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I have been stitching away this afternoon, and then decided to take a break. I came on the forum, found this thread, and then went back to my stand to try this really cool idea. It's amazing! One less time I have to flip over.
Thanks for sharing, BizzieLizzie, you're the best!!!

Aww, thanks JA Fan, that's sweet of you.

Glad you're all finding the tip useful.

Great tip! I tried it out last night and was delighted at how quick and simple it is. I will always use this now when starting with a loop, thank you

Ooh this sounds good. Will have to try it on a new project - unfortunately SQ with their fondness for blends means I can't use the loop start at all on it Still, great excuse to kit up and start a new project

OMG - I LOVE this!! Thank you so much for the tip - cant wait to go to my stitching class next weekend and share it with everyone!

i agree, it's so simple and helps so much w/ the work.

thanks, for the tip ...

Wow! What a fantastic tip!

I've been using this method for the last two evenings, and it seems to take a lot less time! Takes some of the pain away from confetti!

Thanks for sharing

I happen to really love the loop method, but how do you end with a loop? Lately I have been using the pinhead stitch because whenever I end a loop, I snip, and end up with two threads. If I use one of the two threads with a loop again, I end up with a really tiny thread... Does that make sense?

I like to loop start from the front when I have just done some counting. The needle is in the start hole on the front, but if I move it to start from the back, I will loose my place.

Oh, dear. I never realised the loop wasn't supposed to be at the front... (otherwise, why bother?) But ending in the front isn't something I've got a grip of yet. Any tutorials out there on the tubes?

yafashelli wrote:I happen to really love the loop method, but how do you end with a loop? Lately I have been using the pinhead stitch because whenever I end a loop, I snip, and end up with two threads. If I use one of the two threads with a loop again, I end up with a really tiny thread... Does that make sense?

I didn't think you could end with a loop? I thought loop was just for starting and then you run under other stitches at the back or do a pinhead stitch to end. Like you, I find that the separate threads after I snip aren't usually useful for another loop start, but then I will use the pinhead to start too which is quite easy.

Lessa54, you answered my question perfectly. Thank you!

Just found a variation on the pinhead stitch which sounds interesting -- scroll down the page for Mayté's Variation

I love the pinhead stitch, but it doesn't work on evenweave, when stitching over one. Is there something else to try? The loop start will work to start, but I'd love to find another way to end a thread.

I'm trying to keep my knotting down to a minimum, yaknow?

That's a great site Mabel. The pinhead variation looks interesting as does the isolated stitches suggestion at the bottom. It wouldn't work with blends, but for some reason I've never twigged that stitching the same stitch twice with one strand would be the same as stitching it once with two strands

It took me ages to get the concept of this in my head but I finally got it (I'm a bit slow sometimes :p) and tried it out yesterday.

Oh boy do I love it! Its so much easier and it means I don't have to flip my frame over so much. Its going to take a little getting used to because I'm so used to loop starting from the back but I'm definitely going to persevere with it

thank you ladies!

I start all mine with an adapted pinhead stitch, I tie a little knot in the end of the floss, so I can't pull it too far and out of the fabric, I cut the knot off v close. I start in the proper hold (talking aida) and then go down in the centre of the block, then up in the diagonal hole, then do the second arm over the top. It's very secure, even on even weave. I'll then finish off with a proper pinhead stitch if I can't be bothered to flip, or if it's a stitch it's own.

I tend not to use the loop method as I've got obsessed about the nap of the thread which precludes using the loop method. However I do sometimes and it's great to know how to do it from the front, so many thanks!

Niki xxx