Jean...thanks for your lovely visit...I am glad to experience your travels...good to see you back and sorry about that severe cold...I wash and iron my stitch pieces per your instructions...best wishes and happy stitching ❤
Happy to see you! Glad you are feeling better and refreshed. What sage advice about fatigue. In our home we say "Take a breath" or "Take your own pulse first". It works!!
Thoroughly enjoyed this video. So glad you had wonderful trips and company. The building you showed us was really something. Your helpful tips and experience are a boon. Keep well and look forward to your next floss tube when you are able, no pressure, life is too short and good.
I just got home from a family member who gave me 4 boxes of cross stitch stuff. I am listening to you talk about stitching in the well and going through ones of the boxes. Low and behold I came across Jean Farish Needleworks, Alphabet Treasury, The Second Collection. This is so exciting.
So many great thoughts to ponder from today, thank you Jean. Having just completed my oldest wip from 2017 I could relate to the making decisions about making changes. This was my hardest ever challenge which is why it sat for so long. I finally decided I really did want to complete it. It's one of those where choice of colors and where to place them were up to me. There were many nights I would stop because I didn't know exactly what to do so would think about it until the ideas would come again. Until at last, the last stitch went in last night. I was tired, but also proud and enouraged - knowing I could do this regardless of how slow I am and how much effort it took. That is also a thing - not being afraid to decide your own limits - not to feel you HAVE to do it all on your own, but knowing there is a wonderful stitching community who are so willing to help and advise.
I think your previous video about washing and ironing needlework was very thorough and really helpful. (I am not, myself, wary of washing and ironing). The Orvus suggestion was a good one.
I love overdyed floss, but it is not without it’s challenges. I have learned to pull out the number of strands I will be stitching with and lay them on my fabric and with the other colors of floss before deciding whether to go with the called for floss. The colors can look remarkably different with less strands. It is particularly important if you have had to change or substitute for the original fabric and more so if the fabric is also hand dyed.
I think the aversion to had washing is a generational thing. I am 68. I grew up handwashing all sweaters (they were 100% wool), pantyhose and delicate lingerie. Washing needlework fits in that category for me. Cool water, gentle soap, fluffy white towel, air drying. So many younger women have no experience with these delicate fabrics because everything is wash and wear and rarely see an iron. LOL
I have been listening to you for many years and have learned sooo much to improve my stitching - last night while stitching, I discovered an error of using the incorrect color in a very complicated area - Being so frustrated, I was going to leave it, but I knew I would never enjoy the piece - so I took your excellent advice to wait until the morning and decided to frog it out - (not easy) which I have done. So now the correct color has been put in and I am so Happy - I can go on and enjoy! So thank you once again for your wonderful thought s for stitchers - Rae Berkowitz
I don’t wash my stitching, I am very diligent about washing my hands and not doing anything else while I stitch, even touching my face. Thank you for your videos, I have learned so much from you and I appreciate you sharing all of your wisdom with us! 😊
I try to avoid washing overdyes if they're dark colors. For lighter colors, I'll take the risk, or may test first. For standard cottons on linens or Aida, I routinely wash - occasionally before I've even finished the project. (24,000 stitches into the current project with 18,000 some to go; wanted to brighten it a bit from all the handling) I use Orvus and warmish water. After thoroughly rinsing, I stretch the piece out on a well scrubbed counter to dry. That reduces the amount of ironing (which I generally don't bother with ironing mid-project). After completion and final washing, I iron from the back of the piece on 4 layers of white toweling. (Form some reason, I get a kick out of seeing the imprint of the stitching on the toweling! Haven't had any problems. Did this with a crewel piece from the 1960s (4 sessions with Orvus) and a needlepoint piece from the 1980s, both with wool, and had no problem with them either. (If I can hand wash a wool sweater . . . )
I agree with your advice to be proactive to choose the colors that will give you the results you want. I have substituted 2-4 solid for and overdyed (randomly switching among the solids to create the overdyed look). I’m also just looking for a good result even if it doesn’t exactly duplicate the pattern photo.
