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Hi, I've got a question in which I'm wondering if I should do my next stitch project in a different manner. I've worked on store bought kits such as Dimensions patterns. I find center and work my way from there where I stitch working out from there and count and stitch as I go to the next rows horizontally or vertically. I've created a computer generated piece of work where many of the floss colors can be so far away from each and not one color is in a blocked area. Here's what I've seen in work like this, the area is done in a 1 inch blocked area and many of the floss threads are left hanging out depending in which direction to take on the next blocked area. The image with all symbols printed is 15 pages, 14 count on black, 25"x20". As I look at the chart and symbols I'm beginning to convince myself to work each block per inch and progressively move out from the center with multiple strands left out from the cloth waiting to be used and carried over inches away rather than re-threading as I go. I've just about convinced myself on the right method to use but just keep good track of floss color to symbol designated to that color.

I don't stitch full coverage pieces.
I cross country stitch- pick a thread and go until either it runs out, or there are no other stitches near by.

All my projects need to be portable. Parking threads (having them loose, hanging in their next spot) wouldn't work for me. My threads would be a tangled mess in 2 days.

But if you think working in blocks and parking would work better for you- try it. And if it doesn't, then go back to starting/ stopping confetti threads. Theres no reason you have to stick with one method all the way through a project.
My only suggestion is to not work strictly per grid. If your thread carries into the next block- keep going, at least a few stitches. Stagger your stops.

What you're describing is called Parking. Everyone has their own methods for it, but the concept is that you work in a 10x10 stitch block, working each color as needed in rows within the block and then parking the floss in the next spot you will need it at. It works really well for full coverage pieces as well as confetti heavy pieces where you have lots and lots of color changes with just a few stitches of each or even individual stitches. Another common thing people do with parking is that instead of starting at the center, they start in the corner.

A few tips I always have for anyone considering starting out with parking..

1) GRID your fabric. Use sewing thread, sulky sliver or even colored fishing line to sew a grid on your fabric using a large running stitch. I would start with sewing in the center lines of the pattern in the center of the fabric then working outwards from there, following the horzontal and vertical grids of 10 stitches to match your pattern. Be aware that the center line may not always fall on a grid line, so the first time you count out from it it may be less than 10 stitches. As you do this, eventually you'll have reached the edges of your pattern. Then you can start in the corner - working your down and across the piece.

2) Mark your pattern not just where you've stitched, but also the spots that you have parked a thread. This means using 2 different highlighters or 2 different ways of marking. I use a lighter color when I park a thread in a spot, and then when I stitch, I use a darker color. The reason for this is that you have a check built in. If you reach a marked square and there's no thread waiting for you in it, something went wrong - you parked in the wrong spot, so start double checking your parked threads to see which is in a square unmarked. Conversely, if you reach a square with a thread in it and it's not marked in your pattern, you put it in the wrong space... start checking your pattern for a marked square with no thread. This scenario is especially important to look out for since if you didn't have that check built in, you would assume that it is the correct color for the square it is parked in, and from then until the end of that thread, you'd be stitching with the wrong color.

3) Learn to start and end your threads from the front. The best method in my opinion is an away waste knot.. though I don't bother with the knot and just start by leaving a small tail at the front off to the side from the area I am stitching in, angled so that my my next few stitches will cover the thread at the back of the work. The advantage of this is that you're not constantly flipping your work over to start and stop on the back. And in a piece with that many colors all over the place there are a LOT of starts and stops!

4) Practice! I would encourage you to start by stitching a small section of your piece - maybe 20 x 30 stitches at the very least on some scrap fabric, possibly even white fabric where it is easier to see what you're doing, and get a grasp of the method. Just pick one of the confetti heaviest parts of the pattern you're working on and try it out.

5) Research! There are loads of tutorials all over the place - do a search on this board for 'parking' to find other discussions... do a google search for 'parking cross stitch tutorial' to find several great tutorials (I think Scarlet Quince has a great one), and do a search on youtube for 'parking cross stitch' to see videos of several people using this technique Nothing beats grasping the idea better than actually seeing it in motion.

