Is Crewel difficult?

[CathyA]

I'm just getting back into cross-stitching after about a 20 year hiatus. I saw a really cool kit at Michael's for Crewel. It was of a tree frog on some tall grass.
Is crewel difficult?

[catherine]

I used to LOVE crewel work. I love the look of it and the variety of the stitches. I haven't found any stitches that were difficult to do. I say, go for it!

[sweetana3]

it can be more artistic since there is far more choice of what to place where and how. That said, you have to be willing to be creative and go with the flow. I did a lot in my youth. In fact, I still have one large kit I cannot bear to part with and dont want to start. Cross stitch is my craft of choice in the needlearts.

[KayLR]

I learned crewel long before x-stitch came into vogue. I have a large quail picture I did in the early 80s that I am quite proud of--it's still hanging in our bedroom.

The stitches within a picture can vary greatly and add texture and lots more visual interest than x-stitch.

I guess since I know I learned crewel when I was oh, 15 or 16, it couldn't have been that hard. Maybe I'll try taking it up again if my fingers aren't too arthritic by now!

[CathyA]

Thanks everyone!
I usually don't buy kits, but I saw that one of a tree frog on tall grass (for Crewel) and it was beautiful. I might go back and get it.
I'm making good progress with the x-stitch I'm working on now. I was going to have someone block it and frame it, but I'm thinking I can do that myself, to keep the cost down. I know you aren't supposed to put glass over x-stitch, but I always have, to keep it clean. But this time I think I'll use plexiglass since I'll have to ship it to my friend. Is that an okay idea?
Is there any big trick to blocking it correctly?
This project I'm working on for a friend is so cute. Its of one girl pushing another girl in a wheelbarrow. The saying under it is "Always, my friend, you lighten my load.......and keep my barrow on the road." I just need to find a real rustic frame for it.
Thanks for the replies. I think I'll definitely try my hand at Crewel.
KayLRZ.......I have 2 bent, painful fingers from arthritis on my dominant hand. I was really worried that it would be too painful to get back into x-stitching......but it doesn't hurt at all. Hopefully, you won't have any troubles either!

[iris lily]

I think of crewel work as embroidery, only with bigger, heavier threads.
When you get good at crewel then you can do stump work, a sort of padded crewel work.

I loved embroidery (a variety of stitches) and would never do x-stitch, the latter is too boring, always the same thing.

[sweetana3]

Dont put glass over it. It does just fine without it as all the ones on my walls attest. There are a lot of tutorials on the web for framing cross stitch.

This site has perhaps hundreds of ways and sites for cross stitch finishing ideas. No need to frame small pieces with all these ideas.
http://focusonfinishing.wordpress.com/

Ignore the quilt block and check out this idea (I made one and it is so cute):
http://sewkaren-lycreated.blogspot.com/search/label/Tutorial

Here is how I frame my pieces:
http://stitchinaddiction.wordpress.com/2008/07/14/framing-tutorial-pin-method/

[CathyA]

Thanks for those links sweetana. I guess we'll just have to disagree about the glass. I have glass on most of the things I've done over the years. We live out in the country and have so much dust and dirt. I'd hate to have them all framed so nicely, then have to take them apart to wash them again.

I wonder if blocking requires that "nail gun" that is in one of the links? Can we just pin the fabric with our hands? Are the pins left in? I just walked around my house and checked out my old projects that I did myself, and they are still doing fine..........so maybe I'm forgetting that they don't always need blocked (more than just making sure they are taped right in the back, so that all the squares line up).??

Isn't it hard to keep the back looking great on projects that have tons of different colors? Fortunately, the back won't show!
Have you ever washed a project and had the dye in the threads bleed? I always use DMC thread, so I'm hoping that doesn't happen. The project I'm working on now has alot of red in it and I'm a little concerned about it bleeding.
Thanks for your help!

[sweetana3]

1. I have never had an issue with DMC bleeding. I used to wash with a mild dishwashing soap and then dry and iron. This cannot be done with any of the overdyes unless it says washable. There are so many, I have not kept up. I did have some overdyed red bleed a little but it was on an ornament aond not noticable by anyone but me.
2. I pin on acid free foam core using little pins and leave them in. Or you can pin and then sew the back from side to side and top to bottom. The pins keep the fabric exactly where you want it while sewing. You can then take them out.
3. Tape of all kinds has given me more problems than anything else over the years.

4. If you have a hand vac with a wand, you can put nylons or layers of cheesecloth over the end and vacumn your pieces. Just try not to frame with the glass sitting on the stitching. A friends mother did a lot of fantastic reproduction stitching and framed under no-glare glass and the stitching looks like a photograph. It is kind of offputting.

5. Trimming carefully will take care of excess threads on the back. More importantly is to not have knots that show when framed. Using a lite batting under the picture can soften the look and help this.

[CathyA]

Thanks sweetana. I usually leave a bit of space under the glass, so it doesn't press on the piece.
While I have you here......The project I'm working on has clusters of "flowers" around the edges. They are just single green thread back-stitches with red french knots at the top of each stem. I have alot of french-knot practicing to do before I do this! But I'm wondering........ There are so many of the red french knots, it will be really hard to anchor each one anew each time. Do you think a single thread of red would show if I just go from french knot to french knot? Each "flower" is only 2-5 squares away from each other. There are so many of them, I'm half tempted to just put cross-stitches on the ends of each stem.
I'm getting better at keeping the back not looking too bad and not moving my thread across open spaces, but these knots are going to be a real pain if I need to start anew with each one.
Thanks for your suggestions!
Oh....when you say you sew the piece in the back, after you've blocked it and mounted it on foam board.....do you just use floss and at what intervals do you sew the two sides to connect them?

[CathyA]

Well, I just spent awhile working on French knots and I think I can do it. :)

[sweetana3]

I use sewing thread as it is stronger. Use a lot of back and forth to distribute the pulling equally around the piece. You dont want any scallops around the edge.

I dont use many knots on the back. I try and anchor the floss by using a "waste knot" and then cutting it off when done and trimming any excess thread. There are techniques for the single stitch problem. Might be demonstrated or discusse on a google search.

Lay a thread you are going to use (red) under the fabric and then place on a piece of the board or other backing to see if it shows. It all depends on the fabric being used and what is around it. If you have a bunch of green leaves or stems sometimes you can travel by weaving under previous stitches. The rule of thumb is to not travel the thread more than 1/2 inch but anything can be done.

ps: I hate french knots. Probably because my needle is not thin enough.

[CathyA]

Thanks sweetana! I appreciate the help you've given me!