Flosstube #93: An upcoming release and recent museum exhibits

[@stephaniecampbellweitzman3591]

Loved hearing about the exhibits! Thank you! I consider smalls to be less than 100x100, mediums one side up to 200 and large anything larger! And my favorite fabric is the Cosmo fabric, I am an Aida stitcher and the Cosmo fabric is a joy to stitch!

[@TaraBaker-qo7zp]

My favorite fabric is 20 count Lugana. I usually have Jimmy dye it so I’m not stuck on any particular color. Looking forward to the retreat.

[@terribrown2718]

I think the arrival of your videos as a special treat. I like your definition of piece size. I like working on Aida but I will use an evenweave if there is 1 over 1.

[@SuperPeacerose]

I use a lot of 14 count AIDA. I consider 200 to 500 as a medium size.

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks so much!

[@worksbyabc]

@@SuperPeacerose Thanks so much!

[@delilahlove2147]

I went to that DAR exhibit! The quilts were amazing, the stitching was beautiful. Even the gift shop was fun. Well worth the trip!!

[@worksbyabc]

Totally agree!

[@lindaficetola607]

Hi Arlene Great seeing you today❤ I didn't realize the retreat was so near. Thought I would have gotten an email or some info. I know alot of youtubers are coming. I remember you said it was full. Maybe next time. What I consider large is a heaven and earth design. On anything else I try to section it out, I find that's alot easier. And my favorite fabric count is 16ct. Hope all goes well at the retreat. I love your Black, white and red all overs. So cute. Stay well and have a great stitchy week ahead. ❤🎉

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks so much!

[@elizabethpham8456]

For me a middle size pattern is around 80-150 stitches. The biscornus designs is so pretty. It matches so perfectly for the project bag.

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks so much!

[@michaeljones4380]

Arlene! Greetings from Dallas!! It was so great to get your flosstubes! You had been missed! I think I agree with what you shared that others had shared with you. I think of a small as being 100 and under, medium 100-200, and large 200+. My sweet spot is a 32 count linen. Loved your new biscornus (or is the proper term biscorni! LOL!) I’m en ious of the attendees at your retreat! I’ll be anxious to hear your recap afterwards!! ❤️❤️

[@worksbyabc]

Always good to hear from you, Michael! Thanks so much for your thoughts and for stopping by!

[@maureenlopez9266]

Hi Arlene! Depending how how dense the stitching is, a medium sized pattern for me falls somewhere in the range of a 5" x 7" to an 8"x 10" finish. So looking forward to the retreat! Can't believe it's almost here!

[@worksbyabc]

Absolutely agree that density of the stitching is a factor! Yes, very much looking forward to retreat!

[@VeronicaXStitch]

I like to multiply the width by the height to get the "stitch area", which will equal the number of stitches in full coverage pieces. To me, when the stitch area is under 10,000, it's small, between 10,000 and 50,000, it's medium, and over 50,000, it's large. For me, that's easier because there are some long skinny patterns that can be quite big. Thanks for sharing! I love your videos and designs! ❤️

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks so much! Yes, the multiplying dimensions rather than thinking height and width separately makes a lot of sense!

[@LindaHankey]

I totally agree with those measurements. I am an Aida stitcher and I love Atomic Ranch. I just finished How to Live and am working on 324. I love your designs! Thank you.

[@worksbyabc]

Thank you so much!

[@janeofallthreads3797]

My favorite fabric for cross stitch: Zweigart Floba

[@JennyFleming]

The biscournus with the matching bag are perfection!! I think of project sizes of projects in terms of their finished “photo size”. 4x6 and 5x7 are small, 8x10 is medium and anything above that (like 11x14) is large.

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks!

[@romantictangle]

For me, how densely stitched a project is makes a huge difference when I'm describing something as small or large.

[@worksbyabc]

Absolutely agree! I fully admit there is no easy way to categorize size of cross stitch projects, but it is interesting to hear thoughts. Thanks so much!

[@darlenel-k-dlklife]

Always like to see what you are working on even when you can't show much. I usually say a medium is anything between 100 - 150 (add the two stitch counts together and then divide in half) So a 150 x 150 would be a just a medium for me.

