I have been stitching on Aida for a few months now, but being new to stitching I would like to try a fabric that is not Aida, i've seen you all working on some lovely fabrics. So I was wondering if any of you had some suggestions on the next step up from Aida, Something still easy to see, and count.
Also can it still be gridded? My eyes are not what they use to be, but I can see 14 and 16 count fine with my hobby glasses, even 18 count. I do prefer 16 count personally. 14 count is a little large I think for my liking really.
And thanks to this forum, you guys are really wonderful at helping, i've asked a few questions, and there is always lots of people willing to answer questions that have probably been asked a dozen times
Hi Borgessa, good on you for wanting to experiment.
If you have a look at my Isabella's Garden one I have just finished it is done on 28ct Jobelan, It equates to 14ct aida certainly but it is easy to see, although some of the fabrics can be 'floppy' sort of a slightly looser weave. Recently I started using Lugana for my hardanger work and it is to my thinking anyway, a much firmer fabric and nicer to work on for me.
One way to try some out is to ask at somewhere like Sewandso who have "Goody bags" with samples of fabric or if you have a LNS nearby then perhaps they would give you some bits to play with and tell you what they are and what count.
I am sure others have ideas too so keep watching.
Sally in Brisbane Australia
WIPS
Christmas Stocking from World of Cross Stitching mag. 262
I made the leap to evenweave earlier this year. I tried different counts of Jobelan, Lugana, Monaco and Linen and found my new love: Cashel linen (28ct). For anything higher than 28ct, good light and a magnifier are a must. Squirrel's grab bag suggestion is great. You can also check around for fabric sales and clearances. I say just jump right in.
Kinley Rose
WIP
Windswept (HAED)
French Country Kitchen Garden (Chatelaine)
Personally if you really want to try something different I'd go with linen. It's quite different to stitch on and gives a different result to the stitching IMO (it's a little less even than aida or evenweave, it's a rougher feeling fabric, it's almost always stitched over 2 whereas aida is over 1). Whereas I feel that evenweave is similar to stitch on and gives the same result - just different feeling material.
Most Mirabillia patterns call for linen - I find as long as you aren't stitching something geometric linen is great. If you are stitching something with a natural or drapey feel about it linen is fabulous (country samplers, trees, mermaids, ladies in gowns ... all look great on linen).
