Monday, April 27, 2009

Rookies

Let me begin by saying I admire what this woman did. Creating a pattern, even with Photoshop, coming up with the idea, executing a one-over-one project--it all takes creativity. And I admire that. And I completely identify with misunderestimating the time a project will take.

But both the craftzine report of this stitched piece--which, incidentally falls into my favorite category: celebrity faces in cross stitch--and the woman's blog are, shall we say, adorable in their naivete.

I don't want this post to be discouraging to beginner stitchers, or people whose secondary or even tertiary craft is cross-stitch. But I do think it's funny the awe with which the craftzine writer says the piece was stitched with single strands of floss. I'm guessing most loyal readers, nope ALL loyal readers have done a one-over-one project. (Okay 92.38% of you.) I also like how the stitcher wasn't sure she could find six discrete grays. (Too bad she didn't have access to a DMC color family chart. pdf) And I like how she calls 28 hpi "finest resolution"--it's not that that's not the finest, it's using the term "resolution" to describe fabric count.

For these are the people reviving our craft...

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh boy. It is pretty cool, though.

Unknown said...

Yes, cool, and great frame, BUT these days I'm feeling that 28 count is a huge "resolution". So much of what people are stitching is 32 count, 36 count and even 40 count (which I have NOT tried). She probably did this without a magnifier, light, or q-snaps. No wonder it took her so long.

She Fights Like a Girl said...

It's true, I'm a rank amateur in the world of cross-stitch. I couldn't even call it a tertiary craft of mine, but simply something I like the look of -- something I've dabbled with, which really applies to almost every craft I do. Which is also why I was frankly surprised by the wealth of greys available, even from one manufacturer. There is definitely way way WAY a lot I don't know about cross-stitch -- I just went with my inspiration.

I work in graphic design/publishing, which is why I refer to "resolution." I use the term with mild irony, realizing that little factoid may slip by some. (I also ask how a sandwich is "configured" when I go to the deli.) The 28-count was the finest cloth at my local craft-o-mart, and I only mentioned it was a single strand for purposes of documentation. I would imagine that much of the awesome work I've seen is MUCH finer than anything I'd even consider! Even with good light, neck-warmer and cross-eye-inducing magnifiers I used for this one.

In fact, if I do more portraits (which I think I will), I will probably use a lower resolution to spare my sanity. It's a fantastic craft with versatile, interesting and often beautiful results, but I sure wouldn't claim to be reviving anything. Just doing something that I enjoyed.

doris said...

I love when you make me laugh. There's no way in hell that I'd have the patience to do a portrait, much less a portrait of Houdini. To each his own, I reckon.

Teresa said...

From looking at the pictures of this piece, having worked at some time every count from 7 to 40, and reading her description of the difficulty of getting "one strand" through the holes in 28 count fabric, I am guessing that "single strands of floss" means she didn't know that what comes from the skein is 6 strands, not one.

I will admit to having given up 1 over 1 on 40 count gauze, but from the picture on her blog I am a LOT older than her, and if *I* can still do 28 count (and the 30 count piece I am currently working)......

I must admit, however, to kudos on doing even so small a piece with only 7 colors- I'd be either tearing my hair out or screaming from boredom!

Donna said...

That's pretty darn awesome for someone whose realm of expertise isn't cross stitch.

It is cute when someone finds out that "small" does not equal "quick,"
a mistake many of us have made in the past...

Michelle said...

For me, the best part about the whole story is that she made this for Teller. Very interesting.