Ways to lock a 1 strand thread?

[Mistresspaige]

Hi everyone I'm interested in starting a HAED and plan on doing it on 25 count evenweave (1 stitch per hole) since I feel it's the best fabric for the job (Max Aida I've seen is 20 ct and that's abit to big for the HAEd I'd like to do (625ct across). However I've always worked with two strands of thread since I love the loop lock method for securing your thread and feel two strands will be too bulky for a 25 count.

So It looks like I'll have to settle for 1 strand but since I can't loop lock it what other securing methods would you recommend?

[19Roland19]

I do not believe in knots.

With the first thread, I leave a bit of tail on the back and as I do the first few stitches, I make sure the tail goes under them. Then future threads are anchored by going under stitches before actually stitching.

(Not sure if that makes sense or not. I understand myself. )

[rcperryls]

I usually do the same thing as Roland and also wasn't sure how to explain it. Then I thought, let the pros explain. This tutorial from Scarlet Quince explains anchoring. There is also a tutorial on using the away waste knot and a basic knot.
I usually anchor but will use waste knots, especially when I'm using my Lowry stand and don't want to keep flipping my hoop over.

Like you, I prefer the loop method for starting which is one reason I like using 2 over 1 tent stitching on 28 ct fabric for large projects like HAEDs.

Carole

[Allyn]

I use waste knots and away knots. I agree that knots aren't good if left in the fabric, but both waste and away knots are clipped off when their job is done. I understand what 19Roland19 is saying about holding the tail and also anchoring under existing stitches, but that will be cumbersome doing on a complex design when you have a lot of colors in a small area. 1) You may not have enough stitches of that color to secure the tail before you switch colors so the knot holds it in place until it is sufficiently captured, and 2) trying to jam several tails under the same stitches in a small area will strain your tension on the front and make lumps on the back. Using waste/away knots, the tails are anchored without affecting the tension of previous or subsequent stitches and it holds all the tails in place until they're secured.

And just as an aside note, you can get aida in 22-count. It may not be called "aida"; look for 22-ct hardanger.

If you like two threads, you can do two threads over-1 tent stitches instead of full crosses. The two threads give full coverage on 25-ct so the bottom leg of the 'cross' is really just adding to bulk and not needed.

[19Roland19]

The away knot still seems to require a group of stitches together, and then anchoring under.

I see the advantage to not needing to flip your work back and forth though.

[Allyn]

The away knot still seems to require a group of stitches together, and then anchoring under.....

Yes, it does require a group of stitches together, but they don't all have to be the same color. When doing a large, solid-stitched project, there are plenty of stitches to anchor the tails when using waste knots. When you reach the edge of the design and start using away knots, there are significantly less tails to anchor, so having to run them under a few stitches isn't a problem. It's when you try to anchor all the tails that way when you can run into a problem.