Kits
Why is it companies seem to think we as stitchers will accept anything to get hold of a pattern that has caught our eye and will turn a blind eye to fabric and thread that is sub-standard???? I have just spent a week undoing all the stitching of a pattern I bought - due to the thread (supposedly DMC ) being absolutely terrible. It stitched up badly and unevenly but I kept going thinking it was me and it would look alright when I had finished. Silly me I should have followed my instincts and stopped earlier as it didn't. Even the material was not good and I have now bought a new piece of material and good thread (genuine DMC) out of my stash and am now restitching the pattern. It looks a hundred times better. I now know why I prefer to buy patterns and get my own material and thread when I wish to start a project. Ah well some of us have to learn the hard way.
Posted by: deirdre on 09/24/17
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I prefer patterns over kits as well. I have had the misfortune to run short of floss in a kit and then having to find more. Having said that, I will occasionally purchase a kit.
Posted by: marym on 09/24/17
Those were the reasons that drove me away from kits a long time ago and caused me to turn to charts. The only time I will buy a kit anymore is because I really, really, REALLY fell in love with the pattern; then I change out the floss and the fabric and commit the kit thread and fabric to the deep....
Part of my circular file.
Posted by: Bermuda on 09/24/17
It is sad to go to a reputable site to find out what they would recommend about either replacing all floss or trying to get them to deal with replacing 1 or 2 strands for EIGHT different colors, until I got to one color which should have had 25 yards of that color, but only had 12! So, I said that I will replace all missing floss DMC, my faithful floss friend for any kit floss.
I therefore permitted that reputable kit maker, Dimensions, to continue to profit from us! Of course, it was an older pattern that I just needed to do so I could personalize it. Thanks to Bermuda, I add looking at every kit that I own, regardless of who sold , the kit. I am indeed a hard learner, too!
Posted by: Su Pitt on 09/24/17
And even if they send you enough floss to finish your project, there is NOTHING guaranteeing the floss will match or even blend in so you might as well match as close as you can and move on!!! I thought I had given up kits long ago...not so, so it seems--I was lured back by Laurel Burch (loved the color and style) But I replaced materials that didn't pass muster with choices of my own...and I ordered knowing I would probably be rejecting their stuff. It is probably another idiosyncratic choice for each stitcher...not everyone is as choosey, critical...some folk aren't creating "art"...they are just enjoying a moment to themselves. :)
Posted by: VCESS on 09/25/17
This is why I can only work on "101 Dalmatians Sampler" for a short length of time. The thread is horrible and as I am two thirds of the way through it I cannot (or will not) unpick and start again. Also stitching white on white material gets a bit stressful after a time as does stitching quarter stitches. We will get there in the end but it won't be tomorrow!
Posted by: deirdre on 09/25/17
I'm like Burmuda. Will only buy a kit, if it just jumped out at me & said "You know, you really have to have me". I will then, change out the floss to my own DMC. Sometimes the design you like only cones in a kit, and you have to bite the bullet. I always save all the floss & fabric in the kit for my younger granddaughter
Posted by: nita7 on 09/25/17