Cross stitch using parking method (with a hoop and one needle)

[@tammybunge5615]

I have watched several parking tutorials and they never made sense, yours was PERFECT!! THANK YOU

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you so much! I am happy it makes more sence for you now!

[@sherriplocinski8721]

I’ve never seen this method before. You did a good explanation and I will be trying it on my next project.

[@by_aprilegirl]

thank you so much! sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here) did you give it a chance? Do you need some additional explanation?

[@youngbloodsuz]

Thank you so much for a clear demonstration. I’ve not attempted a full coverage piece but really want to and I just didn’t understand what it means to “park”. Your video is giving me the confidence to try..and I love “Starry Night”! I am grateful. Suzette

[@jylromain6439]

Very well done. And thank you for not blocking what you were doing. Great idea to use the scissors as a pointer. I wish others would follow your example.

[@by_aprilegirl]

thank you so much! sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here)

[@wendyclark4574]

by_aprilgirl you did a fantastic job explaining this method. I have wondered how folks kept track of all the threads especially when there can be multiple shades of the same color! The parking method you explained makes sooooo much more sense to me now. I can't tell you how confusing this method was to me BEFORE I saw your clip. Thank you for your guidance!

[@laurasince1986]

Thank you!!! This was finally so clear. You are wonderful at explaining things.

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you so much 😊😊😊😊

[@Artbee]

This was very informative. Thank you for the detailed explanation of how to park threads. I will give this a try.

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you for your response) Let me know how it went!

[@oldestweebalive7398]

i agree with the top comment, this video has the only understandable explanation of parking method on the entire youtube. thank you very much.

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you! I am so happy it was useful for you! 😊😊😊

[@laceysnow4048]

Wow! Thank you so much for this video! I really appreciate how you took your time and thoroughly explained the process. I always hate it when I have just one or a few stitches of a color and have to cut the thread and start over. I am excited to try this method on my current project. Also, your project in the video is beautiful!! 💜

[@by_aprilegirl]

thank you so much! sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here) I am very happy you liked it/ Did you give it a try?

[@bigbandpianist1955]

I have never heard of this method of stitching. Thank you for sharing. I have a project mind for this. How long do you cut your threads when starting a new color?

[@Katubug]

This was so helpful for me as a beginner! And also, I could listen to you for days ~ you have such a lovely voice!

[@by_aprilegirl]

Oh thank you so much))) especially about my voice)

[@WaniArman]

Thank you for this video. I usually only do simple project. But I recently try to do bigger project like from a kit that usually are more complex. I was stumped on how I want to start. Your video help a lot.

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you so much)) you are right, complex projects can be overwhelming, just take it one square at a time. Good luck with the new project))))

[@lindaj5492]

Brilliant explanation - especially about being consistent with parking threads in the same specific corner (8:35)

[@by_aprilegirl]

Yes, this is crucial point)

[@dees3179]

You explained this so well. Thank you for saving me a lot of wasted time and materials.

[@by_aprilegirl]

Oh, so nice to hear that!

[@Licronable]

Thanks so much for this explanation! I''m a beginner at cross stitching with multiple colors and finally I understand how to use so many strands at once (especially because I got so few needles). Your video was very detailed and explained every step thoroughly, so thanks again! :)

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you so much, so happy it was useful!

[@sandyhough3901]

Thank you for this excellent explanation. I have just started a full coverage, complicated piece and using this method will definitely simplify those scattered colors.

[@by_aprilegirl]

thank you so much! sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here) How is your project going?

[@edemir737]

Very clear and helpful, thank you! Your project also looks beautiful!

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you so much!

[@myrnajones4512]

I have this same project and have been scared to start it bc I dont want to waste any thread. Thanks for sharing the parking method. Very informative. You have done a beautiful job on this project. I wish they had gave us the DMC conversion for those threads so we could buy extra if we run out. That's the issue with kits sometimes. But its beautiful.

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you so much for your comment) I have just a small piece to finish and I will be able to see if I had enough threads at the very end of the project, I plan to make a little review of this kit. I hope you will start your own Starry night soon)

[@SharonCarbine]

Excellent instructions, Olga. Thank you!

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you so much!

[@southernmoststitcher3183]

You park in the same spot in each square. THANK YOU I FINALLY GOT IT!!!!!

[@by_aprilegirl]

Yes! That is pretty much whole almost 20 minutes video summed up in one phrase😂

[@margaretsackton4046]

Very helpful instructions! I am going to try this again. I’ve been getting all the threads confused. I think this will help me keep straight which thread and which symbol.

[@by_aprilegirl]

Yes, this was a key for me too - to always park at the same corner so I could find the correct thread later on

[@LawnOrnament]

Really easy to follow thank you!! Definitely doing this for my next big project (hopefully soon!)

