7 Things I Love About Fiber

I'm one of those fiber artists who love the process of making something - it's almost more important to me than the finished project (which probably explains the number of UFOs, large projects and completed-but-not-quite-finished items scattered around my house).  I love fiber.  Whether it's yarn or thread, or woven together to make fabric, I just love it.  It makes me happy.  Here are a few reasons:

1.  Color.  There's nothing more soothing to me than the quilt aisle at my local Jo-Ann.  I don't even quilt.  But I walk past those bolts, and the fat quarters and feel myself take a deep breath.  Same thing in the DMC section, and the yarn area.  Just look at the neopolitan shades in the picture to the left.  Doesn't it make you feel like you're sitting on a back porch in the summertime, eating ice cream?

2.  Texture.  Is there anything quite like the nubbiness of a stitch against fabric?  The shine against matte, smooth against rough. And yarn - the little bumps that each crochet stitch make.  The impossible smoothness of the knit "v's" and bumps of the purls.  These loops and knots with HOLES make things that are WARM!

3.  Feel.  This is related to number 2, but it goes deeper.  I love the feeling of yarn or thread running through my fingers as I work.  It's almost like it's pulling me into the piece.

4.  Feeling.  When I make something for someone, I think about them.  I say a prayer for them, that they are blessed by the gift, that it brings them joy or warmth or comfort, that it's a reminder of friendship and love.  Even when I make things for strangers. :)

5.  Dreaming.  Honestly, I'd kind of lost this love for a little while.  I stopped searching stitching sites for "some day" projects.  Just spending quality time at Ink Circles, or looking through Pinterest for Quaker-inspired projects.  My daughter was helping me organize my charts the other day, and she found a Quaker I bought a few years ago - I'd completely forgotten about it.  Doro Theos by My Big Toe.  It was one I eyed in my LNS for a while before I bought it.  It's going in my 2014 list (with pretty threads).

6.  Community.  Don't you find that stitchers just have more to talk about with each other?  Who would have thought that an entire portion of the internet could be devoted to a shared love of creating?  That after almost 6 years I would have 81 people following me here, because they're somewhat interested in the projects I'm doing and they want to share their comments?  I know, every creative medium has "community."  But ours is special. ;)

7.  Process.  I said it at the top, but I'll repeat it: I love the process of working with fiber.  I like watching SOMETHING emerge from almost nothing.  Whether it's a cross stitch picture, which feels like painting with thread, or a scarf for one of my children, it's a marvel to me that a tangle of fiber holds together and becomes something even more beautiful.

What's your favorite thing about fiber?  Something on this list, or something else?  Add yours in the comments!

Hardanger Background and Shopping Info

Hardanger Embroidery is most associated with the Hardanger region of Norway. The women there wanted a way to make their every-day linens pretty but serviceable. So they devised a way of embellishing these items so that they would look like lace, but stand up to every-day use.

Before you go shopping for supplies, here are some important points to remember when starting Hardanger:

• Traditional Hardanger is tone-on-tone - usually white or ecru thread on white or ecru linen. More recently, using colored thread on white or ecru fabric has become acceptable. I prefer to use color, because I like the work to show up. It's also easier to keep count when you are starting out!
• Color schemes should be kept simple - too many colors confuse the eye and detract from the simple beauty of the work. I like to keep my color schemes at no more than 3 or 4 colors for the entire piece.
• Hardanger is always done on an evenweave (i.e., not AIDA) fabric. This is a crucial point. Aida cloth will not cut properly - more accurately, it causes problems when you are removing the cut threads, and the piece will not come out the way you want.
• Evenweave linen is traditional, but it can get expensive. A more cost-effective option is 22-count, often called Hardanger fabric. It has a true basket-weave pattern, large enough holes to see what you are doing, and the threads are very easy to remove once they've been cut.
• Hardanger work uses a heavier gauge thread than cross stitch to achieve the drawn thread look. The thread-count of your fabric will determine the thread gauge you use. For 22-count, use Pearl/Perle Cotton size 5. For a finer fabric - such as 28- or 32-count linen - use Pearl/Perle Cotton size 8. I usually use DMC because that is what is most readily available in the craft stores in my area. There are more color options in the size 5 range than in size 8. Hardanger work uses thread as fine as size 12. I will get into how you use different size threads in a later post.
• 6-strand embroidery floss is not appropriate for the satin stitches in Hardanger work, because it is too easy to clip a few strands and cause a problem for yourself. I have used 2-3 strands of floss for weaving and wrapping in an area where I've already clipped and removed fabric threads, but usually only if I wanted a particular color. And of course, I also occasionally include cross stitch embellishment. FYI - embroidery floss is considerd 25-gauge thread, so twice as fine as size 12, 3 times as fine as size 8, 5 times as fine as size 5, etc. Just like with wire, the larger the number, the finer the thread.
• You need super-sharp embroidery scissors to do the cut work. Don't even use these scissors to cut thread or floss. You need a precise, flush cut - if they dull, it makes it more likely that you will accidentally clip your stitching. I don't want to scare you - it really isn't that hard to avoid (or fix!), but isn't it better to do things properly?
• You will also want a tapestry needle - I love the blunt point, it saves my fingers! Size 22 or 24 is appropriate for Pearl Cotton thread. In fact, I even only use tapestry needles for cross stitch - they're easier to thread, and again, my fingers thank me!

I've used a few terms above that I will explain in another post. I don't want this one to get too long or involved in the details of "how to". But this should give you a place to start, and some guidelines to take shopping! Have fun!