank" target="_blank

Shows some people have amazing talent & patience! Mine would look nothing like these but I'm not as bad as I used to be!!

[Serinde]

This is a subject that comes up from time to time in various guises. As Rose says, everyone has a way they deal with a design, and different designs do need to be tackled in a different way than others sometimes. I suppose, for me, I follow the line of least resistance and follow form and colour, otherwise I'd make a permanent home for our un-pal, But I work on big cross-stitch designs with 30+ colours as a regular thing. ( ) However, when I'm doing hardanger, it's another ball game altogether, because there is a sequence in which the work must be done.

The back of a design is important insofar as it impinges on the front: if you have a really lumpy back, the front will probably be lumpy, too, when it comes to finishing (in frames, for example). Using loop starts or that fancy way of keeping all the threads in the front as you go along helps to make the back neat. However, I am always thankful we are mostly past the time when the back of the work was as important as the front: talk about confusing your priorities!!

[Pengwenn]

Have a look here (click on the word 'enlarge' under the individual pics) ... http://www.cyberstitchers.com/Galleries ... /index.asp" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Okay there's no way my backs will ever look like some of those. I've been known to carry the thread over an area to get somewhere else, but only if that area will be stitched over so the thread doesn't show throught the fabric. And if I've already stitched in that area I'll weave it through the stitches to get somewhere.

[coffee_freak]

i use the loop method, never carry my thread more than two spaces and only if it will be covered by other threads.
i tuck the end under 4 stitches on the back and clip very close to the last thread i tucked it under

usually my backs are neat.
but with my current project..forget about it! lol

[ohstitcher]

I went to the website and looked at the backs, there is no way my backs will ever look like that and I have been stitching for years. I have tried the loop method for starting and it works well for single colors, unfortunately the next wip I have going has many blended threads and my back is not gonna be pretty. ~sigh~

[Lizzy]

My backs would never look like those on the website!

I would love to see the back of a HAED, anybody offering please?