Nicola you are such a gift! I recently retired and after 35 years of "life" I have picked up cross stitch again. It brings me such comfort and the fact you are providing these tutorials is incredibly timely. I look forward to enhancing my stitching experience and outcomes. So very grateful!
Thank you so, so much for this tutorial! You are amazingly generous! I returned to stitching a year ago after over a 25 year hiatus and have progressed from 14 ct Aida to 40 ct linen after correcting some vision issues, getting better tools and much practice. I will always stitch on both Aida and linen depending on the pattern and look I want to achieve and I think it’s beyond wonderful that your class is applicable to both types of fabric. As a person whom a shopkeeper once shamed for being an Aida stitcher, I see you and many other floss tubers helping to encourage our community to embrace both fabrics.
OMG! I just straightened my fabric per your instructions and WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Nice to have that beautiful, perfect rectangle to start with!!! Thank you so much!
For DMC USERS ONLY! I learned many years ago that after measuring and cutting your length of DMC ... Dip your thumb and pointer finger tips into water. Run your fingers along the length of thread. For one strand users let it rest for 20 or 30 seconds. For 2 strand users fold yor thread in half insuring that your piece is not tangled but straight and do the same with letting it dry. This helps to keep your strands together and smooth while stitching. You can alao do this after you've made a mistake and had to take a few stitches out. Just remember to let it rest and dry before proceeding. ❤
Another tip I use is I run the thread through two fingers before threading the needle...one side is always smoother than the other and that's the end I thread through my needle.😊
I, like other comments, learned many things in both videos to help my stitching. I never thought about how to check the grain of linen once it has been serged. Thank you.
Such good reminders, especially about examining the linen. I am not a new stitcher but often find myself so eager to start a new piece that I don't review my linen very well. It was a good reminder to me that I should really be looking at the quality of the linen as well as the color when I'm purchasing it. Stashes often are an investment and I want mine to be useful. As always, happy stitching Nicola :)
This has been such an informative video and I have been stitching many many years. Some great points that I have forgotten or gotten away from doing. Thank you Nicola!
Thank you Nicola for the useful reminders! I have been stitching for more than fifteen years but just recently I finished a project with only 2cm left on the lower margin although I thought I had calculated at least 6cm. My framer will not be very happy!
I just downloaded the chart and am trying to decide what colors. So many beautiful choices! This is a great FlossTube Nicola. Thank you for putting this together.
Thank you so , so much! For making the tutorials and for this pre-quel 😉 As a beginning stitcher this will be wonderful for me, but as a beginning stitcher I really also need to learn about all the basics, so this video is such an great help and I already learnt so much. Especially about the fabric. I did have questions about that and they have more than been answered here. I will go out this afternoon to a shop that sell Zweigart linen so that I will be ready on Sunday, since as a beginning stitcher I do not have left over pieces from previous projects. So looking forward to starting this, thank you again. 🙏🌺
Wow…this is a flosstube full of valuable things to consider. Unfortunately I need to wash a piece I am working on….despite my best clean hands it was a hoop that left some residue! Thank you very much!
Thank you Nicola for this informative FlossTube. I have been stitching for years and still learning. I do have a question, is there a right or wrong side to the linen and on even weave linen with a selvage, does it matter if the selvage is aligned vertically or horizontally? Am so looking forward to this online workshop.
Hello Maria - Personally I do not believe there is a right or wrong side. With some overdyed linens or printed linens the pattern is only on one side so the patterned side would be the correct side in that case. On even linen it does not matter which side your selvedge edge is. I do know that some needleworkers might disagree.
Thank you so much for doing this workshop. I have been stitching for 7 years and learned something new about checking to make sure the fabric is cut straight! I am curious about the two samplers you showed. What is on the back of them? It looks like a piece of fabric.
That was a really useful video. I’m on holiday at the moment with Florence Law 😁. I’m really looking forward to starting this project when I get home. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I really appreciate it.
