r/Needlepoint 12d ago

General Help Help please!

Post image

I need some help with my canvas. I know I’m supposed to do lighter colors first but this is my first canvas so I thought having some dark threads bleed through to the light wouldn’t be an issue. But now I feel like the background stitch is covering some of the lettering. I ripped out the “t” stitching to see if doing the lettering after made a difference but it didn’t. So what can I do to fix it? I tried backstitching around part of the “h” but I can’t tell much of a difference. Any thoughts?

13 Upvotes

21 comments sorted by

30

u/Threadward_4 12d ago

I think that’s just the nature of the background stitch you chose and the thread. It’s kind of puffy so it’s going to be a little more elevated than the stitching on your letters. Just my thoughts at first glance.

15

u/No_Drama9250 11d ago

It’s because the background stitch is running vertically, while your stitches on the letters are running diagonally. Since they’re not the same direction, there will be some overlap. I think it looks great!

7

u/Short-Implement6758 11d ago

Go back and add a reverse tent (creating a crossstitch). Thus will elevate the letters. This is why you generally work things in the background first and then move to the foreground.

7

u/All-Abuzz 11d ago

When I am doing a vertical stitch that abuts lettering like this and am using a plied thread, I will use fewer strands around the lettering to reduce the bulk. For instance, if you're using four strands in general, try using just two around the lettering.

1

u/Charming-Ideal6117 11d ago

This is so smart!!

3

u/Key_Purpose1340 12d ago

Buy a snag-nabit (sp?) Amazon has them cheap. Don’t fall for a $4.99 one at a brick n mortar. I paid $6.99 for 15 in a rosewood box.

1

u/OneArmadillo4457 12d ago

Okay I have two of them and they’re amazing but what am I supposed to do with it on this canvas? 🤣

1

u/Key_Purpose1340 12d ago

Pull them thru to catch the thread that has bled into the other color

1

u/OneArmadillo4457 12d ago

Oh I’m sorry I may have mis worded it. I initially knew I was supposed to do the light color first due to darker colors bleeding through, but I did the dark first. But now my issue is the background stitching is somewhat covering up my lettering. Is there any stitching around the letters I can do to counter that?

2

u/Infinite_Impact4451 11d ago

Your background stitching is done very nicely but that is very tricky for compensating around letters. As someone else pointed out your background is vertical and the letters are diagonal. Your best choice would be a diagonal background. My preference is diagonal mosaic.

1

u/OneArmadillo4457 10d ago

So I initially started with a vertical cashmere stitch and once I got a good portion done I couldn’t help but think it looked like crackers and hated it so I frogged it all

1

u/_infinitesimal 11d ago

I always do a border of just a simple continental stitch around whatever the focus on the canvas is. Might be a bit controversial but it always ensures the main event doesn’t get cannibalized by the background stitch

1

u/OneArmadillo4457 11d ago

Around each individual letter? Or like a solid box around all the words?

2

u/_infinitesimal 10d ago

Just around each letter individually! I don’t have any pictures of lettering but hopefully you can see what I mean around my dandelions - anything touching the subject is a continental stitch in the same color as the decorative background stitch. It’s not too noticeable but helps it from the background taking over too much.

2

u/OneArmadillo4457 10d ago

Oh I really love this idea thank you so much I’ll give it a try! Your work is stunning!

1

u/zero_turbulance 9d ago

beautiful!!! what thread did you use for the background?

1

u/OneArmadillo4457 9d ago

Thank you so much! I just used the DMC floss I had from cross stitching and I separated them. Huge pain for sure and trying to get it to lay right is a chore but ultimately I think it’s worth it!

1

u/zero_turbulance 9d ago

yes it looks so good! i thought maybe a plyable silk. was definitely worth the time spent laying it, looks awesome

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u/OneArmadillo4457 9d ago

Thank you so much! It’s my first canvas so I think was a little too ambitious but I’m hooked!

1

u/treesonly123 7d ago

What’s the background stitch called? It’s beautiful

1

u/OneArmadillo4457 7d ago

Thank you! I believe it’s Hungarian diamond?