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Last week, I decided to repeat the very first topic we ever had in Class Act Chat because lately, I've seen so many questions and comments about it in other chats--stitching on evenweave fabric and linen.
First, what IS an evenweave fabric? According to my sources, an evenweave is any cotton, blended cotton/synthetic, or synthetic fabric woven so there is a hole for stitching between each single thread. These fabrics are woven with threads that are very even--not "nubby," as you see in many linens. The holes are also often larger than those you find in linen, so if you're a beginner, a cotton, cotton blend, or synthetic evenweave may be easier for you to work with. Some of the popular evenweave fabrics we use today include Lugana, Jobelan, and Brittney. There are others. Hardanger fabric is woven the same way as evenweave; however, if you look closely, you'll notice 2 threads are woven at a time instead of 1.
For the sake of the rest of this article, I will include linen as an evenweave because I don't wish to be too technical. It is woven exactly like evenweaves, and stitching on it is the same. The only differences are the fiber used to make it and the fact that many of the fabric threads are not of uniform thickness. The latter does not, however, affect the thread count or the number of stitches per inch.
Aida is not an evenweave. If you look closely at a piece of Aida, you will see that each "square" over which you stitch is composed of four fine threads woven together. This is more obvious if you ravel some threads out of the edge of a piece of Aida. You may find Aida a stiffer fabric to work with than is either linen or evenweave. I believe that's because of the amount of sizing the manufacturers put into the fabric after it's made rather than a feature of the fabric itself. If you've ever used a hand-dyed linen, you'll realize the difference because the sizing must be removed before the fabric is hand dyed. The result is a very soft fabric, but one that is sometimes difficult to handle.
So, what's the big deal about evenweaves? :-) Usually, we stitch over one on Aida; however, we generally stitch over two threads on evenweave fabrics. Yes, this does require more concentration. My own experience has shown me that after a little practice, my eyes adjusted very well, and I can tell when I've miscounted.
Evenweaves come in a variety of thread counts, the most commonly used of which are 24, 28, 32, 35, and 36. Other thread counts are available, depending upon the kind of evenweave and the manufacturer. Because we normally stitch over two threads, there will be half as many stitches per inch as threads per inch in the fabric. You will get the same size stitch stitching over two threads on a 28-count fabric, for example, as you do when stitching on 14-count Aida. To see a good list of what's available in fabrics, I recommend you take a look on the Internet at Kathy Dyer's Cross Stitch FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). You'll find an entire section of the FAQ devoted to fabrics.
There are many reasons why some of us prefer to stitch on evenweaves rather than on Aida. Quite a few counted-thread techniques (hardanger embroidery, pulled-thread embroidery, etc.) cannot be done on Aida. They require an evenweave fabric. There are countless specialty stitches, as well. A few of them can work on Aida, but most of them cannot, at least not in proportion to the rest of the stitching in a piece. It's also a great deal easier to do fractional stitches on evenweave fabric.
Cost is indeed a consideration when you're purchasing fabric, and linen is expensive compared to other fabrics. So are other evenweaves when compared to Aida. For me, the rich look of linen compensates for the price, especially if I am doing an heirloom-quality piece, and my personal favorite is Belfast linen. I like it because it is a heavier linen than some others. The only problem I have is one you may encounter with other types of linens or eveweaves: it comes only in 32 threads per inch. I do like to stitch on 36-count linen, so I have to find another kind that suits my needs.
When you cross stitch on a piece of evenweave fabric, the first stitch should begin coming up through a hole in which a vertical thread is to the upper right of the hole. The main reason for this is that starting next to a horizontal thread can cause the floss to roll under the horizontal thread and create uneven looking stitches. Another plus to starting next to a vertical thread is that ALL your cross stitches will begin with a vertical thread to the upper right. If you notice you're beginning a stitch in which the vertical is not in that position, you know you've miscounted. A good way to look at this has been mentioned by several stitchers: Look at the area on evenweave fabric covered by one x. It will look like a tic-tac-toe grid, with the fabric threads representing the lines in the grid and the spaces representing the holes. There will always be a fabric thread woven on top vertically in the lower left corner of the tic-tac-toe grid. I've also attached to this newsletter a diagram showing evenweave and stitch placement.
I stitch "in the hand," which means I use no hoops, scroll bars, or anything else to stretch my fabric. I do this no matter what fabric I'm using, and it works for me. There are teachers who believe linen must always be stitched in the hand, so this can be a controversial issue. It is my opinion that the correct way to stitch on linen or anything else is the one that's most comfortable and works best for the stitcher. After all, we stitch because we enjoy it. :-)
Another controversial issue is whether or not one stitches on the "right" side of a linen fabric. The right side is supposed to have a little more sheen than the wrong side. I cannot look at a piece of linen and tell which is the right side. If you're concerned about this, there is a way to tell. Find a corner of you fabric and gently pull it diagonally. The direction the corner curls up is the right side.
I would comment here that the only time I'd nitpick about how I stitch on linen or what the right side is, etc., is if I'm considering entering the stitched piece in a competition. Even then, frankly, it depends upon the competition. I've found that judges at the county fairs in my area vary widely in knowledge. On the other hand, judges at some of the well-known competitions get out their Dazor magnifying lamps and go very carefully over all parts of a piece.
Should one should use the Danish method of stitching on evenweaves? In the Danish method, the stitcher does an entire row of one arm of the cross stitch--/ / / / / --and comes back crossing the x--\ \ \ \. The method used by some stitchers, in which they complete each x before going on to the next is called the traditional method. To me, this is another matter of preference. I find, however, that if I'm stitching over one thread on a piece of evenweave, using the Danish method prevents some of the xes from rolling under the threads in the fabric. I also use a combination of the 2 methods and have no problems.
Someone asked during chat how to keep the edges of evenweave fabric from raveling. You'll probably find more of a tendency to ravel in a piece of evenweave or linen than you will in Aida. I recommend zigzagging the edges on a sewing machine, serging them, or whipstitching a small hem all the way around the fabric. Masking tape, other adhesives, and Fraycheck leave residues and chemicals on fabric, and I choose not to use anything that may damage the fabric later. For those of you who use Fraycheck, I recommend being sure the fabric is cut large enough that after stitching, you can cut off a minimum of an inch on each of the 4 sides to get rid of the chemically treated area before you frame or otherwise finish the stitchery.
What I've presented both here and in chats last week is one viewpoint. There are people who would disagree with some of what I've said. Hey--we're all entitled to our opinions, and I DO respect theirs. My philosophy is that stitching should be fun rather than a chore, which is why I'm so flexible. :-)
Copyright 1997 Jill Martz
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