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“How do I know when I need to stitch extra rows” is by far the most commonly asked finishing question we receive. Unfortunately, the answer is not always cut and dry. The answer will depend on a myriad of factors including what canvas you’re stitching, the company doing the finishing and the shape you want for your finished canvas. Today we’re sharing our top tips on how to know when to add extra rows to an ornament.
Typically, round and square ornaments do not need extra rows if they are being sent to Needlepoint.Com for finishing. However, this rule depends largely on the background and design of the canvas. This travel round is a perfect example. On this particular design, there are rows of background at the edge of the canvas, surrounding the design itself. This ensures that you won’t lose any of the icons in the finishing process. There is no need to add additional rows on this project.
Take a look at the blue outline surrounding this plate of oysters on the half shell. This is such a clever design! On this particular design, or any canvas like it, you might want to consider adding two additional rows of background around the canvas. This way you can ensure the outline of the plate will be visible. Otherwise you run the risk of losing the plate in the finishing process.
There are lots of fun designs that have been painted alone on the canvas without a background. On a canvas like this Pip and Roo dog, you will have to add a background. Finishers simply can’t get in all the tiny nooks and crannies on the design. On canvases like these, we recommend adding a minimum of five rows of background surrounding the design. It Is also best to smooth out the edge of the design by adding more rows in some places and fewer in others.
You may also wish to make the background into a circle or even a square. To do this, trace around a mug other bowl in your house and mark points of reference for the border using a Micron pen.
The more you stitch and the more ornaments you complete, the easier it will become to recognize when to add rows to your canvas!
