Friday, December 3, 2010

The Great Tent Stitch Debate

Well my Internet is not cooperating, so I will have to share this posting I have been siting on for weeks without visual aids...

I decided that due to the multitude of HAED designs I found myself purchasing, and having only one life time to complete them, that I would try tent stitching (continental form). This is essentially a half cross stitch. I have seen other HAED stitchers use this technique and it looks nice and allows projects to be completed in half the time! The experimentation began, and I chose moontide as the test subject.

Experiment 1: 32ct lugana, 1 strand DMC, 1 over 1
This did not give me ample coverage and I did not like all the white fabric that showed through. Also, I am slower on 32ct than 25ct.

Experiment 2: 25ct lugana, 2 strands DMC, 1 over 1
Once again I was not happy with the coverage, although my speed was AMAZING!

I thought I had abandoned Tent stitching all together and restarted Moontide for a 3rd time on 25ct full crosses, but today I found a posting with the instructions on how these stitchers are getting the look I could not. Let experiment 3 begin!

Experiment 3: 32ct lugana, 2 strands DMC, 1 over 1
I think this will solve the coverage issues, but I am concerned about the texture and color as well as speed.

I have almost completed the first page of Moontide, full crosses, so I have a good basis for comparison. The Maiden

2 comments:

  1. So which HAED are you planning on redoing? This sounds way too much like not fun and more of a mission. Beam me up Scottie!

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  2. Moontide is the redo (I have actually started her for a fourth time now!)

    It is a mission, a sick obsession to discover wheither or not tent stitching is a viable option! So far I can report the coverage is GREAT, the color is surprisingly dark, 32ct is physically more taxing but faster than full croses on 25ct, but the texture is not as nice.

    I have put it aside to await a verdict. The Maiden

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