head gridding and parking

[crystalangel]

hi ,i am new to this board ,and am enjoying reading all your stories ,can anyone tell me the easiest way to grid and park a haed chart,or even the easiest way to stitch it please thank you

[Vega]

There's many different ways and I'm sure each person will share how they do things. I outlined each page with 1 strand of floss. I stitched 5 over, 5 under for each 10 count. Then I used a washable fabric pen to grid out the 10 x 10 blocks within each page. I'm only gridding the first page and a few blocks beside & below that page to help with overlapping stitches.

Its recommended the HAEDs be stitched from left to right, 1 page a time. Since I'm using a tent stitch I found it easier to stitch right to left. That part is a matter of preference. Some like to go color by color. Some go 10x10 blocks. Some are brave enough (I'm not ) to park their threads.

[Serinde]

I've never really gotten the hang of parking threads -- I just get a mess. So I work all big projects the same way: first, I very carefully use a water soluble pen for fabric to mark out the grid; then I start with one colour and do as much of it as is sensible without leaving long trailing threads on the back, but I'll cross to a new page to follow the colour. Then finish off that colour and start another. I have also used highlighter pens to mark where I've stitched on the chart (or a copy of the chart, if you are very fussy). That made all the difference in Water Tiger II (not the largest piece I've ever done, either).

[Stitch]

I work in basically the same way as Serinde. I have a Clover fabric marker I use to grid and then work left to right. I also don't park since I just know all those lengths of threads hanging there would drive me crazy. I have a tendency to flip to the back of the project frequently, so they would just get in the way.

Good luck with your HAED chart and I can't wait to see what design you chose.

[~threadbear~]

I tried parking and got myself in a real muddle. I do pretty much what Serinde does, except I'm yet to grid. I am looking forward to trying gridding though as I'm sure it helps alot eith larger projects.

[Serinde]

I never used to grid when I was younger... just leapt in. This gridding stuff is old age creeping up.

[Pinguxxx]

What's parking ????

Is it just finishing with a colour and leaving the remains of the thread hanging around until you're ready to use that colour again ?

[~threadbear~]

What's parking ????

Is it just finishing with a colour and leaving the remains of the thread hanging around until you're ready to use that colour again ?

It is.

This link explains it:
http://www.scarletquince.com/parking.php" target="_blank

[Ketta]

I never use the parking method; it's incredibly messy for me and the way I organize things in my brain when I'm cross-stitching doesn't allow for it. I haven't done any HAED patterns, though I plan to (going to purchase one on my birthday), but I have done huge patterns like them.

You definitely DO need a way to organize yourself, and everyone here seems to have their own way. Because of how I like to cross-stitch (I like to use a colour strand up, so I tend to choose my next colour based on that... hope that makes sense), I have to MAKE myself do only one page or designated grid size at a time. I make mental landmarks and physical notes (like an unusual colour), especially if I have to be away from the project awhile. I tend to work from one corner to the other, depending on the design (from left to right, top to bottom, etc).

One thing I've been doing the last few years is stitching in front of my computer. I have quite the setup, a comfy chair, a little table for my tools/thread/etc, and the pattern is on my computer screen. No flipping of pages, the pattern is in colour so it's easy to keep my place, and I don't loose pages. These are patterns I've made myself, nothing I've purchased yet. I definitely recommend it... especially if you have helpful cats who like to be in laps