I NEED HELP!

[Rose]

I think the stitching looks wonderful.

I would not say explaining to a child at all we all have beginner-itis and if we don't ask for help then we never learn. I am happy it was a simple thing to spot and easy to rectify.

Keep going you will be an expert in no time!!!!!!

[MaggieM1750]

It looks good to me: are you happy with it? Well done for persevering.

Agreed. I'm glad Rose got you on the right path.
I can imagine the stitching went smoother on your latest attempt. Looks good.

[nachosmiley]

Yay!! Glad you got sorted out...your mario looks great ...I think we have another stitchaholic in the making

[Mystonique]

HAHAHAHAHA, I was using all 6 threads! Yes! Thank you for explaining that to me. I'll give it a whirl with one strand and see what happens. Thanks again.

You are in great company - I've done the same thing myself when I was a beginner

[Chantal]

Can anyone offer suggestions on projects that have alot of different colors? Should I do all the same color in each section at once, or change the colors as I move left to right?

[MaggieM1750]

Either one- which ever you feel more comfortable with

I am the type that follows a color until its stopping point. Cross country stitcher.
I'll skip over a few boxes and use a thread until it comes to a logical stopping point. Don't skip over boxes that won't be used though. And I don't skip that far- maybe 5-6 in any direction.

There are others that stitch along a line, or within a 10x10 box, switching thread as needed. Or park their thread and picking it up as they come to it.

[ayna]

I can only tell you what I do - and I'm almost completely self taught. I have always started in the middle and, having got a few rows in (therefore usually using more than one colour), I go off in whatever direction appeals most and there's no logic to this at all!!! I would very rarely try to pick out areas of the same colour to stitch, unless they are close by; it's too easy to miscount and find out only when you reach a row of stitches done in this way that you've got a whole lot of unpicking to do.

I'll then use a combination of methods, carrying over a few (but only a few) stitches by passing the thread under the back of other stitches so as to reach the next stitch(es) in this colour, parking threads- but you need to take care not to then catch the parked thread when stitching- and, finally, the thread eating way of finishing off each time you finish a row of stitches of one colour. In other words, try it all out, view the result and decide which method(s) suit you best

Hope this helps; have courage and try things out and, above all, enjoy what you are doing.

[Rose]

I tend to be a cross country stitcher I will start a color and go as far as the thread will allow unless the color runs out first. I never jump more the 5 stitches when following a color and I never, never jump a section that will not have stitching on it eventually.

Those that work 10X10 blocks do each color as it comes and they seem to be very happy with those results but I just can't stitch that way. I will park a thread but not very often and never more then 2 different colors at the sametime.

As others have already said do what you find the most rewarding for you this is for your enjoyment, so strict rules are never good.

[Chantal]

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement. I've begun my very first project and I'm pretty excited to see how it turns out.