Continental Confetti!

[burgundyice]

When I eventually start on my HAED, I'm thinking that continental tent stitch may be best, as obviously much quicker than full cross stitch, plus I've read awful descriptions about how the fabric can become pulled & warped from "normal" tent stitch because of it all being pulled in the same direction. I think I've got the hang of doing rows of continental tent stitch... but obviously with a HAED lots of it is just individual confetti stitches, hardly any of the same colour next to each other, so does this mean those confetti stitches would turn out to just be normal tent stitch, & risk pulling the fabric, or would the fact of carrying the thread over the back one or two squares to the next stitch of that colour be enough to strengthen the back & make sure it doesn't get pulled???
Hope you can understand what I mean & someone can offer some advice!

Louise

[Mabel Figworthy]

Having just started with continental tent stitch on the silk gauze for my miniature footstool I ran into the same problem -- not quite so serious because fortunately silk gauze doesn't warp, but I did want to try and do a consistent tent stitch because the weave is so open so any coverage on the back helps to "fill up" the front, if that makes sense.
Anyway, I certainly found that as long as you carry it for more than one straight square, it's fine -- whether it's two or more squares in a straight line, or one or more diagonally, it seems to work; the one thing that doesn't work is when you cross only one thread of the fabric in a straight line.
Why not do a small experimental scrap where you try out what works on your cosen evenweave? Then you'll know exactly how it behaves with the various types of "carrying".