Yeah, what NeedleAndFork said.

I have just started gridding and parking, but not on all my projects. And I try to stitch in blocks on my bigger projects, and those that are 100% covered. I say "try" because sometimes the cross country in me wins out.

Thank you very much for answering my question. In all of the 22 years I've been on the computer when I'd log onto Prodigy by a modem and all the forums I've ever been on I have never had anyone take that much time and effort to help and answer a question I've ever posted. All the support I just read has broadened my knowledge in this hobby to be able to clear any confusion I had. It's like a another door opened that has allowed me new knowledge to apply. Again a very heart felt thank you for the time and effort. My gratitude....Leroy

PS this would apply to any other input in advanced appreciation.

Well as you have discovered we love to help others with any question that may have. We are a very talkative bunch here and sometimes that means long explanations and some times we are straight to the point. But keep asking as we love to voice our opinions.

Rose wrote:Well as you have discovered we love to help others with any question that may have. We are a very talkative bunch here and sometimes that means long explanations and some times we are straight to the point. But keep asking as we love to voice our opinions.

Awesome Rose, I can work with that!!

Ive tried parking, in fact every BAP I start I swear Im going to park on this one. it lasts until I go to park the first color, I just keep stitching until the thread runs out, or there are no more stitches in that color, then grab the next color. I sort of park, as when the color reaches the bottom of the page I will park it where it starts on the next page, but that doesnt really count.
its a great mess of away knots in the beginning where the starts and ends dont have nearby stitches to anchor them, and gridding is absoultely essential! the back is a mess, but hey, its the back.
maybe I will give parking another try on my next start.....

cairee wrote:Ive tried parking, in fact every BAP I start I swear Im going to park on this one. it lasts until I go to park the first color, I just keep stitching until the thread runs out, or there are no more stitches in that color, then grab the next color. I sort of park, as when the color reaches the bottom of the page I will park it where it starts on the next page, but that doesnt really count.
its a great mess of away knots in the beginning where the starts and ends dont have nearby stitches to anchor them, and gridding is absoultely essential! the back is a mess, but hey, its the back.
maybe I will give parking another try on my next start.....

On one hand I've seen a few WIP with parked colors and what enters my thoughts is wondering if any color worked with at the time is getting caught on any loose strands. I'm sure it may help to work parked strands down and send the needle into the cloth so the ends protrude out the back. Just a thought. And then all the strands of color does one loose track of symbol to the color? Suppose it's a matter of looking ahead into the other 10x10 block area if that symbol resides then park it, if not then neatly finish it off on the back and continue on. I've always worked each strand of floss counting and tracking where the next row is never using the grid and go on until that color is finished in that adjoining area. As I mentioned never used the grid and never sewed in a single thread marking the grids horizontally or vertically. Any symbols next to whats stitched I'd use as a reference to continue on. I'm working from the center on out from there. I'm going to work with an open mind and change my methods of what I had read when in the beginning as a newbie. Maybe those newbie stitching applied to small/mini pieces of work. I never began with small works, I jumped in the deep end with work that was approximately 15x20 and all of them were black aida. I'm wondering if I can cut down my time and save myself any confusion bouncing all around the cloth. It's always a been a task of concentration. Not a hobby for one with an attention disorder or lack of patience.

I do however have a few questions about thread/floss used to grid the cloth? What type of thread used, sewing thread or a single floss? Is it stitched over and left buried or pulled out from under? Could I use a 2lb or 4lb test monofilament fishing line and pulls out easily yet not showing where each grid was under floss X'd in. Anyone ever use dental floss, waxed....lol, kidding I think. Somewhere somehow someone may have.

I love parking.

There was a good discussion about it recently here.

Give parking a try and don't forget that you can adapt it to fit your style.

The only hard and fast rule I have with parking is that I always park my thread in the lower left corner of the next stitch in that colour. That's how I know what colour it is and how I ensure I don't become confused. I don't bother marking my chart in different colours.

