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| KNOW-HOW |
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| Stitching with waste canvas |
1. Before starting to stitch on the actual item, practice with a small piece of waste canvas on a spare piece of fabric. You can then remove the canvas to see if your stitches are neat before moving on to the 'real thing'.
2. Always use a piece of waste canvas that will leave a decent margin around the finished piece of stitching, as longer threads are easier to remove than those cut close to the stitching.
3. Use a needle to suit the fabric that you are stitching through. A blunt ended tapestry needle may pass satisfactorily through an open weave fabric but you will probably find a sharp pointed crewel or embroidery needle more suitable for the majority of fabrics.
4. Take care not to stitch through the canvas threads as you work, as when you remove the canvas some of your stitches will be damaged.
5. Try to work adjacent stitches into the same holes to prevent gaps showing between the stitches once the canvas has been removed.
6. Add backstitch to your design AFTER removing the canvas, using the cross stitches as a guide.
7. If you prefer to add backstitch whilst the canvas is still in place, use Holbein (double running) stitch as this creates a much neater backstitch line on the finished piece.
8. Choose designs without fractional stitches.
9. For larger designs where there are lots of threads to pull out, try softening the canvas with water to make removing the threads easier. Afterwards, rinse the fabric to remove any sticky residue.
10. Be adventurous - waste canvas enables you to stitch your favourite design onto almost anything you like, from T-shirts to caps, from the pockets of jeans to a pair of slippers.
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