Need some help with new project...

[Kythe]

Well I just started my first really complicated project. It's a HAED, here's the one I'm doing if you are interested.
http://www.heavenandearthdesigns.com/in ... ts_id=2885

I'm stitching on 25 count lugana over 1 with 2 strands.

At first this project was going pretty smoothly, but then I started to run into a couple of problems that I didn't expect. The first problem is that I found that after the thread had passed through a hole once, that it became hard to see the holes. So after doing a couple of rows, sometimes I'm not sure if I'm actually passing the needle through the hole or piercing the fabric. I'm not sure how big of a problem that actually is though, it doesn't seem to effect how things look.

What has become a bigger problem though, that is in some areas that I'm stitching, when I go back over doing the 2nd half of the cross stitch, I find that the thread of fabric is getting pushed down and pretty much closing the holes for the next row down. So then when I do the next row I have to work to find where the holes should be and wedge the needle in there. And of course the cycle keeps repeating itself where the holes the next row down will get closed up. Is there any way to break this cycle, or am I doomed to have this continue through the rest of the project?

My mother thinks I should have been stitching with only 1 strand of thread, but the color key specified 2 strands, and I've always worked with 2 strands at a time so that's what I decided to do this time. If I wanted to change to 1 strand of thread, I'd have to rip out everything I've done so far and start over. Since I don't think she's ever worked with anything above 18 count, I figured I'd see what some people who have experience with higher count fabric think.

[socialsue]

I am stitching with 1 strand over 1 because on my HAED, it looks bulky with 2 strands over 1 . I am stitching on 25 ct as well. So far, my HAED looks fine....some people use different ct and different strands over 1 or 2...it depends on individual's preference, I think.

socialsue

[Becca]

I tried 25 count with 2 strands over 1 and found it much too bulky so i can see why you are having a problem. Although it will be really annoying, i do think you're better off starting again with 1 strand as it will be so much more comfortable and enjoyable to stitch and HAEDs are such big projects you're going to be stitching it for a long time. I'm not sure why it suggests 2 strands in the key as almost everyone i've spoken to uses 1 strand for 25 count. I'm doing mine 1 over 1 on 28 count.

[Lisa]

i am doing an haed on 22ct and another on 25ct, both 2 over 1 using tent stitch which is effectively half a stitch but going the long way round

[Play Outside]

I had this problem when I started my HAED as well, and was ready to throw it across the room for the first two weeks. I was doing the piece on 25 count, and full stitches with 2 threads. The key for me was getting a smaller needle - the ones you get for 14, 16 and 18 ct projects are just too big. I picked up number 28 tapestry needles at the local craft store, and life was much better. I've heard some people also use petit needles (which, I think, are shorter), although I've never tried these. I also changed the way I stitched a bit. I used to do the colors with the most stitches first, and fill in the colors with a few stitches later. With the HAED, I found filling in single stitches later was hard. Now I do colors with a few stitches first, and colors with more stitches later. Stick with it, and let us know what works for you!

[Kythe]

I tried 25 count with 2 strands over 1 and found it much too bulky so i can see why you are having a problem. Although it will be really annoying, i do think you're better off starting again with 1 strand as it will be so much more comfortable and enjoyable to stitch and HAEDs are such big projects you're going to be stitching it for a long time.

Yeah maybe I'd better rip out what I have and start over with 1 strand. I mean I haven't done that much yet, but the small area I have done has quite a few stitches so it will be annoying to rip that all out and start over. I guess I won't be able to use the loop method for starting a thread which I really love, but then again you can't do that a lot of the time anyway even with the 2 strands because so many colors only use a few stitches per area.

I'm not sure why it suggests 2 strands in the key as almost everyone i've spoken to uses 1 strand for 25 count. I'm doing mine 1 over 1 on 28 count.

Yeah I don't know either, all I know is that the amount of floss you are told to get is based on using 2 strands. The majority of my colors only needed 1 skein, but I had to buy 14 skeins of black floss, so stitching with 1 strand, I'm going to have a lot left over! lol

I had this problem when I started my HAED as well, and was ready to throw it across the room for the first two weeks. I was doing the piece on 25 count, and full stitches with 2 threads. The key for me was getting a smaller needle - the ones you get for 14, 16 and 18 ct projects are just too big. I picked up number 28 tapestry needles at the local craft store, and life was much better.

I actually did buy size 28 tapestry needles because that was what was suggested in the pattern, but I guess even these small needles are too big for me with 2 strands on this high count fabric. I'd be tempted to try a smaller needle if they made them, but 28 is the smallest I've seen. Then again, I have enough trouble getting the thread through the size 28s even with the needle threaders, so a smaller needle I'd probably find impossible.

