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What do you all use for gridding?
I personally don't like the idea of pens, pencils, etc. and am looking into gridding my next project, possibly with colored fishing line. But has anyone had the color rub off when it comes to the fishing line? I've tried looking for Sulky metallic thread, but can't find it in my area. Really don't want to order online since I'm interested in starting this project in the next day or two.
As for using any kind of cotton thread/DMC thread/etc., heard that the needle could go inbetween the fibers and simply stick the thread in place, making it hard to remove. So don't want to even try that route.
Are there any other gridding suggestions?

I've not heard of the colour rubbing off fishing line at all

I know that you say you don't like the idea of pens or pencils, but I use a sewline pencil right now for gridding and really like it, though I might keep that for my other projects and go with sulky thread etc for bigger projects.

You could just use regular thread and pull it out as you go so that it doesn't get tangled with your stitching threads but you can still see where your grid lines are

I now grid with the blue washable marker. I like how quick it is. But I've tried them all.
I've used fishing line. The color won't rub off because it's in the line. The nylon it's made of is blue or red or green. It's not a dye.
As for Sulky.. any regular sewing thread should work. You won't be able to pierce through it with your needle. Because yes, I've sewen through floss when I've used it. You could use floss and then cut your grid lines when you get close to it.

I grid with cotton
1st quarter then start stitching

Then grid more if needed

I have read over at the HAED BB that red Sulky can rub off on the fabric. Guess which color I bought the other day for gridding

Oh no, Karin! Any way you can exchange it at the store?

I wouldn't be surprised if they would exchange it, but I got it while I was in another town for a meeting, it would cost me more in fuel to go back than to buy another one at a local shop.. I might take it along to another shop to see if they'd be willing to exhange it. I feel so silly because I think I'd already read about the red being a bad idea before I went to buy it, I just looked at the colors and figured the red would be easiest to see....

Fishing line is fine just make sure it's clean - some fishing supply stores let it get dusty dirty because when you're fishing with it, it doesn't matter.

But if you are worried about colour transfer you can get clear line which works perfectly well for gridding.

For some reason, we already had clear 20lb test fishing line in the house, so decided to use that. Not too sure I like it though, as it keeps getting in the way and doesn't seem too easy to pull out once I'm done with the page...but we'll see when that time comes.

Considering those pens now lol. But when you do the pen/pencil, you wash it out afterwards, right? I personally haven't washed any of my finished works due to the possibility of colors running (or so my mom says). Do any of you have trouble with that? Do you wash your threads beforehand?

Do you cross country or stitch in columns?

I park in 10 stitch wide columns and I grid just the very top row, across the whole width of the pattern. This helps me make sure that the tops of all the columns are correct and after that I use the existing stitches as a guide to where I'm placing the new stitches. Something I realised recently is that the stitching does not have to be right up against the gridding across the top. So now I put the gridding in one hole above the top of the stitching so it's there as a guide but there's no danger of it being pierced. That way it doesn't matter what sort of thread I use for the gridding.

This probably wouldn't work for cross country, but if you're itching to get started, you could just grid and stitch the top row until you get something more suitable for the remainder of the gridding.

Have a look here http://www.cross-stitch-heaven.co.uk/gr ... -286-c.asp various different options. Not a bad price

I use sewing thread and for the most part I remove pieces of it as I go, not because it gets stuck, but because it gets in the way. I want to be able to see the holes. If I leave it in it does sometimes get pierced, but if I then cut the thread it is easy to pull out. I guess that would be a lot of work if you are degridding a HAED, but I only do smaller projects.

KarinvdB wrote:I have read over at the HAED BB that red Sulky can rub off on the fabric. Guess which color I bought the other day for gridding

Hi Karin. I like sulky thread and have used the red sulky for gridding on my CSC pieces . I haven't noticed it rubbing off, well not yet anyway. I was also going to use it for another piece I'm starting. Not sure if I want to now just incase! I must look on the HAED BB to read about that and maybe consider using another colour.