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks so much!

[@the614stitcher]

Can't wait to meet you in 4 weeks. My favorite fabric color is a medium gray. Gray for me is the perfect neutral. A medium size project for me is 101 to 150. 😊

[@worksbyabc]

So looking forward to meeting you too!

[@dianastearns9259]

I will stitch on any color fabric and do agree that 150 to 200 would be considered a medium to me.I love love love all of your patterns. Would love to see more of your stitched jewelry pieces.

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks so much! I'll try to remember to talk about and share the necklaces I've created in my next video.

[@annedacosta2864]

I enjoy stitching on Aida and I am so looking forward to the retreat in July!

[@worksbyabc]

Yes, me too! (to the retreat, I'm not much of an aida stitcher 🙂 )

[@carylminard448]

I wish I was going to your retreat this year. Maybe next year, we will see. I like stitching on 28, 32 even 36 ct. whatever color that hits the project. I’m not stuck on any one brand. I think in my mind a medium size pattern is 101-175 ish or pretty close to that. Have a great time hosting.

[@hope2stitch]

A medium project is somewhere under a 200 stitch count. My favorite fabric is a 36 ct zweigart, but it's hard to choose a color.

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks so much!

[@longago2026]

It’s always been a bit of a pet peeve of mine when somebody asks “how long did that take you?” As though that is the only thing that matters. So I don’t think about size and only look when choosing fabric. As for the fabric, my favorite is Zweigart 56 count in Cafe au Lait.

[@worksbyabc]

I'm completely with you when it comes to the question of "how long did that take?" 🙂 Thanks so much for watching!

[@sarahgilliam-kincaid2379]

When I think about a project being small, medium, or large, it depends on the fabric count. 200x200 on 28 count would be a large project. On 56 count it is the same amount of stitching, but at half the finished size would be a medium. My favorite fabric to stitch on is 40 count verdal, so for that 100-200 per side is a good range for medium.

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks so much for your thoughts!

[@SumiraO_9513]

I always enjoy your videos. It was interesting hearing about the retreat. I will into that in the future. Beautiful bag and pattern! Can’t wait until that becomes available in August. I love large projects and full coverage but I also like smalls. For me my sizes would be Small: 100x100 and below, Medium: 100+ x 100+ to about 200 sq; Large would be anything over 200 square. As far as fabrics, I am an Aida stitcher and I like lots of different designers. Give me a shout if you make it to the DC area, I live just outside of the city. Stay well and happy stitching!

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks so much - I appreciate all your kind words!

[@Donna-i9l2n]

I agree with the sizes of projects, also full coverage would be a jumbo project. I like 14 /16 count Aida in any color including black

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks so much!

[@JanetDoucette]

I have been loving Grace Notes Fabrics! I love to stitch 1 over 1 on 28ct... it's my preferred! I don't put my projects into size order... I categorize by full coverage or not... I love your necklace pieces... so delicate!!! I have tatted with a needle & loved it... I'm not great at it & when I looked at KZbin a couple years ago when I was learning, there wasn't much so I really haven't tatted much since... the shuttle looks confusing!

[@worksbyabc]

And my response is that the needle looks confusing ;-) Always so interesting to hear different perspectives on learning something new. Thanks so much!

[@TripleDogStitches]

I tend to think of frame sizes (even though I don’t frame a lot of my pieces) on 14/28 or 16/32 counts to judge size. So, piece that would roughly fit into a 5x7 (largest dimension less than 100) would be small, a piece that would fit into a 8x10 (largest dimension around 160) would be medium, and the rest are large.

[@kcassanello]

YLI silk thread is used by some quilters for hand appliqué, the idea being that a very fine thread makes one’s stitches less likely to be seen. Sulky embroidery thread is 12 wt; regular cotton sewing thread is 50 wt; YLI silk is 100 wt. I agree with your estimates on sizing of small, medium and large projects. Very nice and interesting video.

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks so much!

