I don’t know how many of you read my posts, but I’m hoping most of you will come across this one post specifically and give me your answers 🙂
I’ve noticed how some of you like to do your stitches in one color at a time in “blobs” and some of you like to do your stitches in rows with multiple colors at the same time by “parking” your floss in the cloth. After reading up on both methods, here are the pros and cons I got from each.
“Blob” method – PRO: stitching process is faster, back of cloth looks neater. CON: inserting a single stitch in an area with surrounding stitches can be difficult without overlapping a previous stitch or splitting a thread.
“Parking” method – PRO: stitching ultimately looks neater. CON: lots of floss will be parked in the front and may get tangled.
My questions is which method (blob or parking) do you prefer and why?
halfstitch 
I prefer the blob method for a couple of reasons: It’s how I learned, foremost, and 30 years or so of habit doesn’t break easily. And I mostly work on a large floor stand that lets me flip over the frame to start or finish a section. I found parking to be a complete disaster on it. Getting a single stitch in is a lot easier if you use the loop method to start it (which only works if you’re using an even number of strands, but it’s rare that I don’t).
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Sounds like you have a lot of stitching experience under your belt :). I, too, started learning through the blob method and I agree that habits don’t break easily.
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I do both depending on the project! Blob – if there’s only a few colours to keep track of, and large blocks of colour. Parking – if there’s a lot of colours all intermixed.
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How versatile! Good to know that they both suit you depending on the type of project!
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This is my answer too – it really depends on the project, both methods have their time and place for me 🙂
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Good to know that both methods work for you 🙂
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I actually prefer the blob method. I never really tried the parking method as, for me, I would get my threads tangled. Great question. I think I may try it now.
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Please let me know how you like the parking method if you do try 🙂
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Ok
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Right now on BLOB, but would like to progress to Parking 🙂
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Likewise and thanks for commenting 🙂
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I also do both, depending on the project. I’m working on a flower of the month sampler that has a lot of colors that are pretty scattered, and the parking method works best for that; but for simpler projects I do blobs.
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Ooh, your current project sounds like it’ll keep you busy :). I’ll keep a lookout for posts on your progress!
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I do BLOB work myself. I tried the parking method when I discovered it – I had never seen anyone complete a cross stitch that way! – but soon discovered it just wasn’t for me. I hated everything about it, from the tangled threads getting in the way of stitching to having to constantly re-thread the needle or risk constant poking from multiple needles. I also prefer to work with one symbol at a time, otherwise I find I make too many mistakes switching between symbols especially when there are many shades of the same colour. But, to each their own!
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Thank you for taking the time to respond and a lengthy one at that :).
I tend to make mistakes just by doing the “blob” method and was under the impression that the “parking” would help by filing in gaps and make it easier to count the stitches, but after reading your reply, you’ve convinced me to change my mind. I think I won’t be trying the parking method anytime soon, haha. Kudos to you for trying the parking method regardless!
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Sorry about being wordy – I have a problem, I know… ha ha. If you ever do try parking, I’d like to hear your opinion.
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I meant it was lengthy in a positive way. Your response was very thorough and sounded well-thought-out 🙂
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I prefer the blob method with some modification. I usually decide on an area of the pattern that I am going to work on first and then begin with the largest area of one solid color. I begin there and try to complete all of that color in the section I have decided to work on first. Sometimes the blobs are so far apart, however, that I end up switching to a different color to be sure I don’t miscount my stitches. there is nothing I hate more than counting wrong and having to rip and redo!
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Switching colors seems like a very effective method to avoid redoing stitches! I completely feel you on how annoying it is to rip and redo.
Thanks for commenting! 🙂
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For me I honestly don’t even know which method I use. I kind of just keep stitching the whole area until I need to move the hoop. So maybe that’s blob. Me I try to keep the back looking nice but it isn’t as nice as I have seen some peoples. For me as long as the backing isn’t all full of knots that are going to leave bumps showing in the front of my work I’m happy.
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I personally have no patience for the parking method, and prefer to stitch by color. I hate it when I end up frogging if I miscounted one stitch, but I guess I can’t be perfect at the time. 😜
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