It was pointed out to me recently that I've been doing this blog for several years now, and that there are a whole new group of stitchers reading it now, who might not go back through years of tips, and that I should start re-cycling some of the better tips, to move them up the blog list. So I decided that might not be a bad idea, and since I use it a LOT, I thought I'd start with a very useful finishing stitch that is good for more then just Hardanger - it's great for afghans, bellpulls... anywhere you need a finished edge (rather then framing a piece), but don't want to hem. I have also updated my instructions, and (hopefully) made them easier to understand.

This will be a 2-part lesson, so in this blog I'm going to explain how to work a Buttonhole Stitch (also known as a Blanket Stitch), and next month I'll tell you about a little trick for beginning and ending strands when working this stitch - so be sure to come back for that, as it's an easy (but little known) technique that will make using this stitch even simpler! 

BUTTONHOLE or BLANKET stitch is quite easy to do, and can be worked from right to left, or left to right (our diagram shows right to left), however, whatever way you begin, you must continue all the way around the project in the same direction!!

Work across 3-4 fabric strands, because this is an anchoring stitch, preventing the edge of the fabric from unraveling.  Begin with what is called a WASTE KNOT - another Hardanger technique that's useful for more than Hardanger!  Start by making a knot in the end of your first stitching length.  Push the needle down through the FACE of the fabric, at least a 6"  away from the area you will be stitching.  The object is to leave a long enough tail to run under later. Once you finish stitching with the first length, go back to the beginning, cut off the knot (waste it - get it, LOL?), pull the tail to the back of the fabric, thread it through a needle and run it under.  Remember to check out BUTTONHOLE CONT'D next month, for more tips on beginning and ending tails!

Come up in the starting position (#1 on the diagram), but you'll actually work the stitch over one fabric strand (in the NEXT stitch).  Note that you can work to the right or left, but once you begin you must complete the whole edge in the same direction.  Push the needle down at the bottom of the stitch (#2 on the diagram), with the tip of the needle coming out at the top of the stitch (#3 on the diagram), and slipping THROUGH the loop of the floss (made by 1-2).  Gently tighten the strand coming out of the fabric, so it pulls firmly in place but doesn't distort the fabric (refer to the diagram). Using the thumb of your opposite hand, hold the floss strand against the fabric, pulled out of the way and taut (but not too tight), while you repeat steps 2-3 (see 4-5 on the diagram).  Work over every fabric strand, or every other strand, depending on the weight of the floss being used. 

To turn corners, there are 2 things to remember... for INSIDE corners, simply move 45 degrees, and work the stitch as above, SHARING a corner hole (see the diagram below).  OUTSIDE corners have 3 extra stitches worked around, stepping over 2 fabric strands vertically for the first stitch, over 2 more vertically to the corner, and then over 2 fabric strands horizontally for the 3rd stitch.  ALL of these stitches share the corner hole of the last individual buttonhole stitch.  Move over 2 more fabric strands and continue working individual buttonhole stitches, (generally in groups of at least 5).  Note when turning an outside corner, that FIVE STITCHES will share the same inner corner hole, while the stitches step down and around the corner across 2 fabric strands (as shown on the diagram below).  TIP: Never begin or end a floss length on a corner.  If necessary, change the floss before the corner is reached.

Here's a bonus tip for you... if you strip excess fabric strands from the long side of your fabric (for the longest stitching lengths), your stitching will be almost invisible, since the 'floss' is the same as the fabric!  Remember to come back next month, and I'll tell you how to do invisible beginning and ending of strands.  Happy stitching!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! I was just going to post a holiday greeting, but lately there has been a lot of discussion in the various needlework newsletters and boards I subscribe to, about stash - what to do with it, and how much is too much, LOL.

The first thing that came up was that our aging stitching population has concerns about what will happen to their lovingly collected stash once they're gone. Here were some of the thoughts presented - a couple by myself, in response to the article... Number one was to make sure, either by telling, or in writing, that your family is aware of your wishes. If you want your best friends, or family members who stitch, to have first crack at what you've accumulated, be sure that is well-known, so your hard-earned stash doesn't end up in a garage sale, or worse, out on the curb!

If there's no one you want to leave your stash to - or if you're just wanting to clean house, so you have room for NEW stash, why not consider donating? Groups like the Girl Guides, or women's shelters, any volunteer group really, that works with children or seniors and could use crafting materials. Another option is something we do in my area, and that's donate unwanted items to your local guild! My guild has a 'sale table' at each meeting, where donated items are offered to others in the group. If there's something you want from the table, you make a donation (we're on the honor system, to ensure it's a reasonable amount). This has paid for several months rent on our meeting place!

But other articles - particularly the most recent one from Ann Rippin - have looked at WHY we stash, and the ways different generations look at it. Some feel guilty buying things they aren't going to use (or not immediately), so only buy for each project, while others compare their shopping to their spouses (equating the money they spend on their hobbies with an equivalent amount spent by a mate - for example, this fabric cost about the same as that new golf club, LOL). I actually know a woman who does this... when her DH asks what she spent, she replies "about a power drill", (GBG).

