Our Friends' HAED SAL: Minerva Update

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Minerva Update

After a long, long, long time, I have finally gotten my computer back and it seems to be running fine. Right now it is downloading some 5000+ emails that have accumulated over the month or so I've been gone.

I've been able to look occasionally at everyone's progress but not comment often. Everyone is coming along so wonderfully! I haven't gotten anywhere near the progress that I was hoping for. But any progress is better than none. I was hoping to at least have the first page done. Alas, it was not to be. I have about half of that page done. LOL

Before:

After:

I started out working across, but I decided to start working down. I was going to tent stitch it, but I like the coverage of the full cross for this piece. That said, I do use the tent stitch for the base of my 1x1 stitching. It gives me something to run my needle through on the back.

Back:

I have used a blue washable pen to grid my fabric. I am not concerned about it coming out of the fabric or not, since the entire fabric will be covered with stitching.

7 comments:

Gabi said...: Welcome back online. :) Minerva starts looking nice.; April 7, 2009 at 9:50 PM
Wendy said...: Great progress already! Thanks for sharing the back too, it looks nice.; April 8, 2009 at 4:22 AM
Louanne said...: Welcome back to the net! Minerva looks great!; April 8, 2009 at 4:30 AM
Cindy F. said...: So glad you got your computer working again. You have made tremendous progress!! Good job BW!!
and your back is sooo nice and neat:)
I love the idea of the washable pen too!; April 8, 2009 at 7:39 AM
http://ingridsknitting.blogspot.be/ said...: great idea with washable pen and also a beautiful progress, your back is also very neat; April 8, 2009 at 9:02 AM
Yvonne said...: Great progress and loads of it done.

Yvonne; April 8, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Carolyn NC said...: Wonderful progress!; April 8, 2009 at 10:30 PM

Tutorials

How to Carry Threads
This is really easy...it takes a while to get used to though....and your back will look terrible...this you will have to live with...One thing...You will be working your 10 x 10 grids in colums...it makes it easier...
1. Start with a 10 x 10 grid..
2. Find your first symbol...and stitch all of that symbol in your 10 x 10 grid....When finished...
3. Find the same symbol on the 10 x 10 grid below it...take your needle and bring your thread up like you are going to make the first 1/2 of the X ...but don't do it...just unthread your needle and lay the thread down..
4. Go back to the first grid you were working on...and stitch the next symbol the same way....when finished bring your thread down....
5. continue each symbol until your first 10 x 10 grid is finished....
6. start the next 10 x 10 grid ....you should have thread there already for you to pick up and stitch...
Posted by Vickie 3/7/2009

Tent Stitching (Wikipedia)
Tent stitch variants
There are three types of tent stitch, all producing the same appearance on the front of the canvas but each worked in a slightly different way and having particular characteristics, uses, benefits and drawbacks. These variants of tent stitch are known as basketweave, continental and half cross tent stitches:
Basketweave tent stitch - The basketweave form of tent stitch is worked in diagonal rows up and down the canvas. The yarn on the back of the canvas has a typical basketweave appearance, with alternating horizontal and vertical stitches. Basketweave is the best stitch to use for covering large areas of canvas as it does not distort the canvas as the other two forms of tent stitch do.
Continental tent stitch - Continental stitch is worked horizontally or vertically across the canvas. On the back of the work, the stitches appear diagonally across two threads. This method uses more yarn than half cross stitch tent stitch but is more hardwearing.
Half cross tent stitch - Half cross stitch is worked horizontally or vertically across the canvas. On the back of the work, the stitch appears vertical or horizontal, not diagonal, and crosses only one thread. This method uses less yarn than other stitches but is not very durable as coverage on the back of the canvas is a little thin.