Skilled XS vs. Not-So-Skilled XS

Actually hitting the holes correctly - I think a lot of people are slightly off and catch a thread or two, which pulls the X out of shape.

I've also wondered why some of my satin stitch/long-short looks better on parts than others. I notice it on pieces I am doing myself that I don't remember doing anything different from one part to the next. I do know that two threads generally do better than three and a few years down the line I usually don't notice as much.

Linda

Tension.

Precision of stitch placement -- half of "Gloria & Pat" spoke at HOXS and commented that she could "always" tell when a piece was stitched on Aida because of the telltale white lines. What she meant was that she could tell when it was badly stitched on Aida, because a bad stitcher will just put the needle in anywhere, and may have the occasional spot where she's covered only 3 of the 4 threads in a bundle/square and left one uncovered. Obviously, those of us who take care with where we put our needles and split the squares only when we're doing fractionals are not going to have those telltale white spots.

IMNSHO, the best looking xs pieces are the ones where the stitcher took a little leeway with the design and gave herself/himself permission to smooth out stair step jaggies. IOW, they used partial stitches that weren't part of the original.

The finishing also plays a big part in how one perceives the end result. Is too much? too little? the right color values?

Yessssss! I've seen so many pieces where the stitchery was overwhelmed by the framing. I know MLI is partial to the wide gold Baroque frames, but that simply draws your eye away from the beauty of the angel.

We had a judge come to EGA a few years ago with some PhotoShopped samples, the same design in different frames, with different mats, and show us what a big difference it made in having the frame/mat meld into the picture versus screaming for attention in their own right.

And, the all-time classic, which she said was inspired by a piece she had actually judged ... about 2x2 stitchery in the middle of an extra-wide mat in the middle of the biggest widest Baroque-est frame. And, sure enough, the whole room chirps in unison, "you mean there's a stitchery in there somewhere?"

I read all the opinions with great interest ,, But since i usualy embroider, see, evaluate and hear from my collegues works that aren`t tottaly covered by the xst , it seems to me that i don`t look at `quality` of each stitich or if it all are the same tighteness ,, i look more at The General look , The message of the work. The technique is more a tool for the work , like another color on the artist`s Pallete. Some of my colleagues do look for the things mentioned above ,,, The one thing that i don`t like is when using more than one thread and noting that at certain points there are little loops that show that threads wasn`t straightened . mirjam

Wow. I so disagree with this. An MLI or Mirabilia or the like is so large and complex that it needs a substantial frame to set it off. The mistake is often in the matting. Mats should pick up and emphasize some important color in the design and so often people neglect to do that.

I agree that smaller pieces should be simply framed, but the larger ones are poorly served by simple frames IMO.

Elizabeth

I think what sometimes happens is the framing can become the focus, rather than the art. Even taken as a whole. You want the framing (matting) to draw you into the piece - get your attention in a pleasing way, and then draw your focus to the feature. I've seen a couple of things happen that can work against this:

1- the framer themselves - or the stitcher - or both - are really enamoured with some "cute" idea - like a laser dye-cutter - and go overboard customizing a mat. So, while the finishing is cute - it can totally take the focus from the piece 2 - if 1 or 2 mats is good, then 4 are better - again - does this overwhelm the piece - too much color (even if it's the "right" colors)? 3 - the frame is toooo small for the piece - honestly - from my working in a framers - this is likely to happen more than the other way. Narrower molding = cheaper - and people will start to scrimp suddenly - saving $20, but the framing will not balance the piece properly. Personally - I'd rather suggest an appropriate molding, and leave off the "fancy" extras - like a mat 4 - the frame is tooooo big - not so often. But, one of the things in framing/gallery style now is a large molding with a small piece. And it can look stunning. We just did a piece for the shop (and a stitcher) - kind of primitive "queen of hearts" - lovely - not large - but framed it in a really nice, carved (not gold) with hints of reds in the finish - molding - and it's stunning. No mat. The frame picks up the type of stitching (carving design working well) and the size actually pulls you into the piece. OTOH, I've seen some where there is way too much matting with decorations. 5 - frame style is just at odds with the piece. This is hard - there are a lot of moldings out there that suit needlework well, from the simple, to finding something where the motif in the molding will echo, be in style with some part of the stitching. And sometimes the details will really pop a piece - such as inserting a fillet (the inner fine lining of wood, usually some gilt), or indeed doing a double mat, spacing.

It's all so much a matter of taste. And patience in picking, and having a good framing advisor/professional or resource - even for do it yourself folks. Sometimes something that seems wrong when you look at it is fine - I've done a series for someone that framed the Mirabilia queens/mermaids in huge, big double curved kind of art deco silver gilt on wood moldings. Not carved - very clean - but moldings that have a big upper level, and lower. At first you think - YUCK - but it was a stunning look - not my taste - but I could see how it worked.

