For evenweave, or plain, canvas there is a method of achieving even better results with baskeweave tent stitch, using the weave of the canvas threads. Look closely at a piece of evenweave canvas: the threads weave over and under each other. At one intersection, the vertical thread is on top and at the next the horizontal thread is on top. On any one diagonal line of intersections, they will all vertical or horizonal, alternating on each diagonal. Always work the row down over vertical threads and work the row up over horizonal intersections.
There are many advantages to reading the grain…
-when you pick up a partly worked piece, you can tell immediately whether the next row should be up or down
-you can work areas that do not touch first (ex: objects in different places on the canvas), then when you work the background, you will not have the problem of diagonal ridges formed by two rows side by side being worked in the same direction
-you can avoid the problem of basketweave tent stitches worked on very fine canvas disappearing between the threads of the canvas when they are worked in the wrong direction, that is, not using the grain
And best of all you will get a really smooth, durable result!
Happy Stitching!
PS Check out Chilly Hollow’s blog (link of interests) post today…it is all about Sundance Beads! Beads are coming to The Bug. They should be in any day now!
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