Well thanks for all the suggestions. I might wait to hear from a few more people, but chances are I'll be ripping all my stitching out and starting over with just one strand. Though I am a bit nervous about cutting the stitches out with my embroidery scissors because I'm afraid of accidentally cutting the fabric. Would a seam ripper be better for this?

[Jilly]

Unpicking on such tiny stitches is really delicate work, but I think to really enjoy working on your project I would do it...
I would gently tease out each arm of the stitches with a needle and constantly snip off the excess tail so that you are not pulling lots of thread through... it takes a while, but I have ruined not only a project.. but the fabric as well trying to cut the threads away it is so easy to lift the evenweave with the stitches you are trying to cut
It is a fantastic project.. worth the extra effort to make it an enjoyable one as well.


My latest finish..Death and Binky....I worked a large portion of his robes and decided that it looked too 'open'...so I started again on a finer count. a big step back.. but I am so glad I did as it looked so much better.

Good luck

[Cecilia]

Well I just started my first really complicated project. It's a HAED, here's the one I'm doing if you are interested.
http://www.heavenandearthdesigns.com/in ... ts_id=2885

I'm stitching on 25 count lugana over 1 with 2 strands.

What has become a bigger problem though, that is in some areas that I'm stitching, when I go back over doing the 2nd half of the cross stitch, I find that the thread of fabric is getting pushed down and pretty much closing the holes for the next row down. So then when I do the next row I have to work to find where the holes should be and wedge the needle in there. And of course the cycle keeps repeating itself where the holes the next row down will get closed up. Is there any way to break this cycle, or am I doomed to have this continue through the rest of the project?

Hi - :thinks:I'd like to suggest that you try making the whole cross stitch each time instead of working half then completing the stich on the return journey. I'm sure that I've read somewhere that if you stitch on evenweave over 1 this is the best (only) method to use to prevent the stitch/fabric thread disappearing. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it all works out ok whatever you decide to do. Good luck.

[ohstitcher]

There are a couple of things I would suggest here.
1. If you can test you stitching on the fabric in a corner, do 1x1 and 2x1 to see which has the best coverage. And what is easiest to stitch.
2. Try different type of fabrics. Get different fabrics and counts, I started my HAED 3 times because of the fabric. I am a seasoned stitcher and still had trouble with the HAED.
3. Don't despair your pattern is lovely and you will find the right combination eventually.

[Kythe]

There are a couple of things I would suggest here.
1. If you can test you stitching on the fabric in a corner, do 1x1 and 2x1 to see which has the best coverage. And what is easiest to stitch.
2. Try different type of fabrics. Get different fabrics and counts, I started my HAED 3 times because of the fabric. I am a seasoned stitcher and still had trouble with the HAED.
3. Don't despair your pattern is lovely and you will find the right combination eventually.

Well unfortunately money is tight right now, so I have to stick with the current fabric I have and I'm not really able to experiment at the moment. Considering that the 2 strands over 1 gave me so much trouble, when I start over, I'm going to be trying the 1 strand over 1 and hope that it works out.

Edited to add:

I think I figured out what went wrong with my stitching. It occurred to me that perhaps maybe the place I ordered my fabric from might have sent me 28 count fabric by mistake. So I measured one inch of the fabric and counted the holes. Sure enough, there were 28 holes there! Then I doubled checked by measuring half an inch and I counted 14 holes. I then proceeded to measure one of my grid lines from end to end and it was definitely shorter than it was supposed to be.

So the good news is, that it was nothing I did that messed things up, the fabric was just a higher count than I thought it was. It's also nice to know that since it's 28 count, that redoing the stitches with 1 strand should be plenty of coverage.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Glad that worked itself out, but do contact the shop who sent you the fabric, as they should be told they made a mistake -- they may send you the 25ct or give you a partial refund, but at the very least they should be made aware that they should double-check orders before they send them out!

[Kythe]

Glad that worked itself out, but do contact the shop who sent you the fabric, as they should be told they made a mistake -- they may send you the 25ct or give you a partial refund, but at the very least they should be made aware that they should double-check orders before they send them out!

Yeah, maybe I should. I certainly don't need the 25ct fabric now as I'm perfectly happy to use the 28ct, but a partial refund, or perhaps a credit toward my next purchase would be nice. Though I wouldn't count on it because I actually ordered this fabric a couple of months ago at least. But in any case I guess I should let them know an error was made because it even said 25ct on the receipt. Next time I get fabric I'll definitely be checking to make sure it is the right count before stitching.