Two handed stitching. Tell me about it.

[Corey.G]

I’ve been wondering how people do it lately. Does your dominate hand go on the back? Is it faster? If not for a four year old I would consider getting a stand and doing it.

So tell me about if you do, trials and tribulations and all that.

[Steam.Jo]

I always do two handed stitching: Dominate hand (right) at the back where I cannot see it but more easily can do fine control just by thinking about it.

It is much easier since I brought my Lowery Stands Before that I favoured my floor standing Elbesee frame over hand held rolling frames because I could do two handed stitching. Various other makes of wooden floor stand I picked up wound me up as they would sag during use so needed propping up ( must decide what to do with those ) When I made up my various table clamp stands for the rolling frames they held the frames without sagging so I was able to do two handed stitching. Of these I still have my Peacock mounted on one of my home made stands and I take another of the clamping home made stands along to the sewing group if using a small scroll frame - one of the other Ladies also does two handed stitching but it amazes the others that I can do it.

Height of stands is a big factor for two handed stitching. All of my Lowery stands I have added height extenders to. Yes you probably could get my favoured stitching height right at the top of their extension but they sag/wobble slightly more if you use them that way.



I still prefer the earlier corner clamping Lowery frames as they securely hold larger scroll frames

Jo

[Serinde]

I think two-handed stitching must be quicker. Dominant hand to the back, as Jo says. I almost never stitch in hand (although I know that Lyudmila swears by it and she stitches gorgeous pieces quickly and without any fuss) because there are some hardanger stitches as well as some embroidery stitches I do more satisfactorily if I have two hands to manipulate the thread.

Recently, I've been stitching a piece on plastic canvas, which has to be done with one hand and it seems slow. As well, my hand gets more tired -- probably because I'm not used to it.

ETA: I also sometimes use a wooden lap stand (like the one by Elbesee) to work two-handed, and that company also has a barrel clamp for tables which is great when out and about.

[Roland]

I do not have a stand. When doing a large picture I use a Q-Snap. Sitting in an easy-boy, with my feet up, the frame can rest against my knees. I have my dominant (right hand) at the back, left at the front. Since I have Supraspinatus this puts less repetitive motion on my shoulder, moving the arm front to back, and so I have less pain.

[rcperryls]

I use a stand for some projects, but others (like the afghan) are too large for a stand. I use a hoop (or q snaps on occassion) and generally find that two handed stitching is not only faster but is easier on my arms. I usually sit at the dining room table when I'm stitching so I can lean one edge of the hoop against the table and use my dominant hand (right) under the hoop and other hand above. It's what I do most often now.

Carole

[fccs]

I'll chime in but everything I'll say is pretty much what everyone has said. My dominant hand is on the back of the frame.

I find stitching using a stand puts less pressure on my wrists, but more on my back (because my posture is not the best). I usually have to plop a pillow behind me. If I'm stitching with a hoop/Qsnap/stretcher bars/scroll frame that are too big to hold but I'm too lazy to get the floor stand out, I will prop it against my legs and the arm of the couch and stitch two handed. (Or like Carole, if I stitch at a table I can rest the frame against the table's edge.) Smaller, lighter (i.e., easier held) hoops are done one handed. If I'm using the Morgan lap-stand hoops, I'll stitch two handed. I love the Morgan hoops and if you want to give two handed stitching a go, that might be the way to start. If you don't like it, you'll still have two great hoops you can use.