Thank you Katie, that was fantastic! I love hearing your tips and watching your hands in motion. Crafting hands have so much personality. Happy Stitching! -Carolyn
Thank you for sharing your stitching, it was so enjoyable. Learned a lot too. I am not sure when I learned the pin stitch but it has made stitching so much better. Happy Stitching
Thank you so much for this tutorial … I’m going to watch it again when I’m not stitching along. I want to ‘see’ everything that you do close-up, and that means I will stop and start it a number of times. I am so impressed with the ease with which you cut the thread at your pin stitch. You made me LOL at the dentist comparison. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to do that. Thanks for this … I love everything that you do. ❤
You are the absolute best Jean! We're all just trying to live up to you - you really inspired me to raise my game and start doing the pin stitch regularly. And it was a truly hilarious moment, it still makes me smile thinking about it!
Thank you! Nicola Parkman of Hands Across the Sea has an excellent one, it's how I learned myself. Just search Nicola Parkman pin stitch here on UA-cam and you'll find it.
Katie thank you so much for spending time with us. Katie you are amazing to share stitches with us. I also stitch in hand most of the time, however I stitch slow. I must say I also stitch with a hoop I use an oval Duchess hoop. I enjoyed this time with you so much and was surprised to be with you again. You made my afternoon I almost started reading a book!
Each person does bring their own unique experience. I’ve run some tests with my own stitching comparing sewing method and poke & stab on the same piece. My sewing method stitches lie smoother and more consistent than the other. I have no idea why that occurs. Your expertise shows in how smoothly and quickly you do stitch. It’s very impressive especially on such high count fabric. Awesome!
I don't know how you can not see the tiny tail of a pin stitch when you use it to Start/Finish. Also, the stitch looks different from other stitches (it's fatter for one). I have tried but concluded I would only do it so that the tail ends on the back and not the front and as for finishing with a pin stitch - both Nicola Parkman and Katie have said they don't finish with a pin stitch - for me, it's just not secure. I'd rather have a less neat back than distorted stitches or stitches which come loose.
Thank you Katie what a wonderful demo of your exquisite stitching. I know I will have to change a few of my habits now in order to obtain the look you have achieved. Could you tell me the name of your case? You say the word but I don’t know the spelling.
Thank you Katie for your response to my question about mapping out my cross stitch project. I shall take your advice and take courage and step out and give it a try. Again, thank you.
Definitely - exactly the right attitude! You can do it, just don't be too hard on yourself. Mistakes are part of the process no matter how experienced you are
I find we have a lot of similarities in how we stitch. I used to embroider a lot and on whatever fabric I could find. I always think I am going back to start up again. Thanks for sharing.
Silk has that grabbing quality where it sits better in the linen than DMC so that makes our stitches look better but I agree with you about the sewing method not making the best stitches and also matching your linen and thread. The other thing I do is tunnel under one stitch when there's a break in the line of XXXs or I have to move up or down - if I don't do this, the X doesn't sit right and looks distorted. I changed from the sewing method to the stab method after watching your tutorial - slowed my output but my stitches and work sure looks better.
Poke and stab is definitely slower but I think the improved look of the stitches - or rather, the control it gives you over your thread - definitely makes it worth it!
Thank you for sharing how you handle such a large piece of fabric! I have AKGIT and just stare at the 40 count linen I've chosen for it. I'm basically willing it to stitch itself.
I wish the rest of mine would stitch itself! Alas, that monster requires time and lots of it. My fabric is pretty large just for 53/63, 40 count must be like half a yard!
@@katiestrachanembroidery It IS half a yard. 😩 I’m considering switching to 45 count, but I can’t pull the trigger for 53/63 or 56. Maybe a nice pin pillow would be better….
Thank you! It's no different, just a bigger needle, and then pinch the threads together when you cut them, run your fingers down the two lengths tightly together so the silk grabs the Accentuate, and proceed normally.
