How do you make neat backs?

[vickil]

OK, I think I might be obsessing a little here. But the more I read and study, the more everyone is concerned about have the backs should be neat and pretty. And if this is the case I NEED HELP BAD!

Do you have any tips or tricks and photos please of how the backs should look and how to make them pretty?

I have never worried about the backs being neat, but I have decided that this is not only a hobby for me, I want my pieces to be something that my family and friends will want to show off and keep forever. I am taking it more seriously than I ever have before.

Thank you for the advice in advance.

[Rose]

I refuse to worry about the back of my project. It is not meant to be seen, it is called the back for a reason. My motto is, as long as a bird does not confuse the back of my work for a nest then it is fine. I know there are those out there that want the back as good as the front but to me that kills all of the fun I get from stitching.

I would be willing to be that no one that you stitch a gift for is going to be critical of the back of your work. Most times the back will be covered over before you give the gift to them anyway.

I have never had a friend or family member return a gift because the back was not perfect.

[MaggieM1750]

I don't really concern myself with how neat- or messy the backs of my projects are. As long as I don't have threads criss-crossing open spaces, I'm fine with how they are. I'm really only concerned with having my threads be secure. My focus is what the front looks like.. as thats the only part others will see- once a piece has been framed or finished. (I also don't stitch with the intention of creating heirloom pieces.. I have no expectation that the pieces I give away today are still on a wall in 10 years. Which is also why I have an "it is what it is" attitude)

I also think that backs neaten up the more you stitch. Think back to the first piece you did compared to what you are working on now. Techniques change. You pick up a tip here and there.

The stitch technique that seems to work best for me is to keep my stitches consistent. I generally start and end my stitches in the same position. I loop start when I can. I generally work across a pattern horizontally. I generally do rows of under stitches, then come back to cross- rather than work full, single stitches. When I am done with a thread, I usually run it under stitches of the same color. And after I have run my needle under the backs of other stitches- I don't snip my thread at the end of a row. I'll snip it 2-3 stitches from the end- that way, no little fuzzies hanging off the end of a row which could shadow on the front, or fuzz up through a hole.

[bookknurd]

I try to be as neat as possible without having to constantly fiddle with it. I will cross threads over small open spaces, depending on the color of thread, fabric, how it will be finished, etc. I've yet to have a problem with them showing through on the front.

My back isn't quite exactly like the front, but that's ok. Like Rose said, no will ever want to look at it (except the occasional nosy stitcher) so who cares?

That being said, if you want to worry about your backs, feel free to do so! We all stitch differently and there are very few (in fact, I can only think of one) hard and fast 'rules'.

[littleturtlegirl]

I am doing my first large project. I love to stitch, but I started reading and started FREAKING out about my back. I have always loved a neat back, but I have never done confetti before. I started to stress and did NOT enjoy stitching the piece because I hated the back. Then I stopped obsessing about the back and concentrated on the front. After all this is what people will see. I have not looked at the back of my work since page 1 and I am two rows away from finishing page 3.

Page 1 was a nightmare because I was so upset and worried. Page 2 and 3 have been so enjoyable because I am enjoying the stitching and not worried about what the back looks like. Lets be honest, the only person that is going to see the back is the framer.

I say do what you want on your piece and enjoy the stitching!

[rcperryls]

The only time I think about the back at all is when I am stitching on an afghan because the back will be seen (unless I decide at some future time to cover the back with fabric). Backs are called backs because they are just that. I use a loop start whenever I can and end most stitches by weaving the thread under several stitches. If I am going to have to cross more than 5 or 6 stitches I weave the thread under the backs of the stitches I have to jump over (generally never more than 12 which most people would say are too many). I try to keep it as neat as possible which is usually not that neat so that I don't run into problems getting the needle through the fabric. If I worried about the back, then, like Rose, stitching would stop being fun.

Carole

[crosstitcher1]

OK. OK OK. I'm "guilty". I am a "neat back freak." Sorry, but that was how I was taught 30 yrs. ago.
I "always" loop start then "end" under the "same" color I started from. "Always" putting the "ending" thread "towards" the center of the project, so that all the "finished" projects sides, top, bottom, left and right sides have "no" threads that will show thru on the front side of the project.
Then after washing/drying for framing, I iron, with a dry white washcloth over the project, and on a "very lite warm" temp., in a circular motion the back, making sure all threads are going to the center of project. Then I flip to do the front in the same manner, and around the edges of the project, take my iron and iron from pattern outward to all the edges of the finished project.
I have pics. still on my camera of my tips, that I will put on my website after I get all this years projects done. 14 total.

HAPPY STITCHING IN STITCHING LAND.

[meganh]

I confess im a neat fiwhen it comes to my backs. I was taught that way. I do everything crossticher does plus I mentally plan oout my sti hing path foor thr fewest jumps. If a jump is more than 3 I either start again or weave under darker threads if possible. My goal has always been to get the back as close to the front as possible. I know it's a bit ocd but it works cor me

[stitchingmae]

I don't make my backs neat. I always finish mine in a way to hide the back

[Allyn]

My backs are neat. . .not because I obsess about it, but it's how I was taught. I've done two-sided XS where the back looks like the front -- not almost the same and really neat, but really looks the same, crosses and all. I swear I'll find the piece someday in a storage tub where I'm sure it's hiding and I'll take a picture.