Offe wrote:I use sewing thread and for the most part I remove pieces of it as I go, not because it gets stuck, but because it gets in the way. I want to be able to see the holes. If I leave it in it does sometimes get pierced, but if I then cut the thread it is easy to pull out. I guess that would be a lot of work if you are degridding a HAED, but I only do smaller projects.

Thats what i do

I have never gridded but tried some options before starting my first HAED a few weeks ago. I do not like using thread or fishing lines as to me it feels like they are in the way.. I tried sewing pen and liked them, did not like much the process to actually draw the grids on the fabric but it is what I would do if I use a not white fabric.
I decided to go with the DMC magic guide 25ct for the HAED peacock project. It is gridded in 20x20 squares and it will wash off when I will machine wash the project at then end, or at least it did on the sample I tried!!

I grid using the blue water soluble pen and really love it. I have only gridded my HAEDs, but would grid other large projects now also. I've never had trouble with it not washing out and I generally just grid one page + a few extra columns to the right and a few extra rows on the bottom. I am a cross country stitcher and I find I make fewer counting mistakes now and those I do make, I catch more quickly. I've never had a problem with colors running when I wash a piece, but up to recently that has been limited to DMC threads.

Carole

annamarie23 wrote:

KarinvdB wrote:I have read over at the HAED BB that red Sulky can rub off on the fabric. Guess which color I bought the other day for gridding

Hi Karin. I like sulky thread and have used the red sulky for gridding on my CSC pieces . I haven't noticed it rubbing off, well not yet anyway. I was also going to use it for another piece I'm starting. Not sure if I want to now just incase! I must look on the HAED BB to read about that and maybe consider using another colour.

If you search for red sulky on the HAED BB you'll find quite a few posts, most are from CaspaiC, very friendly and helpful member, here is a useful post. I think I might try black, though I am now tempted to try BizzieLizzie's way... I want to work in 10x10 blocks and not do cross country and I think the grid lines will annoy me when I have to work around them... Same for (soluable) marks... So many decisions!

BizzieLizzie wrote:Do you cross country or stitch in columns?

I park in 10 stitch wide columns and I grid just the very top row, across the whole width of the pattern. This helps me make sure that the tops of all the columns are correct and after that I use the existing stitches as a guide to where I'm placing the new stitches. Something I realised recently is that the stitching does not have to be right up against the gridding across the top. So now I put the gridding in one hole above the top of the stitching so it's there as a guide but there's no danger of it being pierced. That way it doesn't matter what sort of thread I use for the gridding.

This probably wouldn't work for cross country, but if you're itching to get started, you could just grid and stitch the top row until you get something more suitable for the remainder of the gridding.

Hi Busy Lizzie
I'm sorry to sound stupid, but can you explain what you mean about cross country and stitching in columns. I've become a bit confused Thank you.

take a look here about gridding it's mine if it helps
http://www.crossstitchforum.com/viewtop ... =3&t=17431" target="_blank

Anna cross country is using 1 colour and stitching were ever they lie in the chart
so say 5 stitched in 1st 10 x 10 then move to next do say 7 stitches just move around hope that makes sense
or columns like the first 10 x 10 stitch <---------------> across that row 10 stitches deep then move to next 10 x 10 underneath

or you can go top to bottom

Thank you skitzzzzz. I was using 20lb test, so I'm sure that's probably what the problem is. lol It's what we had on hand. It's also not colored, so it's a bit difficult to see. Since this is a rather small project, I think I'll just leave it be. But when I start my HUGE 600x662 stitch project, I will definitely be gridding. (I also hope to have a millenium frame by then..hehe).

And yes, I do like to cross-country stitch. I can't see myself doing parking and having to thread the needle for each square (or using many needles and risking losing one...or two...or more) or even ending a thread when I had just started it. I also notice that sometimes the columns can be seen when the project is complete, but that just might be me. Others haven't noticed it when I did do column stitching.
I'm pretty good at counting/recounting and hardly make mistakes when it comes to smaller projects. When I do make a mistake, it's quickly caught.

Though I admit, that it is faster once the gridding is in. I don't have to count as much .

And annamarie, this is cross-country stitching....