I have got about halfway through the backstitch on a fairly large project and have just realised that i should have been using one and not two strands of cotton and a smaller needle. No wonder I was finding it hard to pull through and other finished cross stitches were getting destroyed in the process!
I can't bring myself to unpick the backstitch I have already finished and start again with one strand - do you think it matters to use two strands? This is my first project so I'm viewing it as a steep learning curve and the end result, with all its knots, messy back and funny stitches will be a testament to that!
Hi bolshiegirl, backstitch is usually done with fewer strands than the cross stitches in a project, but that (like many other things) is not a law engraved in stone -- occasionally designers will decide to use more strands to make their backstitch stand out more, and in a stained glass window design I did (though I haven't actually stitched it yet...) the black lines separating the bits of "glass" will be done in three or four strands. So I'd probably just go on with two strands here, enjoy the different effect it gives and, as you say, see it as a learning experience
I agree with Mabel. Althought it might say 1 strand it is not going to be the end of the world tha you have used 2 strands. Since you have somuch done already I would finish it as you have started it.
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Aha, I've found a thread about backstitch, I was just about to start one. I am a very passionate and avid stitcher but I HATE doing backstitch!, If I can get away with just doing the bare essentials (eyes, whiskers, outlines where it's all within the same colour stitches) I do. It just seems to me that after the sense of happiness at finishing all the cross stitch it's such a chore to think you now have to work on the back stitch. I would also suggest that some of it's surely not needed - e.g. surely not around every single tile of the roof of Rapunzel's castle in the Maia design I've just done?!?!? (I did the outside outline of the roof but left the individual tiles, likewise I outlined her face & arms etc but not every single crease in her dress, just what I think were the important ones. Still took me extra hours at a time when I want to be thinking I've nearly finished this project!
I think it's such a shame that the stitches sometimes get almost covered over by so much back stitching, what are everyone's views?
Am so pleased my Mystic Stitch has none, nor by the look of it does the HAED design I've also got waiting in my stash (Queen of Hearts)
Louise
Personally I like backstitch. Doing it is fairly easy (nothing fancy needed) and the end result is usually well worth the effort! My TW The Castle and The Guardian looked wonderful without the backstitch, but once the backstitch was done they seemed to just jump off the fabric! Everything was so much brighter it seemed.
I think I'm one of those odd people who does not mind backstitch and enjoys doing it. LOL
im with raven i love backstitch, am not brilliant at it, but have only started it properly, before i picked xstitch back up i did when i lived with my auntie and she did my backstitch as i could never got the hang of it, but now i understand it i love it!!!
I do enjoy backstitch aswell (you're not alone Raven ) but have found my project so much more interesting to do the back stitch as I go along with the full stitches (I tend to complete the backstitch one 10x10 square at a time once all the full stitches are done in that square). Its nice thinking there's no backstitch at the end of the project to look forward to, plus gives a nice variation to my stitching taking it in turns between back and full stitching
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Do all of you use a different needle for backstitch? Im finding mine won't pierce through where I have to go through the middle of a stitch easily. I really like the idea of doing backstitch after each full block. Next project I will do this.
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I usually tend to leave all the backstitching till last (except for my Titanic project because there was so much of it)
I usually also use a needle one size smaller than the one used for the cross stitch.
Glad I'm not alone with this, cos I'm a newbie by comparison to some members on here, and glad to be able to confirm that what I'm doing is common practice
) but have found my project so much more interesting to do the back stitch as I go along with the full stitches (I tend to complete the backstitch one 10x10 square at a time once all the full stitches are done in that square). Its nice thinking there's no backstitch at the end of the project to look forward to, plus gives a nice variation to my stitching taking it in turns between back and full stitching 