Hi Jean! I don't wash my stitching for a number of reasons/excuses. Mostly I think because I really enjoy the act of stitching more than FFO-ing a piece. I am a monogamous stitcher, and have several completed pieces, but they rarely get framed/stuffed/mounted in some way when I'm done stitching them because I don't enjoy FFO-ing. I think that extends to washing too. It's just an extra step that I have little interest or skill in doing, much less gathering up the materials needed (like finding Orvus soap) and making time to do all the steps involved in the washing and drying of the piece. I don't want to run the risk of messing something up that already looks fine. Pieces I've stitched years ago still look just fine. I watched your video about washing a piece of stitching, and I have to admit, it's not a difficult thing to do. But again, gathering up the materials for washing and taking the time to wash and dry the piece just doesn't appeal to me. I'd rather be stitching😊. Your cruise sounded wonderful! A cruise to New England and Canada is something I would love to do one day!
I think fewer of us have experience with regular hand washing and ironing, so it seems like it is more daunting. I know I learned to iron and hand wash as a kid in the 70s, but I almost never do either anymore. Younger folks that I (like my adult children) don’t even own an iron. I know that I tend to put it off because there is always a lingering concern that I will screw something up that I spend hours doing.
Good to see you back, glad you enjoyed your trips. I hand wash my stitched projects mild soap, warm water. Squeeze out excessive water by blotting with a towel and let it air dry. Always iron but place my project on a couple of towels for extra padding. Right now I have a sampler in time out, am sure I've made a huge mistake, will prob wait to the first of the year to take it back out n see where I've messed up. It is possible that I may have to restart it, we will see.
Your segment about people being disappointed that their stitched piece is not coming out looking like the designers model picture. I think designers need to provide sharper/higher quality pictures of their pieces. So many different things come into play here. In store lighting can be very distorted. Over dyed floss will "never" be exactly the same as the model stitcher used. Images projected over computer monitors the colour settings can really vary. My experience has been kind of the reverse. I purchased the pattern because I liked the picture that I saw. After stitching the piece I am always astounded that the finished piece is much more beautiful than my expectation. Colours are deeper, the ground cloth help the colors really "Pop" I think stitchers need to be aware and realistic that their pieces will not be exactly what the model stitcher achieved.
I agree that it is harder to get creases out of Aida. That’s what got me to start stitching in hand. I felt I could still see outlines of my hoop after pressing. I’ve always washed and pressed my needlework. I probably learned years ago at an EGA meeting. I now use the orvus soap you mentioned in a previous video. I am unpacked from the cruise however a smaller suitcase went with me last weekend to visit family in PA and that one isn’t unpacked yet.
Welcome back! My anxiety in washing and ironing my completed cross stitch piece was the potential for floss to bleed or overdyed linen to lose its color/look. I watched all 2 or 3 of your previous experiments videos with testing overdyed floss in water, etc. I now wash my completed pieces and use color catchers. So far, it has been successful. And I am very, very pleased with the end result!!! BUT. . . . . even with that success comes trepidation. It's the nature of my inner beast. Happy stitching!
Hi. Glad to see you are back and all went fairly smooth. I’m definitely going to try ‘stitching in the well’ never heard of it. As far as washing, I personally, would not stitch anything that can not be washed. I do have a problem with linen not coming out as stiff as Aida. I haven’t framed anything yet. I have to admit that I have 29 unframed finishes. I’m waiting for my nephew to come to town and choosing which frames/mats he wants to do it with since he will be inheriting them and he’s picky. I don’t use over dyes. Everything has to be washable. I think that’s most of your questions. Stay safe.
