Other Tips & Tricks
- Count twice, stitch once: double check your counting as you go for better accuracy and fewer mistakes!
- Thread length: the longer your thread is, the more likely you are to get knots as you’re working. Use a piece a little longer than your forearm, and experiment with different lengths of working thread to see what works best for you.
- Don’t set your needle down on a table or stick it in the arm of your chair when you’re not using it—you will almost certainly lose it, and then you or someone in your household will almost certainly step on it later. Trust me on this one. Instead, stick your needle in the corner of your fabric when not in use, or get a magnetic needle minder.
- Dampen the end of your thread to make it easier to thread your needle.
- Always wash your hands before touching your work, and keep it in a ziplock bag or plastic case when you’re not working on it—stains are really hard to remove from the cloth.
Top: Stitches facing the same direction look smoother and neater.
Bottom: Stitches facing any old which way look messier in the finished piece.
- Make sure your stitches face the same direction. It will help your finished piece look more polished. Your best bet is to get in a habit of starting all your stitches in the same direction (i.e. top left hole to bottom right, or vice versa). See the picture below for an example.