Do you stitch faces with one thread or two?

[MinnieMouse]

Just wondering as I've read some blogs where stitchers prefer to do faces with one thread. In this case, would you stitch 1 over 1 or still over 2?

[rcperryls]

I use the amount of strands that I was doing for the rest of the piece, which would depend on the fabric count. I have just started doing 1 over 1 on several HAED pieces on 22 ct and plan to use that for 25 ct on my next ones. I would think 1 over 2 on most counts wouldn't give great coverage. If you were stitching over 2 for the rest of the figure would you do twice as many stitches if you did the face over 1 then? Is it supposed to give you more detail in the face? I don't know why others change their strands for the face only.

Carole

[MinnieMouse]

I wasn't sure either and suspect it gives an uneven appearance to the final product...

[Lessa54]

I do whatever the instructions say, whether that's the same number of strands as the rest of the piece or different.

[dawna w]

I have a few patterns that are set up that way. I would think it would be very hard on Aida, but on a linen or evenweave they would be very delicate and the pictures seem to look very beautiful. I have not attempted this myself, I usually work with Aida and am a bit scared to try other fabrics, but I think when I get the courage I would give it a try! If you dont like the effect you could always pick it out and cover that stitching with over two and I don't think anyone would ever know the difference!

[stitchnsew]

I did 4 charts, the Angels of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter by Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum from Lavender and Lace. The angels were done on 32 ct linen, 2x2; but I did the faces (and arms or hands) 1x1. I just converted it and did 4 tiny full crosses for every symbol. In some places, in order to round it out or smooth out the color changes, I did 3 crosses of one color and one cross of the adjacent color; in effect doing 3/4 and 1/4 stitches, if that makes sense. Anyway, it turned out gorgeous and very delicate looking. I don't think I'd ever go back to having the faces being the same size stitches as the rest of the picture if I could help it. But those are TINY stitches-- I couldn't do a whole HAED type project in 1x1 on 32 ct!

[Squirrel]

Thank you for asking this question as I am wonderig whether to do Lady Rose's face as 1 over 1 as I have seen it done on something years ago and it looked so real and life like.

Thanks for the help ladies.

Sally

[JenEric]

Like Stitchnsew - I also did the face (arms/hands) of a Lavendar and Lace angel 1x1 where the rest of the design was 2x2 (32 count fabric). I really liked the effect and will do the same whenever I get around to stitching the Mirabilia Queens.

I think I have a pic in my gallery - but I'm not sure if you will be able to see the detail.

edited to add - just checked - on page 2 of my gallery, I have a close up of the face.

[Mystonique]

I do this a lot but more with tapestry than cross stitch (as someone said it's more difficult on Aida than on canvas or linen). I generally use less thread but I also petit point (which means little half stitches).

It really depends on the design as to whether it looks out of place or just adds definition to the skin (if you're doing the face, you'd do all the bare skin the same).

[MinnieMouse]

Oh Jen! I like the way it looks! Maybe I'll give it a try!

[kmummy77]

I did 4 charts, the Angels of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter by Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum from Lavender and Lace. The angels were done on 32 ct linen, 2x2; but I did the faces (and arms or hands) 1x1. I just converted it and did 4 tiny full crosses for every symbol. In some places, in order to round it out or smooth out the color changes, I did 3 crosses of one color and one cross of the adjacent color; in effect doing 3/4 and 1/4 stitches, if that makes sense. Anyway, it turned out gorgeous and very delicate looking. I don't think I'd ever go back to having the faces being the same size stitches as the rest of the picture if I could help it. But those are TINY stitches-- I couldn't do a whole HAED type project in 1x1 on 32 ct!

Stitchnsew - I have considered doing this when I reach the projects where MLI has not already included 1x1 for faces and hands. How did you do eyes though, which had the backstitching? I have wondered if I would be able to do appropriate colouring for eyes to remove the need to do backstitching but am not confident about doing this and certainly don't want to try this at the end of a project and ruin the whole thing.

Kirsty.

Angel of the Morning
Emma's garden
Enchanted Alphabet

[Fizzbw]

I know a lot of people do Joan Elliot's ladies 1 over 1. I've not tried it yet...

Apparently you can blend the colours in so much better as you can make four stitches of one colour in the pattern, into 3 stitches of that colour and one of a next door colour thus blending it bit.

I do want to do it sometime, might find just a face to do to practise before I do it on a full sized lady!

Nxxx

[Allyn]

You'd do the skin areas -- face and hands/arms --1 over 1. It makes a really nice effect. Take a scrap piece of fabric and try doing the face 1 over 1 first before you commit it to your WIP.

One of the pieces in my rotation is a victorian street scene. It's a row of shops. Everything is 2 over 2 except for what you can see looking in the windows. Everything in the windows is 1 over 1. It looks really nice.

[stitchnsew]

I just swq this thread had some new comments. When I did the eyes, I did do the back stitching as the instructions called for and it turned out great. Here is a closeup of one of the faces, it's taken through glass, so there is some spots of light reflection, but you get the idea of the different sized stitching, and the backstitching

[LastingAllure]

I did a Joan Elliott over 1



I just did 4 stitches for every stitch on the pattern. It looks like it was painted onto the fabric. I personally like this look because the skin doesn't look bulky and it makes the clothes look like they are layered on and gives it dimension.

[Fizzbw]

It looks brilliant, both of them. I'm so going to try it when next I do a JE.

Niki xxx