basting in lines for cross stitch

KTJ In larger than 30 cm X 30 cm pieces i do pull /bust some colored sewing threads , to mark every 10th row,, mirjam

I usually don't bother, but it would make life much easier if I did and I'm always promising I will next time.

Lucille

The only time I baste is if it's a very large piece (over 12"x12") or if the design has such a scattered subject that it would make it difficult to get them in the right places without basting.

I never baste on something oooohhhh, less than about 10"x10".

HTH

Joan

thanks for the reply- how do you keep track then- do you cross off the chart as you go?

ktj

"me" wrote

I think everyone develops their own system. I don't grid. I do make a working copy of the chart if it is complicated, and colour in the stitches as I finish them. Sometimes, if things are really complicated, I use more than one colour. (My working copy is a total wreck when I am done!). For things that are easier to follow, I often use a metal board and magnetic strips. I have a sort of easel for the board so it stands up, and I move the strips, either line by line, or sometimes I make a little "box" around the area I am working on. And lots of times I don't bother, recognizing that is how frogging sessions come into being. Dawne

I have tried all sorts of different ways to keep the count accurate, but I never baste. I am sure most people know by now, but never baste with any type of thread that either sheds, or can be easily pierced by the needle. Fot obvious reasons. Jim.

This describes what I do most of the time, but sometimes I even mark the original chart. If possible, what I really like to do, is to fold the chart around a heavy piece of cardboard, then stick the magnetic board behind the area I'm working on and stick the whole thing in a big plastic bag. The magnetic strips work through the thin plastic and I can box in an area and use one movable strip to keep my place.

For me a day without frogging isn't quite complete and means either I didn't get much of anything done on my project, or more likely I was out all day.

Lucille>

I don't baste cause I don't do counted work. A friend's mother is a wonderful stitcher at 93 and uses different colored threads to grid her fabric. She draws lines with the same colors on a copy of the chart and uses a highlighter to mark off what she's done.

No - in a word. It sounds like your application of joining the pieces together might make it worthwhile if you're concerned about precision. There are a few situations when many people will baste.

1 - IME, some stitchers baste any large project (arbitraily, something bigger than about 14" by 18"). 2 - Another basis for the decision has to do with the design itself - is it irregular, lots of confetti stitching, or like a spot sampler. Those are good to baste because it will ease the counting when you're looking for reference points. Especially if you're not sure of a starting place, and how the stitching areas will proceed throughout the design 3 - Design is being worked by multiple stitchers (and is largish)

4 - Especially if any of the above, and the stitcher is working over 2 (e.g. Linen, lugana, etc) and is not experienced with this fabric, or not sure about counting

Personally, I almost never baste. But, I also start in the center frequently on designs where that seems appropriate, and am a stickler about not carrying long threads.

Really large pieces, that are going to be worked on for a long time are IMHO great for basting. If you put it down, or want to work in various areas, the basting lines will be really helpful.

Word of caution - be careful that your basting lines are true. In the shop, we have "As A Forest Grew" set up on very large scrolls - so people can just stitch on it. Unfortunately, the shop owner assumed the person that basted the grid in did it "right" - and didn't check. Until several people had worked on it, and found the grid was off a few threads here and there.

It's a matter of your personal choice and skills - are you more comfortable counting frequently, or having the tool of a reference grid in place. Since I do a lot of sewing, gridding is fast for me - when I bother. But, either way - I'd do what keeps your stitching most enjoyable!

Ellice

I make a working copy, and use a highlighter to cross-off. Also, I can annotate any "errors" - when I might've accidentally changed a stitch color

- and aren't going to remove it . I'll note something on the chart so that the rest of my counting is correct.

We have some cool "highlighter tape" in the shop. It's removable, and I used it in teaching a "Beyond Beginning" class (intro to linen, some specail stitches) to mark an area to be worked. It was great. Then I moved the tape to the next area (demonstrating with the students). Donna and I each did a Lynne Nicoletti piece that was actually a "2 highlighter" event. So much color changing in graduated shades and similar symbols that I would mark the area to be worked in a bright, pale (yellow) then work it, and mark over in a deeper color (blue) so there was no confusion.