[@by_aprilegirl]

I am so happy it was easy to follow)) thank you so much! And good luck with a new one!

[@barbarachase7725]

Excellent video. I had no idea how to park threads and I so appreciate your good explanation. I believe I will be starting a project later this year where this will be very valuable. Thank you!

[@by_aprilegirl]

Oh thank you souch for your comment! Parking is indeed a bit tricky in the very beginning, it took me quite a while to figure it out so I decided to make a video on that. I hope it will help you on your next project!

[@SeasonalSunflower]

This is a great video!! I can't wait to try it out in my next project!

[@shannac473]

Great explanation....would love to just watch you stitch! with the pattern in a little box on the video.

[@by_aprilegirl]

thank you so much! sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here) I will set up my new stitch place after moving and will give it a try!

[@meagankominczak8050]

I’m working on this literal same kit right now! Lol just started it! Can’t wait to try this method because I was very intimidated by all of the colors!

[@by_aprilegirl]

I promise, all the struggle is so so worth it!

[@iamcharlieburger]

Thank you for sharing this demonstration. I know now what is parking method. Very clear and easy explanation. I think this method is good for full coverage project. It seems complicated to me hehe I wont bother trying it lol. Great job 😋

[@by_aprilegirl]

thank you so much! sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here) Well, cross country method works perfect as well, it is just a matter of taste)

[@TheLightFish]

I have this same pattern and it was driving me nuts changing colors. Lol so I found out about parking and found this video with the same pattern lol thanks!

[@KelleysQuiltsandCruises]

I am super late to this but have just subscribed. Greetings from western Canada, near Vancouver BC. Now I can wrap my head around this.

[@by_aprilegirl]

it is never too late to learn something new)

[@kerryasquith1867]

What an interesting method. I am certainly giving this a go. Thank you for the clear instruction and close ups.

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you for your comment! I hope you will have no problem trying it yourself!

[@kerryasquith1867]

@@by_aprilegirl so far, so good. I'm finding it a lot faster too. I've ordered a new cross stitch kit to keep me going. Thank you so much 💕

[@rileyguyer9726]

Thanks so much!! No other video on this is as clear and concise

[@by_aprilegirl]

Oh thank you so much, I am happy it was useful)

[@Tantail]

Thank you for the detailed video, I heard of this recently and it is great to understand how to use it and how it can be useful for complicated projects. This makes me feel more confident to do a big colourful project without wasting thread and getting confused in the pattern :) It will be a lot easier to work in squares instead of patches in some situations for sure! And great to track your progress in a pattern.

[@Tantail]

As an aside I have seen people using the needle minders to clamp the parked threads out of the way and to stop them getting tangled, you probably know about it but I thought I would mention it in case it might be useful to yourself or someone else :)

[@by_aprilegirl]

@@Tantail Thank you for your comments! I hope you will enjoy colorful projects, it is a hard work but so worth the result. Regarding the needle minder - you are right, I use them as well to hold the threads. I have a video on needle minders planned and will be sure to mention this as one of the ways to use them)

[@EvilLovex3]

Thank you, the explanation is very clear and easy to understand

[@by_aprilegirl]

thank you so much! sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here)

[@liigucs4]

Thank you for explanation! I've always wondered how this is done and have for a while thought about trying. This was very informative and useful. Now I see that I shouldn't be scared to take on full coverage colorful projects if I can use this parking method.

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you for your kind words. I was just as you, wondering and afraid to start but once I gave it a try I really saw the difference. Of course there are other ways to use parking method (like line by line) but I am quite satisfied with the way I do it. It is always very nice to see one 10x10 square stitched at the end of the evening, I see some progress and it motivates me to move forward. When I was doing processes color by color it always took so long to see the picture finally coming together. Stitching 10x10 squares is like building with Lego blocks. Good luck on your parking journey)

[@mariajoseespada4050]

Thank you for posting your lovely work, i am working in a very complicated pattern and your explanation it is perfect. I have tried and it is great. Plus i will recommend if you have your pattern in pdf there is and app called pattern keeper and it is brilliant you can keep track of your parked threads.

[@by_aprilegirl]

Oh that is wonderful, I am happy you tried it! I know about pattern keeper and couple other similar apps but I use cross stitch as a way to het rest from all the screen time I have to deal with at work during the day so I am a big fan of paper patterns

[@lisahunt966]

I really like this method I'm going to try it

[@by_aprilegirl]

Let me know how it went)

[@Pasos4me]

Finally I GET it! Thank you for the very clear explanation! 🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻

[@by_aprilegirl]

thank you so much! sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here) I am very happy you find it useful!

