Cross Stitch 101: Parking Method | Embroidery Tutorial

[@MadXStitcher]

Hey there! This video presents ideas and methods intended to help new and experienced stitchers find new methods of doing their craft. There is no right or wrong way to be creative or make art. If this works for you, I'm glad it helped! If you have questions, please ask! If you don't like this method, please move on. These comments are not a place to tell others what the "correct" way may or may not be.

[@ZStitchDisneyFan]

@Noah Porter What has this got to do with the video tutorial? And why are you hacking your girlfriends Instagram account?

[@moniquereed3294]

I don't know if you still check comments on this old video, but I watched it twice and tried parking for the first time today. It works! I only had trouble when I miscounted---but that's a problem with any method. Thanks for the best explanation I've found for this technique!

[@delainekalberg9389]

Oh my word!! Parking has always terrified me, but your tutorial is the first that I’ve watched where I totally get it!! Thank you!!

[@crazyflutist0804]

This video was very helpful in explaining not only how to do parking but exactly what it is & why somebody would choose to do it. I really appreciate that because as a "thread chaser" or cross country stitcher I've never tried this & wondered why on earth you would want long threads hanging down. Now I see it lets you complete 10x10 squares completely one at a time. Thank you!

[@Zizishark]

Long time fabric stabber here (40 years). Thank you for teaching me something new and explaining it in a way that makes sense. I have a rather large, self made project that this will definitely help with!

[@altr2elise]

I’m just about to restart a cross stitch that has beaten me down a number of times. Before today I hadn’t heard of parking or confetti. This video has opened my eyes! I’m exciting to kick off again. Maybe this time I will be able to finish the stitch.

[@Pasos4me]

I just started my first HAED on 25 count and let me tell you, it’s been challenging. Your video has opened up a whole new door for me! The way you mark with pink, then come back with blue when you’ve stitched those parts is what I’m going to do. I just started doing parking and you have made it much easier for me. Thank you thank you thank you!!!! I’ll be saving this video in my library to refer back to quickly. ♥️

[@drshaynescott]

I am self taught with cross stitch and I have completed two large projects with lots of confetti and only now I find out about parking. Thus technique would have saved a lot of frustration

[@CarolinaBr1]

i can't believe you finally made me understand what parking is

[@jessig5040]

I really like your method of parking. I've watched other videos and yours is the first one that makes sense to the way my brain works, I think. :) Part of it is that you're working top to bottom on your 10x10 blocks instead of left to right. For some reason, the idea of starting in the top left and working down to the bottom and THEN moving to the next 10x10 to the right makes a lot more sense to my brain. Thanks for showing us how you do it!

[@MadXStitcher]

Yeah, I've seen a few others that don't make a lot of sense, and seem like they'd take ages to get any progress done. To me, it's far more effective to work in bigger patches that will cover up whatever you've already stitched.

[@michaelmeldrum610]

Love the Thor needle minder!

[@marinabelli9782]

All my knowledge of the parking method came from reading articles that couldn't manage to make sense to me and your video finally made it make a lot of sense! Thanks a lot for it! ❤️

[@JuliaHarrisx]

I’m new to parking although I’ve been cross stitching for over 30yrs. I wanted to try it because it seems a neater and easier method that what I do now. I’ve found numerous, very long, confusing videos that had me scratching my head. Yours came along like a breathe of fresh air. It was long enough for me to finally get it without being overwhelmed. Thank you! Off to try it now xx

[@MadXStitcher]

I'm glad it helped! Have fun!

[@SummerNight1432]

I continue to come back to this video for refreshers..for me, your method helps me keep the threads so neat. Thank you so much for your videos! They are extremely appreciated.

[@angelly3851]

I love how clear and concise you are

[@carterthetaco5693]

I have a massive overly ambitious piece I've been working on, on and off, for 5 literal years. I think with this method I will finally be able to finish it 😭

[@Hannah591]

I definitely find it motivating because you can see the image coming together when you do this method. :)

[@dinielbenneth]

this is amazing! i’ve been cross stitching so inefficiently, this will definitely help!

