2. We draw a diagram. I recommend applying the same grid to the printed sheets of the diagram, starting from the lower left corner of the diagram. To do this, you will need a ruler and a red pen. Shift the grid lines slightly relative to the grid cells – this will make them more visible. Please note that grid squares can break off on one sheet of the diagram and end on another – be careful when marking.
3. Making threads comfortable. If you are working with Madeira thread, use a ballpoint pen on each thread bag to match the color of the icon from the diagram. This will save time and confusion. If you work with DMC threads, you can either rewind the threads onto cardboard bobbins, signing each number and symbol, or attach a paper ring with this information to a loose skein (you can use a stapler or glue to fold the paper ribbon into a ring).
4. The actual embroidery process. I recommend starting from the bottom row and moving up the sheets. It is convenient to embroider first one sheet, then the next, and so on. It is convenient to embroider all the crosses on each sheet in one color, then move on to the next icon. Go from darker shades to lighter ones.
Thus, two rules will help you speed up and facilitate the work process: from dark to light and from bottom to top.
You need to embroider in three threads, fasten the threads without knots on the seamy side of the work. All crochets should be the same (i.e. if you sew the first thread from the upper left corner to the lower right, and the second closes from the upper right to the lower left, then ALL the crochets of your work should be like that).
Large paintings (from 40 × 40 cm and more) look great in the “half-cross” technique, the difference is almost invisible. On the other hand, the embroidery time is greatly reduced. I advise you to embroider any of the works with a six-strand half-cross.
5. Embroidery design. You can make a pillow, blanket, tablecloth from an embroidered canvas, decorate it like a picture – but you never know what else. I cannot but give some advice on this matter. First of all, it is not necessary to wash the finished work. If it is not very dirty, and the drawn mesh is not visible, it is enough just to iron it with steaming from the wrong side, placing it on a double-folded terry towel. Do not press hard with the iron, otherwise the embroidery will look flat. If you want to decorate a picture, be sure to choose a frame with a mat. This will brighten up your work and highlight its size and texture. The frame should not be bulky and ornate – leave the emphasis on the embroidery, it deserves it. I do not recommend hiding the embroidery under glass – this nullifies the entire texture of the product and steals subtle color transitions.
Hope, vishivay@mail.ru