[@juliaperova2664]

Olga, thank you very much! I have recieved the same kit as a gift and just about to start it. It was very helpful to find your video. Would be interesting to see your progress on this design and the finished object. Merry Christmas!

[@by_aprilegirl]

Merry Christmas to you too! I hope you will like this process, it is quite time consuming but soooo worth it! I dream of finishing it and hang it across the bed to be falling asleep looking at it every night) I have recorded another parking method explanation with full square stitched, will be posting it soon. Right now I havs cca 5000 crosses left to stitch

[@juliaperova2664]

@@by_aprilegirl thank you! Look forward to see your next videos!

[@sandy77414]

Excellent explanation! Thank you ❤

[@by_aprilegirl]

You're so welcome!

[@felicialovesnkotb]

This is brilliant! I'm going to try it on my next project.

[@by_aprilegirl]

I hope you will see the difference)

[@noragarza1197]

Excellent tutorial. Well explained. Thank you for sharing your method and tips

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you so much!

[@lisahunt966]

I will try your method I'm new at cross stitch you help me a lot thank you so much

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you for the comment, let me know if you will need more help)

[@jeannebjorkstrandmrpe-proa6418]

Thank you. This was an amazing help to me and my frustrations!

[@by_aprilegirl]

Oh, I am very happy it helped!

[@janiemelgoza166]

Goodness,Thank you. It was very helpful to me.❤️

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you so much)))

[@alikc25]

Thank you for the video, very helpful.

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you too!

[@alikc25]

Thank you for the reply.

[@smartneedlecrafts9211]

Very beautiful cross stitching 🧵 well done 👍🌸💐

[@by_aprilegirl]

thank you so much! sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here)

[@karybooks]

Very informative. I want to try cross stitching. Thank you !

[@by_aprilegirl]

Please do!

[@karybooks]

@@by_aprilegirl I have received my first! Waiting for my Qsnap (should arrive tomorrow) :)

[@JesseMJames]

I'd love to see what the back of your project looks like with this method!

[@by_aprilegirl]

I show it in my last video about washing this very project, around 9:12 kzbin.info/www/bejne/apjcfHd5hNyXeZI but I will also post some photos to my blog byaprilegirl.com (probably at the end of June as I am on vacation now)

[@lindaj5492]

13:51 Just a thought: could I use a small clip to hold the other parked threads together instead of having to hold them? (a dressmaker’s or quilting clip; or a clip for closing food bags)

[@by_aprilegirl]

Of course, anything as long as it works for you) I keep them all like this cause I find it easier to take them apart but it is not a must)

[@Careybear92]

This just shows me that I would never be able to do the parking method. Going from the lonely L and parking it way up higher must be a lot of thread on the back. I can't make myself travel more than 3 stitches away. Thank you for your demonstration of it though.

[@by_aprilegirl]

Well, probably this is not the most "academical" way of parking method but I don't think there is one anywhere in the world, everyone does some version of it) for me travelling to next 10x10 is OK but I will not park it all the way across the project either) thank you for your comment, let your crosses be near and threads without the knots!

[@carol-wi5qq]

Very helpful, thank you so much!!

[@vatsalamolly]

Hi, I have a question about the hoop. When you place the hoop over the stitches you have already done, the hoop kind of squishes those stitches flat. I noticed this in the project in working on. This is my first full coverage project and it's a big one. Do those squished stitches become normal again after maybe the final wash or just with time? Any answers will be appreciated, thanks!

[@by_aprilegirl]

Oh, that's a good question) yes, it happens to me as well but I try to do the following: 1 - move hoop a bit often, 2 - take the project off hoop if I am not working on it for a long time and 3 - wash and iron. I think the stitches will go back to fluffy nice state after washing, I have a video on how I do it (kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJLElYRpnpWjeas)

[@those_eyes]

The re threading of the needle would drive me nuts. I would use multiple needles and poke in a pincushion. Thank you. Great video!

[@by_aprilegirl]

Sure, this is a working method too! But as I said in the video, I often stitch outside of the house (and don't keep multiple projects, so no dedicated "travel project") so it is safer and more convenient to keep just one needle. And I would probably go nuts with multiple needles 😂

[@julesm9081]

Great video thanks I have a question if working with a dimensions kit is there usually enough thread to use parking method? Your video just made me understand this method I have watched parking method videos before but have never understood till just now!

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you so much for your comment) I cannot say for sure if Dimensions kits have enough threads to use this method, I only had one small kit so far and there was enough thread. However, as far as I know, most companies add a bit more threads just in case. Maybe you can try a small piece with parking and other part without to compare the thread consumption (well, at least eyeballing if you used the same amount of thread in both cases)?