Seriously, though, unless you plan to do competition stitching, don't worry about the back. The only thing to keep in mind is if you get a wad of floss that makes a lump on the back, then when it's framed, there's a visible bump. That's not good. Your friend and family will treasure them even if the backs are messy. After all, how would they see the back if it's framed?

To work on making your backs neater, you've already gotten some good tips here: Loop start when you can, try to anchor threads under the same color (doesn't always work out), clip tails close so you don't have dangling threads, be mindful of what you do on the back that is visible from the front (get a white piece of paper and hold it against the back of the fabric while looking at the front. Can you see threads out of place?) Just keep stitching and as your skill increases, your backs will likely get neater as you go.

[purvislets]

I'll admit that I am a bit obsessed with the backs of my projects as well. I know that most of the time they will never be seen (let alone thought about) by anyone but me, but being as neat as possible is important to me.

I always loop start whenever possible and only carry thread over long distances if I can run it under existing stitches AND it isn't a dark enough color to show through. Sometimes that means loop starting a color to do a single confetti stitch, securing it, cutting it, then loop starting the next confetti in that color if it is too far away.

It's time consuming and can be a bit frustrating at times, but it's how I've always done it and how I always will do it. I can't stand to have lumpy projects because I feel like that takes away from the overall smoothness of the stitches on the top.

I actually do have some pictures of the backs of some of my projects. I put them up on my blog every now and again.

[cairee]

you really want to see the backs? ok, you asked....
how neat it is depends mostly on the confetti content
here is grandma's bouquet, because the fabric is a loose weave, and the background is not stitched I am careful not to carry over open areas, this piece has virtually no confetti, so the back is fairly neat

this is Horses of Neptune, 100% confetti, and I carried alot. the back is a disaster, thank goodness its just the back. the front looks lovely.

the accolade is mild confetti, so the back is neat in some spots and messy in others

and this is Christmas Bear Wishes, heavy confetti and I learned to park. stitching row by row means all my carries, starts and ends are covered. the back is thick and I would not be able to frog this with any ease (so I am careful to avoid such situations) but I like that there are no long carries to snag on anything


btw thats the last time I take pictures of the back of my work. its the back, its not meant to be seen. if its not being framed I cover the back with fabric.
relax about the back of your work, the front is all that really matters.

[Serinde]

My backs are pretty neat. The Hardanger backs are very neat indeed because it's difficult to do the technique with a messy back. I'm not obsessive about it particularly, but a neat back generally saves thread, stops thread showing through fabric where there's no stitching, and helps in framing by lying flat. If I have to take a thread any distance, I try to run it under other stitches simply so it doesn't accidentally get caught and break later. How this is accomplished depends on the design and the stitcher. One thing I get very exercised about is finding knot on the back. No knots!

[emc]

Amusing anecdote... I just finished a cross stitchery of my son and grandson from a photo - 14,976 stitches. It wasn't finished for Christmas, but I displayed it, to let my son know it was coming. It was 144 st X 104 st using 90 colors. (Long story that has to do with software.) Anyway, I was puzzled why he asked on 2 different occasions what the back looked like. He remembered 35-yrs old, when I did a needlepoint project that I had said "the back should look as good as the front". I promptly let him know that cross stitching was different from needlepoint and this back looked TERRIBLE.

I should post you all the back of it, just so you can see what a mess it is. It's being framed, so I'm not worried about the back, at all. Just glad it's FINISHED!

[emc]

I don't feel so bad after seeing Carrie's "flipside" photos! Just kidding they are not that bad.

[Allyn]

As my husband would say, "I want to see a picture or it didn't happen."



That's the back of my current project. Lots of confetti and nearly all blended threads. Those threads shooting out to the side are either waste knots waiting to be clipped or parked threads.

[Oriettait]

Great picture of your backs! very interesting to see the differences!
I hope to remember to take a picture of the peacock back, I am now very curious to see the difference between the cross country area (first 7 pages) and the parked page
Another thing I noticed is that the continental stitches I use to tent make the back a lot bulkier and looking messier than the regular crosses.

[jazz45]

I don't worry about the back, just enjoy the cross stitch .

[joyfuljenilee]

I think I heard it somewhere that if you can tell what the overall picture is supposed to be based on the back of your work, then that is considered 'neat'. That is really the only basis I have for how I try to make the back of my work look, but like a lot of people have said: it doesn't really matter, as long as you are enjoying yourself while you are stitching. It isn't worth it to fuss over as long as it doesn't get so bulky that it will affect the finished piece (making it lumpy, etc).

[VickieDesigns]

I practiced techniques for keeping straight lines down the back of my work and it seems to have paid off - my back is stupidly neat. But it really doesn't matter, it's not the front.