Preparation Habits?

[Rose]

I have never been able to figure out that nylon thread. It does not move like normal thread and my machine does not seem to like it. I tried it a few years ago and ended up throwing it in the trash.

[elementaryteacher77]

Can someone post a pic of what their zig zag or serge stitched edges look like? I have a machine but am a beginner sewer so I want to make sure I do it right. Also, please define the serge stitch as I'm not familiar with that.

I used to tape my edges when I was younger but haven't bothered with my recent start up after a long MIA. I, like many others, are just too impatient to get back to stitching to take prep time. I also don't grid. HOWEVER, I don't do very big projects yet. I might rethink the prep if I ever decide to do a HEAD or other large/time consuming project!

[Rose]

To serge the edges of your fabric you need a serging machine. They are different then a regular sewing machine.

Not sure how well you can see this but I do mine this way.

[stitchingmae]

I have yet to zigzag with my machine I am new to sewing as well. I am guessing it doesn't matter what size zigzag you use, I don't have a serger just a plain sewing machine.

[cristaltipps]

I have a sewing machine which is always set up and ready to use but I still always hand stitch my material round before starting to cross stitch, I fold it in and in again then do running stitch all round then come back round in the gaps never ever had any problems with fraying.
I usually mark the top with a stitch unless there is a selvedge edge on one of those sides which then becomes the top.
Until I had my HAED I never gridded but after discovering it to be so useful in keeping my place I have used it on a couple of things since.
I have to have everything for each project with that project including a pair of scissors, all the threads, packs of needles in the required size and highlighter pens for keeping my place on the pattern.
Each project has its own bag and is ready for me to just pick up and take if I want to work on it.
Until I replied to this thread I never realised quite how many little things I have to have just so before I stitch lol

Sam

[AngelaV]

I have found that masking tape for Aida works perfectly fine and takes less time than whip-stitching or zig-zag stitching. I've also used painter's tape when I don't have masking tape on hand (my obsession with spray paint means that painter's tape is ALWAYS on hand at my house).

Linen is much more delicate, so using a stitch is better. I don't sew, so I take my material over to my mom's house and she puts in a zig-zag stitch for me.

When I've ordered material from online shops (i.e. 123 Stitch), I've always received the material pre-stitched on the edges, which is a great perk!

[socialsue]

I zigzag around the edges with my sewing machine then put onto my scroll rods or Q-snaps. If it is a small piece of fabric, I stitched by hand.

I use a working copy of my chart and highlight as I stitch. I also make sure that I am stitching per line or rows since I make few mistakes rather than stitch with one color all over the fabric. Too many mistakes and frustrating to frog.

socialsue

[LaraAmber]

I run the edges of my fabric through the sewing machine before starting. I don't wash the fabric or the thread. I will sometimes iron the fabric if the creases are really bad. I don't grid my fabric. I worry that I'm much more likely to make a mistake because of misplacing my grid then using previously placed stitches to place myself. If I center start I make a little cross-stitch "T" in the upper right corner so I always know the orientation of my fabric.

[kinley626]

The first thing that I do is make a working copy of the chart. I have a love/hate relationship with my sewing machine, so most often I use tape to bind my edges. But only if I'm stitching in hand or with a hoop. If it's going on a scroll frame, I don't worry about the edges. I haven't tried gridding yet, because it sounds like an awful lot of work. I make sure the first five colors I need are on bobbins. The rest I bobbinate as I go.

[jaye_pony]

I tape edges. I've also started ironing aida prior to doing anything at all with it - the pieces in the kits have usually been folded and are heavily creased, so I have to press them before I start.

[cairee]

I dont do anything to the edges, I leave an extra inch or two as my "fray allowance" on top of my framing allowance.
for larger projects I grid the first page, smaller projects, no gridding.
what takes the most time is mounting it to my scroll frame, if Im using it. its the type that you have to baste the fabric to the cloth strips on the rods. I have got to get a millenium frame.

[NeedleAndFork]

I zigzag the edges using my sewing machine and whatever thread is already in it - If it's not already threaded, I use leftover thread that's on a bobbin for both the upper and lower thread to use them up so that I don't have half filled bobbins laying around. Whatever color is available.. that makes no difference to me.

Here's a quickie pic if what the zigzag looks like. This is how I take a pic of my WIP with my webcam and usually I crop the edges and my hands holding it up before posting, but this time I went through my older pics and found one I hadn't yet edited to show the zigzag..



As for the rest of the prep I do.. I make up project cards so that I have a length of each color of floss that is used in the project easily accessible so I don't have to keep opening my bobbin box..



And I gather all my supplies together into a pencil box, so that I have everything easily accessible, and I thread the next several colors I'll be using and have them ready to go on my home made pako style needle organizer..



Then I pick out an audio book and stitch, stitch stitch!

[thisisadiana]

For really tiny projects (in hand projects) I go over the edges with clear nail polish. I wouldn't recommend doing it with bigger projects, but for smaller things like ornaments it works well.