I just this past year started using Qsnap frames to keep my fabric taut when stitching.

Q-Snap frames provide an alternative to traditional hoops and frames. Composed of PVC type tubes and corners, fabric can be draped over it and held in place by a "C"-shaped clamp on each side. ~ Is the Q-Snap Frame Better for Counted Cross Stitch?

I have various sizes of Qsnaps (both the name brand and those available from Michael’s Craft stores) that I use for the different sizes of fabric. You can also buy extensions to create even more sizes. You can try Making your own PVC lapstand by following these instructions.

Once you have placed your fabric within the Qsnap frame you can begin stitching BUT make sure you hands are clean to avoid getting stains on your fabric.  Grime Gard Qsnap Covers  can be used to keep your stitching clean and free of oils and other soiling. You can also tuck in the extra fabric to keep it out of your way while stitching with Q-snap frames. I have ordered the covers in various sizes to fit the frame configurations I use.

However, you may choose to make your own by following the tutorial written by Abbie’s Sewing & Stuff – Qsnap Cover a.k.a. Grime Guard Covers.

I recently joined the Message Board offered by one of my favorite places for order cross stitch supplies and learned a trick that I wish I had known about many years ago. A bit of history first. I recently started stitching The Wolf Pack for my youngest son. The design uses many shades of grey, black, and blue and I kept getting confused as to where I was. I had read about gridding your fabric as part of a recent thread on the board and thought I might give it a try to see if it worked.

I always mark the center of both the design and fabric when I start stitching and work from the center either up or down. This time I decided to start stitching at the top left-hand corner because of the design itself. See Wolf Pack for more on this particular project. I then counted up 20 lines and added a line of running stitches horizontally every 20 lines just so I could count. Then counted over to where the first stitch would go. I used plain ole sewing thread (red) to mark the lines. Worked OK to start but still kept having difficulty so went back and marked every ten lines horizontally. This helped so decided I needed to know more about marking my fabric in this manner.

NOTE: This would have been much easier to do BEFORE I started stitching then afterwards!!!

Here are some of the links I found that helped:

An Rx for a Worldwide Epidemic | Just One More Stitch (jeanfarishneedleworks.com)

http://www.stitchingthenightaway.com/75/gridding-your-fabric-for-cross-stitch/

http://cross-stitch.livejournal.com/556458.html

http://pinwheelponders.blogspot.ca/2009/01/some-thought-on-stitching-cross-stitch.html (scroll down)

http://www.scarletquince.com/gridding.php

Most of the charts I work on have a darker line every ten stitches both horizontally and vertically. So, this is what I did:

1. Mark the center of the design on the chart and the fabric. Count up to the first darker horizontal line and stitch all the way across your fabric. Repeat in both directions for the entire width of the fabric.

2. Count over to the first dark vertical line and stitch a vertical line the entire height of the fabric.

The design so far with what I had stitched and the grids in place.

August 2022 – I have continued to grid my fabric over the years as my eyesight has gotten worse. I now use red fishing line 4 or 6lb test. I also now grid any project large or small.