[@helenshimell3343]

I like Belfast linen best, but I use whatever I feel is right for each project. I never consider size, I just sew what I like. Your little biscornus would make great Christmas tree decorations . I have never tried needle tatting because I learned with a shuttle. Great video as usual, thank you.

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks so much!

[@njheise]

Hi Arlene , anything between 150-300 st. is a medium sampler/ project - anything above 300 is a large, anything above 500 is extra large. However, stitch count alone is just one component for me, taking the complexity of stitches/ design/ thread type/ color changes / full coverage vs. motif or band with unstitched area, count of fabric etc all play a role too. Fabric again is chosen based all the above factors. I do enjoy linen (40 & 46 ct.) or silk gauze (45+) but don’t mind any of the fabrics really.

[@worksbyabc]

Absolutely agree that stitch count alone may not be enough to truly "categorize" the size of a piece - really helpful to read the thoughts you and others have written out. Thanks so much!

[@EsmeraldaL]

I have not been stitching for that long. But 100 x 100 is what I think small-ish. Anything bigger is big for me :)

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks!

[@elizabethcoleman5437]

I agree that under 100 x 100 is small, under 200 x 200 is medium & anything over 200 is large. But in addition to that is how densely stitch heavy they are. The number of stitches can alter those numbers, in my opinion.

[@worksbyabc]

Absolutely - as so many have pointed out, the density of the stitching is certainly a factor when thinking about size of project.

[@beckymartin203]

Thanks for sharing info about the museums. I am in southeastern PA and could probably do a day trip by train too. I have a note about project sizes but I didn’t capture the source. In it the height count is multiplied by the width count to get 5 categories from mini to BAP. medium is defined as between 100 and 149. How can I find out more about Stitch NJ retreats?

[@beckymartin203]

I wanted to add after thinking about the size category formula, I think adding the height and width counts instead of multiplying Mack’s more sense to me.

[@worksbyabc]

Yes, a few people mentioned the multiplying - i.e. total stitches - rather than dimensions and that makes absolute sense. Would love to know the 5 categories and their respective sizes as found in that list if you get a chance to share. As for Stitch NJ, easiest for me to say this: in the video that I will do after the retreat, I will have a link to where to get information about next year. (I haven't create such a link yet :-) but I know there will be questions like yours once the retreat happens and people start posting about it)

[@thediddystitcher]

I have a method which is add up the stitch count along the two sides then divide by 2 and if that number is Less than 50 = Mini 50 - 100 = Small 100 - 150 = Medium 150 - 200 = Large 200+ = BAP e.g How to Live would be 170+190 = 360. 360/2 = 180 so I would class it as a Large Festival of Lights would be 83+50 = 133. 133/2 = 66.5 so I would class it as a Small Square patterns like Elegant Lace can just go by the 1 side so 169 and I would count that as a Large Of course this method can skewed by long skinny patterns like Symmetrical Squares, or small stitch count but full coverage so then I go with my gut but it's a good jumping off point ☺

[@worksbyabc]

Okay, first of all, I love that you used my designs for your examples ❤ And, yes, other people have mentioned the average the two sides as well. Thanks so much!

[@thediddystitcher]

@worksbyabc of course I did! 😄 forgot to mention I like this method too because it works no matter what size fabric I decide to do it on or over 1 vs over 2 because it takes me (roughly) the same amount of time to do the same amount of stitches so going by the inch size of the finished piece doesn't work for me 🪡

[@ConnieVanzant]

For me medium size would be between 150 to 350. I like to stitch on 18 ct neutral colors

[@worksbyabc]

Am I reading correctly that a medium would be up to 350 in your mind? Seems very large to me, but then again, I know folks that do HAEDS and Long Dogs and the like might have very different opinions of sizes of cross stitch project. Thanks for watching!

[@ConnieVanzant]

@@worksbyabc I stitch more in the 150 to 350 range than in the smaller.....and I have only one larger.....that's a long dog ..... So that influenced my thoughts

[@janefreer7167]

Please use your fan. It won’t bother us and you need to stay cool.

[@worksbyabc]

Thanks for thinking of me, but I did some test runs and it is annoying hum in the background of the video. No worries - I didn't melt while filming 🙂