We divided Class Act Chat into two parts last week. The first portion of the hour, we spend discussing "right" and "wrong" sides of fabric, while the second part was spent on "right" and "wrong" ends of floss.
I would first note both these topics can be subjects of great controversy. My goal at chat was to present all sides of each matter and then to let chatters decide how important each is. It's true, I have my own opinions, but it's also true I believe each of us should choose what's most comfortable for her/him. :-)
The fabric controversy seems to focus upon linen to the exclusion of Aida or other evenweave fabrics. I have never seen anything written about the right or wrong side of Aida cloth, so I couldn't address that as an issue. In looking at a piece of Aida I have here, I couldn't tell the difference, so I let it be.
There are 3 groups of beliefs about the right and wrong sides of linen. I'm going to tell you what each group has to say. What I recommend you do if you're concerned about this issue is to examine your own linen closely and then decide how you want to stitch. :-)
First comes a group who says linen does indeed have a right and wrong side, and that it's important to stitch on the right side. How to find the right side? Near a corner of the fabric, gently pull the fabric on the bias. The corner will curl towards the right side, and that's the one you should use. My editorial comment here is I've done so, and I've had different corners on the same piece of linen curl in different directions. This group also believes over time, stitches executed on the wrong side of linen may become distorted.
The other 2 groups are one that says linen has no front or back, and another who says it does, but it doesn't matter. They indicate, as some stitchers noted at the chats, that some of the linen seems to be shinier on one side than on the other. These two groups think the shininess is the result of processing the fabric after weaving. I do know fabric sizing is added to the majority of our cross-stitch fabrics to make them stiffer after they've been woven. I have used spray sizing myself at different times during my life, and it can make one side of fabric shinier than the other, especially when I iron it. I don't advocate adding sizing to linen and wouldn't do so myself because it's stiff enough to suit me already. A related comment here: If you've ever used hand-dyed linen, you will probably find it much softer than the commonly manufactured brands. I've found the reason for this with my first forays into fabric dyeing. Before any hand-dyeing or painting is done, the sizing must be removed from the fabric. If it isn't removed by using a chemical specially formulated for it, the fabric dyes will not take as well.
The latter two groups wonder, too, about experts who have trouble telling the difference between the right and wrong side. They believe if it's that difficult, it must not be of much importance.
Finally, the latter two groups believe what weavers for one of the big fabric companies (producing fabrics for stitchers) say. Those weavers indicate there is no right or wrong side to linen.
Does the right-or-wrong-side issue matter? I suggest it depends upon you. I am apt to be more careful when I'm stitching for a competition (as I am now), but one experienced competitor told us she has never had a judge say in a critique that she used the wrong side of the fabric. Another stitcher told us what her shop owner said to her: "The right side is the side you like best."
A related issue is whether stitching should be done with the selvage of the fabric to the side or to the top. This is a little more clear-cut. The warp of a fabric is the threads that go up and down. They lie parallel to the selvage. The weft is the threads that go across the fabric sides and are at a 90-degree angle from the selvage. It is strongly suggested that stitchery be done with the warp vertical or the selvage along one side (same thing, different words). If you can't tell the warp and weft of your fabric because the piece you bought doesn't have a selvage, you can find which is which by gently pulling the sides. The weft portion will stretch more than will the warp. Another way to tell is to draw out a fabric thread up and down, and another from side to side on your fabric. The warp thread will be fairly smooth. The weft thread will be more wavy. If you stitch an item like a bellpull or wall hanging that is going to be suspended from the top, the weft can cause the piece eventually to stretch down and may possibly distort the stitches.
The second topic we covered is the right and wrong end of floss. What I covered pertains to cotton and silk floss ONLY. There are specialty fibers other than these that may indeed have a notable right and wrong end. This issue may be debated among stitchers even more hotly than is the right and wrong side of fabric. Once again, there are 3 groups with differing opinions on the subject.
The first group believes floss does have a right and wrong end. How to tell which is the right end? They tell us the end of the floss that comes out of a skein first is the right end. (The right end is the one that should be threaded through the needle and should create the longer tail with which you stitch.)
But suppose you're like me and wind your floss on bobbins. Once it's cut, how does one tell the right from the wrong end? The first group says to put both ends of the floss together and hold them between your thumb and forefinger in one hand so the ends both stick up. Then, gently tap on all the ends with a finger from the other hand. The end that "blooms," or spreads more is the right end. According to this group, if you want to find the right end of a single strand of floss, draw it through between your forefinger and thumb in both directions. The way that feels smoothest will have the right end.
The right-end group believes several things will be easier if you stitch with the right end of the floss. First, they say the stitches will lie better, and the floss doesn't tangle or knot nearly so much as if you're using the wrong end. They also stress it's a bad stitching habit not to use the right end of the floss.
The second group says floss has a right end, but that it doesn't matter. They believe if it takes a magnifying glass to see the difference in the stitches, finding the right end is not worth the time. They also point out that using the loop method of anchoring floss makes for a nicer-looking back to the project. I would note here in some competitions, judges will automatically disqualify any counted-thread piece in which the loop method is used to anchor floss because they believe when the floss is looped, you have a right end and a wrong end going in opposite directions. I suppose the best thing I can say is, if possible, to find out exactly what the judges are looking for. I'm currently working on a piece that may be entered into competition, and I am not concerning myself about right ends of floss; however, I am not using the loop method to anchor it, either. Just my personal preference, in addition to the fact that I'm stitching with one strand.
Finally, the third group states floss does not have a right and wrong end. IMHO, their arguments are the most compelling, and they're supported by other reading I've done on the subject. They tell us the big manufacturers say their floss has no right or wrong end because it has no nap to it. An article I read about a year ago in my Embroiderers' Guild of America magazine was written by an author who had done extensive travel and research to discover the "truth" about right and wrong ends of cotton and silk floss. From her study, she concluded that the two natural fibers do not have right and wrong ends.
So, what to do about floss? As with the fabric, I suggest you do what is most comfortable for you. If this issue is of concern, try finding the right and wrong ends. If it isn't, then don't.
Something related to right and wrong ends of floss, although indirectly, is the twist of the yarn or floss. This has to do with how the fiber is spun into thread when it's manufactured. Fibers come in either an S twist or a Z twist. In floss with an S twist, if you look closely or use a magnifier, you'll see the floss twists with a diagonal \. With the Z twist, floss twists with a diagonal /. This, IMHO, has no bearing upon stitching. I use DMC floss, and I've examined it very closely. DMC has an S twist. Even when the floss is "turned around," it still has an S twist. So, this feature will not affect your stitching.
One final comment: I encourage you to remember that stitching is supposed to be fun and not a chore. If anything in this article is of concern to you, then I suggest you use it. But if you find it ruins your pleasure in a wonderful form of needlework, then do what suits you best. :-)
Copyright 1998 Jill Martz
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