TIP TO SHARE: Storing Projects

Before putting your stitching project away, instead of rolling or folding, try hanging it on a skirt or pant hanger that has clips on it. If indentation marks from the clips are a worry then fold a fabric scrap (use a neutral color and make certain it is colorfast) over the project edge to pad and cushion the project’s edge against dents. I try to clip the project as close to the end of the fabric as possible to avoid this.

I’ve had as many as ten stitched projects on one hanger. If the project is over-sized, then loosely fold the east-west fabric edges toward the center making certain the fold doesn't crease when clipping. If I put an unfinished project away and know I’m not going to get to it for a while, I’ll put the chart, fibers, and any embellishments in a plastic bag and clip it to the hanger, also. That way everything is together. Don’t cringe – but I’ve even put clear plastic bags over stitched pieces stored like this and have never had a problem (knock on wood). The bottom of the bag is left open so there is no moisture trapped. I'm sure there are 'experts' who would say this is a 'no-no' but I haven’t had any projects become discolored or damaged in any way. An old cotton pillowcase or muslin bag can be used if you prefer fabric to plastic.

Tip to Share: No More Dangle-Tangle!

Have you ever worked on a project that involved a lot of thread changes (HAED, for instance) and you just let the threads dangle, hoping they wouldn’t get tangled or dirty? I discovered that a tiny plastic bag can keep these threads clean and separated. This bag came with a garment I purchased that had an extra button and thread in the bag. Several of these could be used at once without creating a weighty drag or bulkiness while stitching.

Tip to Share: Smyrna Cross Stitch

To make stitches look fuller or more rounded try a Smyrna cross stitch. This is a closeup of the stemmed cherries at the bottom of the Chocolate Covered Cherries.

I ‘plumped' these tiny cherries by adding a + on top of the x stitch to make them look fuller and more rounded. The photo is a bit fuzzy but I hope it shows the difference between the red cherries at the bottom of the stems and the green x at the top. By adding a horizontal and a vertical stitch on top of the diagonal stitches of the initial cross stitch a Smyrna cross stitch is formed! I use this stitch when ‘rounding’ out an eye, for example. The top stitches can also be done in a different color for subtle shading or bright contrast.