I'd like to ask the members for opinions on how I should go about stitching a simple sampler for a wedding gift. It's Wedding Sampler by Hillside Samplings (
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) and features a Hardanger heart in the center of the design, surrounded by a cross stitched wreath of roses, the names and date, and a few other stitched elements. I have a piece of 32ct Permin linen for the fabric. My question is should I do the cutwork first, or the bulk of the cross stitching? The other question is over washing. The piece uses Sampler Threads. The linen is also fairly stiff with sizing. I've read through the archives of the group, and the consensus seems to be that one should wash linen after one has finished stitching it, both to clean any dirt accumulated through stitching, and also to wash out the sizing. Stitching on floppy washed linen may be difficult as far as keeping correct tension -- which is important for the Hardanger cutwork and pulled stitches. Accumulated wisdom also says that Sampler Threads run. I plan to test small pieces of all five colors in cold water for color fastness, but I remember reading that rinsing the skeins in a cold water bath can change the color (or more accurately, the finish/tone of the color). The piece will be framed under glass when finished, but the frame is pre-matted, so the fabric and stitching won't touch the glass.
So, what would you do? Any suggestions form those who know more about this than I do? (For the record, I really didn't want to have to use overdyed threads together with linen. But this was the least frou-frou and/or religious wedding pattern I could find, and I spent quite a good deal of time looking. I just don't see it having the same effect with the DMC equivalents.
Thanks for your time, Melody