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Something I found out relatively recently from a Mary Hickmott masterclass:

When doing full cross stitch over one on evenweave, I always thought I could just stitch as usual as long as I finished each cross as I went -- I knew not to use my usual "row of half crosses, than back and cross them all" method because half cross stitch slips under the weave.

But I did still find that some of my small crosses went a bit wonky and seemed to disappear; not very visible on 28ct over one, and hardly worth noting on 36ct over one, but still annoying.

Then I read something in New Stitches which made a lot of sense (I should have thought of that earlier, really ) : when you go from one completed cross stitch to the next, you make a diagonal on the back, and that's fine. But when you go from the first half of the cross stitch to the second half, you make only a little straight backstitch -- and that can slip under the weave as easily as a half cross stitch can!

The solution?

When you've done the first half of the cross stitch, make sure that when you come up for the second half, the thread on the back lies parallel with the top thread of the weave. It takes a bit of thinking at first, but it soon becomes automatic -- I found that doing my Time For God bookmark last night!

By the way, I just re-read that last paragraph and it's not very clear -- I'll try and do a diagram. The top two stitches are if you make your first half from bottom to top, the bottom to stitches are if you make your first half top to bottom; the dotted line shows the thread going round the back to the hole starting the second half of the cross stitch:

That is very interesting Mabel, thanks for that.

I'd noticed it too on 28ct over one but hadn't really thought how to solve it. That does make sense, though I can see a need for a magnifying glass for at least the first stitch

I'd also noticed that, thought it was just me though! Thanks for the info Mabel, it's going to be a great help from now on.

Good to know! I had the issue when I used evenweave and that one of the reasons I didn't like it too much...thanks for the tip, Mabel!
Faith

I have no idea what you are talking about. The explaination was very good don't get me wrong it is just that I don't like evenweave so the problem you are talking about is something I have never come across so the solution has me baffled.

I'm glad I found a solution for a problem you don't have, Rose !

And I thought the problem with evenweave was counting over 2! Never dawned on me to try it over one...and from this post, I don't know if I'm brave enough to try it!

I have only ever attempted a project over one thread and I said 'Never again' but with your advice Mabel I shall know what to do if I ever try again.

Thank you Mabel. That's helpful to know as I like using evenweave and use it a lot. When I have the problem with stitch slipping behind the weave it's usually while I'm stitching letters, like the map I'm working on now. So I unthread my needle undo the stitch and then do the next stitch along and then go back to the first one. It works but I don't think it looks as tidy at the back as it could!

Another thing with evenweave (linen, jobelen, etc) is to make sure your first stitch goes over a vertical ( | ) thread on the fabric, not a horizontal one ( - ). Mabel's picture shows the first half going over a vertical thread on the left column stitches (first stitches on each row). Going over a vertical thread helps keep your stitches from sliding underneath the ground fabric threads.

Thanks for this tip Mabel, when (if) I ever start one of my HAED's I will be sure to follow your diagram to make sure my stitches don't disappear!


Raven

Raven, that's good advice! I can't quite envisage how to stick with it when you're doing it over one, though, as the one next to it will have a horizontal thread. Any tips for that?

I will confess that I've read this approximately 80 times in the last two weeks and have never understood it. Now I'm getting ready to start a project on 28 ct, and I figured it was time to swallow my pride and ask someone to explain it to me like they were talking to a 4-year-old.


As I got ready to ask, I read it one more time and I got it.

I admit, it took me quite a few times of reading and looking at the diagrams as well. You aren't alone

I know, it's so difficult to explain in writing, even with diagrams -- and so easy to show someone if they're sitting next to you! Sometimes there is no substitute for someone who will sit down with you and show you how it's done, but I'm glad the text did start to make sense after some time !

The word "parallel" got me, when I looked at the pictures again. It was a lightbulb moment, for sure.