Tent stitch vs Half stitch?

[rcperryls]

I am getting ready, well, seriously thinking, of adding two new HAEDs to my ever growing and out of control list. One is a Santa for one of my sons (not sure which Santa yet) and the other is a mini birthstone for my sister (who doesn't have any of my cross stitch works and is going through some tough times now). I know that doing tentstitch will make it go faster. And I know we have had some great threads. A search comes up with over 1000 posts and that is a bit much. I understand how to do a tent stitch going left to right (which is what I do I think when I am filling in a lot of space with half stitches), so I think I often do 1/2 tent and 1/2 half stitches. Are there any good websites that explain this well. I googled and got some websites but most looked like they were for needlepoint (tapestry, I think, in Europe) and is that the same.
Another question, when you do the tent stitch do you usually do 2 over 1? That is what I am thinking and would get some 25ct fabric as I think 28 ct might be a bit too small.
Thanks much. And if anyone knows which thread here already discusses this, I would appreciate a link to it.

Carole

[Mrs Milkybar Kid]

In my stitching I used 2 over 1 tent stitch on 28ct as you know - so I could use the loop method to start! My stitching looks too bulky for 2 over 1 crosses on 25ct, which is why I'm considering tenting my larger HAEDs as starting threads would be easier with 2 strands! I'm probably not the best to offer advice but I used continental tent stitch (diagonal stitch on back of work - what is used for tapestry/needlepoint) - although there were some half stitches in there due to the nature of travelling across the fabric/confetti. Hopefully Sarah (Gixxer) will see this thread as I'm sure she tents all her work and will offer us newbies her expert advice!

[rcperryls]

Thanks Amanda. The full crosses on 2 over 1 are a bit bulky which is what my LOTR is. 2over 1 on 28 ct is where I am headed. After I posted I looked at the one piece of 28 ct that I have (the one that caused me grief way back on TOS) but I think for what I want it might work fine (the count I mean, I think I might need a larger piece of fabric but I need to check it out). I would really like to work on that mini some because I know it would be a great gift for my sister. As I said, I think I have done the tent stitch without knowing it because that is how I stitch on the "row back" when I have had big patches of 1/2 stitching before, which a lot of the fairy charts had as background. The mini doesn't look like it is part of the current sale so I might just jump in and get it.

Carole

[Parksfarm]

I tent 2 over 1 on 28 count. I tested 25 count and with 2 strands, but had too much show thru for my liking, so I started a storykeep 3 over 1 on 25 count, which I abandoned as it was just too bulky...

My backs look like ||||||| on the first row when I am stitching left to right and then ///// on the second row when I'm going right to left. I'm sure that's completely the wrong way to do it, but the coverage looks great on the front and you can't tell the difference. It also gives me someplace easier to end my threads because it can be a little difficult to get them under the ||||| stitches on the back...

[rcperryls]

My backs look like ||||||| on the first row when I am stitching left to right and then ///// on the second row when I'm going right to left. I'm sure that's completely the wrong way to do it, but the coverage looks great on the front and you can't tell the difference. It also gives me someplace easier to end my threads because it can be a little difficult to get them under the ||||| stitches on the back...

I just looked at the back of some of the fairy patterns I did and the backs look like what you describe where I was doing half stitches. I think I am going to try the 28 ct 2 over 1 for the mini for sure and probably for the Santa but that one will stay on hold for a while.
I am still interested in what the others who do tent stitches have to say. And then I will bookmark this thread because trying to find the other ones was way too complicated.

Carole