What a joy to join you for some stitching! Had hoped for such an opportunity and it was even more than imagined when you said the magic words-pin stitch!! Some schools of thought take the horizontal approach for the initial ‘tack,’ although this seems slightly visible underneath the eventual cross, at least to my eye. I prefer the diagonal method, which you appeared to use, and this was a ‘friend’ at first with Soie d’Alger (on 37 count Legacy Linen). We carried on famously, and I ensured that the thread was pierced in both directions, tugged, snipped appropriately, then tested again …until the occasional, but still horrifying, ‘popped’ stitches began appearing later and we parted ways. One door closes, another opens, and a very accomplished needleworker, whose stitching is exquisite, shared that they use the diagonal approach with an additional half-cross over it, before completing the full cross. I jumped on the bandwagon and this has been working with Soie 100/3, oh no more starting stitches on the loose. The caveat is that it can be a tiny bit bulky depending on the color of the thread. How does this translate to Soie Gobelins?? That’s the question and the latest hold up relative to Simple Harmony. The diagonal pin stitch with extra half-cross approach doesn’t cut it. Too much bulk in this instance. A test run with the Gobelins using the horizontal method yields that same hint of thread underneath. Considering the conventional diagonal pin stitch failure with Soie d’Alger, I’ve been hesitant to give it a go with the Gobelins, especially on a project teeming with pin stitches. Yet, this could be a rush to judgment as one must wonder whether the TYPE of thread (spun silk, highly twisted spun silk, “Z” twist, filament twisted… one ply, two ply…) affects the outcome just as much as proper technique does. How would you rate the pin stitch performance on AKGIT? Have you used the pin stitch with threads other than Surfine? Thanks tremendously for this flosstube extra today. It has become an excellent call to action for me and I’m heeding it.
Thank you! I've done the pin stitch with just about everything but d'Alger - I don't really use it anymore - and I find performance is equally good with all of them. Popping means that while you might have pierced the thread, you picked up a bit of the side as opposed to going right through it. You need to go through right through the center of the thread as much as possible. I have found technique to be the determining factor more than the type of thread. And it shouldn't hold you up on Simple Harmony. I stitched that before getting personally called on the carpet by Jean so my threads were all started with knots and you can't tell at all.
I'm happy to have found your floss tube! I've stitched for years, but have never been successful with a count higher than 28 even weave. I'd love to finish a project on linen worth framing. Can you direct me to online tutorials? Thanks so much!
Unfortunately, I can't as I never used any myself - I just jumped in and started stitching, but I also have excellent eyesight so that's a big help. I would recommend searching on UA-cam and seeing what's out there - different perspectives can offer different insights
Thank you so much for all your wonderful tutorial❤ and your big efforts ❤ I’m still consider myself a new stitcher even though I’ve crossstitched for slightly more than 2 years. May I know how do you stitch vertical cross please ? I find my vertical stitching always too tied or super uneven 😢 so eye sore and super frustrated when I look at it 😢I stitch in hand, poke and stab method and I do full cross each time, the sewing method is totally off for me, don’t like to use hoop as I’m unable to stitch long due to the weight.
Thank you! I would say vertical cross wouldn't be much different from a regular cross for me, using poke and stab in hand. If I think about it the actual pattern of stitches I think would be bottom to top vertical stitch, then left to right horizontal stitch. Make sure your tension is even, that's probably what's off rather than the exact order or placement of stitches.
Watching you stitch was entrancing! A few questions! 1. Do you iron your (completely dry) pieces after wet blocking? I remember you said something earlier about that making the linen look shiny for flosstubes. Also, iff wet blocking removes distortion, will the end result be the same whether you stitch using poke and stab vs sewing method? I do notice my stitches look neater but I still haven’t actually blocked or finished any of my linen projects that are languishing in a box. 2. Is there a special purpose to the pin stitch? I know that knots run the risk of showing through, and the tails can also peek through, but I just tuck my beginning thread the same way you end yours. Finally, thank you for the tip for using a needle that matches the thread rather than the fabric. I switched to a smaller needle and my stitches immediately looked sharper.
Thank you! I do iron my pieces after wet blocking just for maximum smoothness. But your stitching method really affects the look of your stitches themselves, not just distortion. Blocked sewing method will never look as good as blocked poke and stab, because the thread doesn't sit the same way. The pin stitch is just a quick and neat way of starting thread - a lot of stitchers don't bother with it. The benefit is that you don't have to deal with the ends later, you just start your thread and you're off, which is faster. But it's a small detail and not a particularly important one if you like how you're doing it now. The real benefit is speed.
Katie, I love watching you and I always learn something new. Your work is beautiful! I love the project you’re working on. What is the name of it? Also, what kind of scissors were those?
I know the pin stitch can be indispensable for one-thread stitching. I just have to make myself practice it more. I can do it, but it's definitely not pretty. Also, I'm curious to know if you have to have those scissors sharpened at some point. If so, where do you go for that? Many thanx and great video!
Oh yes! M. Roulot was a genius but not even he could make scissors that didn't need sharpening. The regular place where I take my large shears couldn't handle the fine blades (I gave them a pair of Dovo hardanger scissors to sharpen as a test, which they failed), so I asked my hairdresser. There are specialty sharpening services and ones that cater to hairdressers are used to fine blades and making sure they're properly balanced.
