In message <5169188532d84889a4b2577380910...@hays1>, Elise and Scott
Hays <[email protected]> writes
After reading the discussions about
the afficot, it sounds as though it burnishes the fibers by mashing them down,
causing them to flatten and mat together. I would think that would give a
cloth stitch area a denser look.
I would consider using a slightly thicker thread - it may be that this
particular thread gives the amount of density the designer intended, as
over-dense cloth stitch looks awful to some eyes but not to others...
each to her own. Whether an afficot will work on the cotton depends
greatly on the thread construction - if it is tightly spun, then it
probably won't flatten, and you risk moving the threads out of alignment
and looking as if your tension is off - trying a sample before attacking
your finished piece is a must in this case. If you do decide to go this
route, I would wet the cotton first - cotton, being cellulose, is
stronger when wet, and the last thing you want to do is break the
fibres.
Now I
wonder if someone could help me with a few hints on tensioning headside fans.
I seem to have a problem getting a nice curve in the warp threads. If I pull
too tightly the cloth stitch fans (or in this case hearts) have very straight
warp threads which kind of ruins the curving outline of the headside. If I try
to tension more gingerly, it tends to look bunched up and uneven and I get an
overwhelming urge to yank the threads straight!
This depends on the type of pillow and bobbins you are using - if you
are using continental bobbins on a flat pillow then my method - I use
Midlands bobbins and either a flat pillow tilted on a stand, or a domed
pillow.
Tension is the key. The way I do and teach the curve, is to tension all
of the pairs towards the headside until you reach the half way point -
keep the outer pair as close to the pins as you can, and try to tension
by the way you handle the bobbins as you make the stitches (the weight
of the bobbins helps this - gravity assisted!) rather than pulling them
into place after the stitches are made. (Don't tension them towards the
footside at all). After you reach the half way point, don't pull on the
pairs as you work the second half - let the pin placement ease the
threads to their exit points - the threads should then gently curve into
place without any effort. Also, be careful with tensioning with the
subsequent (presumably ground) stitches surrounding the fan - it is all
too easy to tug and undo the careful shaping you have done. Practice is
the main thing - and how you are feeling - you will look at your fans
and see what mood you were in at the time!
My last question is about fan sticks.
The others have answered this one for you.
--
Jane Partridge
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