My least favorite framing - one of the framers we use regularly - does a good job - but he can go overboard with the extras and the stitcher has to be firm. One piece - a small (3" x 4" at most) IIRC Just Nan butterfly. Framed with double mat, the upper with in each corner some kind of decorative colored butterfly applied (maybe a 5" mat all around), and to top this a very intricately carved white and gilt double height molding. YUCK. All you see is the framing, nad it's kind of hideous, IMOSHO.

Anyhow, the point is framing/finishing to me shouldn't detract. But, you are presenting an entire picture - not just the stitching or the frame, and that bears some thought - as to how your eye will travel and be drawn in, that the finishing complements the art - be it stitching or a painting.

Personally, I'm a fan of some large mats depending, and a little asymmetry (mostly with photos - not stitching).

Ellice

I have stitched a fair share of cross stitch designs. They range from realistic animals to MLI beautiful Butternut designs, and with Victorian Cross on canvas as Elizabeth Bradley designs.

I cannot stitch without a laying tool any more. I use it for everything, including one ply of wool or whatever I'm using at the time.

When I only apply this to an "ordinary" cross stitch piece using cotton floss, for my eye, if the threads are not laying flat next to one another it detracts from the piece. Now, many people stitch as a hobby and don't have these issues because it's not important to them. I love when something I stitched looks slick and orderly. The backs make no matter to me at all.

I use appropriate frames. For Butternut Road designs I've used aged wood frames with a simple mat cut to fit. Always under glass.

So, to answer, I think laying the stitch in place cleanly, avoiding the view of any canvas, be it Aida or Glenshee linen and tension is very important, but if you get a rhythm going, tension takes care. I don't think it matters at all if the stitch is upper left to bottom right, the upper right to bottom left. As long as all stitches are laid in flat and strands are not tangled or twisted,and all stitches end in the same direction, the piece is going to look excellent.

v

I don't know that I agree 100%. The frame and the mats (if used) need to work with the piece. I've seen some pretty horrid combinations - more often a too ornate frame with a simple piece.

C

I generally tend toward very simple framing and rarely much matting. I always feel that elaborate frames often become the focus for the eye instead of the needlework.

Lucille

>

Plus, if you are bringing it home to places like yours and mine, big, ornate frames are going to look dreadful. Nothing in my home leans that way.

Mostly true, except for one enormous artwork in my living room. It measures at least 4 x 6, with an oriental styled picture of cranes done in different paper cuts in the center and skatey eight mats going in different directions all around it. It's nearly all white on white with a little metallic and red heads on the cranes.

That's really the most ornate thing in my house and it really is all straight lines.

L

Still sounds minimalist though - I was thinking of the French Provincial type frames, they would scream in my place. That is not to say I don't like them, my aunt has a picture of a little girl done in oil (reputedly a European princess) about 4 x 6 and it has a wide, very ornate frame around it, frame pretty nearly bigger than the picture and somehow that looks right. Looks good in her room but I am not convinced it would here.

I'm really not sure what you're disagreeing with. I said complex pieces deserve complex frames, so I wouldn't put an ornate frame with a simple piece, only with a complex one, which most MLIs and Mirabilias are.

Elizabeth

I don't think I'm disagreeing. What I think is happening for me is that It's hard for me to picture because I don't generally like the style of MLIs and Mirabilias. They mostly seem too ornate for my taste and a wide, carved, gilt frame just adds to that.

I think it will depend greatly on the subject matter of the work. I can't see animals being framed in those guilded frames. To be honest, I never know what to do with my stitching. None of it actually "goes" together and crosses many genre.

I had no idea where to put "Great Blue Heron" so the next person who came over and loved it, went home with it. So, what I decided to do is this; I am going to work on using similar frames for all my finished projects and they will live in the guest room. There are certain ones in the living room which sort of fit them theme...the theme of nothing goes together! Oy. Everyone should have such problems!

I tend to love stitching the MLI designs, but never know what to do with them. I loved stitching "Celtic Christmas," "Spirit Dancer," "Celtic Banner," and "Feathers and Friends." Of them all, the only ones I kept are the banner and "Feathers and Friends." The latter is in my spare bathroom and the banner is in the living room. I intend on stitching "Spirit Dancer" again, and I will keep this one for me.

I collect rustic and primitive furniture and art so my home is a bit eclectic and gold anything would look, um, not!

v

Ah, sure. More of the same means more to dislike. *grin* I like quite a few of the Mirabilias and have most of her mermaids in my stash. The one I finished must have ended up framed just right because my ultra-picky BFA sister has it hanging in her living room.

Elizabeth