When you demonstrated the pin stitch you talked about piercing the thread. Do you mean that you pierce the silk thread or pierce the linen thread? I am new to the pin stitch and love the way it looks so neat on the linen!
How to begin and continue cross stitch patterns without gridding? I am a beginner and would like to advance but feel unable to map a course without gridding and stay on track
The short answer to that is that you have to designate other landmarks, ie start with the border, or start in the center, and then count relating to those. The long answer is that I can't really say because I never used gridding myself, so I can't give more detailed advice on how to move beyond it. A little comfort with mistakes helps - I'm usually pretty confident but I still make plenty of errors, and just have to learn to work around them, or to make the hard decision to rip it out and redo.
Yes, the weight is really why I like to stitch in hand myself for cross stitch. If I need a frame, I always use a stand to reduce the stress on my hands.
Absolutely loved watching you stitch while you chatted. I hope you repeat this in a future video 😊
Thank you! I'm not sure I'll do it again but I am very glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you, Katie! I enjoyed stitching with you. Your stitching is so beautiful. :)
Thank you so much!
Thankyou Katie, very informative and enjoyable.
Thank you so much!
Thanks Katie, this has been helpful.
Blessings Gail🙋🏼♀️🇦🇺
Thank you so much!
It was fun to stitch with you today. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for watching Susan!
Thank you so much for this! I would love to see your wet-blocking process when you consider future topics!
Already exists! Simple Harmony tutorial #8 - on a larger piece, but the process is the same small or large
Thank you Katie, that was fantastic! I love hearing your tips and watching your hands in motion. Crafting hands have so much personality. Happy Stitching! -Carolyn
Thank you Carolyn!!!
Your stitching is perfection, and thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with us!
Thank you so much, that's so kind!
Thank you for sharing your stitching, it was so enjoyable. Learned a lot too. I am not sure when I learned the pin stitch but it has made stitching so much better. Happy Stitching
Well, I can only remember the moment because coming up short in front of Jean Lea is not something one forgets!!!!
Thank you so much for this tutorial … I’m going to watch it again when I’m not stitching along. I want to ‘see’ everything that you do close-up, and that means I will stop and start it a number of times. I am so impressed with the ease with which you cut the thread at your pin stitch. You made me LOL at the dentist comparison. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to do that. Thanks for this … I love everything that you do. ❤
You are the absolute best Jean! We're all just trying to live up to you - you really inspired me to raise my game and start doing the pin stitch regularly. And it was a truly hilarious moment, it still makes me smile thinking about it!
Endless thanks Katie. I have not used the pin stitch so I’ll be on the hunt for a tutorial. Thank you for the guidance.
Thank you! Nicola Parkman of Hands Across the Sea has an excellent one, it's how I learned myself. Just search Nicola Parkman pin stitch here on UA-cam and you'll find it.
Your stitching is so beautiful Katie! Thank you for sharing! 😻
Thank you for watching!
That was absolutely fabulous!!! Thank you!!
Thank you, I'm glad you liked it!
Katie thank you so much for spending time with us. Katie you are amazing to share stitches with us. I also stitch in hand most of the time, however I stitch slow. I must say I also stitch with a hoop I use an oval Duchess hoop. I enjoyed this time with you so much and was surprised to be with you again. You made my afternoon I almost started reading a book!
Thank you so much!
Each person does bring their own unique experience. I’ve run some tests with my own stitching comparing sewing method and poke & stab on the same piece. My sewing method stitches lie smoother and more consistent than the other. I have no idea why that occurs.
Your expertise shows in how smoothly and quickly you do stitch. It’s very impressive especially on such high count fabric. Awesome!
Thank you so much! I'm fortunate to have excellent vision and that definitely helps with speed...
Thank you for sharing your time with us! I love starting and ending with a pin stitch! It has made such a difference with time for me. 😊
Thank you! It definitely does
I don't know how you can not see the tiny tail of a pin stitch when you use it to Start/Finish. Also, the stitch looks different from other stitches (it's fatter for one). I have tried but concluded I would only do it so that the tail ends on the back and not the front and as for finishing with a pin stitch - both Nicola Parkman and Katie have said they don't finish with a pin stitch - for me, it's just not secure. I'd rather have a less neat back than distorted stitches or stitches which come loose.
Hi Katie! Always helpful and interesting information! Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge 🤗
Thank you Kim! And thank you for taking the time to watch!
Thank you Katie what a wonderful demo of your exquisite stitching. I know I will have to change a few of my habits now in order to obtain the look you have achieved. Could you tell me the name of your case? You say the word but I don’t know the spelling.
