X stitching on linen?!

[Hugglebunny]

Hi All

I have opened the 'mammoth'. For those of you who might not be familiar with it, it is a 1 metre by 1 metre pre packaged x stitch kit by permin of copenhagen called 'waterflowers'. I received it for xmas in 2012 and I am well overdue on starting it! Here is a link so you can see what it looks like when it is finished. http://img1.etsystatic.com/011/0/651231 ... 9_85lo.jpg" target="_blank (Sorry it is so small).

After eagerly opening the packaging and drooling over the all the pretty coloured pre sorted threads (thank goodness is all I can say, I couldn't imagine trying to sort them myself ) to my horror I discovered that my beautiful kit will be stitched on linen!

I have never stitched on linen before (and I must confess, I think it will look much prettier than if it was stitched on aida). I was wondering if any of you had any tips for stitching on linen for a newbie like myself? I have watched a couple of youtube videos and it doesnt seem tooo difficult (?!) but would appreciate any tips you may have to offer

Thanks!

[Serinde]

Stitching on linen isn't more difficult than on Aida -- just different. Your Aida block becomes two sets of crossed linen threads. Sort of like a tic-tac-toe board. Good lighting helps, of course, and this is when the "counting" in cross-stitching is really important. Once you get used to it, I hope you'll absolutely love it.

[fccs]

When stitching over two, you just have to make sure that your stitches cross the same thread direction. If your first stitch crosses the vertical, all stitches must cross the vertical. When you're counting and stitching, if you notice you are crossing the horizontal, the count is off somewhere.

Stitching on linen is easy, it's just different. Once you get used to it I think you'll like it...if you have a good piece of linen. I've run into some linen that I absolutely hated...you do get what you pay for sometimes.

[rcperryls]

I love stitching on linen, though I haven't done a lot of it. The hardest part for me is getting my eyes used to stitching over 2 and keeping my counting straight. Once my eyes adjust it's not too hard.
As Debby says there are different types of linen. If you don't like this one don't let it put off all of them. I tried once years and years ago and the fabric I had was very nubby and I hated it. Didn't try again until joining the forum and now I love to use linen when I can.

Carole

[jocellogirl]

I love stitching on linen too.
This and this may be of some use in explaining it.
Good luck

[meganh]

I love linen and almost always use it,I actually find it easier to work on than aida. If you are really worried maybe you can do a small test piece for practice ?

[mesonoxy]

This is my first time stitching on linen too and I absolutely love it! What Debby said is a great tip - note where you start, on a horizontal or vertical thread, and then every single cross should start at the same configuration. If one doesn't, then you're off.

This is a great tute: http://home.comcast.net/~kathydyer/nf_xstitch_tut.html" target="_blank Scroll down to number 18. There's a good visual re: what is a vertical vs a horizontal thread. They recommend starting on a vertical.

Good luck and be sure to post pics!

[Allyn]

I really like linen when the piece isn't full stitched. If the fabric shows -- like in a sampler -- I much prefer linen to evenweave for that visual interest the uneven threads give it.

I can't tell from the link, are there fractional stitches, specialty stitches or stitching over 1? if not, go with aida. Just make sure you go to an equivalent count aida (32 ct linen = 16 ct aida, 28 ct linen = 14 ct aida). Save the hunk of linen for smaller, introdution-to-linen type projects.

Edit: Oh nevermind what I said about the aida. I thought you said you thought it would look better on aida and I was trying to be helpful. You said the linen would look better than the aida. . . so yeah, look at the tutorials and do it on linen. You'll see how easy it is working on linen.

[guenever]

where's Karen?! she showed me that i could indeed stitch on linen. i haven't done a project with it yet. but it is just a matter of getting used to it. you can do it. if i can do a couple of stitches--i can do a hundred! thanks to Karen! you can do it. maybe take a small piece that won't be formally stitched on and experiment.

[karen4bells]

where's Karen?! she showed me that i could indeed stitch on linen. i haven't done a project with it yet. but it is just a matter of getting used to it. you can do it. if i can do a couple of stitches--i can do a hundred! thanks to Karen! you can do it. maybe take a small piece that won't be formally stitched on and experiment.

Thanks Linnea--and yes, that is the easiest way I can think of--try a small piece of fabric, linen or evenweave and practice---it won't take long at all

[Ainjel333]

My current project is my first time with linen, and at first it took me a lot longer to make each stitch because my eyes just couldn't adjust to it, but now after a little bit of stitching on it, it has become very easy stitching and I can see the 'squares' much easier and my stitching has gotten much quicker with it.

[Serinde]

I really like linen when the piece isn't full stitched. If the fabric shows -- like in a sampler -- I much prefer linen to evenweave for that visual interest the uneven threads give it.

I can't tell from the link, are there fractional stitches, specialty stitches or stitching over 1? if not, go with aida. Just make sure you go to an equivalent count aida (32 ct linen = 16 ct aida, 28 ct linen = 14 ct aida). Save the hunk of linen for smaller, introdution-to-linen type projects.

Edit: Oh nevermind what I said about the aida. I thought you said you thought it would look better on aida and I was trying to be helpful. You said the linen would look better than the aida. . . so yeah, look at the tutorials and do it on linen. You'll see how easy it is working on linen.

I know what you mean. Why waste lovely linen on designs that cover the whole fabric? Where the design leaves parts of the fabric unstitched, I think linen looks so beautiful in its own right it becomes a part of the design. (If someone would come up with 25ct Aida for HAEDs... they's make a small fortune.)