Large cross stitch projects

The piece, rolled up, can be placed (wrapped) in plain muslin. That
will allow it to breathe. Or, if small enough, inside a normal percale
or muslin pillow case, or strips of an old sheet (percale or muslin).
Folding creases things, and if folded for long periods of time, can
deteriorate the cloth/fibers at the fold line.

You needn't be concerned about normal, everyday dirt while you handle
it. That will wash out as Jim and I mentioned. I work on some things
over very long periods of time. Embroidery is washable. UNLESS you are
using special fibers that can't be washed.

But to protect it between times, to prevent air pollution, animal hairs
and other environmental concerns from harming it (for instance, if you
live near a major thoroughfare and there's a lot of oily fumes in the
air), then wrapping it in muslin and placing it in a dresser drawer will
keep it from harm. Wash the muslin from time to time, depending on how
long is the storage. A few months or a year should be fine. Working
over several years, you may need to wash the muslin to refresh it. Your
embroidery will no doubt require washing when finished.

Dianne

CowieLuv wrote:

My concerns with it are
several - I am doing it in hand and I am folding it. I've gotten it
out of the plastic container I had it in, but I am so concerned about
dirt.

I use cotton zippered pillow case covers for the projects I'll be stitching on
"forever". Keeps out most dirt and kitty hairs, but the fabric and fibers cant
still "breathe".

cowie

I think we need to be careful as to what is meant by "large". The
smaller the count, the larger the piece will be physically, but to me
"large" means the number of stitches.

I'll second that. I've seen some very tiny "large" projects, what for most
of
us would be a 14x20, comes out as a 5x7 because it was done 36-count over 1.


Original poster did say that this would be 48" x 48" on 14 ct. She was very
clear as to stitch size.

Caryn
Blue Wizard Designs
http://hometown.aol.com/crzy4xst/index.html
Updated: 7/7/03 -- now available Dragon of the Stars
View WIPs at: http://community.webshots.com/user/carynlws (Caryn's UFO's)

When you roll a work of textile up , better place an inner sausage
inside the roll , to prevent inner folds and wrinkles. If the work is
going to be rolled up for long periods, better sew a cover as well .
and embroider the name of the work on the outside of the bag.
mirjam
On Fri, 13 Feb 2004 17:04:09 -0600, Dianne Lewandowski
wrote:

The piece, rolled up, can be placed (wrapped) in plain muslin. That
will allow it to breathe. Or, if small enough, inside a normal percale
or muslin pillow case, or strips of an old sheet (percale or muslin).
Folding creases things, and if folded for long periods of time, can
deteriorate the cloth/fibers at the fold line.

You needn't be concerned about normal, everyday dirt while you handle
it. That will wash out as Jim and I mentioned. I work on some things
over very long periods of time. Embroidery is washable. UNLESS you are
using special fibers that can't be washed.

But to protect it between times, to prevent air pollution, animal hairs
and other environmental concerns from harming it (for instance, if you
live near a major thoroughfare and there's a lot of oily fumes in the
air), then wrapping it in muslin and placing it in a dresser drawer will
keep it from harm. Wash the muslin from time to time, depending on how
long is the storage. A few months or a year should be fine. Working
over several years, you may need to wash the muslin to refresh it. Your
embroidery will no doubt require washing when finished.

Dianne

CowieLuv wrote:

My concerns with it are
several - I am doing it in hand and I am folding it. I've gotten it
out of the plastic container I had it in, but I am so concerned about
dirt.

I use cotton zippered pillow case covers for the projects I'll be stitching on
"forever". Keeps out most dirt and kitty hairs, but the fabric and fibers cant
still "breathe".

cowie

Can`t find the chart for my largest one ast the moment - but as far as I
remember it was 745 by 500 (Fienbakerii at Kissingen by Brian Hughes) Huge
it certainly is, so huge that it still hasn`t been framed! Must hunt it out
and probably put it up on Ebay (the chart, that is).

Pat P

"F.James Cripwell" wrote in message
...
Denise B ) writes:
I have been working on a large cross stitch design and wondered if
anyone has seen a larger one. My project is of the South Portlandhead
Lighthouse in South Portland, Maine. It is 48"x48" at 14 count aida.

I think we need to be careful as to what is meant by "large". The
smaller the count, the larger the piece will be physically, but to me
"large" means the number of stitches. If your piece is solid stitching,
then it is an impressive 672 stitches square; or around 450,000 stitches.
So far as I am concerned that is *huge*. However, if it is not solid
stitching, then it may not be that "big". The biggest I have done is
about
500 by 250 stitches; or around 225,000 stitches (The Naked Maja).
--
Jim Cripwell.
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of one's life, any
time that is spent in stitching.
Adapted from a sign on The Cobb, Lyme Regis, England.

On 13 Feb 2004 10:41:14 -0800, (Denise B)
wrote:

(CowieLuv) wrote in message ...
My project is of the South Portlandhead
Lighthouse in South Portland, Maine. It is 48"x48" at 14 count aida.

