You can do that. You could also use hair clips, the ones that have the teeth and you squeeze to open. Clothes pins and binder clips would also work. Using any of these things would make it much easier to move from one spot to another.

Great idea Mau and I have lots of these

Thanks pink. I knew youladies would come through.

I use binder clips so my aida looks like a scroll.

I make sure to roll it so that the back of the work is on the outside and the work/stitches are inside of the roll. This therefore helps keep your work cleaner as you will have your hands touching mostly the backside of your project when you are holding it to stitch.

I hope that makes scence to you.

P.S. If the aida is small, to role and hold, I use coated large paper clips instead of binder clips. I think the paper clips are coated with plastic and you can buy them in assorted colors, not that the color matters. Big paper clips work better than small ones. You could use regular paper clips if you always remove them when not in use so they won't leave rust marks.

Yes that definitely makes sense arotten. My goodness your ideas are good. Who needs Goggle when you have chit chat !

I like to "free hand" my work too. I've found some thin white gloves that I wear on my holding hand to help protect my work. I keep several so I can toss them in the wash every few days. These are about tee shirt weight, and I get them at the dollar store. Just another idea. I'very also found them at drug stores but those are usually a little more spendy.

It was certainly a huge relief to learn that other people also free hand. I was afraid to admit to stitching this way.

Adele, it's how I do it as well. It saves a lot of wear on the already stitched area. I stitch from right to left side if at all possible.

I free handed for years. When I switched over to the hoop for a now forgotten reason, I was stitching with the hoop upside down for about a month before the penny dropped. Duh!

Beautiful, sounds like something I would do. My kids would occasionally bring some folly to my attention. I take these things in stride and readily admit to them.

I try and try but cannot get used to a frame or hoop. I have spent so much money and DD worked diligently on placing the fabric. However, after a couple of stitches I was done. I've met the odd frame or hoopless stitcher in shops and saw that they still turned out lovely work. That clinched it for me. Why struggle, this is a hobby after all and done for fun and relaxation.

I also hold my crochet hook in an inelegant manner but get the job done.