Can we discuss the 'jaggies'?

[thegrindre]

Hi all,
Round things, in cross stitching, are not very round. Everything that's round has a jagged edge to it.

Typically, my moon is prey to this ugly situation. I have a jagged edged moon.



Big questions:
How do you overcome the jaggies???
What are a few ways to beat this thing?
What's the secret to making a round object look more round?

Thanks a bunch,

[backafteradozenyrs]

You could try adding half and quarter stitches/backstitching to smooth it some.

[karen4bells]

I agree with Diana--and that's what I usually do when I see a chart like that, I just work in some 1/4 stitches and it usually smooths it out to my liking

[thegrindre]

Thanks, ladies. I guess I'd better learn my 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 stitches then, eh?
I'll go practice on my frog...

[Mystonique]

you can also use backstitch to smooth over jaggies depending on the size of your design.

[Lessa54]

The only other way I can think of in addition to those already listed is to work it the same size (dimensions wise, rather than stitch count) on a much higher count fabric. That way the circle has to go over many more lines of fabric to be complete and whilst it still has jaggies, it's much less noticeable than the same size circle on a low count fabric.

[Offe]

My trick is to see the beauty in the jaggies.

[Serinde]

Ah, not Partick Thistle football (soccer) Club, then.

Yup, a more perfect circle is to be found in fractional stitches. However, Offe has the best philosophical answer.

[bookknurd]

I've also found that what looks really jagged up close, your eye and mind fill in when you see it from a normal distance. It also helps if you weren't the one who stitched it and knows where all the jagged edges are.

I'm working on a chart I made that is just font, although a slightly decorative one. I'm adjusting it on the fly and keep seeing all these little details that seem like huge issues to me. Then I show it my husband and he says "Yep, looks like an O".

I do agree with others though, the fractional stitches can really make a difference.

[NeedleAndFork]

The 'jaggies' is why I didn't care for cross stitch much until I saw the more detailed patterns that are available these days. You could take a cue from them and use a color that's inbetween the moon and the sky to help form a smoother transition between the two. That is what the HAED pattern I'm working on does for the black outlines on the pattern. And the end result is flawless!

[thegrindre]

Thanks again, all.
I'll play with that idea, NeedleAndFork.

[nasreen]

I have the same problem, specially when I am trying to design my own patterns. I have one large piece that I am working on and calls for loads of half and quarter stitches as the pattern has polka dots but I cant seem to make it look neat enough. I should either learn to half stitch properly or lean to live with the "jaggies".