Hello Nicola, Do you recommend ironing the linen before you start stitching? It usually has fold marks and sometimes they are deeply creased. Excited to get started!😊
Hi Nicola, One question regarding the salvage - should it be left on or taken off? If left on should it be at the top or to the side of a piece. Thank you so much!
Hello Susan - you can leave it one and I personally do not think it matters wether it is at the top or bottom when there is the same number of weft and warp threads to the inch.
Hello Cheryl I find that the olive oil works as a moisturiser so I do not put anything else on after the scrub. It the winter I need to moisturise at night as my skin starts splitting after spending time each day outside walking the dogs even though I wear gloves. I think my problem is caused by hand washing certain clothes and contact with cleaning fluids.
This is intended to be stitched from your stash with colours of your choice. Use left over colours from previous projects. I have shown colour blocks just as a guide to the original sampler. It can be fun and liberating to pick your own colours.
Thank you so much in advance for sharing. As a former literature and writing teacher, I applaud the "lesson plan" of having us write the instructions! Although my handwriting is deplirable, I will be doing this step by hand, not on the computer, as something different goes on between the brain and hand when handwriting. Eager to start; I only started stitching 10 months agobafter a 29 year gap, so definitely still learning! I have a question....what length of floss is your recommendation for stitching?
Hello Michelle - most linen or Aida does not have a right or wrong side. If you have piece of linen/Aida that has been overdyed with a pattern or a stamped design then the side that is correct is the one that has been “painted”.
This is the link for the graph. Starting this coming Sunday a stitch tutorial video will be posted weekly as we work our way through the different stitches. hands-across-the-sea-samplers.com/product/a-b-c-an-online-workshop-a-pdf-download/
Hi Nicola, I am using what I already have in my stash ( 28 count fabric). Your explanation of the sizes were really simple and easy to understand. I measured my fabric which is a little over 18 inches (fabric reads 18 x 27 inches). I have also chosen my cottons (also in my stash) It had never ocurred to me to check the size of the fabric which is a very good practise to do. Much appreciated. Looking forward to our first tutorial with you. Thank You Nicola
Nicola you are such a gift! I recently retired and after 35 years of "life" I have picked up cross stitch again. It brings me such comfort and the fact you are providing these tutorials is incredibly timely. I look forward to enhancing my stitching experience and outcomes. So very grateful!
Thank you so, so much for this tutorial! You are amazingly generous! I returned to stitching a year ago after over a 25 year hiatus and have progressed from 14 ct Aida to 40 ct linen after correcting some vision issues, getting better tools and much practice. I will always stitch on both Aida and linen depending on the pattern and look I want to achieve and I think it’s beyond wonderful that your class is applicable to both types of fabric.
As a person whom a shopkeeper once shamed for being an Aida stitcher, I see you and many other floss tubers helping to encourage our community to embrace both fabrics.
Never let anyone intimidate you. You should always stitch on the type of fabric you want to. N x
OMG! I just straightened my fabric per your instructions and WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Nice to have that beautiful, perfect rectangle to start with!!! Thank you so much!
I cannot express how much I appreciate your truly altruistic effort for the needlework community - thank you and bravo!
For DMC USERS ONLY!
I learned many years ago that after measuring and cutting your length of DMC ...
Dip your thumb and pointer finger tips into water. Run your fingers along the length of thread. For one strand users let it rest for 20 or 30 seconds.
For 2 strand users fold yor thread in half insuring that your piece is not tangled but straight and do the same with letting it dry. This helps to keep your strands together and smooth while stitching. You can alao do this after you've made a mistake and had to take a few stitches out. Just remember to let it rest and dry before proceeding. ❤
Another tip I use is I run the thread through two fingers before threading the needle...one side is always smoother than the other and that's the end I thread through my needle.😊
Thank you, Nicola, for this amazing gift to the stitching community.
I, like other comments, learned many things in both videos to help my stitching. I never thought about how to check the grain of linen once it has been serged. Thank you.
