Expert: Angela - 6/13/2006

Question
I have been cross stitching for a number of years but I can't seen to figure out how some people make the back of their stitching look so NEAT!  Mine are always a jumble of colors, usually looking nothing like the neat pattern on the front.  How do you make the back of the pattern look like the front or at least look neat?

Answer
Hello, Cortney :)

Unfortunately, there isn't anything that you can do to keep the backs of projects neat.  The only thing that may help you is when you finish with 1 color, finish it off as usual, and then start on another color, even if it means only 1 stitch gets stitched.  Don't hop all around the project.  This can cause unnecessary bulging and your project won't lay flat when it's framed.  You CAN skip over 1 square to stitch another one, but it's not recommended that you stitch beyond, for instance 2 rows down and 3 squares over, etc.  I hope that makes sense.

Good luck and happy stitching. :)

Sincerely,
Angela :)