The reason I am so hesitant to wash my stitching (I have no problem ironing it) is because of what happened with my very first stitched piece. The size was about 8” x 15”. I handwashed it and the red colour ran significantly. I tried several fixes but my piece was ruined. So the thought of having to wash my stitching makes me cringe. Thanks for the cruise recap. Blaire and I loved every second of the trip.
Good to see you back from your travels - I don’t wash my projects any more - just press and I know Kathy at the cupboard re- presses them when she frames - Karen at the cupboard is the best whether on phone or in person - have a great until next time
So nice to see you back Jean. I enjoyed seeing that picture from Quebec City - I haven’t been to that part of my country yet but when I do I sure want to view that with my own eyes. Yes decision fatigue certainly is part of my work life. I think as the older I get the more that affects me. I’m close to retirement from a very adversarial job in insurance claims and most days I come home just exhausted from making decisions and just stitch to calm the mind.
Hooray for lovely trip recaps. When it comes to washing and ironing, it’s the ironing that’s the problem. The end result always looks skewed to me, like it’s off the grain. I find Aida so much easier to iron. I do wonder if people having trouble with the creases are just dry ironing without washing. Do you think ironing without washing sets finger oils? Goes against everything my mom taught me about not applying heat until you’re positive all stains are gone,
Thank you for all the tips! I always wash my stitched pieces. Even with washing my hands I know that some skin oils will transfer to my stitching. I only had a problem once with a color that ran. I was not able to fix the problem. I do wash my projects by hand and have found that Fabric Care aka Orvus soap works best. Yes, it is time consuming, but the result is worth it. I never heard of taking a project to the dry cleaner for ironing. I have trouble with finding the right framer who will stretch my project correctly and not staple it! 😲 I enjoyed your trip recap. The picture of the rear of your car is amazing! My car might look like that just for a weekend retreat because I am always afraid that I might leave something home that I urgently need!😆
Jean...thanks for your lovely visit...I am glad to experience your travels...good to see you back and sorry about that severe cold...I wash and iron my stitch pieces per your instructions...best wishes and happy stitching ❤
As always so informative. Thank you for your time.
Happy to see you! Glad you are feeling better and refreshed. What sage advice about fatigue. In our home we say "Take a breath" or "Take your own pulse first". It works!!
Thoroughly enjoyed this video. So glad you had wonderful trips and company. The building you showed us was really something. Your helpful tips and experience are a boon. Keep well and look forward to your next floss tube when you are able, no pressure, life is too short and good.
I just got home from a family member who gave me 4 boxes of cross stitch stuff. I am listening to you talk about stitching in the well and going through ones of the boxes. Low and behold I came across Jean Farish Needleworks, Alphabet Treasury, The Second Collection. This is so exciting.
So many great thoughts to ponder from today, thank you Jean. Having just completed my oldest wip from 2017 I could relate to the making decisions about making changes. This was my hardest ever challenge which is why it sat for so long. I finally decided I really did want to complete it. It's one of those where choice of colors and where to place them were up to me. There were many nights I would stop because I didn't know exactly what to do so would think about it until the ideas would come again. Until at last, the last stitch went in last night. I was tired, but also proud and enouraged - knowing I could do this regardless of how slow I am and how much effort it took. That is also a thing - not being afraid to decide your own limits - not to feel you HAVE to do it all on your own, but knowing there is a wonderful stitching community who are so willing to help and advise.
I think your previous video about washing and ironing needlework was very thorough and really helpful. (I am not, myself, wary of washing and ironing). The Orvus suggestion was a good one.
I love overdyed floss, but it is not without it’s challenges. I have learned to pull out the number of strands I will be stitching with and lay them on my fabric and with the other colors of floss before deciding whether to go with the called for floss. The colors can look remarkably different with less strands. It is particularly important if you have had to change or substitute for the original fabric and more so if the fabric is also hand dyed.