Such good reminders, especially about examining the linen. I am not a new stitcher but often find myself so eager to start a new piece that I don't review my linen very well. It was a good reminder to me that I should really be looking at the quality of the linen as well as the color when I'm purchasing it. Stashes often are an investment and I want mine to be useful. As always, happy stitching Nicola :)
Nicola thanks for sharing your knowledge of needle work.Really do appreciate your work
Wow, I didn’t know that we had to prepare the linen. Thank you so much for this information. ❤️
This has been such an informative video and I have been stitching many many years. Some great points that I have forgotten or gotten away from doing. Thank you Nicola!
I appreciate the reminders of best practices. It highlighted where I should be more diligent. Over the years, I've gotten complacent.
Thank you Nicola for the useful reminders! I have been stitching for more than fifteen years but just recently I finished a project with only 2cm left on the lower margin although I thought I had calculated at least 6cm. My framer will not be very happy!
I just downloaded the chart and am trying to decide what colors. So many beautiful choices! This is a great FlossTube Nicola. Thank you for putting this together.
Thank you so much!
Thank you Nicola. See you on Sunday.❤
I am learning so much from you. You teaching style is very easy to follow. Thank you for doing the education for us. Very informative
I’ve learned something already! How to use sugar and olive oil to exfoliate and clean my hands!
It's always good to go back to basics, to best practices. Much appreciated.
Great information! I learned about checking the cut of your linen the hard way.
Thank you so , so much! For making the tutorials and for this pre-quel 😉
As a beginning stitcher this will be wonderful for me, but as a beginning stitcher I really also need to learn about all the basics, so this video is such an great help and I already learnt so much. Especially about the fabric. I did have questions about that and they have more than been answered here.
I will go out this afternoon to a shop that sell Zweigart linen so that I will be ready on Sunday, since as a beginning stitcher I do not have left over pieces from previous projects.
So looking forward to starting this, thank you again. 🙏🌺
I am so excited to be a student of yours, Nicola!
Wow…this is a flosstube full of valuable things to consider. Unfortunately I need to wash a piece I am working on….despite my best clean hands it was a hoop that left some residue! Thank you very much!
Thanks for all the information. Even after stitching for 50 years, I learned things!
Thank you for your time and for sharing your knowledge.
Olive oil and sugar is a great fix for rough hands and snaggy fingers!
This is wonderful information and reminders, thank you!
I love how you explain things, Nicola.
Great tips for beginners and season stitchers
Re counts for Aida - there is a 22ct Hardanger fabric by Zweigart which is pretty much the same as Aida.
Thank you so much for all of that excellent advice. I've learned so much already!
Thank you Nicola. I'm ready for Sunday and I'm very excited 😊
Thank you Nicola for this informative FlossTube. I have been stitching for years and still learning. I do have a question, is there a right or wrong side to the linen and on even weave linen with a selvage, does it matter if the selvage is aligned vertically or horizontally? Am so looking forward to this online workshop.
Hello Maria - Personally I do not believe there is a right or wrong side. With some overdyed linens or printed linens the pattern is only on one side so the patterned side would be the correct side in that case. On even linen it does not matter which side your selvedge edge is. I do know that some needleworkers might disagree.
@@nicolaparkman Thank you. Eager to start the sampler.
Thank you so much for doing this workshop. I have been stitching for 7 years and learned something new about checking to make sure the fabric is cut straight! I am curious about the two samplers you showed. What is on the back of them? It looks like a piece of fabric.
Hello - the two covers are tea towels printed with samplers on. I use them to keep my work clean. We sell them on the HATS website - N x
That was a really useful video. I’m on holiday at the moment with Florence Law 😁. I’m really looking forward to starting this project when I get home. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I really appreciate it.
Hello Nicola, Do you recommend ironing the linen before you start stitching? It usually has fold marks and sometimes they are deeply creased. Excited to get started!😊
Hello Roberta I prefer to use a steamer rather than an iron
Hi Nicola, One question regarding the salvage - should it be left on or taken off? If left on
should it be at the top or to the side of a piece. Thank you so much!
