Sunday 6 September 2009

Cutting

On the chart the places to cut are shown as blank areas. You will need to cut the edges of this area and pull through the loose threads. There are many methods to do this; these are just two. You will need sharp scissors and if you are going to do more hardanger I would recommend special hardanger scissors which have a slightly curved blade on the tip.

If this is the first time you have done any cutting practice on the sample square first. All the photos are worked on the sample square.

Method 1.

You will be cutting from the back of your work. This is because when you cut the thread you are lifting it slightly from you work and if you cut from the front it can leave more ends standing proud.

Turning your work over check which square needs cutting (remember on the reverse you will not always have the five threads in your kloster blocks). Cut the base fabric threads around the area. It should look like this from the front:

Repeat this for all the areas needed.
Pull all the small threads out that run across the three sides of the small squares you have cut; then pullthe longer threads which will run right across your work and will reveal any onner blank squares. You may finds it easier to do this with tweezers.



Method 2.

You will be cutting from the front with this method. Firstly cut across the inner side of the square you want blank (that's the side with no kloster block). The scissors show where the hole has been cut. Using a needle release the fabric thread right back to your stitching. Cut down the centre of the remains fabric threads and pull them all back to the kloster blocks. This photo shows all the threads pulled back.
Pull the thread high between the kloster blocks, some will need pulling up on the front of your work, some down on the back. This can be all the fabric threads in one strand or can be split,the sample fabric is split two up two down.

Cut each strand as close as you can to the kloster thread, revealing your blank square.

Repeat this for all the blank squares, but with this method any centre square will not be revealed.

Pull through the longer threads that have cut ends on the open sides of your blank squares. This will then reveal your inner holes.
If anyone coming to Nuneaton and would like help with the cutting using either method please let me know.