[@lavenderqaf8095]

Fascinating! Thank you for this detailed video which showed how parking works! I will definitely try it. ❤

[@minionbeck7215]

After starting the same full coverage piece multiple times and giving up in despair, this video has shown me what I was doing wrong... I’ll try again and I think I’ll now be more successful... thank you

[@toecreations5257]

Excellent tutorial - thank you! I'm a new stitcher and recently started a more complicated piece. I thought there had to be an easier method to what I was doing when it came to changing colors and this is it. Can't wait to try it!

[@Kellydiez]

Your explanation is perfect for me to understand and I love the highlighting you do to keep track of what youre doing. great job.

[@MadXStitcher]

I'm glad it helped!

[@5877user]

Thank you for showing the back. I like your method. I don’t want to waste thread but parking too far away plus I’m using 2 threads. It will be my first one. I hope I can get through it.

[@tobyredhead4054]

This will be more difficult for me but I’m willing to try. It’s so much neater and cleaner looking. Exactly what I wanted. I had no idea there was a different way than chasing. Thank you.

[@MadXStitcher]

I only use it sometimes, but it's a huge life saver with intensely complicated pieces.

[@andrewdean9348]

This parking method seems like one of the best I have seen and I am going to try it on my next project :) I like that you do all the stitches of a color within a 10x10 block before parking as it saves endless re-threading of the needle! Thanks!

[@MadXStitcher]

Yeah, I've done a few different methods, and this is definitely the one I like best as well.

[@vickyupton93]

For so long I've looked at others using the parking method and have not understood it at all and looked far too complicated, but this explains it perfectly and when I next have the energy to try my one of my big WIP ill give it a go 😊 thank you!

[@alushlife8394]

Yes. Perfect tutorial. You're the one who taught me how to grid and now I will be trying this method! So excited.

[@MadXStitcher]

I'm glad it helped!

[@bigbunny3868]

Thank you for informative tutorial and for keeping it under 10 minutes! Your explanation made perfect sense and I'm excited to try this method!

[@donnaneal2976]

Thank you for this and I appreciate you showing the back too. I am getting ready to start my first HAED chart and it is confetti heavy. Your video was very helpful. I think I'm ready to give it a try!

[@vibreitor43]

This is ingenious for the tapestry style one I'm working on...parking intimidated me but the way you explained it is perfect❤

[@jelynnsummer3061]

Parking method really work. I am doing lot of scenery cross stitch and it has lots of confetti everywhere. I use to do cross country method bit messy for projects like mine.

[@MikiSunshine]

I use the parking method but after seeing this video, I can see why I have trouble with it. I’m working from top left to bottom right and I tend to go cross country to park not wanting to have long threads in the back. I think your method is much more practical than mine. Thank you for an excellent video on parking.

[@Linda_James]

I would be interested in seeing a video on how you prepare your fabric with the grid. I watched a different tutorial on parking and it was SO confusing. This was very easy to understand. Thank you

[@missvisibleninja]

your voice sounds like holly hunter's (aka elastigirl from the incredibles)

[@iwondery1725]

Really enjoyed this, thank you - loved the Thor magnets too. :)

[@flufffluff9396]

i along with other people don’t understand how you reattach the needle to the thread once you go back to it! i watched the loop method video but that doesn’t clarify how to go back to already active thread

[@emmapicott449]

I have several projects that I haven’t touched in a while because of how big they are, and I can see how this method (along with gridding. 😹 I only recently learned about gridding, too, and I can’t believe how much easier it makes things!) can make it just so much easier! I have a stamped kit in progress right now that I think I might try it on, lol!

[@elliotalderson9774]

Your work is beautiful! Confetti makes me suuuuuper anxious. Tried parking on some complex pieces and it really did alleviate some of the stress and helped me stitch faster because I wasn’t as worried about “off by one” errors as I jumped around within quadrants just to be able to stick with one color.

[@PRMoody78]

I'm so glad I watched this before I tried my hand at this method. It's still going to be quite a while before I get to try it but I'll be ready!

[@MadXStitcher]

Yeah, there are a bunch of various ways to do it. This is the way that makes the most sense to me.

[@PRMoody78]

MadXStitcher Your way is very well thought out and makes perfect sense to me. You're the professional:)

[@luannbiegala996]

Watching this, you make it look quite simple. Very well explained. Thank you.