Thank you! It's by Cuyana and there's a link to the exact case in the description
Thank you Katie for your response to my question about mapping out my cross stitch project. I shall take your advice and take courage and step out and give it a try. Again, thank you.
Definitely - exactly the right attitude! You can do it, just don't be too hard on yourself. Mistakes are part of the process no matter how experienced you are
Thanks for sharing I got some good tips and will look up the pin stitch start
Thank you! Nicola Parkman of Hands Across the Sea has an excellent tutorial here on UA-cam
Felt like we were having a stitch along minus the glass of wine!
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!
I find we have a lot of similarities in how we stitch. I used to embroider a lot and on whatever fabric I could find. I always think I am going back to start up again. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Yes, please do a tutorial on wet blocking. Thank you
I have, it's linked in the description - #8 in the Simple Harmony series
@@katiestrachanembroidery oh great! Thank you
Silk has that grabbing quality where it sits better in the linen than DMC so that makes our stitches look better but I agree with you about the sewing method not making the best stitches and also matching your linen and thread. The other thing I do is tunnel under one stitch when there's a break in the line of XXXs or I have to move up or down - if I don't do this, the X doesn't sit right and looks distorted. I changed from the sewing method to the stab method after watching your tutorial - slowed my output but my stitches and work sure looks better.
Poke and stab is definitely slower but I think the improved look of the stitches - or rather, the control it gives you over your thread - definitely makes it worth it!
Thank you for sharing how you handle such a large piece of fabric! I have AKGIT and just stare at the 40 count linen I've chosen for it. I'm basically willing it to stitch itself.
I wish the rest of mine would stitch itself! Alas, that monster requires time and lots of it. My fabric is pretty large just for 53/63, 40 count must be like half a yard!
@@katiestrachanembroidery It IS half a yard. 😩 I’m considering switching to 45 count, but I can’t pull the trigger for 53/63 or 56. Maybe a nice pin pillow would be better….
Great tutorial! I’d love to watch you use accentuate with 100.3’s. Thank you for all you share with us!
Thank you! It's no different, just a bigger needle, and then pinch the threads together when you cut them, run your fingers down the two lengths tightly together so the silk grabs the Accentuate, and proceed normally.
Thank you so much Katie :)
Thank you!
What a joy to join you for some stitching! Had hoped for such an opportunity and it was even more than imagined when you said the magic words-pin stitch!! Some schools of thought take the horizontal approach for the initial ‘tack,’ although this seems slightly visible underneath the eventual cross, at least to my eye. I prefer the diagonal method, which you appeared to use, and this was a ‘friend’ at first with Soie d’Alger (on 37 count Legacy Linen). We carried on famously, and I ensured that the thread was pierced in both directions, tugged, snipped appropriately, then tested again …until the occasional, but still horrifying, ‘popped’ stitches began appearing later and we parted ways. One door closes, another opens, and a very accomplished needleworker, whose stitching is exquisite, shared that they use the diagonal approach with an additional half-cross over it, before completing the full cross. I jumped on the bandwagon and this has been working with Soie 100/3, oh no more starting stitches on the loose. The caveat is that it can be a tiny bit bulky depending on the color of the thread.
How does this translate to Soie Gobelins?? That’s the question and the latest hold up relative to Simple Harmony. The diagonal pin stitch with extra half-cross approach doesn’t cut it. Too much bulk in this instance. A test run with the Gobelins using the horizontal method yields that same hint of thread underneath. Considering the conventional diagonal pin stitch failure with Soie d’Alger, I’ve been hesitant to give it a go with the Gobelins, especially on a project teeming with pin stitches. Yet, this could be a rush to judgment as one must wonder whether the TYPE of thread (spun silk, highly twisted spun silk, “Z” twist, filament twisted… one ply, two ply…) affects the outcome just as much as proper technique does. How would you rate the pin stitch performance on AKGIT? Have you used the pin stitch with threads other than Surfine? Thanks tremendously for this flosstube extra today. It has become an excellent call to action for me and I’m heeding it.
Thank you! I've done the pin stitch with just about everything but d'Alger - I don't really use it anymore - and I find performance is equally good with all of them. Popping means that while you might have pierced the thread, you picked up a bit of the side as opposed to going right through it. You need to go through right through the center of the thread as much as possible. I have found technique to be the determining factor more than the type of thread.
And it shouldn't hold you up on Simple Harmony. I stitched that before getting personally called on the carpet by Jean so my threads were all started with knots and you can't tell at all.
