Cross stitch kits and charts from County Needlecraft hints and tips page

Hints and tips

We thought we'd include this new page to bring you snippets to make stitching easier or more accomplished or simply more elegant.

However, rather than just limiting ourselves to what we think, what we would really like to to do is include hint or tips that you have found useful. You know the sort of thing - little secrets that someone has passed on to you - or that little gem that you have discovered for yourself that makes stitching so much easier. We can't promise that we will include them all but if we do incorporate them on the page we will include the donor's name. (If we get two the same we will acknowledge the first one we receive). So go on - send your ideas to us - just click on the button at the bottom of the page. You never know your tip may be featured on our website and you may even be able to enter our free draw.

We've started the page off with "Loop Starts".

Loop starts Loop starts are a neat way to start a new strand of thread. They do away with the need to tie knots or run the thread under a few stitches when starting a new length of thread. They help to make stitching neater and are excellent for "lone" stitches - ie single stitches in an area of blank fabric.

Step 1 Take a single length of thread, double it over (ie fold it in half) and thread both ends through the eye of your needle.

Loop Start seen from the underside

Step 2 Push the needle down through the fabric (hole 1 in the illustration) and be careful to leave a loop - ie don't pull the thread right through the fabric.

Step 3 Pull the needle back up through the diagonally opposite hole (hole 2 in the illustration) and pass your needle through the loop you left in step 1. Pull the thread firmly being careful not to stretch the holes in the fabric.

Step 4 Continue stitching normally. (The illustration shows the needle being pushed down through hole 3).

Contributed by Bill Peters

If you have a hint or a tip that you would like to send to us please click on the "Send hint" button below.

Index Send hint or tip

Loop starts	Loop starts are a neat way to start a new strand of thread. They do away with the need to tie knots or run the thread under a few stitches when starting a new length of thread. They help to make stitching neater and are excellent for "lone" stitches - ie single stitches in an area of blank fabric.
	Step 1	Take a single length of thread, double it over (ie fold it in half) and thread both ends through the eye of your needle.	Loop Start seen from the underside
	Step 2	Push the needle down through the fabric (hole 1 in the illustration) and be careful to leave a loop - ie don't pull the thread right through the fabric.
	Step 3	Pull the needle back up through the diagonally opposite hole (hole 2 in the illustration) and pass your needle through the loop you left in step 1. Pull the thread firmly being careful not to stretch the holes in the fabric.
	Step 4	Continue stitching normally. (The illustration shows the needle being pushed down through hole 3).
Contributed by Bill Peters