As far as gridding goes, another option is using a washable fabric pen to mark out a grid (though on black fabric this can be a bit more problematic since I find the white chalk pencils aren't as easy to use). If you do decide to use a thread or fishing line, just be sure that you can't split it with your needle when you're stitching. I find fishing line the easiest to grid with and I'll pull it out as I stitch so I never actually stitch on top of it. Some people leave it in the whole time.

Also, you don't have to start and end your threads from the front. I flip my work when I need to start or stop. Other then at the very beginning of a piece, I don't need to flip that much. However, I don't like my parked threads flapping around, so I use metal clips to hold threads out of the way when they aren't in use (e.g. I've gotten to the bottom of a column on a multipage pattern, and that colour continues on the page below, but I won't be working on that page for a while). I also use little magnets to hold the clips in place so they don't flop around when I have to flip my frame.

If you are stitching on 14 ct, I'm assuming you plan to use at least 2 strands, so you can just use the loop start which will help decrease the mess on the back.

Just a few more ideas for you to consider.

Trylla wrote:I love parking.

There was a good discussion about it recently here.

Give parking a try and don't forget that you can adapt it to fit your style.

The only hard and fast rule I have with parking is that I always park my thread in the lower left corner of the next stitch in that colour. That's how I know what colour it is and how I ensure I don't become confused. I don't bother marking my chart in different colours.

As far as gridding goes, another option is using a washable fabric pen to mark out a grid (though on black fabric this can be a bit more problematic since I find the white chalk pencils aren't as easy to use). If you do decide to use a thread or fishing line, just be sure that you can't split it with your needle when you're stitching. I find fishing line the easiest to grid with and I'll pull it out as I stitch so I never actually stitch on top of it. Some people leave it in the whole time.

Also, you don't have to start and end your threads from the front. I flip my work when I need to start or stop. Other then at the very beginning of a piece, I don't need to flip that much. However, I don't like my parked threads flapping around, so I use metal clips to hold threads out of the way when they aren't in use (e.g. I've gotten to the bottom of a column on a multipage pattern, and that colour continues on the page below, but I won't be working on that page for a while). I also use little magnets to hold the clips in place so they don't flop around when I have to flip my frame.

If you are stitching on 14 ct, I'm assuming you plan to use at least 2 strands, so you can just use the loop start which will help decrease the mess on the back.

Just a few more ideas for you to consider.

Thank you Trylla, more helpful tips I can digest and utilize as I continue on.

do however have a few questions about thread/floss used to grid the cloth? What type of thread used, sewing thread or a single floss? Is it stitched over and left buried or pulled out from under? Could I use a 2lb or 4lb test monofilament fishing line and pulls out easily yet not showing where each grid was under floss X'd in. Anyone ever use dental floss, waxed....lol, kidding I think. Somewhere somehow someone may have.

on aida I use a washable fabric pen. so easy and if you can still see it through your stitches it dissappears when you wash the finished piece.
on evenweaves I use thread to grid, Ive used sewing thread but found it left colored lint when I pulled it out, and the needle pierced the grid thread way to easy. on my 2 HAED wip's I gridded with blending filament, the needle doesnt pierce it and it pulls out nicely when its all done. fishing line works as well, make sure its a monofilament not a braid. I haven't used dental floss but it may work

I don't park, I'm a cross country stitcher so I can't help with the parking, but as for the gridding, I use 6lb test fishing line and it's red so I can see it good. It's really thin and that helps when I put my needle through the same hole the line is in. I don't stitch over the line, I stitch under it. When I put my needle through the same hole as the fishing line, I make sure it's on the side of the line that the stitch is on, that way I'm not stitching over the line at all and I can still see where it's at. I leave my line in until I'm finished with the piece because when I tried pulling it out, I didn't like it waving around and getting caught up in my stitches. And I don't want to cut it off, because if I don't, then I can reuse it in another project.
I never gridded until I found this forum and learned what those lines were for on patterns... Now I couldn't do anything without gridding.