Several people have broached this subject. They realized, usually within the first line of stitching, that something was not right.
They also worried that taking out their mistakes would ruin the aida cloth.
By all means start again. Craftspeople do that often.
A primary goal of the project is a word-perfect version of the text. The aida cloth is very sturdy, and will definitely withstand “un-sewing”. Just be careful not to rip the fabric. You may wish to begin your text again on a fresher surface by turning the cloth 180• Don’t cut any cloth away, since it will all be used in assembling the scroll; however, process markings are often part of finished works of art.
You will hopefully be much happier when you know you have it right, and the project will definitely benefit from your care.
Cautionary hint: All of the stitchers who encountered problems realized that they had not followed the printed template accurately. They missed the correct letter height, didn’t extend letters as drafted, thought that all spaces between letters or words were the same. Please follow the template exactly; every square on the diagram has meaning, as does your every stitch.
Several people have broached this subject. They realized, usually within the first line of stitching, that something was not right.
They also worried that taking out their mistakes would ruin the aida cloth.
By all means start again. Craftspeople do that often.
A primary goal of the project is a word-perfect version of the text. The aida cloth is very sturdy, and will definitely withstand “un-sewing”. Just be careful not to rip the fabric. You may wish to begin your text again on a fresher surface by turning the cloth 180• Don’t cut away any cloth, since it will be all be used in assembling the scroll; however, process markings are often part of finished works of art.
You will hopefully be much happier when you know you have it right, and the project will definitely benefit from your care.
Cautionary hint: All of the stitchers who encountered problems realized that they had not followed the printed template accurately. They missed the correct letter height, didn’t extend letters as drafted, thought that all spaces between letters or words were the same. Please follow the template exactly; every square on the diagram has meaning, as does your every stitch.
11 comments on “Correcting mistakes . . . even starting again”
A sage and witty comment from Elizabeth:
Thank you for the piece on correcting mistakes. I keep making mistakes in counting and have become adept at taking out the stitches. They can be ripped out with patience. I am, at present, part of a Torah study group and for the summer we have decided to study Kohelet (Ecclesiastes). This week we studied Chapter 3, which starts, “A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven”. V. 7 says, “A time for ripping and a time for sewing. . .”. I think that is my mantra for completing this project.
Primarily, I am a knitter, but also produce needlepoint, beadwork, crochet and cross stitch, often working on more than one craft at a time. There is a term used in knitting that addresses the problems involved in correcting mistakes. This term is “frogging” and refers to the need to “rip it (out), rip it!”
In other projects, I have had a lot of color transfer when I have had to take out stitches done in dark colors. Has anyone had this problem, and is there a way to avoid it? I would prefer to not have “shadow” letters, but I make mistakes in counting occasionally. Does pre-washing the floss help, or would this lighten the shade too much?
Jenny Thielemann
Sometimes the shadowing left when you have ripped out dark colours is due to small bits of the thread on the fabric. Try taking a piece of scotch or masking tape and dab gently over the area to pick up those threads. It may not get rid of all the discoloration but it should minimize it. I don’t think prewashing the floss will help.
I’ve found that blu-tac (or in Canada, the white version of it – it’s used to attach posters to walls, etc, and has no oily residue), works well. I tried using a document cleaning pad on the scrap piece of fabric, but it left residue, and sticky tape doesn’t get between the fibres.
Also, I use a finer needle (Anchor gold plated #26) as on removing errors, the biggest problem seems to be the ‘hole’ size left by the needle, rather than just the thread fibres.
I have done needlepoint and knitting, never cross stitching. The first week was very challenging, had difficulty with counting accurately. I went to Staples and had my text enlarged making it easier for accurate counting. I also use a magnifying glass with led light.
I also find the Torah canvas quite challenging–altho I look forward to continuing the sewing..
C’est une bonne idee—enlarging the text.
I have made mistakes counting the itty-bitty X’s——!
I am about to ”gently’ rip out a few words..
I have been cross stitching for 40 years and I have some hints:
1. Make at least one copy of your pattern.
2. The pattern is laid out in a grid. Every 14 blocks has a darker line. These are reference lines. I baste those lines in a bright color on my fabric (1 strand) Now I have the same grid as the paper.
3. You can use a colored pencil to make off the stitches or letters completed.
I used a copy of the pattern to document my progress. I’d note on the copy when I started and stopped stitching letters in the verses.
Making a copy of the pattern has served me well in all of my projects. This time, our professional paper shredder, Winter, a sweet cuddler of a cat, wanted to see what I was working on. Oh, paper! Yummy!
A sage and witty comment from Elizabeth:
Thank you for the piece on correcting mistakes. I keep making mistakes in counting and have become adept at taking out the stitches. They can be ripped out with patience. I am, at present, part of a Torah study group and for the summer we have decided to study Kohelet (Ecclesiastes). This week we studied Chapter 3, which starts, “A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven”. V. 7 says, “A time for ripping and a time for sewing. . .”. I think that is my mantra for completing this project.
Primarily, I am a knitter, but also produce needlepoint, beadwork, crochet and cross stitch, often working on more than one craft at a time. There is a term used in knitting that addresses the problems involved in correcting mistakes. This term is “frogging” and refers to the need to “rip it (out), rip it!”
In other projects, I have had a lot of color transfer when I have had to take out stitches done in dark colors. Has anyone had this problem, and is there a way to avoid it? I would prefer to not have “shadow” letters, but I make mistakes in counting occasionally. Does pre-washing the floss help, or would this lighten the shade too much?
Jenny Thielemann
The best way to get the floss “lint” out of the fabric is scotch tape. Unfortunately the black floss has the most stray lint.
Sometimes the shadowing left when you have ripped out dark colours is due to small bits of the thread on the fabric. Try taking a piece of scotch or masking tape and dab gently over the area to pick up those threads. It may not get rid of all the discoloration but it should minimize it. I don’t think prewashing the floss will help.
I’ve found that blu-tac (or in Canada, the white version of it – it’s used to attach posters to walls, etc, and has no oily residue), works well. I tried using a document cleaning pad on the scrap piece of fabric, but it left residue, and sticky tape doesn’t get between the fibres.
Also, I use a finer needle (Anchor gold plated #26) as on removing errors, the biggest problem seems to be the ‘hole’ size left by the needle, rather than just the thread fibres.
I have done needlepoint and knitting, never cross stitching. The first week was very challenging, had difficulty with counting accurately. I went to Staples and had my text enlarged making it easier for accurate counting. I also use a magnifying glass with led light.
I also find the Torah canvas quite challenging–altho I look forward to continuing the sewing..
C’est une bonne idee—enlarging the text.
I have made mistakes counting the itty-bitty X’s——!
I am about to ”gently’ rip out a few words..
Check my blog for an entry http://kkeeter.wordpress.com/2014/02/20/torah-stitch-by-stitch-my-journey/ about my experience- see picture of the Costco Head Lamp I bought so that I could see what I was doing, and some techniques I used to keep track of where I was on the pattern.
I have been cross stitching for 40 years and I have some hints:
1. Make at least one copy of your pattern.
2. The pattern is laid out in a grid. Every 14 blocks has a darker line. These are reference lines. I baste those lines in a bright color on my fabric (1 strand) Now I have the same grid as the paper.
3. You can use a colored pencil to make off the stitches or letters completed.
I used a copy of the pattern to document my progress. I’d note on the copy when I started and stopped stitching letters in the verses.
Making a copy of the pattern has served me well in all of my projects. This time, our professional paper shredder, Winter, a sweet cuddler of a cat, wanted to see what I was working on. Oh, paper! Yummy!