[@MadXStitcher]

Glad it helps!

[@deboraleyba1921]

Thank you for this info. UGH. I will be giving this technique a try!

[@StephanieMcCartymousiesmama]

Never heard of parking before! I love learning new stuff!!

[@erikagholston6610]

Thank you for the demo. I'm new to cross stitch & this is helpful.

[@MadXStitcher]

I'm glad it helped!

[@sallystiglmayer5372]

Thank you very much for this! I've been stitching for years but am getting ready to start my first monster-sized piece and thought the parking method may work for me. This tutorial made it really easy to understand. :)

[@kirasucksatwelleverything650]

Thank you for this, its so helpful to be able to see the pattern.

[@Shortstitcher]

What are you using to hold your fabric so that you can still stitch so easily? I absolutely love this tutorial. I just learned about this yesterday and wish I had known before I started my big projects. Would have been much easier and less stitch ripping 😂

[@gcarr1089]

I liked your method it was easy to understand. no-one else explained about working from the bottom threads first, that was new to me getting the threads tangled was the main reason it put me off. On one video I watched it said to stagger the blocks to stop a visible line showing the blocks? do you have that problem

[@MyrnaTierney]

I really liked your video. Very straight forward. Thank you.

[@MadXStitcher]

Glad it helped!

[@ImKidUgly]

Thank you so much for this! I've been sewing for years but never knew about parking.

[@zulanova1209]

I love your way its so easy and looks good and I'm so darn glad I finally can understand this

[@o2bepurple]

Thank you for the great explanation on your version of parking- it was really helpful.

[@MadXStitcher]

Glad it helped!

[@tinawatson4578]

This was great! Thank you so much

[@ClairestNW]

This was cool and very helpful. Thanks!

[@KaySP06]

This version of parking makes sense to me (especially using currently parked threads starting from the bottom right) but I recently did a test section of parking and the thing that got me was as I went on, I was having trouble bringing the needle up through the back of the fabric because I had so many threads that had been stretched across the back. That's the one issue I don't see this method eliminating - has that been an issue for you doing it this way?

[@houseonthehill7625]

Fantastic tutorial. Thank you

[@raynebutler1564]

Good video, but may I ask what you used to mark the grid lines and numbers on your fabric? Thanks

[@caraparton8872]

Thank you! I finally understand it. Bless you!!!! ❤

[@raynebutler1564]

Where can I learn how to do that method of starting your thread? It looks useful but you do it so fast I couldn't follow it. Now I will watch the REST of your video. Thanks!

[@susiejcurry]

This was super helpful! Thank you!!

[@Simunaya]

That is a clear explanation. Thank you for showing.

[@ashleyschauer5309]

Great video. Very easy to understand! Thank you.

[@MadXStitcher]

Glad it helped!

[@petag3626]

Hi, thank you so much for this video! I can't wait to try it (as soon I finish project I make right now). I am totally excited. I had no idea how not to lose track of which colour is which.. What pisses me a little anyway is that I was looking for such instructions for some time already, but missing the right term it was impossible. I tried terms like "(big) stitching project", "how to stitch projects" etc., but then the term Parking suddenly hit me on Pinterest, finally. And now the whole gate of videos and instructions opened. 🥴

[@bhhunt4963]

I found this very informative and your teaching method is great thank you

[@3beeprints]

This is great. Thanks so much! I may be brave enough to try something intricate soon!

[@MadXStitcher]

Do it! The intricate ones are so much fun!

[@wildplumbeauty]

Stupid beginner question: Can I use fine tip regular marker to mark up the aida cloth (like the blue writing you have there?). Thanks a bunch !

[@AnniePA1960]

No! They are using a blue sewing marker you can get in Joanns to mark. It comes out with water. You don't have to blot or anything.

[@wildplumbeauty]

@@AnniePA1960 Thank you 🙏

[@rhubarb3.14]

Needle question: how do you reattach the needle to the parked threads? This is by far The. Best. Tutorial on the parking method. Thank you!

[@MadXStitcher]

You just re-thread it. Pair it with a loop start so the needle just slides off and on the thread as you go

[@rhubarb3.14]

@@MadXStitcher Squee! Thanks for the fast reply! I'm confused. The thread is doubled, right? In order to remove the needle you need to cut the thread. But to use the loop start, the thread needs to be intact. Am I missing a part of this?