What do you mean by knots? Where would using away knots?
I'm happy to have found your floss tube! I've stitched for years, but have never been successful with a count higher than 28 even weave. I'd love to finish a project on linen worth framing. Can you direct me to online tutorials? Thanks so much!
Unfortunately, I can't as I never used any myself - I just jumped in and started stitching, but I also have excellent eyesight so that's a big help. I would recommend searching on UA-cam and seeing what's out there - different perspectives can offer different insights
Hi Katie, brilliant video! Thank you for sharing. TTFN
Thank you!
Thank you so much for all your wonderful tutorial❤ and your big efforts ❤
I’m still consider myself a new stitcher even though I’ve crossstitched for slightly more than 2 years. May I know how do you stitch vertical cross please ? I find my vertical stitching always too tied or super uneven 😢 so eye sore and super frustrated when I look at it 😢I stitch in hand, poke and stab method and I do full cross each time, the sewing method is totally off for me, don’t like to use hoop as I’m unable to stitch long due to the weight.
Thank you! I would say vertical cross wouldn't be much different from a regular cross for me, using poke and stab in hand. If I think about it the actual pattern of stitches I think would be bottom to top vertical stitch, then left to right horizontal stitch. Make sure your tension is even, that's probably what's off rather than the exact order or placement of stitches.
Watching you stitch was entrancing!
A few questions!
1. Do you iron your (completely dry) pieces after wet blocking? I remember you said something earlier about that making the linen look shiny for flosstubes. Also, iff wet blocking removes distortion, will the end result be the same whether you stitch using poke and stab vs sewing method? I do notice my stitches look neater but I still haven’t actually blocked or finished any of my linen projects that are languishing in a box.
2. Is there a special purpose to the pin stitch? I know that knots run the risk of showing through, and the tails can also peek through, but I just tuck my beginning thread the same way you end yours.
Finally, thank you for the tip for using a needle that matches the thread rather than the fabric. I switched to a smaller needle and my stitches immediately looked sharper.
Thank you! I do iron my pieces after wet blocking just for maximum smoothness. But your stitching method really affects the look of your stitches themselves, not just distortion. Blocked sewing method will never look as good as blocked poke and stab, because the thread doesn't sit the same way.
The pin stitch is just a quick and neat way of starting thread - a lot of stitchers don't bother with it. The benefit is that you don't have to deal with the ends later, you just start your thread and you're off, which is faster. But it's a small detail and not a particularly important one if you like how you're doing it now. The real benefit is speed.
Sometime, can you show us how you wet block your pieces??
Already exists! It's linked in the description - #8 in the Simple Harmony tutorial series.
Katie, I love watching you and I always learn something new. Your work is beautiful! I love the project you’re working on. What is the name of it? Also, what kind of scissors were those?
Thank you! All in the description, although most of the scissors aren't still available, only the curved tip pair is still being made.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for watching!
I know the pin stitch can be indispensable for one-thread stitching. I just have to make myself practice it more. I can do it, but it's definitely not pretty. Also, I'm curious to know if you have to have those scissors sharpened at some point. If so, where do you go for that? Many thanx and great video!
Oh yes! M. Roulot was a genius but not even he could make scissors that didn't need sharpening. The regular place where I take my large shears couldn't handle the fine blades (I gave them a pair of Dovo hardanger scissors to sharpen as a test, which they failed), so I asked my hairdresser. There are specialty sharpening services and ones that cater to hairdressers are used to fine blades and making sure they're properly balanced.
When you demonstrated the pin stitch you talked about piercing the thread. Do you mean that you pierce the silk thread or pierce the linen thread? I am new to the pin stitch and love the way it looks so neat on the linen!
You pierce the silk thread, in both directions, but not the linen. Nicola Parkman has an excellent tutorial on the pin stitch here on UA-cam
How to begin and continue cross stitch patterns without gridding? I am a beginner and would like to advance but feel unable to map a course without gridding and stay on track
The short answer to that is that you have to designate other landmarks, ie start with the border, or start in the center, and then count relating to those. The long answer is that I can't really say because I never used gridding myself, so I can't give more detailed advice on how to move beyond it. A little comfort with mistakes helps - I'm usually pretty confident but I still make plenty of errors, and just have to learn to work around them, or to make the hard decision to rip it out and redo.
I used to stitch in hand, I decided to use Qsnaps. I used the 11 x 17 and it gets heavy at times.
Yes, the weight is really why I like to stitch in hand myself for cross stitch. If I need a frame, I always use a stand to reduce the stress on my hands.
Thank you for answering my post. I love what you’re working on. It’s beautiful.