I never realised that...
I was explaining to my DH the difference between stitching on evenweave and stitching on Aida and insisted that he had a go ( I know, I have a very patient husband... ).
Once sat down, he said : " If you bring the needle up from the back, how on earth do you locate the hole you want to go up in !?"
I just thought everybody could just do that instinctively.
I told Sally, who said that we have trained our brains and fingers to do that as we learned to stitch...
Hélène
Finished: Joan Elliott. Rainbow Fairy
Fit Kit by Peter Underhill
The Choir by Peter Underhill
Angel Of The Morning by Lavender & Lace Best of Friends by Mabel Lucie Attwell
Yup. I found this out when we did a Christmas Craft Fair for the local children years ago, and I offered to do an embroidery table - one boy of about 8 looked as I demonstrated a stitch, stared up at me in awe and said "how do you know where it [the needle] goes????" I then realised I had to go back a step with the instructions....
Not sure it's a 'special' skill. But it's true. Took me a while to master, I used to flip the frame, but got fed up with my left bicep feeling as if I'd done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson.
Interesting observation! I will have to remember that as I have a good friend who wants to learn to stitch and asked me to show her. She is planning on getting a small kit to start with.
richardandtracy wrote:I used to flip the frame,
The only time I flip the frame is when I am securing a new thread and then I will keep it flipped for a few stitches if they are in a row. Never thought about it.
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
I stitch 2 handed. I have my dominant (right) hand underneath and my left hand uppermost.
It'a bit like closing your eyes and touching your nose. The direction pathway is already programmed in!
I am sure this is not a skill, but a normal reaction of our hands guided by the eyes and brain. Ask any person very far from stitching to dig the fabric from the wrong side to the right side and he/she will do it correctly.
I stitch two handed as well, but my right hand (dominant) is on top and my left hand is underneath, I don't know why I cannot do it the other way round, I have tried and I just cannot do it, everything I have ever read about two handed stitching says to have the dominant hand underneath, but I suppose it is whatever works.
rcperryls wrote:Interesting observation! I will have to remember that as I have a good friend who wants to learn to stitch and asked me to show her. She is planning on getting a small kit to start with.
richardandtracy wrote:I used to flip the frame,
The only time I flip the frame is when I am securing a new thread and then I will keep it flipped for a few stitches if they are in a row. Never thought about it.
Carole
That's what I do now, but to begin with (first year or so) I flipped the frame in my left hand every time the needle needed to go in from the underside. In that first year I stitched around 59000 stitches, so flipped the frame over 118000 times. Built up the muscles in my left arm given that I have a 24" x 12" roller frame...
I stitch two-handed with my dominant hand underneath. Knowing the "where" of the needle when you can't see it becomes second nature, of course, but I have found that using different fabric, than my usual (28ct or 25ct even weave) such as the Normandie for the Galloway hoard project, means I have to finesse the technique slightly.
richardandtracy wrote:That's what I do now, but to begin with (first year or so) I flipped the frame in my left hand every time the needle needed to go in from the underside. In that first year I stitched around 59000 stitches, so flipped the frame over 118000 times. Built up the muscles in my left arm given that I have a 24" x 12" roller frame...
I keep putting off doing some weight training. That might be a solution....
Hélène
Finished: Joan Elliott. Rainbow Fairy
Fit Kit by Peter Underhill
The Choir by Peter Underhill
Angel Of The Morning by Lavender & Lace Best of Friends by Mabel Lucie Attwell
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
richardandtracy wrote:Not sure it's a 'special' skill. But it's true. Took me a while to master, I used to flip the frame, but got fed up with my left bicep feeling as if I'd done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson.
Regards,
Richard
I forgot I used to do that. No way I could now. The deterioration in my shoulders would not allow it. Some days I need pain meds just to be able to flip it to anchor thread ends.
).
