I've fallen in love with a chart that calls for an 28 count evenweave.
Since none of the craft stores around here sells any kind cross stitch equipment, I have to order online, and I usually use sewandso or 123stitch.
I have now checked both, and the selection overwhelms me! What do I want? What do I need? Where should I get it? All I know is that I need a medium size piece of crisp white 28 count evenweave, but there's so many to chose from. Which is the best one? Cotton or linen? I've only even done aïda before, so this is completely new to me. The descriptions are so short, they're not helping me at all.
I use linen or evenweave for all of my project, I retired aida as soon as I used them the first time!! The choice between linen or lugana or other really depend on the look you want your piece to have.
I love linen for project that are not fully covered by stitches as I really like the "natural" feeling of it, the cons are that, for its nature the fibers are not all the same and it can give some irregularity to the stitches.
cotton eveweave has very regular fiber and is usually nice to work with too.
My best advice is, if you can afford it, to buy a cut of each and try them..
otherwise I know that Cross stitch Heaven offer a sample pack of evenweave for only the cost of shipment, look here http://www.cross-stitch-heaven.co.uk/ev ... 4497-p.asp you can than see it, touch it, test on it and decide what is best for you
If you're going from Aida and have never used evenweave before, I'd stay clear of linen to start off with. Like Oriettait says, there are uneven fibres (slubs) in linen and it can be very confusing as you sometimes end up with wonky stithes.
If you have a look at this thread, it goes through all the different fabric types brilliantly.
Personally I like stitching on Brittney but everyone has their own preferences. Now I've got a bit more experience I really enjoy stitching on linen too.
Hope that helps and good luck
Normally, I'm a great fan of Brittney (or Lugana), but in this instance, I'd suggest you try 28ct Quaker cloth. It's a linen/cotton mix, doesn't have the slubs so it's quite smooth.It also has a lot of body. A really good introduction to something that isn't Aida.
Last edited by Serinde on Tue Mar 05, 2013 3:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I tried linen years ago and stayed away from evenweave (at least I thought I did because I didn't realize the afghan fabric I stitched on was an 18 ct evenweave. I knew almost nothing about fabric) because of the "nubs" and unevenness of the stitching. Since being on the forum I have discovered Lugana (which I gather is the same as Brittany?) my favorite. I also like Jobelan and there are some linens which are pretty smooth. The suggestion to get the free samples and test different fabrics is a great one. Once I started on evenweave I have stayed away from Aida. But others will tell you the opposite. This is one of those choices that aren't good or bad just individual preferences.
Carole
WIPs
Star Wars Afghan:Chewbaca
HAEDs:
O Kitten Tree
Dancing with the Cat
Everything else "on hold"
2022 Finished: Star Wars Afghan: Princess Leia, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Finn, Rey, Poe, Han Solo,Darth Vader, BB8,Luke Skywalker
Make sure that you are ordering the right size fabric. I don't know what a medium size piece of fabric would be. Here is a calculator that will do the math for you when you enter in your stitch count to give you the dimensions of the fabric you need.
You can stitch any project on any count fabric. Just because it calls for 28 ct evenweave, you don't have to stitch on that. You can switch to a different count evenweave, or any count aida. Your finish size will change, your stitch size will change- but theres nothing different with the chart itself. That calculator will show you how changing fabric counts will change the finished size.
My "go to" fabric is now 28 ct Lugana. I don't like the uneven look linen can give because of the slubs. For me- it makes counting harder. It works for some projects- but I prefer more even stitches. And the main reason its my go to fabric is.. its what my stitch store has in stock, it comes in many colors, and it just feels nice in my hand. I've used others but I keep going back to that fabric.
32 ct is too small for me to stitch comfortably without a magnifier. 25 is too loose for me. So 28 it is.
I mainly use Charles Craft Monaco for my 28 ct cloth because it's easy to get at JoAnn's, Michael's and Hobby Lobby and it's inexpensive. I found it a very easy transition from aida to the Monaco and with it being at/around the same price as the charles craft aida it just made sense to me to go for it. I have no problems at all working with it and quite like it. It's my go to fabric of choice now for projects that have a lot of fractional stitches.
edit: there's also the benefit that it comes rolled up in plastic tubes instead of folded.
- Luca
WIPs
Joan Elliot's "Grace"
"Sephina's Secret" by Illustrated Ink
Small Projects - Belle & Boo girl w/dove
I would echo the warnings about linen. I've done one small project on linen, and the unevenness of it does make things harder. I would only use it again if I wanted an effect, like on a historic sampler or similar.