Good point! I'll be sharing your tip :)
I think the aversion to had washing is a generational thing. I am 68. I grew up handwashing all sweaters (they were 100% wool), pantyhose and delicate lingerie. Washing needlework fits in that category for me. Cool water, gentle soap, fluffy white towel, air drying. So many younger women have no experience with these delicate fabrics because everything is wash and wear and rarely see an iron. LOL
I have been listening to you for many years and have learned sooo much to improve my stitching - last night while stitching, I discovered an error of using the incorrect color in a very complicated area - Being so frustrated, I was going to leave it, but I knew I would never enjoy the piece - so I took your excellent advice to wait until the morning and decided to frog it out - (not easy) which I have done. So now the correct color has been put in and I am so Happy - I can go on and enjoy! So thank you once again for your wonderful thought s for stitchers - Rae Berkowitz
I don’t wash my stitching, I am very diligent about washing my hands and not doing anything else while I stitch, even touching my face. Thank you for your videos, I have learned so much from you and I appreciate you sharing all of your wisdom with us! 😊
I try to avoid washing overdyes if they're dark colors. For lighter colors, I'll take the risk, or may test first. For standard cottons on linens or Aida, I routinely wash - occasionally before I've even finished the project. (24,000 stitches into the current project with 18,000 some to go; wanted to brighten it a bit from all the handling) I use Orvus and warmish water. After thoroughly rinsing, I stretch the piece out on a well scrubbed counter to dry. That reduces the amount of ironing (which I generally don't bother with ironing mid-project). After completion and final washing, I iron from the back of the piece on 4 layers of white toweling. (Form some reason, I get a kick out of seeing the imprint of the stitching on the toweling! Haven't had any problems. Did this with a crewel piece from the 1960s (4 sessions with Orvus) and a needlepoint piece from the 1980s, both with wool, and had no problem with them either. (If I can hand wash a wool sweater . . . )
I agree with your advice to be proactive to choose the colors that will give you the results you want. I have substituted 2-4 solid for and overdyed (randomly switching among the solids to create the overdyed look). I’m also just looking for a good result even if it doesn’t exactly duplicate the pattern photo.
Hi Jean! I don't wash my stitching for a number of reasons/excuses. Mostly I think because I really enjoy the act of stitching more than FFO-ing a piece. I am a monogamous stitcher, and have several completed pieces, but they rarely get framed/stuffed/mounted in some way when I'm done stitching them because I don't enjoy FFO-ing. I think that extends to washing too. It's just an extra step that I have little interest or skill in doing, much less gathering up the materials needed (like finding Orvus soap) and making time to do all the steps involved in the washing and drying of the piece. I don't want to run the risk of messing something up that already looks fine. Pieces I've stitched years ago still look just fine. I watched your video about washing a piece of stitching, and I have to admit, it's not a difficult thing to do. But again, gathering up the materials for washing and taking the time to wash and dry the piece just doesn't appeal to me. I'd rather be stitching😊. Your cruise sounded wonderful! A cruise to New England and Canada is something I would love to do one day!
I think fewer of us have experience with regular hand washing and ironing, so it seems like it is more daunting. I know I learned to iron and hand wash as a kid in the 70s, but I almost never do either anymore. Younger folks that I (like my adult children) don’t even own an iron. I know that I tend to put it off because there is always a lingering concern that I will screw something up that I spend hours doing.
Good to see you back, glad you enjoyed your trips. I hand wash my stitched projects mild soap, warm water. Squeeze out excessive water by blotting with a towel and let it air dry. Always iron but place my project on a couple of towels for extra padding. Right now I have a sampler in time out, am sure I've made a huge mistake, will prob wait to the first of the year to take it back out n see where I've messed up. It is possible that I may have to restart it, we will see.
It was good to see you, Jean. I'm glad you had a wonderful time during your recent adventures, and you recovered your bad cold.