[@julesm9081]

@@by_aprilegirl thank you for your reply I was just wondering as I don’t know how I would get any spare threads from dimensions if needed however yes perhaps I might try the parking method on a smaller dimensions project And see If any left over - that seems like a good idea thank you so much Jules

[@cynthia8022]

Doing your method do you blocks show up in your finished project?

[@by_aprilegirl]

I didn't see it here, but also due to the fact that the color changes so much. Maybe it will show up when making large areas of single color but in this case I would not use parking, probably

[@herby1274]

Thank you so much for the explanation!

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you too! Happy it helped)

[@frygirl1965]

I have been cross stitching for 40 years and have never seen this before.

[@by_aprilegirl]

I think this technique is a relatively young one. I guess it appeared to be used for huge complicated projects

[@celinerobion8961]

Hi from France 🇫🇷

[@by_aprilegirl]

Hello))

[@diannmaxwell8892]

Awesome explanation

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you)))

[@RachelKelly]

Do you go in order of parked threads to starting new ones for each 10x10 square?

[@by_aprilegirl]

thank you so much! sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here) In each new square I first stitch the threads that are parked there and move them out of the way and then add new ones if there are present

[@miat789]

How do you keep from running out of thread ? All the parking uses a lot on the back right ?

[@by_aprilegirl]

thank you so much! sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here) The kit I have has enough thread for it and with so much confetti I would probably be using more if I would be constantly cutting threads)

[@Nadyasmirnova100]

Спасибо, всегда было интересно зачем и как это делают :)

[@by_aprilegirl]

Не за что) существуют разные способы парковки, я просто показала как делаю я

[@alexandrawinsor881]

How do you keep track of what square you are on in the pattern and on the aida cloth?

[@by_aprilegirl]

thank you so much! sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here) I just rely on the eye and in this case I didn't jhave to mark anything out, the color combinations are unique.

[@jasminjoseph5205]

Hi..is it ok the back of fabric looks messy while we are doing a parking method?

[@by_aprilegirl]

Hello! Mine defenitly looks quite messy but I am one of those who doesn't care about back that much as long as I like how the front looks like.

[@lomii]

I used to care about the back but with parking, it can't be helped 😂

[@by_aprilegirl]

@@lomii true, you cannot have both really

[@tebbet1678]

When you go to pick up a parked piece of thread, how do you rethread the needle ? That's the only thing I'm a little confused on

[@by_aprilegirl]

I just thread it normally, make the end of the thread a bit wet and push it through the needle eye. (I don't have needle threader).

[@tebbet1678]

@@by_aprilegirl I tried this last night and I figured it out. I had never threaded my needle like that but Im getting used to it now. Thanks for taking the time to reply, im really enjoying this method so far !!

[@kathybloomquist6206]

What do you use for marking your fabric?

[@by_aprilegirl]

sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here) I have a separate video on marking with the links to pens under it kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5PJiod4n7inaMk

[@lisalewis1977]

I wouldn't know which blue or green is the right one , as there are so many blues and so many greens

[@by_aprilegirl]

Yes, I know the struggle, that is why I use parking method - if you consistently park at the same spot next time you just need to check with the pattern to know exactly what shade of blue it is)

[@kathleenoclair3179]

Question, how do you get the needle off easy? It always give me trouble when I try to take it off.

[@by_aprilegirl]

thank you so much! sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here) My needles have quite wide opening and it makes it easier. I am using the needles from DMC

[@kathleenoclair3179]

@@by_aprilegirl Thank-you for the advice! I tend to finish a color in a little section I've made for myself in my head. That seems to work for me.

[@feyzaa1209]

Thank you for this

[@by_aprilegirl]

Thank you!

[@kayzgarcia4507]

Where did u get ur needle minder?

[@by_aprilegirl]

I made them myself and I have a video about it on my channel - it only requires couple things and it is a very easy and fun side project) kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2jWdK15gq6le7c

[@kayzgarcia4507]

@@by_aprilegirl thank you..very beautiful!

[@vincentiusdamianus3569]

Is pola chart and beatiful

[@KaremxHeartz]

Do you ever feel like it is a waste of string?

[@by_aprilegirl]

sorry for late response I had no idea there were comments here) not in this case, there are so many confetti that I would loose more if I would be constatly cutting it off

[@JezebelSly]

This is so hard. One minute I'm counting and making little x's and then embroidery and complications come up. I thought mechanics was hard.

[@by_aprilegirl]

It is defenitly not the easiest hobby out there but I always think of the amazing result at the end)

[@fehmidafashionideas937]

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

[@ahmedfakhir]

The most unneeded tutorial in cross stitching at all

[@leedaniel2002]

why do you say that?