[@MadXStitcher]

Correct. To use a loop start, you thread BOTH open ends of the floss through the needle, leaving a loop on the opposite end. I’ve done a video on it in the 101 playlist.

[@ashleysaysaloha]

lovely tutorial! how do you get rid of the marker markings on your fabric after a piece is done?

[@YourKavien]

When you said around 2:28 when you were parking the first thread that there was nothing on top of it?

[@MadXStitcher]

That symbol doesn't appear any higher in the block of 10x10. You park at the highest instance of that symbol.

[@SayaCeline]

This video has helped so much! I was getting my all tangled and I’m doing my first piece that has a lot of color changes!

[@sarahatrushi2496]

Finally I understand! Thank you

[@christopherbonczewski6458]

What are some suggestions you would offer someone who is new to cross stitch since all this covid crap is making it difficult to learn from someone in person who knows how to do it?

[@MrWickedpaul]

I’d like to try parking but really don’t get it. If you just park the thread where the next stitch of that colour is why not just stitch it instead of parking? Have trouble understanding that.

[@SweetySnokumSnuggles]

Your video is amazing, Thank you! I do have a question though. I have one colour in a block that I don't see for about 3-4 blocks. How many blocks do you leave it before you decided to finish the colour?

[@briannarongitsch3334]

How do you prep you needle and do you need a needle for the different colors... thinking I'm gonna do a combination of this with regular stitching I like the idea of not having a tail

[@MadXStitcher]

I use one at a time. I find that when there are 50 active colours on your fabric, the needles make it impossible to keep the thread untangled because you can’t easily just pull the one you need out.

[@briannarongitsch3334]

@@MadXStitcher how do you get the loop on the end i guess is what I'm getting at

[@xStitcher]

This makes perfect sense the way you have explained it. Do you ever have issues with the column showing?

[@MadXStitcher]

I don't. I've actually found that those lines seem to come from changes in fabric tension while you're working on a project. If you put it on stretcher bars where you'll never change the tension from fiddling around with hoops or Q-snap parts, the lines shouldn't show up at all.

[@susandowns9383]

How do you know which color you need to pick up?

[@angela2091]

How do you deal with the end of a page? Park to the right and work up the column? Or always work down?

[@MadXStitcher]

Yeah, I just work in the opposite direction. When I get to the end of the page, I drop down to the one below it, and work backwards that way.

[@helenaekblad2754]

I love your parking

[@billiecalvery5268]

Very helpful! Thanks!

[@MadXStitcher]

Glad it was helpful!

[@residentevil3410]

Im never ever gonna be good in parking method. Especially when there are lots of confetti of different colors in a 10x10 square. Should i skip and do last? (Save the worst for last 😅)

[@Brainworms1]

What kind of frame are you using?

[@barburbec]

Thank you this was very helpful.

[@dizz_dila]

Doesn’t this method consume more thread?

[@priscilapreto]

Thanks ☺️

[@guytiips3906]

How to blending and shading color?

[@asterl4613]

I like the coverage of 2 strands on this count size alot. may I know is it a 16ct or a 18ct? Thank you so much for your tutorial!

[@MadXStitcher]

I honestly can't remember. This is a project I started and had an issue with it where I had to stop (I think something got spilled on it). It was either 14 or 18ct though.

[@asterl4613]

thank you! most likely a 18ct I guess. 14ct would've shown a lot of white background.

[@CaterpillarCrossStitch]

Really helpful thank you. I'm new to your channel and I've just subscribed : )

[@karenkemmerling7088]

Do you ever get confused and put a wrong color somewhere? The colors are so similar and I wondered if that would be an issue.

[@miat789]

Silly question: what do you use to grid you fabric ?

[@MadXStitcher]

I personally use Leonis Water Soluble pens, which are designed for drawing on embroidery fabric. They wash out when wet. There are other brands available. Crayola Ultra Clean markers are also great. Gotta be Ultra Clean though

[@miat789]

Milesy thanks so much for answering. I have just started my cross stitching journey and am trying to get all the tips I can get. Could I use a normal pencil with a light touch ?