Hello Susan - you can leave it one and I personally do not think it matters wether it is at the top or bottom when there is the same number of weft and warp threads to the inch.
Great information. Thank you so much.
Thank you Nicola. What time oan Sunday are we starting?
Good morning Louisa we have an early start today. The video has been published.
My thumbs are rough. I will try your idea of sugar and olive oil. Do you apply any other lotion afterward?
Hello Cheryl I find that the olive oil works as a moisturiser so I do not put anything else on after the scrub. It the winter I need to moisturise at night as my skin starts splitting after spending time each day outside walking the dogs even though I wear gloves. I think my problem is caused by hand washing certain clothes and contact with cleaning fluids.
Nicola, I may have missed a piece, but is there a colour chart or do you choose your own? Thank you! Andrea.
This is intended to be stitched from your stash with colours of your choice. Use left over colours from previous projects. I have shown colour blocks just as a guide to the original sampler. It can be fun and liberating to pick your own colours.
@nicolaparkman Thank you Nicola for clarifying!
Thank you so much in advance for sharing.
As a former literature and writing teacher, I applaud the "lesson plan" of having us write the instructions! Although my handwriting is deplirable, I will be doing this step by hand, not on the computer, as something different goes on between the brain and hand when handwriting.
Eager to start; I only started stitching 10 months agobafter a 29 year gap, so definitely still learning!
I have a question....what length of floss is your recommendation for stitching?
Hello I tend to use finger tip to elbow as a guide
@@nicolaparkman Thanks!
I am wondering how you can tell which is the right side of the linen. Thank you!
Hello Michelle - most linen or Aida does not have a right or wrong side. If you have piece of linen/Aida that has been overdyed with a pattern or a stamped design then the side that is correct is the one that has been “painted”.
Thank you for the information, very helpful. How does one connect to the upcoming tutorial video? Please and thank you.
Hello Loretta - each Sunday I will post a video on this channel with that week’s tutorial.
so excited to get started...just a quick question...where do i find the pdf? thank you for all you do!
hands-across-the-sea-samplers.com/product/a-b-c-an-online-workshop-a-pdf-download/
@@nicolaparkman thank you for the quick response! excited to get it started!
You mentioned that the original sampler was done on 16 count. Was it 16 count linen or Aida?
It was linen with eight stitches to the inch
Thankyou Nicola great information learnt things I never knew,looking forward to Sunday,Thankyou for sharing🪡🇳🇿❤️
Is it still possible for me to join this online workshop?
Of course. Download the PDF from our website and watch the earlier videos. We have only started in the last few weeks.
Where do I go to sign up for the workshop?
This is the link for the graph. Starting this coming Sunday a stitch tutorial video will be posted weekly as we work our way through the different stitches. hands-across-the-sea-samplers.com/product/a-b-c-an-online-workshop-a-pdf-download/
Thank you for the videob..its very helpfull. I will be using classic colorworks only one strand on 36ct. What do you think ?
Greetings
Stitch out a few stitches in the margin. If you like the coverage then it is the thread for you to stitch with.
Hi Nicola, I am using what I already have in my stash ( 28 count fabric). Your explanation of the sizes were really simple and easy to understand. I measured my fabric which is a little over 18 inches (fabric reads 18 x 27 inches). I have also chosen my cottons (also in my stash) It had never ocurred to me to check the size of the fabric which is a very good practise to do. Much appreciated. Looking forward to our first tutorial with you. Thank You Nicola
you are simply magical ...
Nicola, I meant to ask this when we were together in Cincinnati! Do you ever wax silk?
Hello Holly - I never use wax on thread - N x
@@nicolaparkman thank you! I was hesitant so I wanted to ask you!
😍😍
🪡👍🏽
How exciting!
I am all ready to start on sunday🪡🪡🪡🧵🧵🧵