Chart Reading

[Norman]

Let me know if this is the wrong place, move it if needed..

As I've stated before, it's been a good 15 years since I've done XStitch, and I'm trying to remember how to read these things..

In the Picture included, you will see an arrow.. that spot, that's a half stitch right?


As well, how do you know where a half stitch or a quarter stitch is..

If I remember correctly a half stitch was like one leg of the X and a 1/4 was from the hole into the middle of the weave..

And 3/4 stitch is 1/4 one color and 3/4 the dominant color..

I'm just probably confusing myself more..

And another thing, I usually start at the center spot, go right (one leg ie: /) and then come back along the same line, with the last half.. (ie: \) .. then go to the next line down.. I know there are many different ways to do it.. but is there a more efficent way of doing this, or is this kosher enough?

Thanks for all the help..

Dave

[freelady]

I think you'll find that everyone here has their own way of doing things, and the general consensus seems to be "Do what works best for you".

As for doing a row of half stitches and coming back the other way, I like that for bigger areas of one colour......until I have to . Now I always do one whole stitch at a time because it makes my life easier.

I can't help with half stitches 'cause I'm not good with them. I have to look it up everytime I need to do them.

Enjoy your stitching and don't worry too much about right and wrong.

[Norman]

BTW, sorry for the bad pic all.. my scanner decided it did NOT want to work so I had to use my camera ..

Thanks for the info freelady.. so you do a full X then go to the next one?

Interesting Idea.. I've never done that.. I guess it doesn't matter as long as they all go the same direction

[Jess03]

*rubs hands together* Righteo, I'll help best I can, and sorry in advance if I end up confusing you even more


The one you're pointing to is a fractional stitch, the type where you pierce it in the middle and then complete the stitch depending on the chart (the one I circled in green )

The half stitches usually have symbols just like the full stitches but in the key/instructions it tells you which symbols are half and which are full. I circled the half ones in blue

(Btw, hope you don't mind me borrowing your helpful pic Mabel Let me know if it's a problem)

And the way you described you use to stitch, I have heard is more efficient in terms of thread and doesn't use as much as if you completed each stitch one by one.

Hope this helps and that i've not confused you further..

[freelady]

Yes, I do a full x then the next one. It works for me. Even the big areas of background on the windmill are done that way. I started out doing rows as you described, but when I didn't like the look of a small area and wanted to redo it, it was a pig to undo. I find it easier to whole stitches.

[Norman]

Okay sorry about that guys.. I forgot the instructions..

Basically there's not much here.. tells you about the floss, fabric and the graph.. Some basic info about stitching.. I'll transcribe

Graph

• The design is worked from a graph. The different symbols on the graph represent the various colors use in this kit. Each symbol on the graph represents one stitch which will be made on the fabric. By following the graph the design is stitched directly onto the fabric.

The text under Starting and Stitching just says what to do if your thread becomes twisted and to take out errors and restitch.. :)Then on the back it shows the different stitches, IE: Cross Stitch, Half Cross Stitch.. etc...

On the back of the graph there are special instructions.. as follows:

• Work all Cross stitches first
• Refer to the symbol legened for the number of strands used to stitch the design.

here is the legend:

[Angel]

The way I sitch depends entirely on what I'm stitching. I sometimes do the whole x other times I'll work half stitches then go back and put the heads on them.

As for fractionals...the colour that does the 3/4 and 1/4 is decided entirely upon the picture. For example my carebear had a hat on and where the hat was over his head the had was the one with the 3/4, but when his ear poked out over the hat, the ear got 3/4

[Norman]

but when I didn't like the look of a small area and wanted to redo it, it was a pig to undo. I find it easier to whole stitches.

Yeah.. I'l have to agree.. I remember having to pull rows out.. and man that sucked.. I can see the advantages both ways too..

[Busy_B]

I stitch my rows the same way you do. Sometimes if I have a large area of one color, I'll just do the one leg in the whole area and then come back and do the other one instead of just doing rows. It's nice when you need to pay attention to something instead of your chart because you already know where you're working.

As for the stitch in the chart, I've always stitched those as 1/4 stitches. I hadn't heard of 3/4 stitches until I joined on here. I figured the outline took care of the other part of the 3/4 stitch.

[Norman]

Well back to the original question

Those stitches are 3/4 stitches then and not a half stitch?

If I read the replies correctly

[Mabel Figworthy]

They are either a quarter stitch with backstitch outlining, or a three-quarter stitch with backstitch outlining, but not a half stitch.

As Angel said, where two colours meet you decide which is the three-quarter one by looking at the picture and seeing which is supposed to be the foreground.

When they're on the edge of the design, like here, it's pretty much a matter of taste -- personally, I tend to use quarter stitches if there is a backstitch outline and three-quarter stitches if there isn't, but occasionally I have used three-quarter stitches with backstitch outline if I wanted something to look particularly rounded or wooly.

Hope this makes sense!

[Norman]

Perfectly.. so you use the quarter stitch because the backstitch will just cover up the 1/2 of the 3/4 right? Just making sure I understand totally here

[Mabel Figworthy]

Spot on!

[Norman]

Alrighty.. one more. .. I assume you do the 1/4 stitch "toward" the backstitch.. right..

so on the right they will go / and on the left they will go \..

[Jess03]

Alrighty.. one more. .. I assume you do the 1/4 stitch "toward" the backstitch.. right..

so on the right they will go / and on the left they will go \..

The one that you're pointing to in your pic, would go / and vice versa if i'm not mistaken ^^ so yeah you got the right idea

[Norman]

SWEET.. that means I can start tonight.. as long as I have some time..

I should.. be able to get a few rows done..

[Mabel Figworthy]

Don't forget to post a picture of your progress!

[Busy_B]

I always look at the pattern for the quartet stitches to see which corner it is in. That will tell you which direction to go.

[Rose]

Looks like I am late with any advice the rest/best of the forum have already got you going in the right direction. *pun intended * If you find you have more questions be sure to let us know we will be happy to help you.

[Angel]

yay we helped ^_^