My neighbor next store does cross stitch's(age 38 ex -marine).You can not tell his backs from his fronts on his works of art! He does not use a hoop at all. I also got my husband into cross stitching. He loves it . Something to do when it is raining outside. I started my last cross stitch with- out a hoop and love it. What are your views.
Barbara from NY to NC
Time to de-lurk!
I learned how to stitch in primary school (in the UK), then took it up again about 15 years ago as a way to relax during busy periods at work.
Admit to swinging both ways with hoops - generally, I don't use when I'm stitching at work, somehow it seems a bit clumsy when I'm sitting at the desk.
Graham (> My neighbor next store does cross stitch's(age 38 ex -marine).You can
Welcome, Graham. Tell us more about yourself, and chime in!
I almost always work in hand, but am having to use a Q-frame for a very big project, and it feels so awkward to me! I'm anxious to get this one done and move on to something more "natural."
Sue
Hoops - depends on the size of the work and the technique. I usually don't use a hoop for blackwork & cross-stitch, but tend to for needlepoint ... though next NP project I'll try basketweave without a hoop as the books say it distorts the canvas less.
Current project (A4 size birth sampler, x-stitch over 1 thread on 28 count linen) has a square hoop because I stab-and-stitch, and the hoop keeps the edges from flopping onto the work area. Last large blackwork project was on aida - I forget the count, but aida feels like sewing on cardboard to me so I skip the hoop.
I just did a counted-stitch course at my local guild (NSW, Australia). My long-suffering tutor insisted on hoops and marking the centre of the very small exercises we did in class - I committed the dual sins of forgetting to bring a hoop (not something I normally use) and using my brain to navigate the small patterns instead of centreing.
-Fred.
Good on you, Fred! I *hate* hoops! They stop me from stitching. All my work is done in-hand and it's not too bad-looking. My son (aged 32) has stitched since he was eight and he might use a hoop or not use one, depending on how he feels. Sadly, my daughter refuses to even think about stitching so it's Mum and Son who haunt the craft shops.
Welcome out of lurkerdom, Graham. You'll know by having read r.c.t.n that we can get a little cantankerous at times, but it's great to see a new stitching face.
margW
My brother does, he has been doing it for many years.
Before that he was into machine knitting.
Edna in Sydney
A number of men bought supplies from me in Helen. Police, lawyers, and doctors all said it helped them to relax. One dr., a GYN from LA, had lost all his pieces in Katrina. He had done the big ladies of Mirabilia and L&L and had them around his office waiting room. It was about a year after Katrina that he and his wife were in the shop. He bought a chart and everything for it. His wife told me she was so glad to see him interested again. It was the first interest he had shown since the disaster.
I learned to do CXS from my 9 yo stepson. He's in his 30s now and no longer stitches (he has all the ambition of road kill) but I still do! His teenage son wants me to teach him, but he isn't with us much. My husband can sew and is interested in knitting.
One of the greatest thrills for me was having a family, mom, dad, and 3 sons ages about 10 - 16 come into the shop. They ALL did counted XS and they each bought a project! Just the charts, but still it was great to find that it is a family activity for them.
"Graham Armstrong" wrote
I am using hoops less and less. I have always worked smaller pieces in hand, for me it is one of the pleasures of embroidery to feel the fabric. I used hoops, and eventually scroll frames for bigger things, but it occured to me that it was awkward reaching my arms around these inflexible wooden bits, and I haven't found a stand I like. I think maybe at heart I am just too casual, I stitch to relax and like lolling around with my stitching.
Dawne
The owners of the LNS that I supply tell me that at least 30% of their customers are men.
Fred
Count me in.
I've been cross stitching for 20-25 years at least.
I used to post here a lot but mostly lurk nowadays.
Gord
How are you!?! I remember you!
Cheryl
Doing well thanks. Nice to be remembered!
I've been lurking for ages. Ever since I got in "trouble" years ago during one of the MLI wars. I was posting on the volumes of messages posted and someone accused me of just trying to stir things up. So I decided to play safe, keep my mouth shut and stay out of trouble. Just what a man is supposed to do in a room full of women. 8)
Yup I go back that far, and remember the big battle. We used to have several men who were stitchers, and oodles of females.
They were fun days, until the big war!!
I have tried to keep my mouth shut, but sometimes something happens that just pry the jaws open!!!LOL
Guess O need to buy duct-tape!
Gillian
Snicker - I never really got into the MLI wars. Just ignored them. Lovely designs, but nothing I'd want to stitch.
Well, speak up now - maybe it's time for a floss licking war. ;)
Cheryl
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