answers to recent questions - a kind of how I do -

This is my second post today. If you are visiting for Pink Saturday, please scroll down for the previous post. Thank you.





I am ashamed to admit that I am very slow at responding to the comments left. I love it when people left messages here, even just saying hello, and believe me, I read them all.

More than a week ago, Pat asked me how many sections the prize pincushion for March had. It has 10 sections. You just start a thread and go stitching all the way until two sections are filled.

Before you start, you have to know exactly how many stitches you are able to make in one section if you want precise stripes.




The number of sections does not matter as long as it's even number. However there won't be a thread B so you may find it a little difficult to maintain the round shape of the ring, especially when floss silk or quilting padding were used as padding material. I suggest to put basting stitches where thread B should be and between B and A, just one row of stitches each with finer thread than your stitching thread. Just keep stitching as if there are no basting thread running across the body of the ring and when you filled half the section with stitching thread, then remove the first basting stitches. Just nip the thread at several spots and remove it. When you filled a full section then remove the second basting thread. If your stitching threads laid on the body of the ring were disturbed, then you can always tidy it up using the tip of the needle (I recommend the bigger needle than you used for stitching) or a very fine stiletto, like the one used for white embroidery.


This morning just after I published the previous post, Rebbecca asked me if I marked more divisions other than usual markings for section divisions as a colour change guide. The answer is no. I didn't but you can if you like. But you really don't need the extra markings because the other part (dark blue and white stripes part) requires you to know exactly how many stitches you have to make in one section, so you can tell when to change the pink threads, too, without markings. On the other hand you might find the extra markings half way between the original section markings useful, though, so that you could make the stitches evenly.



Lastly a person who chose to be nameless left a comment on the post explaining how to make stitches a few days ago. She (I call the person she) said that when finishing the thread, the picture looks like the needle is going down behind the marking paper and if her interpretation is right, and that when starting the new thread whether it come up in front of or behind the paper. I do not know whom to thank, but thank you for binging this up to me. They are indeed very good questions.

I believe this is the picture in question. It is not very clear where exactly the needle tip went and I apologize for it.



The answer to the first question is neither. The needle has to penetrate the the lining fabric at the exact place where you are supposed to make another stitch and going down through the fabric (try not to nick the core paper) and coming up penetrating again the fabric, marking paper, and the padding as shown in above picture. Otherwise, when you pull the thread through regardless it's in front of or behind the paper, it burdens the existing thread already laid on the padding.

The answer to the second question is, I am sorry to say it again, but neither. Your needle will go in through the padding, marking paper, and lining fabric, and come up where you want to make an initial stitch, and you pick the lining fabric again to make an actual stitch. Without penetrating the lining fabric, your initial stitch can be loose and you won't want that.

I am sorry I didn't make these points clearer when I explained about the stitching first time. When you find anything unclear, anything at all, please let me know. As I told you before, I may be slow to respond but I read all the comments left.