That big for just ONE lighthouse?! Wow. My current biggie is a map of the US.
About 20 x 24 or so. Is this your only project for now?

cowie

Hi -

Yes it is my only project for the time. I fell in love with this
lighthouse years ago and had to stitch it. My concerns with it are
several - I am doing it in hand and I am folding it. I've gotten it
out of the plastic container I had it in, but I am so concerned about
dirt. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Some had asked if it was
a solid stitched project - yes it is.
You are planning to wash it when you're finished, aren't you?
Darla
Sacred cows make great hamburgers.

On 13 Feb 2004 21:25:09 GMT, (CowieLuv) wrote:

but the fabric and fibers cant
still "breathe".
Since fragile textiles are kept in airtight cases filled with inert
gasses, what's the point of fabric and fibers being able to "breathe"?
And what're they breathing with?
Darla
Sacred cows make great hamburgers.

Question for you Jim... Do you stitch 'in hand'? with or
without a hoop? or do you use stretcher bars? or a roller frame?
I'm sure no one wants to hear about it, but I still have Mirabilia's
Fairy Moon on the go, and haven't touched it in years. It's just so
darn big to deal with. The fabric is 25 inches square and on a floor
style roller frame. I'm tempted to take it off the roller bars, and
try stitching in hand with a hoop.

take care, Linda


On 13 Feb 2004 20:24:58 GMT, (F.James
Cripwell) wrote:

Dont worry about the dirt; providing you are using top quality
materials, such as DMC or Anchor thread. When it is finished, just wash
it in any normal laundry detergent, and it will come out sparkling clean.
I was my stuff by hand in Tide, rinse very well, hang to dry and iron on
the reverse side.

Denise B ) writes:

Hi -

Yes it is my only project for the time. I fell in love with this
lighthouse years ago and had to stitch it. My concerns with it are
several - I am doing it in hand and I am folding it. I've gotten it
out of the plastic container I had it in, but I am so concerned about
dirt. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Some had asked if it was
a solid stitched project - yes it is.

Dont worry about the dirt; providing you are using top quality
materials, such as DMC or Anchor thread. When it is finished, just wash
it in any normal laundry detergent, and it will come out sparkling clean.
I was my stuff by hand in Tide, rinse very well, hang to dry and iron on
the reverse side.

Linda D. ) writes:
Question for you Jim... Do you stitch 'in hand'? with or
without a hoop? or do you use stretcher bars? or a roller frame?
I'm sure no one wants to hear about it, but I still have Mirabilia's
Fairy Moon on the go, and haven't touched it in years. It's just so
darn big to deal with. The fabric is 25 inches square and on a floor
style roller frame. I'm tempted to take it off the roller bars, and
try stitching in hand with a hoop.

take care, Linda

I stitch in hand. I probably have one advantage, being a male, in
that my hands are considerably bigger and stronger than those of most
females. As an aside, being right handed, I sort of start in the top right
hand corner, and make my way down to the bottom left hand corner. That
way, most of the fabric being held in my left hand has not been stitched
on. HTH.
--
Jim Cripwell.
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of one's life, any
time that is spent in stitching.
Adapted from a sign on The Cobb, Lyme Regis, England.

Darla , when a cloth is already kept in airtight cases , it usually is
an antique cloth , found in an archeological site , and/or cloth and
clothes found in old closets , boxes etc,,, once cleaned and
restorated , it becomes very vulenerable to any climatic change , and
thus it has to be kept in airtight boxes , but this boxes aren`t
airless , they just are kept this the air in it keeps the same all the
time , The most troublesome problem for cloth are the athmospheric
Changes ,,, [ just like you may Feel old scars hurting when the wether
changes !!!!] thus those are not air tight boxes they should be called
Weather tight boxes .
mirjam
On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 19:26:45 GMT, Darla
wrote:

On 13 Feb 2004 21:25:09 GMT, (CowieLuv) wrote:

but the fabric and fibers cant
still "breathe".
Since fragile textiles are kept in airtight cases filled with inert
gasses, what's the point of fabric and fibers being able to "breathe"?
And what're they breathing with?
Darla
Sacred cows make great hamburgers.

Darla wrote in message . ..
On 13 Feb 2004 10:41:14 -0800, (Denise B)
wrote:

(CowieLuv) wrote in message ...
My project is of the South Portlandhead
Lighthouse in South Portland, Maine. It is 48"x48" at 14 count aida.

That big for just ONE lighthouse?! Wow. My current biggie is a map of the US.
About 20 x 24 or so. Is this your only project for now?

cowie

Hi -

Yes it is my only project for the time. I fell in love with this
lighthouse years ago and had to stitch it. My concerns with it are
several - I am doing it in hand and I am folding it. I've gotten it
out of the plastic container I had it in, but I am so concerned about
dirt. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Some had asked if it was
a solid stitched project - yes it is.
You are planning to wash it when you're finished, aren't you?
Darla
Sacred cows make great hamburgers.

Darla - Yes I plan to wash it after I finish. That is unless they have
come up with something new in the next 20 years. At the rate I'm going
it will take that long to finish. The reason I was so concerned about
dirt - my husband stitched a piece and apparently got coffee on it and
didn't wash it out. Of course dark spots have since shown up. Somebody
wrote that Orvus was good for cat urine. Maybe it will work on coffee
too.