Ann listed some great quotes throughout her blog, and since they were aimed mostly at quilters, I've taken the liberty of adjusting as necessary, for us needleworkers (wink). You may have heard some of them before, I know there were a few I knew, but here are my favorites:
"The Repository for Textile Accumulation and Investment, sounds much more impressive than Fabric Stash!"
"If someone sez you have too much stash, stop talking to them immediately. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life!"
This one I definitely have to make into a chart, LOL: "Don't question the size of my stash - unless you think it needs to be BIGGER!"

Click HERE https://annjrippin.wordpress.com/2016/11/16/thinking-about-the-stash/ to read the rest of Ann's fun blog.... have a great Christmas, and I'll talk to you next year! Happy stitching!!

Let's talk this month about what you should do when your project is all stitched, but not yet framed.

I've talked before (I think) about HOW to stitch, ie make sure all your tails are run under at least 3-5 stitches; be sure you run your tails AWAY from unstitched areas; never run a carry thread across unstitched areas (it WILL show through on the face of the design - especially dark thread behind white fabric)...

And I think we've covered cleaning your project, but here's a quick summary - don't wash threads you know will run (you can check your floss by cutting a small length and letting it sit in water for a while, to see if it bleeds - dark colors and reds are most likely to bleed): be sure to use mild dish soap (or better yet Orvus - a small jar of which is available on our website) to wash with, never cleaners such as Woolite, which can make colors run; roll the washed piece in a towel and gently squeeze the excess water out, then lay the piece face down on another towel and press from the back (lift the iron to move it, don't drag it). Actually, once I've pressed a piece I usually let it sit overnight to ensure it's entirely dried.

OK, so what else is there? Well, here's something I didn't always think to do when I was a beginner stitcher... BEFORE washing the piece, go over the stitching carefully, looking for missed stitches, backstitching that was omitted, half-stitches that weren't worked, or even stitches that missed corner holes (and the darker the floss the more obvious some of those mistakes will appear).

I've even heard a suggestion about using a black light, which will make white (unstitched) spots pop out at you... but I've never gone that far, LOL.

Though I HAVE had pieces come back from stitchers that needed a LOT of work on the back - tails that needed to be tucked under and/or trimmed; missed stitches, etc., and it really makes a difference to the look of the finished piece - especially around the outer edges.

So don't be in too much of a rush to get to framing or finishing... take time to be sure the stitching is REALLY done - cause it's even more annoying to notice a missed stitch once the piece is framed than it is to take the time to find it beforehand!

Just a quick note this month, as we're busy with shows... but I read a good article a while ago, by a Dr. Christine Hamilton, about eyecare for stitchers, so I thought this would be a good time to share some of the points she made.

She started by stating that the main reason stitchers have to give up their hobby is because of failing eyesight - and as many of us are growing older, we can relate! However, these days most eye conditions are treatable, and we owe it to ourselves to take care of our eyes, not only for the sake of our stitching, but so we can continue to use them for as long as possible.

Eye strain (the most common complaint) can easily be reduced, and I'll give you some tips how, but first here are the symptoms she described: mainly aching eyes, but also headaches over the eyes, especially after a session of reading or stitching. If you have EITHER of those symptoms, get your eyes checked asap, even if you don't wear glasses already. And if you do a lot of close work (like stitching), then it's important to get regular eye checkups, so minor problems can be corrected before they become serious.

The first thing you can do to reduce eyestrain is make sure you are working in good light! Of course daylight is best, but otherwise, a good work light - close to your work - is the next best thing. Not doing a sales pitch here, LOL, but I highly recommend the light we carry (see the homepage on our website if you want more details). It's the light I use, and I love it! With any light you purchase, be careful of the bulbs... ours is LED, so DN get hot, but regular daylight bulbs can get very hot, which can be uncomfortable for close work. They may also cast a slightly blue light (commercial again, LOL, the light we carry has both warm and cool light settings, and you can blend them to get the setting you want!). Halogen bulbs are also good, as they give a pure white light and don't get as hot... however, they can be expensive.

The second tip from Dr. Christine is to be sure you hold your work the correct distance from your eyes. To determine that distance, hold your work an arm's length away, then slowly bring it towards you, until you can see the stitches clearly. If you continue to being the work towards you, you'll find a second spot where the stitches become harder to see... be sure to hold your work in between those two points. As we get older, we tend to start moving things farter away to see them clearly. If this is happening to you, you probably need reading glasses... however, a magnifier may also solve the problem (oh yes, our light as a nice big magnifier, with the LED lights circling it, (GBG)).

Finally, it may be time to change the materials you are using... 32ct may just be too difficult and you may have to go to 28ct, although 14ct Aida is much easier to see, and may extend your stitching life a few more years! Be sure to enlarge your graphs (using a photocopier), which will reduce some eyestrain (trying to read the chart) as well.

Just a note about copyright in closing ... most designers don't mind you making what is called a "working copy", but please destroy all copies when you are done stitching. It is perfectly permissible to pass along a chart when you are done with it, but it is ILLEGAL to pass along a photocopy (or digital copy) of that chart. We designers thank you for respecting our copyright, and helping to save our industry! I am (unfortunately) personally familiar with several designers who have stopped creating designs because they were tired of fighting thieves, who are quite literally taking money out of designers pockets by thoughtlessly sharing our hard work. I am sure it happens to me too, but for the most part I have great stitchers (like you!), who respect my rights, so I thank you! Happy stitching...