Does anyone have a paper bag? HAED help!

[itch_to_stitch]

I only have experience doing kits. I bought a HAED chart today so I could get a head start buying the things I needed for it (since I am used to having things handed to me in a kit).

So here I am wishing I had a paper bag to breathe into after I looked at that chart. So I guess I am asking for some direction. I don't have a floss collection because I have only done kits. So I guess I need to search the web for some DMC floss? It says how many skeins I need, so I guess it is as simple as that?

I guess I need to search the web for the kind of fabric I want and the color?

This is so new to me....but I am excited to start this new adventure!

[carolynbb]

I can't help with the fabric, since I haven't done a HAED yet and don't know which is best.

For DMC floss, though...at least in the States (don't know where you are), you can go to a Jo Ann Fabric or Michaels crafting store and they have an aisle full of DMC floss, sorted by number. Just grab a basket and toss in the skeins you want. Floss shopping is so fun!

I know the paper bag feeling...my husband got me 2 HAEDs for Christmas! I've been teasing him ever since that he never wants to see me again. Even he was shocked when I opened the package and showed him how huge it is.

[itch_to_stitch]

Thank you for your input! I guess I am expecting this to be more complicated than it needs to be. I guess choosing fabric will be the difficult part. I have never stitched on evenweave before!

[itch_to_stitch]

Double post here...

I am looking online at DMC's satin line. I wonder if it would spice it up a bit to use some on the satin floss to get a deeper color and some shimmer.

[Rose]

Don't get over excited. HAEDs tell you exactly how many of each color you need and like Carolynn said in the states you have Micheal's or Jo-ann's or Hobby Lobby and some places even has LNS's but they will be more expensive but they will also have silks or overdyed or other specialty threads.

I don't work on evenweave but I do know that some of our members have decided to work their HAED on aida 18ct. But I also now that others swear by linen or other evenweaves.

[kathryn]

for fabric, it really all depends on what you want to work with. I would recommend white, simply for the fact darker colours are harder to work on (unless of course your project is something with a black background and are trying to skip stitching it).
I'm working on a few smaller HAEDS at the moment, 22, 25, and 18 ct cloth. The count you use really is what you want to work on. The biggest caveat on using lower count cloth (14, 16, 18 etc) is that it makes the project even larger. So you have to take care to have enough cloth to finish it. I find a fabric calculator is a tremendous help for making sure you have enough.

[Mabel Figworthy]

There are also some very good eBay sellers for DMC, although I think that's useful mostly if you're in the UK because floss is so expensive here, and if you buy from Katz' Cross Stitch or the Hong Kong seller Thredbear has used, they work out at about 30p per skein I think (including postage) whereas on other sites and in the shops it can be anything up to 75p!

For fabrics, if you want to go for 25ct fabric, as it's completely covered you could go for DMC's cotton evenweave, which is only £3.50 per fat quarter from Tandem Cottage or $4 on eBay

[Lessa54]

I can't add anything to the very good advice on fabric and thread purchases. If you haven't stitched on anything other than 14 ct aida though it's worth getting a few small pieces of other fabrics to test out what you like and what coverage you will get too.

The other thing you will need is a storage system for your floss if you don't already have one. There's loads of posts about storage systems on here - lots of people use bobbins, some like me use floss away bags (little individual bags to put each colour in and then bundle them up with a craft ring). Again, experimenting is probably best to see what you like.

Finally, you can either stitch using floss straight from your storage system, or you might want project cards. I expect your kits probably came with this - strips of card with holes in which you can put lengths of thread through. They're widely available, or you can cull your finished kits or even make your own out of cereal packets.

The great thing is that having invested in floss, you'll now have a store for all those future projects waiting to be done

[Sarah Gixxer]

I always use katzxstitch on ebay for my floss as someone else mentioned - you can buy them in packs of 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 etc etc, whatever you want and they work out much cheaper than the shops even with postage.

I stitch my HAEDs on 25 count Lugana as recommended by the HAED site. I always buy it from http://www.sewandso.co.uk" target="_blank as they usually get it to you within 24 hours of ordering. It costs £11 for a piece measuring 27.5 inches x 1 metre (and you will need that much if your HAED is anything like the size of most of them ) and they charge £1 for postage regardless of how many things you buy.

[itch_to_stitch]

Thank you everyone for your advice. I placed my order for floss and fabric this morning. I am in the States so I used 1-2-3 Stitch to place my order on-line since I live in a rural area and craft shops are few and far between.

It was fun hunting for my floss with 90 colors to find! I really like 1-2-3 Stitch because it has pages full of DMC floss sorted numerically, and there is a drop down menu for choosing how many skeins you want. So it made shopping for 90 different colors much easier than it could have been. For my fabric I went went a 25 count Antique White Lugana. This is all new to me, but I like the ability to personalize your work, which is so much different from the kits I have done.

I am so excited, that I fear I may start on this HAED before my current piece is done! My current piece was started some time ago for a family member, but now our relationship has become strained and I find working on it a chore instead of enjoyable. I don't have the passion for it anymore. I have thought of continuing it but giving it to someone else, but I fear that may be a larger snub than not finishing it at all!

[carolynbb]

Oooh, thanks for the website tip on 123 Stitch! Bookmarked.

[ohstitcher]

123stitch is a great site and they are helpful and fast shipper as well I have ordered many times from them. I have nothing else to add except have fun and enjoy, don't get overwhelmed by the size of the pattern it's just one stitch at a time.

[kerbear879]

Yep I like 123stitch too and they ship so fast!

Don't worry about your HAED, they are a lot easier than they look and I am sure you will get the hang of it in no time!

[andrea42]

Like everyone said dont worry I was totally overwhelmed and I think what had discouraged me the most at first was the fact that i would see someone else stitching the same chart I was only they were more ahead than I was and that bothered me as I am a slow stitcher plus a serial starter so i dont get much finished lol. I did however just finish my first haed TT purple dragon and am very happy with her she is small and it took me 6 months to finish her but i do not get lots of time to stitch.

[Rose]

6 Months sound pretty speedy to me most of the people I hear from are saying 12 months and longer to finish their HAED so I would not call you slow.

[itch_to_stitch]

I received my order from 1-2-3 Stitch today. They ship very quickly. It would have arrived yesterday if not for the holiday. I was impressed that they didn't miss a single skein of floss, seeing as how I had to order 128 skeins. I have a kit that should arrive today as well, but I am undecided on which to start first. The HAED is for me, and the kit is for my sister. I may do my sisters first because I have never worked on evenweave before and I want to get it down before I start my HAED.

I have never had more than 1 project going at a time, because I am afraid I will not finish the first if I pick a 2nd one up. I have lost interest in my current piece, so I think I will put it down for a while.

I have never stitched on evenweave before, so I am excited. My HAED is on 25 ct antigue white Lugana, and the kit arriving today will be on 28 ct ivory evenweave.

I am starting a new job soon which has a 9-5 M-F schedule so I am going to have to find new down time to stitch. I used to work every other weekend, so I never stitched on weekends because I was always out doing something. Since I won't have to work weekends anymore, Sunday may be the day when I get in the most stitching time.

Thank you for the words of wisdom!

[Serinde]

Well, where's that magic bench? I've nothing to sit on while awaiting progress!

And remember, if you do need a paper bag again (thinking of winding all those bobbins!), just check in at St CrossStitchers.

[andrea42]

Rose she is only a TT lol


she wasnt that big so that was slow. Im on storykeeper now and that will most likely take me a year lol.