I’ve mentioned a few times in the past little while that I would really like to try more canvaswork. I’m working on some ornaments from Carolyn Mitchell, and they are going well, so I thought it was time to try something a bit larger.
Chocolate Humbug Bag by Northern Pine Designs (WIP)
This is Chocolate Humbug Bag by Northern Pines Designs. I’ve wanted to stitch it for ages, and I finally picked up the kit at the Gitta’s Getaway back in April.
Chocolate Humbug Bag close-up
I started working with it unmounted, since I stitch all my cross stitch in hand. It doesn’t matter if it has hardanger, pulled work, or piles of specialty stitches. Everything is stitched in hand, and I think my tension is just fine. I mean, I’ve been stitching this way for (oh god!) over twenty years, so I’ve kinda got it figured out.
Well, canvaswork is a different animal. I’m finding it easy to keep my tension right, but I just can’t handle wrestling with the actual needlepoint canvas. So, I’ve had to break down and by some frames. (The ornaments have been done on frames because the canvas was mounted for me when I purchased it.)
So, doing canvaswork in hand is doin’ it wrong number 1. Number 2 is how I mounted it. Take a look at the picture again. My tacks are on the back, not the front.
Okay, I’m sure that in the grand scheme of the world it doesn’t matter where the tack are, as long as they are properly placed and don’t stick out and catch my fibres. But, I kind of wanted to do it by the book, you know. 🙁
Needleworker, Knitter, Crocheter, Sewist, Cricuteer, and more!
No, you aren’t doing it wrong. You are doing it nontraditionallly! 🙂
My tacks or staples are always on the bottom so that it is easier to finish off the threads. I stitch in the ditch.
Thanks, guys. ;D I’m good at doing things nontraditionally.
I don’t know much about canvas work but it looks great to me! You mentioned Gita’s do you live close by? I live in Mississauga and go to Gitta’s often 🙂 It’s a small, small world.
Oh throw out the book. I never knew there was one. There’s nothing wrong with how you mounted your canvas – it looks great. You’ll have an easier time burying your ends with your canvas mounted that way. I’ve mounted pieces with the stretcher bars on top and underneath. When I mount them underneath, I end up parking threads and then when the piece is finished, I have to unmount it and then spend what feels like forever burying threads. Your way is fine. Keep going – your piece looks great!