Tips on working on large projects?

[KidArtemis]

I've never worked on a large xstitch project before (i.e., nothing larger than 6" by 6") and I want to start a large xstitch pattern. Any tips on would be appreciated.

[obesolete]

take your time and don't make any goals... you'll be sorrily mistaken when you don't meet them.

i've come to terms that my sonic title screen is going to take at least a year or more to finish.

[littlemojo]

I always start a big project in the middle. Basting centre lines can really help.

I have two ways of approaching big pieces. 1) I rule off blocks on the pattern - maybe 50x50 - and finish all the stitches in that block, then move onto the next one. Or 2) If the pattern has very distinct parts, I'll use those instead of my ruled off blocks. Either way, within those blocks I'll do all the stitches of one colour, then the next, starting with the biggest chunks of colour.

Others will have different approaches, but that works for me.

[johloh]

two suggestions...

1. make a small goal for each time you start stitching (like finish one color, or a small sprite or whatever)
2. if at all possible find a way to avoid doing a huge background...it'll kill your motivation and make the project not worth doing.

[deborah]

I usually write down the measurements of the pattern and go to the store and find material that is bigger than the size of the pattern. I fold the material in half and find the middle of the material. I usually find the middle of the pattern at bottom and start from the middle and start stitching at the middle of the fabric.

[Amanda]

If you are making your own pattern, can I suggest printing it off both Landscape and Portrait? Then, when you are working on a block of the project that would go onto the next page, you just switch orientations and the breaks fall a different place. I've found that is a much less confusing way of going from one page of stitches to another.

[jelibe]

I've been stitching one of my own designs for a friends christening for a month now and what I found was, its easier to stitch the background after stitching the smaller pieces first. That way those smaller pictures don't need to go in exactly the same place where you put them on the graph. Also make sure you have enough thread for the background, cause if you run out and can't find the exact shade, you may need to pick it all ( I had to do that last week, I was really upset and I felt silly too).
O and invest in a little stitch picker (ripper), you can get them on Ebay for a couple of quid.

[fnirt]

I've been doing a lot of crafts for a while now, and the problem always seems to be finding too many new ones and not having enough time to complete projects - especially larger projects. So it's easy to stress about getting it done, no matter how large or small.

But the stress just fell completely away when I came up with my mantra: "There are no deadlines for hobbies."

[Amanda]

I've been doing a lot of crafts for a while now, and the problem always seems to be finding too many new ones and not having enough time to complete projects - especially larger projects. So it's easy to stress about getting it done, no matter how large or small.

But the stress just fell completely away when I came up with my mantra: "There are no deadlines for hobbies."

I love that! Think I'll stitch that someday and hang it in my gaming room! (with sprites around it, of course!)

I'll add that to my ever growing lists of stitching ideas that I've come up with from pulling ideas from here! I love this board!

[johloh]

"There are no deadlines for hobbies."

now, thats a good mantra!