Stitching panels together

[lucia]

Hi, I'm hoping you can help me. I'm making a beaded cross stitch design for my husband for our anniversary. Problem is the pattern is 195x195 and I'd like to divide it into 3 panels to make it easier to bead. What I'd like to know is, after all three panels are beaded, how do I stitch them together to make one big beaded design?

TIA!
Lucia

[Allyn]

Maybe I don't understand. If the design is only 195x195, why do you have to divide it into panels to bead it? It would be much easier to bead a 195x195 design than to try to stitch it back together after splitting it into panels.

[richardandtracy]

195 x 195 can be a bit big for a hoop which may be why Lucia is thinking of splitting it. Sewing the parts together would be quite difficult (beyond my skills, I must admit). Instead, how about doing it on a roller frame?
If you've not seen a roller frame, there's a mini one shown here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-no-sew-c ... 1231406018 . Not advising that one as it's probably too small, it just shows the thing in action, and they can come in large sizes.

If you use a roller frame it could be beaded as you go along, but may be best to bead at the end, so any attached beads don't stretch the fabric locally as you roll it on from one part of the panel to the next.

Regards,

Richard

[Allyn]

195 x 195 can be a bit big for a hoop which may be why Lucia is thinking of splitting it. .....

Well, yes. That's why I'm asking. There has to be a better solution than splitting it into panels and trying to stitch it back together. Even if you use the hoop to do all the stitches and then do the beading in hand, that's better than trying to split it into panels.

[Serinde]

I'd also be tempted to do as much of the beading as possible in a frame, moving it around and so forth, and then do the residue in hand. Why make life more difficult? The only alternative -- if it were possible with the design -- would be to divide it into three and frame it like a triptych?

[lucia]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I realized that I didn't explain that the whole design will be beaded, so I've decided to not make the panels. I did reduce the pattern from 195 ct to 125 ct since it is a repetitive design. Richard, I will definitely take a look at the roller frame.

Hope you all have a great day and thanks again.

Lucia

[fccs]

You could also mount your fabric on stretcher bars so the entire design is visible and you don't have to worry about beads being crushed.

[Allyn]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I realized that I didn't explain that the whole design will be beaded, so I've decided to not make the panels. I did reduce the pattern from 195 ct to 125 ct since it is a repetitive design. Richard, I will definitely take a look at the roller frame.

Hope you all have a great day and thanks again.

Lucia

Oh, I see now. From the original post, I thought it was cross-stitch with some beads. I'd go along with what Debby and Richard said. If it's only 195x195, a stretcher frame or a scroll frame would accommodate that nicely.

[Reta]

I use these frames

http://www.sewandso.co.uk/Easy-Clip-Frames" target="_blank