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I'm trying to understand the paths to take for backstitching. Should I use every hole I pass or can I jump? For example from the image stitch 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 then jump to 6 missing 5, then jump to 8 missing 7. Then each hole 8,9 & 10 and cross to 11.

No instructions I've seen are clear about this but I've noticed if you follow an every hole route what you're outlining is not pleasing to the eye. However. if you skip holes, you tend to make the outlining clearer.

(I hope this makes sense.)

I would follow the lines as they appear in the chart. I would go 2 to 1, 3 to 2, 4 to 3,6 to 4, 8 to 6 etc. generally i might depending on how the stitching pattern is do a running rather than back stitch if I wanted to get back to where I started that would go 1 to 2, 3 to 4,6 to 8,9 to 10,11 to 10,9 to 8, 6 to 4, 3 to 2. That is when I have lots and lots of back stitch and want to keep it as continuous as I can.

Hope that makes sense.

Carole

It depends rather on the design for me and how they've marked the backstitch. If the effect is intended to be quite freeform, I'd do either 2 to 1, 4 to 2, 6 to 4, 8 to 6, 10 to 8, 11 to 10 or I might even do 4 to1, 6 to 4, 8 to 6, 10 to 8, 11 to 10. If the whole design seems to be aimed at a more rigid outline then I'd do every hole except where that isn't really possible like in 6 to 4 and 8 to 6.

JazzeyBear wrote:What I would do is go from 1 to 2, 4 to 2, 4 to 6, 8 to 6, 8 to 10, and than 11 to 10.

Whenever I back stitch a straight line, I stitch it by twos of its an even number, by 3s if it's not an even number or a combination of both. To me it keeps the back stitched line neater

That's exactly how I would do it.

I try to follow the line as I think it should go i.e. if the holes don't match then I don't use those holes! My rule is I don't make the backstitch longer than 4 holes (on aida). It makes the backstitch go faster too and I haven't noticed it having a detrimental effect in the finished piece.

I do the 1 skip method on the way to the END of my area and come BACK to START from the END where I stopped. And place my needle on the way BACK on the RIGHT side of the skipped stitch.
Ex. START:
1, skip, 3, skip, 5, skip, 7, skip, 9
Ex. BACK:
9.
8.
7.
6.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
That way the line is STRAIGHT and TRUE.
I do this method when I am put personal info. on the baby/wedding remembrances.


HAPPY STITCHING IN STITCHING LAND

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply.

Another problem solved for me by you lovely people.