How do you make neat backs?

[vickil]

You are all amazing!!
So much info to digest, thank you. And such beautiful work! Now to learn these new techniques.
I just hope one day that my skills will be just half of what you guys are!!

Can I ask another question?
What is tenting? And when do you use it?

[cairee]

tent stitching is similar to half cross stitches, the difference is in how the back of the stitches go. in half cross you would come up on the bottom left and go down on the top right, the front would go ///// and the back goes |||| the problem with doing a whole project like this is it skewes the fabric, the solution, tenting. in tenting you come up the top right and go down the bottom left, still working your rows left to right, your top goes ////// and your back goes ////// this keeps your fabric straight.
when to use it? whenever you want. lots of people use it for full coverage BAPs like HAEDs because its faster than full cross stitch.

[MaggieM1750]

This is what I wrote not long ago in another thread. I just cut and pasted.


Heres my quick explanation of continental/ tent stitching
It isn't necessary when stitching over 2 on linens/ evenweave or with aida.
Its the way I stitch when stitching over 1 on linen/ evenweave to keep my threads from slipping under the weave of the fabric. From the front it looks exactly like a half stitch. Its only on the back that you will notice a difference.

12345
ABCDE

Up at 2
Down at A
Up at 3
Down at B
Up at 4
Down at C
Up at 5
Down at D

So on the back.. instead of your typical |||| from doing the bottom leg of a full X stitch.. you have a long diagonal stitch running across 2 threads.. going from A to 3 or B to 4. Its that long diagonal that prevents your thread from slipping under the weave of your fabric.