Teaching a lot the past year, and I definitely encourage people to mark their charts (a working copy), even writing down counts when going from one area to another. It helps to keep the stitching flowing smoothly, rather than looking back and forth and back and forth and counting, reccounting, recounting. The students I've had with a lot of trouble in both XS and charted canvas (especially with geometrics) have been those who refuse to make a mark on the chart - so constantly lose track of where they are in the stitching sequence (or use ridiculously long lengths of perle cotton which then fuzzes up and untwists - but that's another story).

Ellice

Ditto for me - working copy a WRECK. Folded, marked, etc. I also will do enlarged copies if there is a lot of color shading (few stitches many colors) or very similar symbols. I may have an enlarged chart for some specific areas, and regular size in general. Also, I put all the copies in a page protector, with the symbol key visible one side, and the main design on the other. My working copy is out in my hand (or little handi-clamp thing all folded up).

You are so right about the frogging sessions.

Ellice

There is a product out that is colored heavy-ish monofilament - packaged for shops to sell for basting. You can just run it through Aida or large (open) weave counts, or thread in a needle. It's very easy, fast to baste with, and I expect when you're done, it could be recycled to another project (depending on lengths cut). We've had it in the shop, and sell it regularly

- it's a good gadget. Does make the basting go quickly (in particular for people that seem unsure about doing a hand basting stitch) - since it's more rigid than thread, the in--out action with counting is a bit quicker.

Ellice

Maureen always gets me to make her an enlarged copy of her charts. Sometimes this means a bit of fancy scanning being very creative with Irfanview. But at least Maureen can see the charts clearly and it doesn't matter when she scribbles all over them with different colours of high-lighter pens; after Maureen has finished with the copies all they are fit for is the waste bin, an entry for the Turner Prize or an exhibit for the Tate Modern.

Merciful Heavens!!! this all sounds so complicated. I'm glad I normally only do surface work. An outline lightly pencilled in, then I let my needle go wherever it seems most appropriate. Same thing on the rare occasions when I do needlepoint, I just pencil in the outline on plain, natural canvas (a light box is very useful here) then fill in as pleases me. Yes, I occasionally have to frog a few stitches here and there to get the effect I want but it isn't a big deal.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

** Posted from **

I see this has become more of a "how-to-baste" session than if/when, which is what the original question was (which is okay for those lurkers curious but afraid to ask), so I'll add a couple more points:

1. When you baste, follow the dark lines on the pattern. The first time I basted, it was a large (17"x20") design and I started from the center point and worked out. My brain said, "Of *course* the basting lines are the same as the dark lines on the pattern!. Not. It caused no end of frustration until I realized that. I then had to re- draw all my grid lines on the pattern. sigh
2. If you baste following the dark lines on the chart, *don't* assume all charts are 10x10 grids and merrily baste 10x10 squares on your fabric! Don't ask me how I found *that* out! lol

Joan

Great replies, thanks so much- i enlarged the chart big time, did make one mistake, but left it. And i am crossing off(with a yellow highlighter......gggggggg) as i go, but for the life of me, i felt so insecure starting when i was not sure if there weould be enough room left around the motif-once done i have to cut it out square-ish or so and it is to be used as an insert to a greetings card. This is the first time i have basted and i have to say, it has been very helpful in keeping me on track and helping me get started. many many thanks! ktj

Yep. I have something in my WISP pile where I couldn't figure out why I couldn't make things fit inside the border until I took a better look and realized those were 4x4 and not 5x5 squares. Counting over 40 (the assumed number for 8 5-stitch squares) had me waaaaaaaaay off center.

I bought a music stand for my easel and it works perfectly. I have one of the double size magnetic boards for BAPs.

Gord

OOO -- a nasty job and I hate it so I only do it for really big or really complicated designs. ANY MLI design needs to be basted first -- they fit both the criteria for MOI -- LOL! When a bunch of us worked on the FireHouse Angel, I basted that whole *(#$(*$&*$%&$ huge piece of fabric -- OY THE PAIN -- because there were something like a dozen or mor different people who were going to be working on it! Instead of basting the area every 10 stitches, why not just baste the outside lines of the small design area to be stitched? For instance, if your design is 60 stitches x 80 stitches, then baste an area that is 70 x 90 stitches. I would probably not even count the threads but just measure and then baste. So -- tell us what you are working on, OK??? CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at