Your segment about people being disappointed that their stitched piece is not coming out looking like the designers model picture. I think designers need to provide sharper/higher quality pictures of their pieces. So many different things come into play here. In store lighting can be very distorted. Over dyed floss will "never" be exactly the same as the model stitcher used. Images projected over computer monitors the colour settings can really vary. My experience has been kind of the reverse. I purchased the pattern because I liked the picture that I saw. After stitching the piece I am always astounded that the finished piece is much more beautiful than my expectation. Colours are deeper, the ground cloth help the colors really "Pop" I think stitchers need to be aware and realistic that their pieces will not be exactly what the model stitcher achieved.
So glad you are back
I agree that it is harder to get creases out of Aida. That’s what got me to start stitching in hand. I felt I could still see outlines of my hoop after pressing. I’ve always washed and pressed my needlework. I probably learned years ago at an EGA meeting. I now use the orvus soap you mentioned in a previous video. I am unpacked from the cruise however a smaller suitcase went with me last weekend to visit family in PA and that one isn’t unpacked yet.
Sage advice regarding decision making and stitching. Been there...done all of that!😮
Welcome back! My anxiety in washing and ironing my completed cross stitch piece was the potential for floss to bleed or overdyed linen to lose its color/look. I watched all 2 or 3 of your previous experiments videos with testing overdyed floss in water, etc. I now wash my completed pieces and use color catchers. So far, it has been successful. And I am very, very pleased with the end result!!! BUT. . . . . even with that success comes trepidation. It's the nature of my inner beast. Happy stitching!
Hi. Glad to see you are back and all went fairly smooth. I’m definitely going to try ‘stitching in the well’ never heard of it. As far as washing, I personally, would not stitch anything that can not be washed. I do have a problem with linen not coming out as stiff as Aida. I haven’t framed anything yet. I have to admit that I have 29 unframed finishes. I’m waiting for my nephew to come to town and choosing which frames/mats he wants to do it with since he will be inheriting them and he’s picky. I don’t use over dyes. Everything has to be washable. I think that’s most of your questions. Stay safe.
Thanks for sharing!
The reason I am so hesitant to wash my stitching (I have no problem ironing it) is because of what happened with my very first stitched piece. The size was about 8” x 15”. I handwashed it and the red colour ran significantly. I tried several fixes but my piece was ruined. So the thought of having to wash my stitching makes me cringe.
Thanks for the cruise recap. Blaire and I loved every second of the trip.
Good to see you back from your travels - I don’t wash my projects any more - just press and I know Kathy at the cupboard re- presses them when she frames - Karen at the cupboard is the best whether on phone or in person - have a great until next time
So nice to see you back Jean. I enjoyed seeing that picture from Quebec City - I haven’t been to that part of my country yet but when I do I sure want to view that with my own eyes. Yes decision fatigue certainly is part of my work life. I think as the older I get the more that affects me. I’m close to retirement from a very adversarial job in insurance claims and most days I come home just exhausted from making decisions and just stitch to calm the mind.
Hooray for lovely trip recaps.
When it comes to washing and ironing, it’s the ironing that’s the problem. The end result always looks skewed to me, like it’s off the grain. I find Aida so much easier to iron. I do wonder if people having trouble with the creases are just dry ironing without washing. Do you think ironing without washing sets finger oils? Goes against everything my mom taught me about not applying heat until you’re positive all stains are gone,
Thank you for all the tips! I always wash my stitched pieces. Even with washing my hands I know that some skin oils will transfer to my stitching. I only had a problem once with a color that ran. I was not able to fix the problem. I do wash my projects by hand and have found that Fabric Care aka Orvus soap works best. Yes, it is time consuming, but the result is worth it. I never heard of taking a project to the dry cleaner for ironing. I have trouble with finding the right framer who will stretch my project correctly and not staple it! 😲
I enjoyed your trip recap. The picture of the rear of your car is amazing! My car might look like that just for a weekend retreat because I am always afraid that I might leave something home that I urgently need!😆
Public art, perhaps? ❤
I'm afraid of pulling out the threads when ironing