[@patchyxx]

Parking seems like a lot of fun but I'm scared to try it, haha.

[@MadXStitcher]

+patchyxx don't be! It's pretty easy, actually. The only reason I don't use it more often is because it goes more slowly than other methods. Some pieces 100% need to be parked though, or you'll be spending years searching for symbols in all the confetti.

[@samanthac7037]

The tangles if you're using like 40 colours in one 100 stitch square oh gosh 😭

[@MadXStitcher]

It’s not that bad. You should check out the leopard VODs. There are about 80 colours per square in that piece, and the only problem is how slowly it goes.

[@lyndarenfrow751]

How do you thread your needle when you first start and you go through the loop to attach? Do you have a video showing this? I have not done cross stitch very much & am wanting to learn more.

[@MadXStitcher]

+Lynda renfrow it's a basic loop start. All you do is instead of using two individual strands, you take one and fold it over to make two.

[@debradarensbourg6977]

Great video...

[@stitchingwithasmile677]

Thank you, this was very clear.

[@draconiarose]

WHERE HAS THE LOOP START BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!?!?!!

[@MadXStitcher]

I don't know!

[@susarahyu5217]

Hi i am interested to learn the parking method. Won't it cross too much at the back? Make the back look more messy?

[@MadXStitcher]

Actually, it makes the back a little more orderly than going cross-country. What makes a back messy is having a bunch of long tails going everywhere. Eliminate the long tails, and the back will look pretty good.

[@susarahyu5217]

MadXStitcher ok thanks for tutorial. Will try it on present project. 😊

[@MusicluvaAlways]

With this method, do you find you get vertical tension lines? I note you always park down instead of to the right to scatter the threads. When I park I like to go line by line horizontally and never have problems with tension lines.

[@MadXStitcher]

No, actually. The only time I ever get those lines is if my tension has been changed throughout the process of the project. I got a really nasty line in the sunset because it had to be re-attached to my stretcher bars, and that was the first line I've got in a project in a very long time.

[@MusicluvaAlways]

Thanks :D. That's a good thing to note about stitch tension. I might be able to try block by block now without worrying, as line by line seems to take forever (like 4-5hours just to do a 224 stitch row. Crazy!) ;P Also, I note in row by row it's easy to get like-shades muddled - I keep miss-parking and accidentally wound the wrong coloured strand back around the wrong coloured bobbin because they were just a shade out - whoops!

[@Margomikina]

what kind of marker do you use to mark your aida? Can you remove it after you're done?

[@MadXStitcher]

It's a water erasable marker meant for embroidery and sewing. You can find a variety of them in most craft stores, but the ones I'm particularly fond of are Leonis markers from Japan, because they're half-size and fit into the long compartment of standard craft boxes. You can also use Crayola ultra-washable markers if you want more variety in colours. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKfThGilqc9kea8 kzbin.info/www/bejne/i568oWOvoq5jrtk

[@Margomikina]

@@MadXStitcher thank you for replying! I live in the Netherlands so I hope I can find them here as well!

[@MadXStitcher]

If you've got access to Amazon, check there there.

[@Hannah591]

Are there limits to when you should use the parking method? Or should it only be reserved for large pieces that don't fit in a hoop?

[@MadXStitcher]

I've done it in a hoop. I just almost never stitch in a hoop anymore, because I don't like the grit that gets on your fabric when I hold it in my hands. I'm a stretcher bars and stand kind of person, all the way.

[@whenagirlhasnoname2061]

FWT : watched and thank you ! Finally i think i t get it now your good at tutorials for dummies , i can breathe a sigh of relief here . Question : Do you have an end floss Tut?

[@MadXStitcher]

Sorry I missed this comment. Things get buried by KZbin and shoved in weird places sometimes. I don't. But I've added it to my list to do in the future!

[@stitchingworldwithjulia9529]

Just found your channel. Why did u stop posting more?. Im lazy stitcher I think! I have no patience for parking. So I just choosing 8 Squares and stitch there...then park in 1 corner... and like that with other colors. Then move my hoop and first I stitching with all threads was parked, and doing same. But its just if pattern is crazy hurd

[@johnschiestel7126]

Very helpful. Thank you.