[LeChatNinjah]

Greetings cross-stitchy experts, I have a question for you!

I'm working on my very first project, which is going very well, except for the backstitching outlines. It's basically simple flowers, birds etc. and each one is outlined in dark grey to make it stand out, however the backstitch is also used to add the illusion of curves and angles on smaller petals etc.

No matter how I try and follow the graph, my outline is NOT looking like the one in the picture, damn it! It just seems impossible to get it to look like straight lines going at an angle across the cross stitches, if that makes sense.

It would be easier if I backstitched over more than one square, but surely this isn't the answer? If anyone has the slightest clue about what I mean and has any tips I'd be most grateful. Sorry, it's a difficult one to explain.

TIA

[Natahs_mum]

Wow l forgot this thread was even here.. ops...

Backstitching is hard.. l found it easier to do make smaller squares in the graph/picture... and stitch that and whats around it and then do the back stitch. if that makes sense..

So for example l am doing this one http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Vintage-19...r-/200418992450. and l am cross stitching the girl and once she and a small bit around her is done then l shall backstitch her, otherwise l find it just too hard to do once the whole cross stitch is done. If that makes sense...

But this is what l am doing at the moment... I can't remember how to post photos on here but it is on FB and the cross stich groups in there,

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!...04235966281961/
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!...sstitchfriends/

[BlondieUK]

I've made this over the last month for my son;s class - it's a sleeping bag for their class teddy that they made during a visit to a "Build-a-Bear" shop. Their class is called 'Maple'.

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/4825/img3254ul.jpg

This post has been edited by BlondieUK: 22/03/2012, 07:00 AM

[JRA]

Love it BlondieUK

[erindiv]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There's a cross stitch thread! I can't believe I never noticed.

Does anyone come in here regularly?

Edit: Might as well add all my WIPs

I have many going at once. I get bored with one so I move onto another for a while. Means that I have only finished one so far, but there's always one to suit my mood. I started cross stitching in October last year, so I've only been doing it for about 6 months.

[I've never used Flickr, so I hope I get the links right]

My one and only completed piece, a birth announcement for my daughter Kate. I enjoyed this one but all the backstitching did my head in. Not framed yet, obviously.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78658520@N04/7041572333/

Koalas. Bought this one marked down in a craft shop. I don't like it much, I had to undo a big section after I stuffed up, so I got a bit disillusioned with it and it's been sitting at the bottom of the box untouched for about 3-4 months now.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78658520@N04/6895471162/

A little stamped cross stitch. Haven't worked on this one for a couple of months, I've decided I don't really like stamped patterns.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78658520@N04/6895467564/

A gorgeous hydrangea pattern that I haven't worked on for months because the stitches are tiny and it requires a lot of concentration and non-tired eyes... neither of which I have had since DS was born. Bought this in a craft shop too, cost a LOT.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78658520@N04/6895463826/

Birth announcement for DS, from the same makers as the one I did for DD. Got sick of this one after doing the big blue square so I'm having a break from it for a while. Last worked on it about a month ago.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78658520@N04/7041560525/

My current favourite which I have been working on flat out. Got this one really cheap on ebay and even though it's simple I love it. The cotton for this one is so satiny and beautiful, and the electric blues really caught my eye. This one is my closest to being finished.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78658520@N04/7041557497/


I also have another huuuuuge one which I've just started that has a total of 98,000 stitches. Have done about 6 hours flat out on it and done a teensy corner, so doesn't really need posting. That's my other current one. So that's... 6 works in progress. Phew.

This post has been edited by erindiv: 03/04/2012, 08:48 PM

[laridae]

Greetings cross-stitchy experts, I have a question for you!

I'm working on my very first project, which is going very well, except for the backstitching outlines. It's basically simple flowers, birds etc. and each one is outlined in dark grey to make it stand out, however the backstitch is also used to add the illusion of curves and angles on smaller petals etc.

No matter how I try and follow the graph, my outline is NOT looking like the one in the picture, damn it! It just seems impossible to get it to look like straight lines going at an angle across the cross stitches, if that makes sense.

It would be easier if I backstitched over more than one square, but surely this isn't the answer? If anyone has the slightest clue about what I mean and has any tips I'd be most grateful. Sorry, it's a difficult one to explain.

TIA

You do backstitch over more than one square. So if it looks like on the pattern that the stitch, say, goes 3 up and 1 across, thats what you do, you don't do 1/3 of one across and one up and repeat 3 times, you just go 3 up and 1 across, and have a longer stitch.

[BlondieUK]

I'm about to get my cross stitch out for the first time in months......where is everyone else at?

[alybel]

I am in the middle of a Christmas stocking, will find a photo of my WIP.

[alybel]

Here's the link" http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/alyb...h/stocking3.jpg

[Chicky whicky]

I am still doing a dinosaur abc chart that I started 3.5 years ago and have just picked up again.